Pudong International Airport, Shanghai
Before you begin
When traveling in Asia, oftentimes you’ll have to pass through a Chinese airport. For some time now, if you have a stopover in one of the airports listed below, you have the option of visiting China (for a maximum of 3 or 6 days, depending on the city where you arrive, see below for details), without needing Chinese a visa.
Note that the visa exemption only applies under specific conditions, thus we suggest you to read the whole article!
Also, you can check this new tool released by the Chinese government: just enter your nationality and the city of entry (Beijing, for instance), and the tool will let you know if you qualify for the exemption and for how long (72 or 144 hours).
Keep in mind that even though we’re happy to respond to all comments, we cannot absolutely guarantee that you’ll get an exemption, since we are not in any way affiliated with either the Chinese Immigration Office (which issues exemptions on your arrival in China) or any transportation company.
In fact, if you’re traveling by plane, ship or train, it will be your transportation company that will evaluate if you qualify for exemption (and thereby let you get off the transportation you took to China without a visa).
In this article, I limit myself to sharing my own experience (I did in fact get an exemption at Pudong Airport in Shanghai) and giving a general answer to the most frequently asked questions regarding 72 or 144 hour exemptions.
P.s. Click here if you need a hotel in China for a couple of nights.
In which Chinese cities and provinces can I get a visa exemption for a maximum of 144 hours?
For more information on the cities that allow a 72 hours visa exemptions, see below.
Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province
Transit without a visa is permitted for 144 hours only if you arrive in one of the following cities:
- Shanghai: Shanghai Pudong Airport,Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Wusong Passenger Transport Center and all railway stations;
- Hangzhou: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport;
- Nanjing: Nanjing Lukou International Airport.
The list of entry points may change at any time. Thus, we always suggest you to confirm these information before planning your trip.
Beside extending the visa exemption from 72 to 144 hours, the new regulation allow international travellers to move around Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces – no matter the city where they arrived.
Moreover, from what we know (even if we haven’t personally tested it), it isn’t necessary to enter and depart from the same port. For example you could enter China at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, and leave the country via the international airport in Hangzhou. The important thing is to not leave the region of Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu.
Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province
Since the end of 2017, transit without a visa is permitted for 144 hours also if you arrive in one of the following cities:
- Beijing: Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station;
- Tianjin: Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port;
- Shijiazhuang (in Hebei): Zhengding International Airport;
- Qinghuangdao (in Hebei): Qinhuangdao Port.
Also in this case, the list of entry points may change at any time. Thus, we always suggest you to confirm these information before planning your trip.
Beside extending the visa exemption from 72 to 144 hours, the new regulation allow international travellers to move around Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province – no matter the city where they arrived.
In addition, as far as we know (even if we haven’t personally tested it), you don’t have to enter and exit from the same port. For example you could enter China via the Beijing West Railway Station, and leave the country from the international airport in Tianjin. The important thing is that you don’t leave the region of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province.
Liaoning Province
Since January 1, 2018, a transit visa for a maximum of 144 hours is permitted even if you arrive at one of the following cities:
- Dalian: Taoxian International Airport;
- Shenyang: Zhoushuizi International Airport Shenyang.
Even though we haven’t personally tried it, it seems that international travelers who arrive in China through one of the two airports listed above can freely move around Liaoning Province, and then leave China through one of these two airports (you don’t have to arrive and depart from the same airport so long as you only use these two).
To conclude, even in this case the list of entry points could change at any time. So we always suggest that you verify the most recent information you read here on our site.
Other cities
The following cities recently extended their exemption period from 72 to 144 hours:
- Chengdu (Chengdu ShuangLiu International Airport);
- Kunming (Kunming Changshui International Airport);
- Qingdao (Qingdao Liuting International Airport and sea port);
- Wuhan (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport);
- Xiamen (Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and sea port).
Note that if you arrive in Kunming, Wuhan or Xiamen, you can’t leave the city you’ve stopped in. Instead, if you land in Qingdao or Chengdu, then you can’t leave their respective provinces (which are, in order, Shandong and Sichuan).
