The National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced today its decision to implement 10 innovative measures to support the expansion of opening-up and serve the high-quality development of China.

Six of the 10 measures will take effect starting November 5, 2025, including:

Expanding the scope of piloting the talent endorsement policy for traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao SARs. The policy will be implemented across the entire Yangtze River Delta and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions, as well as in all pilot free trade zones nationwide. Every eligible talent may apply for talent endorsements for traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao SARs for multiple times, with the validity period for each endorsement ranging from 1 to 5 years, and may stay in Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR for no more than 30 days per time.

Handling the Chinese mainland residents' applications made nationwide for family visit endorsements for traveling to and from the Taiwan region. This allows the Chinese mainland residents, who plan to travel to and from the Taiwan region for family visits, to submit applications for family visit endorsements at any exit-entry administration authorities of public security organs above county level in China. The application procedures shall be aligned with the requirements prescribed by the places of household registration of applicants.

Promoting the adoption of intelligent exit-entry services in some ports connecting to Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and the Taiwan region. The intelligent exit-entry function involving facial recognition will be promoted to be adopted by 12 ports, including the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and the Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport. Eligible Chinese mainland residents, Hong Kong and Macao residents (including non-Chinese citizens), and Taiwan residents who agree to have their facial and fingerprint information collected and verified for immigration inspection may choose to go through the intelligent fast lanes in the ports mentioned above through facial recognition.

Supporting the efficient cross-boundary flow of production factors within the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (HTCZ-SZ). The Chinese mainland talents working in scientific research institutes, technology innovation enterprises, and other organizations in the Cooperation Zone may apply for three-year multiple-entry talent endorsements for traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao SARs, without submitting talent certificates. Emerging and start-up enterprises are permitted to apply for filing for business trips to and from the two SARs, with no requirement for tax in their first years of operation. In terms of the quotas for individuals to be filed, preferential treatment will be given to key enterprises and other organizations in high-tech, advanced manufacturing and other sectors engaging in business trips to and from the two SARs. Dedicated channels for the Cooperative Zone will be set up at the Huanggang and Futian ports, allowing employees of the enterprises and other organizations within the Shenzhen Park to enter and exit via the No. 1 Channel of the Futian Bonded Zone, to provide convenience in exits and entries for those who need to frequently travel to and from the Cooperation Zone, as well as reservation-based exit-entry services for personnel who urgently need to enter or exit the Cooperation Zone due to major projects, important events and other sound reasons. Green channels will be set up for vehicles transporting sci-tech research materials to and from the Cooperation Zone, to improve the clearance efficiency of these materials.

Increasing the number of ports where individuals eligible for the 24-hour visa-free direct transit may be exempted from immigration inspection procedures. The 24-hour visa-free direct transit policy (without immigration inspection procedures) will apply to 10 additional international airports, including the Tianjin Binhai International Airport and the Kunming Changshui International Airport. Individuals with international onward tickets for transiting to third countries/regions within 24 hours through any of the designated airports may be, if not leaving the airports, exempted from immigration inspection procedures.

Designating five additional ports in Guangdong Province as the entry ports for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy. The five ports are, namely, the Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal, the Hengqin Port, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port, the Zhongshan Port, and the West Kowloon Station Port of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, all adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao. This move will increase the number of applicable entry ports for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy from 60 to 65.

Four of the 10 measures will take effect starting November 20, 2025, including:

Increasing the number of cities piloting "fully online processing" of the applications for renewal and reissuance of exit-entry documents for the Chinese mainland residents. A total of 30 additional cities, including Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province and Nanning in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, will be designated as pilot cities, bringing the number of cities offering the same services to 50.

Offering convenience for the Chinese mainland residents with family visit endorsements for traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao SARs to renew the same type of endorsements in the two SARs. Every Chinese mainland resident traveling to and from either of the two SARs, with a family visit endorsement, may apply for the renewal of the same type of endorsement through China Travel Service (Holdings) Hong Kong Limited or China Travel Service (Macao) Ltd. before expiration, if the allowed stay period of his/her endorsement is insufficient for his/her continued stay. The application for renewal should be submitted in advance for no less than seven working days before the expiration of the stay period.

Authorizing more ports to issue single-entry Mainland Travel Permits for Taiwan Residents. An addition of 42 ports, including the Tianjin Port, will be authorized for issuing single-entry permits for Taiwan residents without a valid travel document for entering and exiting the Chinese mainland. The total number of ports providing this service will be increased to 100.

Allowing the online filling of the Arrival Cards for foreigners. Before coming to China, foreigners may fill in the relevant entry information online through NIA's official website, government service platform, "NIA 12367" App or WeChat (Alipay) mini-program, or by scanning the QR code on the Arrival Cards with mobile phones. Any foreigner who cannot fill in the information online in advance may complete the process upon arriving at the immigration inspection site of a port of China, by scanning the designated QR code with a mobile phone, using a smart device to fill in the entry information online, or simply filling in a paper Arrival Card.

An official of NIA states that the 10 measures are innovative steps taken by NIA to fully implement the guiding principles of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and support broader opening-up to drive economic and social development. NIA will continue to advance the reform and innovation of immigration management services, make every effort to promote high-level opening-up, serve high-quality development, and contribute further to accelerating the establishment of a new development pattern through enhanced immigration management.