Over 16 Million Border Crossings During China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Holidays
October 9, 2025 – Beijing
China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) reported that border inspection authorities nationwide handled a total of 16.34 million inbound and outbound travelers during the 2025 National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, an 11.5% increase compared with the same period last year. The daily average reached 2.04 million crossings, with the peak recorded on October 4 at 2.35 million.
Travel Surge Across All Groups
Among all travelers, mainland residents made 9.17 million crossings, up 9.6% year-on-year. Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents recorded 5.74 million crossings (+12.2%), while foreign nationals reached 1.43 million crossings, a notable 21.6% increase.
Of the inbound foreigners, 535,000 entered visa-free, representing 71% of all foreign arrivals and a 46.8% rise from the previous year.
Busy Border Transport Operations
During the same period, immigration checkpoints inspected 744,000 planes, ships, trains, and vehicles, reflecting an 11% increase in cross-border transport activity. The figures highlight both growing travel demand and enhanced clearance efficiency at major ports of entry.
Smooth and Orderly Holiday Travel
Following NIA’s unified deployment, border inspection agencies implemented the “Two Announcements and One Reminder” policy, releasing timely forecasts of passenger flow to guide travelers in planning off-peak journeys.
Authorities strengthened coordination among departments, opened full inspection channels, enforced the “30-minute queue limit” for Chinese citizens, and ensured smooth passenger flow even during peak hours and adverse weather.
Safe and Efficient Clearance
Thanks to these comprehensive measures, immigration clearance across China’s ports remained safe, smooth, and efficient throughout the National Day and Mid-Autumn holidays. The record-breaking figures reflect the continued rebound of cross-border travel and the growing popularity of visiting China under expanded visa-free entry policies.