Therefore, if for example you stopover in Kunming, you cannot go beyond Kunming municipality limits, while if, for example, you stopover in Qingdao, you cannot beyond Shandong Province limits (or else you risk ending up in big trouble in the event you’re stopped by the police).
In which Chinese cities can I get a visa exemption for a maximum 72 hours?
Beside the cities and Provinces that allow a 144 hours visa exemption, transit without a visa is permitted for a maximum of 72 hours only if you stopover in one of the following cities:
- Changsha (Changsha Huanghua International Airport);
- Chongqing (Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport);
- Guangzhou (Guangzhou Baiyu International Airport);
- Guilin (Guilin Liangjiang International Airport);
- Harbin (Harbin Taiping International Airport);
- Xi’an (Xi’an Xianyang International Airport).
Note that in cities that allow transit without a visa for a maximum of 72 hours, travelers can only arrive at and depart from the country by air; they also can’t leave the city where they landed in (or the province they landed in depending on the arrival city).
Remember that if you land in Chongqing, Guilin, Harbin, you can’t leave the city you’ve stopped in. If you land in Xi’an, you can only stay in Xi’an or go to Xinyang. Lastly, if instead you land in Changsha or Guangzhou, then you can’t leave their respective provinces (which are, in order, Hunan and Guangdong).
In this photo you can see the blue stick that I got in my passport at Shanghai Airport, when I required the visa exemption for 4 hours
What documents must I have for an exemption?
Here are the required documents:
- Passport valid for at least three months from the date of arrival
- Visa for your destination country (if required)
- An air ticket – with a departure time within 72 hours (or 144 hours depending on the city), – for the country you’re going to (if you don’t already have your boarding pass, I suggest that you at least print the email confirmation you received from your airline;
- Yellow entrance/exit card (which you’ll be given on the plane or which you can find in the airport once you land).
Note that the countries of origin and destination cannot be the same. For this reason a ticket Los Angeles-Shanghai-Houston won’t allow you an exemption; you’ll need a ticket such as Los Angeles-Beijing-Tokyo or Los Angeles-Shanghai-Seoul. The final (or initial) destination can also be Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.
From when do we start counting the 72 hours (or 144 hours)?
From the most recent information we’ve read (though we ask you to confirm this detail), the countdown of the 72 hours (or 144 hours) starts exactly at midnight of the day following the passenger’s arrival (I think you can trust the date on the stamp you receive at the border when arriving by plane – see the photo in this article).
So if, for example you arrive on September 1st at 6 in the morning, you’ll have to start counting hours the following midnight. This means that if you have a 72 hour exemption, you can stay up until 23:59 of September 4th, while if you have the 144 hour exemption, you could stay until 23:59 dof September 7th.
For more information you can call the following numbers:
Beijing General Station of Immigration Inspection: 0086-10-56095400;
Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection: 0086-2151105100;
Guangzhou General Station of Immigration Inspection: 0086-2032090088.
Nationals of what countries have the right to transit?
You may receive a right of transit only if you have a passport from one of the following countries:
24 Schengen Agreement Countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
15 Other European Countries: Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia (FYROM), Albania, Belarus, Monaco.
6 American Countries: the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.
2 Oceania Countries: Australia, New Zealand.
6 Asian Countries: Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.
How do I request the visa exemption?
If you have everything required listed in this article, the procedure is rather simple:
- Contact the airline you intend to travel with, so that they can advise the immigration inspection office;
- Fill out the yellow entrance/exit card (this is normally given to you on the plane, but if not you can find it in the international section of the airport as soon as you land
- Request exemption at the immigration counter (in many airports there are special lines for those requesting exemptions; if you see a sign with the writing “72 hours” or “144 hours” go to the indicated counter;
- Once through the immigration counter (they’ll attach a sticker on a page of your passport and stamp it with the entry date) get your bags and leave the airport as you normally would.
In the event that I land, for example, in Changsha, and requested an exemption, can I leave China in one of the other airports that allows exemptions (Chengdu, for example)?
