· Area of Law： Belt & Road Initiative Foreign Affairs

· Level of Authority： Departmental Rules

· Date issued：12-27-2017

· Effective Date：12-28-2017

· Status： Effective

· Issuing Authority： Ministry of Public Security

Announcement of the Ministry of Public Security
For the purposes of more effectively implementing the strategies of “Belt & Road” and the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei and building more convenient and relaxed intangible infrastructure for entry and exit, with the approval of the State Council, a 144-hour transit visa exemption policy for nationals of certain foreign countries will be implemented in Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, and Hebei Province. The relevant matters are hereby announced as follows:
I. List of countries to which this policy applies
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, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, Belarus, United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
II. Conditions for application
A national of any of the foreign countries above shall hold a valid international travel document and an interline ticket with a definite date and seat within 144 hours to a third country (or region). This policy shall not apply to foreign seamen of ships engaged in international voyages and their accompanying family members.
III. Ports of Entry and Departure
A transiting foreign national may enter or depart China at any of the ports of Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port, Hebei Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport, and Qinhuangdao Harbor.
IV. Area and time of stay
A transiting foreign national who stays in China under the visa exemption policy shall abide by the Chinese laws. Foreign nationals who meet the aforesaid conditions may stay in the administrative regions of Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, and Hebei Province for 144 hours without a visa, but may not exceed the permitted scope of areas or time of stay. Where a transiting foreign national under the visa exemption policy stays in a hotel during the transiting period, the hotel shall conduct check-in registration of the foreign national; where the foreign national lives or stays in a dwelling other than a hotel, the foreign national shall personally, or the provider of accommodation shall, conduct registration with the police station or foreign nationals service station of police at the place of dwelling within 24 hours after being accommodated.
Where a transiting foreign national under the visa exemption policy exceeds the permitted scope of areas or time of stay or fails to undergo accommodation registration in accordance with the law, the public security authority or exit-entry border inspection authority of the local people's governments at or above the county level shall handle it in accordance with the Exit-Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China.
The policy in this Announcement shall come into force on December 28, 2017.
Ministry of Public Security
December 27, 2017