Compilation of 2026 Policies Beneficial to Foreigners Entering China (Beijing)
Compilation date: July 5, 2026 Note: This document compiles policy documents and official news articles published in 2026 that directly benefit foreigners entering China (including Beijing). The content is transcribed verbatim from official government websites, with original source links attached for verification.
Table of Contents
List of Countries Eligible for Unilateral Visa-Free Entry (National Immigration Administration, updated February 17, 2026)
Transit Visa-Free Policy (240-hour / 24-hour) (National Immigration Administration)
Notice on Implementing Online Filling of Foreigner Entry Cards (effective November 2025, continuing in 2026)
Implementation Opinions on Enhancing the Convenience of Digital Services for Overseas Personnel Entering China (14 measures) (Cyberspace Administration of China and 10 other departments, March 2026)
Beijing Port Border Crossings Exceed 7 Million — One-Stop Visa-Free Transit Service (Xinhua News Agency, April 26, 2026)
Beijing Departure Tax Refund Services Upgraded Again — Online Shopping by Foreign Tourists Now Eligible for Tax Refunds (Beijing Business Daily, June 2, 2026)
Say Goodbye to Airport Tax Refund Queues! Beijing Launches Online Shopping Tax Refund Model (June 2, 2026)
One-Code Processing! First Paperless Departure Tax Refund in China Lands in Beijing (July 3, 2026)
I. List of Countries Eligible for Unilateral Visa-Free Entry
Source: National Immigration Administration website Publication Date: 2026-02-17 Original Source Link:https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741577/c1731154/content.html
List of Countries Eligible for Unilateral Visa-Free Entry
(Compiled based on information published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of February 17, 2026)
Europe (35 countries): France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom
Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand
Asia (7 countries): Brunei, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain
Americas (6 countries): Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Canada
Note: Nationals of the above countries holding ordinary passports may enter China visa-free for business, tourism, family visits, exchange visits, or transit for stays not exceeding 30 days. The stay period is calculated from midnight of the day following entry.
II. Transit Visa-Free Policy
Source: National Immigration Administration website Publication Date: 2025-06-27 (continuing in 2026) Original Source Link:https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741577/c1731205/content.html
Transit Visa-Free Policy
I. 24-Hour Transit Visa-Free Policy
All ports open to the outside world in China implement a 24-hour transit visa-free policy for nationals of all countries. Foreigners holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed seats, transiting through China by internationally operating aircraft, vessels, or trains to a third country or region, and staying in China for no more than 24 hours without leaving the port's restricted area, may be exempt from visa requirements; those who need to leave the port's restricted area should apply for a temporary entry permit at the port's exit-entry border inspection authority.
II. 240-Hour Transit Visa-Free Policy
Currently, China has implemented a 240-hour transit visa-free policy for 55 countries including the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Nationals of the relevant countries holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed dates and itineraries, transiting through China to a third country or region, may enter visa-free through any of the 65 open ports across 24 provinces, and stay and conduct activities within designated areas for up to 10 days. During the stay, they may engage in tourism, business, visits, family visits, and other activities; activities requiring prior approval such as work, study, and journalistic interviews still require appropriate visas.
(1) List of 55 Eligible Countries
Europe (40 countries): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway
Americas (6 countries): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand
Asia (7 countries): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia
(2) Applicable Ports and Stay Activity Areas
(See the original text on the National Immigration Administration website for details)
III. Notice on Implementing Online Filling of Foreigner Entry Cards
Source: Chinese Embassies Abroad / National Immigration Administration Publication Date: 2025-11-28 Effective Date: From November 20, 2025 (continuing in 2026) Original Source Link:https://ng.china-embassy.gov.cn/hzqzqw/zytz/202511/t20251129_11762977.htm
Notice on Implementing Online Filling of Foreigner Entry Cards
To further facilitate foreigners' travel to China, starting from November 20, 2025, foreigners may fill in entry-related information online before coming to China through the National Immigration Administration government website, government service platform, the "Immigration Administration 12367" APP and WeChat (Alipay) mini-program, or by scanning the entry card filling code on mobile devices. Foreigners who do not have the conditions for online filling may, upon arrival at the port's exit-entry border inspection site, scan a QR code with their mobile phone or use on-site smart devices to fill in entry information online, or fill out a paper foreigner entry card.
