A citeable, journalist-friendly snapshot of China's 2026 shopping-travel opening — the figures behind the China Haul trend.
| Metric | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Unilateral visa-free countries (ordinary passport, ≤30 days) | 50 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 240-hour transit visa-free countries | ~57 | National Immigration Administration |
| Transit ports / provincial areas | 65 / 24 | National Immigration Administration |
| Departure tax-refund threshold (single store, same day) | ¥200 | State Taxation Administration |
| Participating tax-refund stores | 8,000+ | State Taxation Administration |
| Instant-refund pilot cities | Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu, Sanya + Guangdong (Guangzhou/Shenzhen) | State Taxation Administration |
China's door is open wider than at any point in the last decade. Fifty nationalities can now land and shop for up to 30 days with no visa; a separate transit route covers ~57 countries for 10-day sprints through 65 ports; and the tax-refund network has passed 8,000 stores with instant refunds in the major hubs. Together they create the "China Haul" — a shopping trip that pays part of itself back at the airport.
Journalists and researchers are welcome to cite or link this snapshot. Suggested citation:
China Haul by the Numbers 2026 — ChinaHaul (chinahaultravel.com/china-haul-2026-facts.html). Figures sourced from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Immigration Administration and State Taxation Administration.
All figures reflect the 2026 policy baseline and are reviewed annually; confirm 2027 updates on the official sources before publication.
Fifty countries whose ordinary-passport holders can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days under the unilateral policy, per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The departure tax refund applies above ¥200 of eligible spend at a single participating store on the same day.
The instant-refund pilot runs in Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu and Sanya, plus parts of Guangdong (Guangzhou and Shenzhen).
Policy numbers change. Before you book, confirm the current eligible-country lists, ports and participating tax-refund stores on the official English sources below.