From 1 October 2016, the Shanghai port officially implemented the "15-day visa-free entry policy for foreign tour groups on cruise ships"

Foreign tour groups (2 or more persons) can be organised, received and arranged for a visa-free entry from Shanghai Cruise Port by a legally registered travel agencies within the country, for a stay of up to 15 days (counting from the next day of entry). The range of their activities is limited to the coastal provinces and Beijing, i.e. Shanghai, Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hainan, the cities where the cruise ship ports of call are located and the administrative areas of the surrounding provinces.

Foreign tour group passengers coming to China in cruise ships can enter the port of Shanghai International Passenger Terminal and Wusongkou International Cruise Port with their valid international travel documents visa-free. After entry, foreign passengers can stay in China for 15 days and travel with the cruise group to other ports in China's coastal provinces and cities, where they can land and sightsee in the cities until the departure of the cruise.