The following 7 categories of foreigners are exempt from filling:
Holders of the People's Republic of China Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card
Holders of the Hong Kong/Macau Resident Mainland Travel Permit (non-Chinese nationals)
Holders of group visas or those eligible for group visa-free entry
Direct 24-hour transit without leaving the port's restricted area
Cruise ship passengers entering and exiting on the same cruise ship
Fast-track channel entry
Foreign-national employees of entry-exit transportation vehicles, etc.
Entry Card Filling Website:
https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/entry-registation-home
IV. Implementation Opinions on Enhancing the Convenience of Digital Services for Overseas Personnel Entering China (14 Measures)
Source: Xinhua Net Publication Date: 2026-03-24 Issuing Authority: Cyberspace Administration of China and 10 other departments Original Source Link:https://www.xinhuanet.com/government/20260324/1e917b79d6f44b73a2c3704530887e98/c.html
Hot Topics Tracking | Making Overseas Personnel Entry Smoother — How Do 14 Digital Service Measures Precisely Land?
In recent years, as the effects of China's visa-free policies continue to be released, more and more overseas personnel are coming to China for tourism, study, work, and life. In 2025, China's inbound tourism exceeded 150 million person-times, a year-on-year increase of over 17%; inbound tourism spending exceeded USD 130 billion, a year-on-year increase of nearly 40%. This year, more and more foreign tourists have chosen to cross mountains and seas to deeply experience traditional Chinese culture. During the Spring Festival holiday alone, border inspection authorities across the country processed a total of 17.796 million border crossings by Chinese and foreign personnel, averaging 1.977 million per day, a 10.1% increase compared to the daily average during last year's Spring Festival holiday.
However, when those accustomed to using email need to download various apps, and when those accustomed to swiping credit cards encounter QR code ordering and mobile payments... He Dexu, a researcher at the Institute of Finance and Economics Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that the inconveniences in digital services for overseas personnel entering China include both "soft barriers" caused by language and habit differences, and "hard constraints" such as insufficient compatibility of terminal devices. These can sometimes become "stumbling blocks" affecting their entry experience.
Recently, the Cyberspace Administration of China and 10 other departments jointly issued the "Implementation Opinions on Enhancing the Convenience of Digital Services for Overseas Personnel Entering China" (hereinafter referred to as the "Implementation Opinions"), proposing 14 measures in five areas: basic services, payment services, tourism services, public services, and network and data security assurance. These measures aim to clear the blockages and bottlenecks in digital services for overseas personnel entering China, establish an interconnected, inclusive, and mutually recognizing digital service system, and create a more internationalized and convenient digital service environment.
"All-in-One" Service: Making Entry Services No Longer a Patchwork
Traditional government services and digital platform construction often suffer from departmental fragmentation and regional differences. The "Implementation Opinions" adhere to a systems approach, confront problems directly, and promote cross-departmental, cross-level, and cross-regional service integration and data sharing, covering almost the entire cycle and all aspects of overseas personnel's work, life, and development in China. Yang Ruilong, Dean of Chongshi College at Renmin University of China and National First-Class Professor, believes that the issuance of this document marks the transition of China's inbound digital services from "single-point breakthrough" to "system integration."
Taking digital basic services as an example, addressing the digital scenarios involved in the needs of foreigners coming to China for food, clothing, housing, transportation, tourism, shopping, and entertainment, the measures optimize digital service models, build digital comprehensive service platforms, integrate news information, language translation, policy guidance, life services, consumption guides, and other content, and connect to commonly used mobile applications and websites in China. Lan Qingxin, Director of the BRICS Research Center at the University of International Business and Economics, stated that this aims to create a one-stop digital service portal for overseas personnel, changing the previous "scattered, disordered, and isolated" service state.
