(Photo by Rafael Gomez: Jinli Chengdu)

72-hour visa-free policy is a visa-free transit policy, which allows transit passengers with passport of 45 countries around the world to stay for up to 72 hours without visa on direct transit via Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.

Like Us on Facebook

Since Chengdu has been approved by the State Council to carry out the free transit policy, Chengdu will become the fourth city in China to adopt a 72-hour visa-free policy after September 1^st, 2013. And Chengdu will be the first city in an inland region of China to adopt the visa-free policy.

After the policy goes into effect in Chengdu on September 1^st, the city will allow transit passengers from 45 countries who have valid visas and a flight ticket to a third country to stay up to 72 hours in Chengdu and other cities and counties under its administration. However, if passengers overstay their visit, they may be fined, detained or deported from China.

The 45 counties that can enjoy Chengdu's 72-hour visa-free policy are Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

Wang Haoyu, chief of People's Armed Police Force in Sichuan Province, promises the waiting time for every visitor in tour groups to pass the security check will be less than 25 seconds; the time will be less than 15 seconds for every resident from Hong Kong and Macao, and the waiting time will be less than 45 seconds for other visitors. In order to accelerate the process of inspect visitors' valid passports and documents, Chengdu has invested more than 6 million yuan to upgrade its inspection system and service facilities.