(Yicai) Jan. 11 -- China has rolled out five new measures to make it easier for foreigners to enter the country, including easing requirements for visa applicants.

Foreigners who need to enter China quickly, including for business or visiting relatives, but are too late to get a visa outside of the country can apply on arrival by presenting invitation letters or other supporting documents, the National Immigration Administration said today.

Foreign passengers transferring to a flight for a third country within 24 hours can now enjoy visa-free transit at nine airports without going through immigration. They include Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport.

The measures brought in today cover the majority of foreign individuals with an urgent need to come to China, providing more convenience and flexibility for visitors, said Mao Xu, director of the NIA's foreigners management department.

In addition, visa applicants do not need to provide some materials previously required. For example, when applying for a short-term family or reunion visa, foreigners in China will no longer need to present a document proving kinship but only a declaration of kinship to invite relatives.

Chinese border officials processed 210 million arrivals last year, 63 percent of the pre-pandemic level of 2019. With the resumption of international flights, that number will likely continue to grow this year, noted Chi Jingyang, director of the NIA's border inspection and administration department.

China rolled out a unilateral visa-free policy last year, allowing citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia to visit the country for up to 15 days without applying for a visa between Dec. 1, 2023 and Nov. 30 this year.

Visa-free entries for the six countries stood at 147,000 as of Jan. 9, showing an overall increase, Mao said. There were over 4,300 such arrivals on Jan. 8 alone, more than doubling from Dec. 1.

Editor: Martin Kadiev