From Travel to Payment: Your Habits Are All "Compatible"
The "Implementation Opinions" focus on high-frequency scenarios for inbound personnel during their stay in China, proposing precise and refined solutions to drive the transformation of digital services from "usable" to "good to use, easy to use, and willing to use." Telecommunications service outlets will be added at port airports with large inbound passenger flows, bringing convenience to overseas personnel from the very first moment of entry, so that guests from afar can not only "come in" but also "travel smoothly," "stay safely," and "shop freely"!
In terms of tourism travel, museums and scenic spots will optimize online reservation services using documents commonly used by overseas personnel; urban rail transit systems will explore supporting purchases with international bank cards; online travel platforms and accommodation operators will strengthen self-service online pre-registration for check-in, simplifying information collection... These seemingly minor changes will greatly enhance the comfort and satisfaction of overseas personnel traveling in China.
In the core area of payment, more overseas electronic wallets will be supported for use within China; the pilot program for opening credit regulatory data will continue to be advanced, expanding the scope of deposit-free and other preferential policies; supermarkets, catering enterprises, and food delivery service platforms will be guided to improve digital service capabilities, creating a batch of "AI + consumption" demonstration scenarios, and promoting online departure tax refund processing. This means that China's future consumer market will be more inclusive of diverse payment habits—whether overseas tourists accustomed to card payments or those using their home country's electronic wallets, they will all be able to complete payments more conveniently.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli stated at a press conference on people's livelihood during the Third Session of the 14th National People's Congress on March 7 that through unremitting efforts in recent years, the level of convenience for inbound tourism payments has greatly improved. In particular, mobile payment has developed rapidly—over 80% of tourists from Kazakhstan and Malaysia now use mobile payments; last year, inbound tourists consumed over CNY 80 billion using mobile payments.
One-Net Government Services: AI Empowerment for "Smoother" Government Services
The implementation of the "Implementation Opinions" will continue to stimulate China's economic vitality, deepen high-level opening-up, and enhance China's international image, providing strong support for the high-quality development of China's economy and society. Lu Chuanying, Vice Dean and Professor at the School of Political Science and International Relations at Tongji University, believes that high-level opening-up is a key link connecting the domestic and international dual circulation. Improving digital service levels is precisely a strategic move to promote the deepening of "hard connectivity" through the optimization of the "soft environment," serving the construction of a new development paradigm.
In terms of public services, investment and entrepreneurship services will be optimized, improving service levels for enterprise establishment and deregistration, bank account opening, change registration, trade, and investment; government service "one-net processing" will be deepened, actively exploring "AI + government" applications, and optimizing the processing procedures for overseas personnel's entry-exit, social security, medical insurance, and other matters... Lu Chuanying analyzed that by improving the integrated digital service level for foreign-related investment and entrepreneurship, providing "one-stop" transparent services from market information, laws and regulations, establishment procedures to subsequent supervision, and further optimizing online application procedures for entry-exit documents, the essence is to clear digital barriers for the efficient flow of international talent, capital, and technology.
This year's "Government Work Report" proposed optimizing the inbound consumption environment and building the "Shopping in China" brand. A series of facilitation measures are pushing China's door of openness ever wider, embracing the world with a more inclusive posture, helping personnel coming to China adapt to and use China's convenient and efficient digital services, experience beautiful China, and experience convenient China.
