An international visitor fills in the information under the guidance of an official. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

The National Immigration Administration extended the visa-free transit policy on Dec 17, increasing the maximum stay for eligible foreign travelers from 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours.

At 2:03 pm, flight FM898 from Budapest landed in Ningbo, carrying 284 passengers from various countries, including Hungary, Ukraine, New Zealand, and Romania.

Hungarian tourist Tibor Suraji, visiting China for the first time, expressed his delight: "I'm really happy and grateful for this new policy. It makes traveling here so convenient. I can't wait to come back again."

Since 2013, the Chinese government has approved the visa-free transit policy in 19 provinces and cities, allowing short stays for international travelers. Ningbo implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy in December 2019.

The new policy not only extends the stay duration but also adds 21 new entry and exit ports, expanding the area where travelers can stay. Eligible travelers from 54 countries can now enter China without a visa through any of the 60 open ports across 24 provinces, staying for up to 240 hours.

This year, Ningbo airport has seen over 65,000 foreign entries and exits, a 101-percent increase year-on-year. More than 24,000 foreign visitors arrived, up by 136 percent year-on-year. Around 150 used the 144-hour visa-free transit, a 112-percent increase year-on-year.

Lu Bin, director of the Ningbo Airport Border Inspection Station, noted that measures such as continuous policy announcements, updated signage, and printed guides ensure smooth transit for eligible travelers.