MORE than 50,000 foreign visitors this year have taken up the option of the 144-hour, visa-free transit policy offered at Pudong International Airport, the city’s immigration inspection authority said yesterday.

The figure represents a 70 percent rise over the same period last year, when visitors were only granted 72 hours and restricted to flying from Shanghai’s two airports.

The visa-free transit policy was introduced on January 30 last year, allowing citizens from 53 countries to stay in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang without a visa.

But they are required to show valid personal documents and train, vessel and flight tickets with confirmed date to another country within 144 hours upon arrival.

Furthermore, they can only arrive and depart from Shanghai, Jiangsu’s capital of Nanjing and Zhejiang’s capital of Hangzhou.

The policy is designed for foreigners on a business trip to Shanghai or a planning to take a short trip from the city.