Coordination: Ding Xiangfeng, Xu Wei
Text: Zhang Qun
Production: Zhang Qun
V. Beijing Port Border Crossings Exceed 7 Million — One-Stop Visa-Free Transit Service
Source: Xinhua News Agency Publication Date: 2026-04-26 Original Source Link:http://www2.xinhuanet.com/local/20260426/d7da0d9efefa473ebddf9df56c8bdf9c/c.html
Beijing Port Border Crossings Exceed 7 Million This Year
Reporters learned from the Beijing General Station of Exit-Entry Inspection on April 26 that, with a series of immigration management facilitation policies implemented, the Beijing port's inbound and outbound passenger flow has grown significantly this year. As of 8:00 a.m. on April 26, the total number of inbound and outbound persons exceeded 7 million, a year-on-year increase of 13.3%. Among them, inbound and outbound foreigners exceeded 2.28 million person-times, a year-on-year increase of 34%.
The continuously expanding visa-free "circle of friends" is making "spontaneous travel" a real experience for more and more foreign travelers. Currently, China has implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 50 countries, comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 29 countries, and the 240-hour transit visa-free policy has been extended to 55 countries.
Immigration management police from the Beijing General Station of Exit-Entry Inspection process border inspection procedures for arriving passengers. (Photo provided by Beijing General Station of Exit-Entry Inspection)
As of April 25, among foreigners entering through Beijing port this year, those entering under visa-free and temporary entry permit policies reached 828,000 person-times, accounting for 70.4% of all entering foreigners, with entry demands primarily for sightseeing and tourism, business exchange, and family visits.
Facing continuously rising passenger flows, the Beijing General Station of Exit-Entry Inspection has implemented "one-stop" processing of temporary entry permit issuance and inspection for foreigners applying for 240-hour transit visa-free entry, and provides guidance on visa-free policies and entry card filling for first-time visitors to China, taking multiple measures to improve clearance efficiency and demonstrate service warmth. (Reporter Sun Pengcheng)
VI. Beijing Departure Tax Refund Services Upgraded Again — Online Shopping by Foreign Tourists Now Eligible for Tax Refunds
Source: Beijing Business Daily Publication Date: 2026-06-02 Original Source Link:https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1866870109577254637
Beijing Departure Tax Refund Services Upgraded Again — Online Shopping by Foreign Tourists Now Eligible for Tax Refunds
Beijing Business Daily (Reporter Cheng Liang) — On June 2, according to the Beijing Municipal Tax Service, Beijing's departure tax refund service measures are set to be upgraded again. Foreigners' eligible online purchases during their stay in China can now be processed for departure tax refunds, with the service measure expected to be formally implemented from early June. In addition, "instant refund" (refund-on-purchase) locations will be further expanded. In Beijing, tax refund locations will extend from shopping centers and commercial banks to certain foreign-facing hotels. Foreign tourists visiting China can process instant tax refunds at their hotels, further facilitating their China trip.
It is understood that Beijing has taken the lead nationwide in launching the first online departure tax refund store, simultaneously enabling the first batch of hotel-based departure tax refund centralized payment points. This move propels Beijing's departure tax refund services to achieve two major leaps: consumption scenarios transitioning from "offline" to "online + offline" in parallel, and tax refund services extending from "commercial districts" to "hotels," creating a more convenient, efficient, and multi-dimensional shopping tax refund experience.
Currently, Beijing has over 1,800 departure tax refund stores. Since the beginning of this year, it has provided departure tax refund services to over 43,000 overseas travelers from 163 countries and regions, with the number of tax refund application forms issued increasing 5.7 times year-on-year, and both sales and refund amounts increasing 50% year-on-year.
The relevant person in charge of the Beijing Municipal Tax Service stated that going forward, the tax service will take multiple measures to ensure the continued effectiveness of the new departure tax refund policies: first, fully advancing paperless tax refund processing, accelerating the realization of online confirmation of tax refund application forms and invoices, enabling travelers to complete the entire refund process without paper documents; second, actively promoting national mutual recognition of "instant refunds," enabling overseas travelers to truly achieve "departure from any location, nationwide tax refund"; third, further improving the convenience and intelligence of departure tax refund services by adding tax refund stores, centralized payment points, and other service locations, applying the "Go Beijing" platform, and promoting Alipay QR code scanning, online tax refund stores, and more.
