Starting August 20, the National Immigration Administration of China includes Vietnam in its 240-hour visa-free transit program across 65 ports of entry, allowing eligible travelers with onward tickets to third countries to stay up to 10 days while opening new opportunities for multi-destination tour packages.
Vietnamese travelers planning international itineraries now have a streamlined transit option that eliminates short-term visa fees for stops across major Chinese hubs like Beijing and Shanghai. The policy, enacted on August 20, by the National Immigration Administration of China, permits citizens holding ordinary passports and confirmed onward tickets to a third country or region to stay for up to 240 hours without a visa.
How the 240-Hour Transit Policy Works for Vietnamese Travelers
The visa-free arrangement applies at 65 designated ports of entry, giving travelers access to major transit centers including Beijing, Shanghai, and various other approved regional areas. To qualify, passengers must present a valid passport alongside an onward travel confirmation showing a departure to a third destination within the 10-day window.
During the 10-day stay, visitors can engage in tourism, commercial activities, family visits, and short-term exchanges. However, the National Immigration Administration specifies that activities requiring prior official approval—such as employment, formal study, or professional journalism—remain excluded and still require standard visa clearance before arrival.
Parallel to the transit policy, Vietnamese citizens holding ordinary passports can also enter Hainan province visa-free for up to 30 days through designated open ports. Tour groups traveling under specific conditions may also visit areas like Guilin and Xishuangbanna without prior visa filings, according to regional entry rules outlined by travel authorities.
Travel Industry Response and New Multi-Destination Tour Packages
Travel agencies across Vietnam report that the policy shift reduces financial barriers and creates flexible routings for vacationers. Solo travelers and tour operators alike are recalculating itineraries to combine stops in Chinese cities with onward journeys to Northeast Asia or Western destinations.
For instance, a traveler booking a round-trip journey to Japan can route through Shanghai to save on administrative fees while adding several days of sightseeing. Industry executives note that three main groups stand to benefit: multi-destination leisure travelers, transit passengers heading to Japan, South Korea, or Europe, and business travelers combining work trips with tourism.
Major travel corporations are actively collaborating with airlines to design integrated itineraries. Vietravel is coordinating with carrier partners to build multi-stop packages under a one journey, two experiences model. These packages incorporate a two-to-four-day stopover in Beijing, Shanghai, or Chengdu before connecting to Japan and South Korea, or leverage Chinese carriers to reduce costs for European, American, and Australian tours compared to direct flights, as detailed by Phan Huỳnh Phương Hoàng, Deputy General Director of Vietravel.
This is a turning point that brings benefits to both tourists and businesses. Phan Huỳnh Phương Hoàng, Deputy General Director of Vietravel
Other regional agencies are also tailoring products to different demographics. Regional travel preferences show a distinct geographic split, with Golden Smile Travel noting that southern travelers lean toward direct single-destination flights while northern travelers favor multi-destination tours. Tour operators emphasize that while the transit policy cuts costs, travelers heading onward to third countries like Japan or European nations must still secure the necessary entry permits for those final destinations independently.
Bilateral Ties and Growing Visitor Volumes
The immigration policy expansion aligns with a surge in travel between the two neighboring countries. Government data shows that in the first half of 2026, Vietnam ranked as the fourth-largest source market for inbound visitors to China, with traveler volume doubling compared to the same period in previous tracking periods.
The National Immigration Administration characterizes the inclusion of Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan as a practical step toward high-level openness, designed to strengthen mutual trust and facilitate tourism, commerce, and investment. In response to the announcement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng welcomed the decision during a regular press briefing on August 20.
Vietnam welcomes and desires that the Chinese side continues to simplify visa issuance procedures for Vietnamese citizens entering China. Thereby creating favorable conditions for citizens of the two countries to travel and trade, and contributing to further enhancing people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Phạm Thu Hằng, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Regarding whether Vietnam plans reciprocal measures for Chinese nationals, the foreign ministry representative stated that both nations will continue cooperating along paths that facilitate travel and bilateral exchange for citizens on both sides.
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