On November 3, China's National Immigration Administration announced 10 new immigration and exit-entry management policies, including expanding the pilot program for online renewal and reissuance of exit-entry permits for mainland residents. Starting November 20, the number of pilot cities will increase from 20 to 50.

Data from TONGCHENGTRAVEL shows that visa applications processed through its platform grew by over 30% year-on-year in the first three quarters of this year, with demand from non-tier 1 cities surpassing that of tier 1 cities.

During the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, outbound group tours to Europe booked by non-tier 1 city users surged by more than 140% YoY, while bookings for Americas group tours rose over 32%, reflecting a trend of "traveling farther abroad."

TONGCHENGTRAVEL's research institute notes that expanding the online permit processing pilot will further enhance travel convenience for residents in non-tier 1 cities. To meet growing visa demand, TONGCHENGTRAVEL has upgraded its outbound visa services, launching a pilot in Suzhou featuring a metro station-based visa center offering two-hour expedited pre-approval, full refunds for rejections, and doorstep document collection within a 2-kilometer radius. The upgraded center has served nearly 10,000 applicants to date.