No, not only do you have to leave from the airport in Changsha, but you can’t even leave the jurisdiction of Changsha!
Not even “stopovers” are allowed. For example if your air itinerary is like this: Rome -> Changsha ( 72 hour stop) -> Xi’an (a half hour stop without even getting off the plane) -> Hong Kong, then you can’t request an exemption because your itinerary includes two Chinese cities.
Obviously there are exceptions in provinces where you can travel freely for 72 or 144 hours. For example, if your flight arrives in Shanghai, connecting in Hangzhou (which is located within the same 144 hour region of Shanghai, which is the important thing), and you then leave China before the 144 hours expire, there’s no problem.
What is the 24 hour exemption?
The 24 hour visa exemption allows for transit through a Chinese city for a maximum of 24 hours (so long as the plane makes only one stop in China, and the departure and arrival countries are different, such as Canada -> China -> Australia for example).
These exemptions can be applied for in almost all Chinese airports by people of almost all nationalities, even if there are exceptions regarding smaller airports and certain nationalities (especially Asian countries considered “high risk” such as Syria, Iraq, et cetera).
If the stopover lasts more than 72 hours (or 144 hours, for the cities that allow that), can I stay in the airport’s international zone for a bit and then ask for the exemption when it is less than 72 hours (or 144 hours) until departure?
No, if the stopover lasts more than 72 hours (or 144 hours, for the cities that allow that) then you’ll probably need a visa before your departure flight. In this case the problem is that the airline may deny you access to the departing flight if they realize that your stopover lasts more than the allowed hours and you do not possess a visa.
If I travel with my pet cat, dog or crocodile, can I get the exemption?
No. You can however request at the airport’s Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau to keep your pet in custody during the exemption period. Note too that you also cannot cross the border with fruit or vegetables.
What should I do in the event that I land, for instance, in Changsha but, due to something unforeseen, I have to leave the city?
In this case you should apply for a visa at the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB) in the city you’re in.
What can I do if I’m unable to leave China within 72 hours (or 144 hours, for the cities that allow it)?
The same as above: you’ll have to apply for a visa at the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB) of the city you’re in.
[Photo Credits (Creative Commons License): www.flickr.com/photos/majax1/]
I’m slightly confused, I believe by reading this I should be ok.
April 6th my family and I fly into Beijing for a connecting flight which leaves roughly an hour after I land. However on my return on the 15th we stopover in Chengdu for a night. This is covered with the 144 hours, would we just fill in the yellow form as normal and be ok?
This being said it all depends as well if we are even allowed to fly out due to Covid 19!
It should be OK if you only stop in Chengdu. Also, notice that the situation in China is starting to go back to normal (except in Hubei) and the restrictions might be in the opposite way (depending on your origin).
Hi,
I’m planning to travel from Toronto Canada > Argentina > Singapore > Shanghai > Toronto in January. Is this route qualify for the 144 hours visa free transit?
And I’m thinking of arriving to Shanghai from Singapore on Jan 28 (stay 5 or 6 days) and leave on Feb 2 to Toronto.
Since I have to have confirmed plane ticket to the third destination, what should I do if I get denied even if I have the prequalified online application?
If you read the article you can probably understand if it qualifies or not; you shall also contact your flight company to confirm
If you get denied you will have to get a flight out of the country.
Hi,
I am very confused on China’ s 72 hours vs 144 hours policy for transit without a Visa.
I am British passport holder and my itinerary is as below.
21st Dec from London to Shanghai (transit through Moscow) reaching 22nd Dec night.
Leaving Shanghai on 25th Dec morning to Sydney (change planes in Xiamen).
Do i qualify for a 72hrs or 144 hrs visa?
Thanks
Roy
No, because you have an internal flight in China Mainland
I am Pakistan citizen travelling from Sydney to Islamabad via 11 hour transit at Beijing and we are planning to use the hotels outside the airport for rest and then continue our journey.
Pakistan is not an eligible country for visa free entry for 144 hours, but are we eligible for transit without visa for 10 hours?
