New unified framework for China entry and exit starts Sept. 15

China will replace a patchwork of exit-entry rules with a unified framework on Sept. 15, adding tougher verification, penalties and controls on visa agents.

Applications face closer verification

The Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration, issued under State Council Decree No. 841, require foreign nationals to give truthful information and cooperate with checks when applying for visas, entry, stays or residence.

Visa offices and immigration authorities can request documents, electronic data and other evidence supporting an applicant’s stated purpose. False materials or statements made in visa applications or at ports of entry can lead to an entry ban of one to five years.

Employers, sponsors and organizations issuing invitation letters will face greater responsibility for the accuracy and legality of application information. That raises the risk for expats using fabricated employment records, false addresses or questionable invitation letters.

Visa categories and transit policies stay intact

The regulation changes enforcement rather than China’s underlying visa categories. Existing tourist, business, work and residence routes remain available, as do the country’s current visa-free policies.

Eligible nationals from 55 countries can still use China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy at designated ports when traveling onward to a third country. Tourism, business visits and family visits are permitted, but employment, study and news reporting require the appropriate visa. Official notices don’t list a fixed end date for the 240-hour policy.

China still has no dedicated digital nomad visa. Remote workers using tourist or business status should make sure their declared purpose matches their activities, particularly when consulting China’s residency rules.

Visa agents face registration deadlines

Paid immigration intermediaries will enter a filing system. Agencies established after Sept. 15 must register with local immigration authorities within 15 days, while existing agencies have 90 days after the rules take effect or until around mid-December.

Existing visa agents, rather than applicants, carry the immediate deadline: They must complete the filing within that 90-day window. Agencies can't publish misleading information, submit false documents or help clients improperly obtain visas, residence permits or passports.