Sourcing Visit in Yiwu: How a Day With Us Works
A sourcing visit to Yiwu is a working day, not a tour. Buyers from the Middle East, South America and Africa come to compare suppliers, see goods in person and settle specifications before placing orders. This article explains how we receive visiting buyers, what can be arranged on the day, and what to send us in advance so the visit is productive. Yiwu Airport is a port of entry eligible for the 240-hour transit visa-free policy.
Booking Comes First
Visits are by appointment. A visit cannot be arranged without prior booking.
The booking process has three steps:
- You send us your dates. Tell us the dates you will be in Yiwu, plus the products or factories you want to see.
- We reply and confirm. We confirm the arrangement with you before you travel.
- We tell you where to come. Depending on what you want to see, we tell you which of our two addresses to visit — our office address or our warehouse address.
If you want to confirm goods before booking flights, we can arrange a live video call instead. Buyers may book a real-time video call with us to see goods and packing on camera — at the Yiwu market, in our warehouse or at a partner factory. The call is by prior appointment, and you send the list of items you want to see so we can prepare before the call.
What Can Be Arranged on the Day
We are a sourcing agent and export trading company based in Yiwu. We are not a factory: we have no production lines of our own and do not manufacture products. Our role is to source in China according to the buyer's requirements, compare prices, check goods and arrange export.
On the day of your visit, six things can be arranged:
Sourcing and Matching
You tell us your requirements, and we match them against partner factories in China by material, workmanship and price.
Sourcing From the Yiwu Market and Our Partner-Factory Network
We are based in Yiwu and source from the local market as well as from our partner-factory network across China.
Quality Checks on Request
On request, our own team checks samples and production batches, and provides photo or video self-check records before shipment. We do not issue inspection reports. If you want a formal inspection, you are free to appoint your own inspection company.
Export Documents on FOB Yiwu Terms
We prepare shipping documents on FOB Yiwu terms and work with the forwarder you appoint. We do not provide freight forwarding services: we do not book space, issue transport documents, collect freight charges, handle customs clearance or provide a consolidation warehouse. You appoint your own forwarder, and freight rates and transit times should be asked of that forwarder.
A Visit to the Partner Factory Running Your Order
You can visit the partner factory that is running your order, and you may appoint your own inspection company.
Certificates Issued by the Partner Factories
Certificates are issued by the partner factories. We check the certificates they provide against your target market requirements, such as CE, SABER, NOM and similar. We verify the certificates our partner factories provide; certificates and test reports are available on request.
Paid Add-Ons
Two services can be arranged on request for a fee:
- Hotel booking — we can arrange hotel booking on request for a fee.
- Interpreter accompaniment — we can arrange interpreter accompaniment on request for a fee, with languages as needed.
Both are paid services. Please ask us for details when you book your visit.
What to Send Us in Advance
To make the day productive, send us the following before you travel:
- Your product list with photos or specifications
- Target quantities
- The market the goods are for
- Which of our two sites you want to see — the office or the warehouse
This is the same information that lets us prepare a live video call, if you prefer to confirm goods before booking flights.
Entry to China: Check the Official Sources
Depending on nationality, a buyer may currently enter China visa-free for business, or under the 240-hour transit visa-free arrangement. Conditions change, so please check the official sources before you travel. The visa information in this article was checked on 2026-09-16.
For context: China's unilateral visa-free policy allows ordinary passport holders entering for business, tourism, family visits, exchange visits or transit of no more than 30 days to enter without a visa; those who do not meet the visa-free conditions still need to obtain a visa before entry. The duration of stay counts from 00:00 of the day after entry. This policy is valid until 2026-12-31. The 30-day unilateral visa-free arrangement covers 11 countries, but they are not all the same arrangement: nine countries under unilateral visa-free treatment — four GCC states (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain) plus five South American countries (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay) — and two countries under mutual visa-exemption agreements (the UAE and Qatar). This arrangement is valid until 2026-12-31.
The 240-hour transit visa-free policy applies to 57 countries. The duration of stay is 240 hours (10 days), counted from 00:00 of the day after entry, and you must not overstay. Yiwu Airport is a port of entry eligible for this policy; the stay area in Zhejiang Province is the whole province, and travellers may move across 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Applicants must present a valid passport or other international travel document with at least three months' validity, a confirmed connecting ticket to a third country or region with a confirmed date and seat within 240 hours, a temporary entry card, and must accept border inspection. "Transit" means travelling to a third country or region, where the country or region of departure differs from that of destination — that is, departure country ≠ China ≠ destination country.
Two points matter for buyers in our main markets. No African country is on the 57-country 240-hour transit visa-free list; Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania and Ethiopia, among others, are not covered. African buyers normally need to apply for a business visa; the invitation letter is usually issued by their Chinese supplier or partner. We do not provide invitation letters or visa assistance. Among South American and Latin American countries, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile are on the 240-hour transit visa-free list; Peru and Uruguay are not on that list but are covered by the 30-day unilateral visa-free arrangement. Mexico has no 30-day visa-free arrangement, so transit visa-free is its only visa-free route to China.