VII. Say Goodbye to Airport Tax Refund Queues! Beijing Launches Online Shopping Tax Refund Model
Source: Baijiahao Publication Date: 2026-06-02 Original Source Link:https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1866891004305168006
Say Goodbye to Airport Tax Refund Queues! Beijing Launches Online Shopping Tax Refund Model, Boosting Chinese Products Going Global
On June 2, 2026, the Beijing Municipal Tax Service officially announced: the nation's first online departure tax refund store has landed in Beijing, and the first batch of hotel-industry departure tax refund centralized payment points has been simultaneously activated. This means that China's departure tax refund service has officially entered a new era of "online shopping + nearby universal tax refund" from offline physical stores.
In the past, overseas tourists wanting tax refunds had to purchase in person at physical tax refund stores and then queue at airport customs with paper documents for verification. Now, inbound foreign, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan travelers can open a mobile app, select products with tax refund labels, place orders online, have products delivered directly to their hotels, and receive tax refunds on the spot at hotel tax refund points, with refund amounts credited in real time.
This innovative measure is a key implementation of the departure tax refund 2.0 policy, expanding inbound consumption and advancing high-level opening-up.
Policy Background: Responding to the Inbound Consumption Boom, Addressing Shortcomings of Traditional Tax Refunds
Continuing Growth in Inbound Passenger Flow, Strong Shopping Demand
In the past two years, the number of inbound tourists to China has steadily climbed. In 2025, the national departure tax refund sales volume increased nearly twofold year-on-year, with the number of tax refund stores reaching 14,000. As an international exchange center, Beijing has provided departure tax refund services to over 43,000 overseas travelers from 163 countries and regions since the beginning of this year, with tax refund application forms issued increasing 5.7 times year-on-year, and both sales and refund amounts increasing 50% year-on-year.
Pain Points in the Traditional Tax Refund Model
Traditional departure tax refunds can only be processed at physical tax refund stores, and tourists need to queue at airports for refund processing. Beijing's innovation extends the consumption tax refund scenario from offline physical stores to online shopping platforms, translating policy benefits into tangible tax refund convenience for overseas travelers.
National Top-Level Policy
This year, the Ministry of Commerce, together with the Ministry of Finance, the State Taxation Administration, and other departments, issued the "Notice on Strengthening the Optimization of Departure Tax Refund Measures to Expand Inbound Consumption" (i.e., the departure tax refund 2.0 policy), focusing on achieving "more, less, and two transformations," further facilitating travelers' departure tax refund processing, optimizing the inbound consumption environment, and building the "Shopping in China" brand. Beijing's pilot program is a positive response to this policy.
Five Key Advantages of Online Shopping Tax Refunds
Compared to traditional offline tax refunds, Beijing's online departure tax refunds offer the following core advantages:
Shopping Unrestricted by Geography or Time
Overseas travelers, regardless of which district or county hotel or scenic area they are in, can open a mobile app at any time, enter the dedicated tax refund shopping zone, and select products without having to travel to major commercial districts' physical stores.
System Auto-Generates Electronic Tax Refund Forms
When placing an order, travelers only need to enter their document number, entry date, and other information. The platform system automatically interfaces with the tax refund system, fully auto-generating an electronic tax refund application form, completely eliminating paper documents.
Door-to-Door Delivery, Products Delivered Directly to Hotels
Purchased products are delivered by JD Logistics to the traveler's hotel, eliminating the need to carry large items while shopping or traveling.
Universal Nearby Tax Refund: Process at Hotels
Beijing has simultaneously activated the first batch of hotel-based departure tax refund centralized payment points, including the Beijing Overseas Chinese Mansion Rise Hotel and Beijing Yuecai JW Marriott Hotel. Travelers can process tax refunds at their hotels with electronic tax refund forms, with refund amounts credited in real time, achieving "refund where you stay."
