China's visa-free entry policies have undergone massive upgrades in recent months. A tropical pearl crowning the South China Sea, Hainan is a major beneficiary of these policies as it opens its arms wider to the world. As of December 17, 2024, China reached mutual visa exemption agreements with 25 countries, piloted unilateral visa exemption for ordinary passport holders of 38 countries, and implemented visa-free transit for ordinary passport holders of 54 countries. The combination of these policies has expanded Hainan's visa-free entry scope from 59 countries to 77 countries, with more new entry ports added and the visa-free transit period extended to 240 hours (10 days). These changes offer added convenience for international travelers and further bolster the attractiveness of the Hainan Free Trade Port as an open window for China.

The upgrade of visa-free entry policies has injected fresh vitality into Hainan's international tourism market. The newly introduced 240-hour visa-free transit policy enables tourists from more countries to easily plan short-term vacations. Combined with other visa-free arrangements, these policies now allow travelers from a total of 77 countries to enjoy visa-free access to Hainan, effectively establishing a "green channel" for global tourists to reach the island directly. These open-door measures have truly transformed Hainan into a tropical paradise that is effortlessly accessible to tourists worldwide.

Which policy should people looking to visit Hainan avail themselves to? How do these policies differ?

Here, we explain to you the highlights and differences between the various visa-free entry policies to help you to easily plan a worry-free trip to Hainan.