During a stay in China, accommodation must be registered in accordance with the law: hotel stays are registered under the hotel industry rules; those staying outside a hotel must report temporary accommodation registration to the local public security station within 24 hours of check-in, by themselves or by the host. Failure to register can be penalised under the law.
A Note on Who We Are
We are Yiwu Ruiheart Trading Co., Ltd., trading under the brand Novel Home Goods, based in Yiwu, Zhejiang. We are a sourcing agent and export trading company, not a factory. Certificates are issued by the partner factories, and we check them against your market requirements. We verify the certificates our partner factories provide; certificates and test reports are available on request.
Buyers who want to check a Chinese supplier's registration details can use China's official enterprise information publicity system, which publishes registration and filing information, annual reports, administrative penalties and abnormal-operation status.
Plan Your Visit
If you are planning a sourcing trip to Yiwu, send us your travel dates and the products you want to see, and we will confirm the arrangement before you travel. Contact us for a quotation, or to arrange a visit to our office or warehouse in Yiwu. If you would rather see the goods first, ask for a live video call before you book your flights.
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Policy status note: Visa policy details in this article were checked against official sources on 2026-09-16. The unilateral visa-free policy and the 30-day unilateral visa-free arrangement for the 11 countries described above are valid until 2026-12-31. Visa conditions change; always confirm current requirements with the official sources before travelling.
Policy status
- This arrangement is currently in effect until 31 December 2026 (2026-12-31; policy checked 16 September 2026).
Policies can change. Please confirm with your local Chinese embassy or consulate before travelling.
Policy status
- This arrangement is currently in effect until 31 December 2026 (2026-12-31; policy checked 16 September 2026).
Policies can change. Please confirm with your local Chinese embassy or consulate before travelling.
Sources
- F-T-0001 — National Immigration Administration (NIA) · Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office · The State Council of the PRC (gov.cn) · https://wsb.sh.gov.cn/ztzl/lstx/20260820/f4b8510709544ce8a06ef9978055bed9.html — checked 2026-09-16
- F-VISA-0012 — China Consular Service Network (MFA) · National Immigration Administration (NIA) · https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741577/c1731154/content.html · https://cs.mfa.gov.cn/zytz/202607/t20260721_11988625.html — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0010 — Chinese Embassy/Consulate in Montreal · https://montreal.china-consulate.gov.cn/zjfw/lszj/fhqz/cjwd2/202505/t20250530_11637915.htm — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0003 — Chinese Embassy/Consulate in Montreal · https://montreal.china-consulate.gov.cn/zjfw/lszj/fhqz/cjwd2/202505/t20250530_11637915.htm — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0002 — Zhejiang Provincial Government · Chinese Embassy/Consulate in Montreal · https://www.zj.gov.cn/art/2024/12/18/art_1229823372_60250059.html · https://montreal.china-consulate.gov.cn/zjfw/lszj/fhqz/cjwd2/202505/t20250530_11637915.htm — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0007 — Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office · https://wsb.sh.gov.cn/ztzl/lstx/20260820/f4b8510709544ce8a06ef9978055bed9.html — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0009 — China Consular Service Network (MFA) · Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office · https://wsb.sh.gov.cn/ztzl/lstx/20260820/f4b8510709544ce8a06ef9978055bed9.html — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0008 — Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office · https://wsb.sh.gov.cn/ztzl/lstx/20260820/f4b8510709544ce8a06ef9978055bed9.html — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0015 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0014 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0001 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0017 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-VISA-0019 — Official source (visa policy) · https://cs.mfa.gov.cn/zytz/202607/t20260721_11988625.html · https://sa.china-embassy.gov.cn/lsfw/lsbtz/202505/t20250528_11635542.htm · https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/wjbzwfwpt/kzx/tzgg/202504/t20250414_11594222.html · https://cs.mfa.gov.cn/lgk1/201812/t20181214_831234.shtml · https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741577/c1731154/content.html — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0004 — Chinese Embassy/Consulate in Montreal · https://montreal.china-consulate.gov.cn/zjfw/lszj/fhqz/cjwd2/202505/t20250530_11637915.htm — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0005 — Chinese Embassy/Consulate in Montreal · https://montreal.china-consulate.gov.cn/zjfw/lszj/fhqz/cjwd2/202505/t20250530_11637915.htm — checked 2026-09-16
- F-T-0013 — Chinese Embassy/Consulate in Montreal · https://montreal.china-consulate.gov.cn/zjfw/lszj/fhqz/cjwd2/202505/t20250530_11637915.htm — checked 2026-09-16
- F-TRUST-0001 — State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) · The State Council of the PRC (gov.cn) · https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2014-08/23/content_9038.htm · https://www.samr.gov.cn/zw/zfxxgk/fdzdgknr/fgs/art/2023/art_78b9a2a2399e4934b288da28e67e66ba.html · https://www.jiangmen.gov.cn/bmpd/jmsscjdglj/ztzl/kbqy/kbqyqjlct/content/post_2895884.html — checked 2026-09-16