Continuously Improving Policy Support
Beijing is fully advancing paperless tax refund processing and actively promoting national mutual recognition of "instant refunds," enabling overseas travelers to truly achieve "departure from any location, nationwide tax refund."
Complete Tax Refund Operation Steps
The process is divided into four stages: online ordering, express delivery, nearby tax refund, and customs verification, with a simple and easy-to-understand process:
Step 1: Open the JD App, Enter the "Departure Tax Refund Zone"
Overseas travelers open the JD app (Chinese/English version), search for "departure tax refund," and enter the dedicated shopping channel. Products on the page all carry a prominent "departure tax refund" label—look for the label when selecting products.
Step 2: Fill in Identity Information at Checkout, System Auto-Generates Electronic Tax Refund Form
At checkout, enter passport/Hong Kong-Macau-Taiwan permit number, entry date, entry port, and other information. The system syncs in real time to the national departure tax refund management system, automatically generating an electronic tax refund application form and electronic invoice.
Step 3: Product Delivery to Hotel, Tax Refund Processing (Two Paths)
Path A: Hotel Instant Refund (Preferred)
After products are delivered to the hotel, travelers bring their valid identification to the hotel's departure tax refund centralized payment point. Staff retrieve the electronic tax refund form from the system, process the tax refund on the spot, and the refund is credited immediately.
Path B: Airport Port Departure Tax Refund
If travelers choose to process the refund before departure, they proceed to Capital/Daxing Airport customs on the day of departure. Customs verifies the physical goods and electronic documents, and travelers proceed to the tax refund counter to claim their refund.
Step 4: Customs Random Inspection at Departure
Whether the refund was processed at a hotel in advance or at the airport, customs may randomly inspect tax-refunded goods at departure. Products must remain in their original packaging and unused; simply cooperate with the inspection.
The relevant person in charge of the Beijing Municipal Tax Service stated that going forward, multiple measures will be taken to ensure the continued effectiveness of the new departure tax refund policies: fully advancing paperless tax refund processing, actively promoting national mutual recognition of "instant refunds," and further improving the convenience and intelligence of departure tax refund services, enabling more overseas travelers to enjoy "Shopping in China" and "fingertip tax refund convenience."
VIII. One-Code Processing! First Paperless Departure Tax Refund in China Lands in Beijing
Source: Visit Beijing (Official platform of Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau) Publication Date: 2026-07-03 Original Source Link:https://www.visitbeijing.com.cn/article/4SEM2d1zPUA
One-Code Processing! First Paperless Departure Tax Refund in China Lands in Beijing
In the early hours of July 1, at the departure tax refund window of Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3, David, a traveler from Romania, presented his "Departure Tax Refund Service Code" and quickly completed all procedures. This is the first paperless departure tax refund case in China.
Overseas travelers shop at departure tax refund stores at Capital Airport, using the "Departure Tax Refund Service Code" to process tax refunds / Photo provided by Municipal Tax Service
The "full-process paperless" departure tax refund measure has been implemented nationwide starting this month. When overseas travelers shop upon entry, they only need to scan a QR code via their mobile browser, enter their personal identity information once, and generate a nationally universal "Departure Tax Refund Service Code." They can then "swipe one code" at any tax refund store and departure port nationwide to complete verification and tax refund procedures. Travelers can also view electronic tax refund forms, electronic invoices, processing progress, and all other information on their mobile phones at any time.
"It's very convenient in China—just scan a code to get a tax refund." Nikita, a Russian traveler, purchased a neck pillow at a store in Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3. Using only the "Departure Tax Refund Service Code," he smoothly completed QR code verification and tax refund procedures at the airport customs and departure tax refund window. The paperless reform has enabled overseas shopping travelers to bid farewell to the cumbersome process of repeatedly filling out forms and submitting paper documents, and has effectively prevented issues such as tax refund obstruction caused by lost or damaged documents.
The paperless transformation has also brought convenience to departure tax refund stores' business processing. "In the past, during peak seasons with heavy foot traffic, long queues would form just to issue tax refund application forms," said a staff member at a Beijing Lawson tax refund store. Now, through the online information system, customers don't have to wait, and the store is much more relaxed, while also eliminating the need for additional printing equipment.
The relevant person in charge of the Second Tax Branch of the Beijing Municipal Tax Service introduced that going forward, tax authorities will continue to deepen cross-departmental data sharing with customs and other agencies, continuously expand diverse and convenient tax refund application scenarios, simultaneously enhance intelligent hardware support, advance the deployment of self-service departure tax refund equipment at ports, and accelerate the realization of full-process self-service processing including tax refund information confirmation, signature, and payment, allowing overseas travelers to experience the openness, efficiency, and warmth of the capital as an international consumption center city.
Essential 2026 Perks for Visiting China (Beijing) – Plain & Simple
Here’s the down‑to‑earth summary of all the new policies that make it easier than ever to enter China (especially Beijing). No jargon – just what you need to know.
1. Who can come in visa‑free?
If you hold an ordinary passport from one of these countries, you can enter China without a visafor up to 30 days for tourism, family visits, business, or transit:
Europe (35 countries) – including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Switzerland, and many more.
Oceania (2) – Australia, New Zealand.
Asia (7) – Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Brunei.
Americas (6) – Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Canada.
👉 The 30 days start counting from midnight after the day you arrive.
2. Transit rules – even simpler
24‑hour transit: Anyone from any country can transit without a visa, as long as you stay in the airport transit area and have a connecting ticket to a third country.
240‑hour (10‑day) transit: If you’re from one of 55 eligible countries (basically all of Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, etc.), you can enter through 65 ports in 24 provinces and stay up to 10 days in the designated area. You can travel, do business, visit friends, but not work or study.
3. Fill in your arrival card online – skip the queues
Before you depart, you can fill in your arrival information online via the "NIA 12367" app, website, or WeChat/Alipay mini‑program. If you can’t, you can also do it at the airport on arrival – they have QR codes and devices, or you can use a paper form. Some people (e.g. permanent residents, group‑visa holders) don’t need to fill it at all.
4. Digital services are getting much more foreigner‑friendly
The government launched 14 new measures to make your stay smoother:
Get a local SIM card right at the airport.
Use your own e‑wallet (more foreign wallets are now accepted, not just Alipay/WeChat).
Buy metro tickets, museum/attraction tickets, and book hotels with international credit cards or online pre‑registration.
Many government services (company registration, bank accounts, social security) can be done online in one place.
5. Beijing special: Shop online and get your tax refund without airport chaos
Previously, you could only get a tax refund for purchases made in physical stores and had to queue at the airport. Now in Beijing:
You can buy from the first‑ever online tax‑refund store (on the JD.com app, in English/Chinese). Look for the "Tax Refund" logo.
Order online, and the goods are delivered directly to your hotel.
You can get your tax refund right at your hotel (some hotels like Beijing Huaqiao Hotel and JW Marriott have refund counters) – the money goes to your account instantly.
No need to wait until the airport.
6. New "One Code" tax refund system – even faster
From July 2026, you can generate a "Tax Refund Service Code" by scanning a QR code and entering your personal info once. Then you can use this code at any tax‑refund shop or airport in China – no paper forms, no repeated data entry. All your receipts and progress are visible on your phone. Say goodbye to lost paperwork!
Quick tips for a smooth trip
Before you fly, check if your country is on the visa‑free list – if yes, just book your ticket and go.
If you’re just transiting, 24‑hour is hassle‑free; if you want to stay a few days, use the 240‑hour transit.
When shopping, always look for the "Tax Refund" logo and buy online to get the refund at your hotel.
Use the online arrival card and the tax refund code to save time and avoid paper forms.
If you have any questions, airport immigration officers and service staff are friendly and many speak English. Enjoy your trip to China! 🎉