Regards
We are not sure about the specific regulation for Pakistan citizens, you should ask directly to the Chinese embassy in your country or in Australia.
Unfortunately, both of the embassies are not very helpful.
I am sorry, you can try to call directly to the Public Security Bureau in Beijing
I am a US Citizen and we were planning to fly from the US to Hong Kong and stay there for three days and then fly from Hong Kong on a separate flight to Shanghai and stay for three days and then fly home to the US. So even though we are starting in the US, I was told that Hong Kong would be the point A and Shanghai would be point B and the US would be point C since I would be flying into Shanghai from one country and out to another country. But when I called the consulate they said this wouldn’t qualify? Is there a reason behind it? Do I need to fly US to Shanghai to Hong Kong to US to qualify because from what I read point A or C could both be Hong Kong as long as Shanghai was point B.
You should ask Shanghai’s Police Security Bureau for a confirmation. Notice that Shanghai has an online preaplication system
Thank you so much for this article. I am a US citizen traveling from US to Beijing and applying for a tourist visa. If the Chinese visa consulate rejects my application, would I still be eligible for the 144hr TWOV (given that I add Hong Kong to my trip)?
You are eligible if you meet the requirements specified in this article. Yes, in this case Hong Kong is considered like a “3rd country”
Hi,
when you say that if someone stops in Kunming he cannot go beyond the limits os the Kunming municipality, how can you understand where these limits are? Even more specifically, is the Stone Forest within municipality limit? Thank you in advance for your reply.
Yes the stone forest seems to be within the limits. However, please verify by yourself. You can use google maps to see where Kunming municipality ends
Hi!
I am citizen of Russia and I hold an X2 visa in China with 2 entries to china (one is used already). I want to fly Beijing-Kuala Lumpur-Beijing-Moscow but in beijing I want to use 144 rule insted of my 2nd entry. I do this because I don’t want to waste that entry just for 6 days. Is that possible? Or will they require to use the chinese visa and the entry?
Also I am arriving on 9th but my flight to Moscow is at 6AM on the 17th. Will they let me stay a little longer? I can arrive at the airport before 16th 23:59.
Thank you in advance, the article was very useful
Hi there,
I have no idea if you can “save” your second entry, as this is a very special case, and I have no experience with it.
Trying to be extra careful and the Chinese consulate is not answering calls.
We hold USA passports (American citizens). We are traveling San Francisco, California, USA to Tokyo, Japan and staying in Tokyo for a week. Then we are traveling Tokyo, Japan to Shanghai Pudong and staying for less than 144 hours. Then we travel from Pudong to San Francisco, California.
We follow all the timing rules and zone rules (144 hours, staying in Pudong/Shanghai area hotels). However, do we follow the “3 country” rule? Do we qualify for the free transit visa? Leaving mid-June. Thanks for your help!
Hi there,
the answer is “yes and not”. Yes if you just look at half of your itinerary, and no if you look at overall. I suggest to contact your airline, more than the Chinese consular office
Hello!
I have a flight from Sidney to París with 4 days layover in Bejing. I read about this visa free transit for 144hours. I read many blogs and websites, all of them mention the 53 countries elegibles for this visa but is not consider Peru in the list (my nationality).
Your blog is the only one which post this tool app from the government, where I checked that as Peruvian I can get this visa.
My question is, where can I confirm Peruvian has this visa? I don’t want to take the risk to be stopped on the airport. That link is up dated and trustworthy?
I called to the consulate in my country without answer :(
Thank you
Hello Claudia,
although the tool is published on a chinese gov website, I wouldn’t trust it 100% as there might be errors. I never heard about Peru. You could also try to call the Peru Consular Office in China, to see if they know more.
I definitely suggest you to double check, before you venture into China without a Visa, as Peru is not mentionned on the list of countries, as far as I know
If I have a 15 hour layover in Shanghai, does it make sense to apply for a 144 hour visa or is there a different process that I should take?
If you qualify it’s probably the faster solution.
My husband & I flying from Australia to Singapore then cruising to Shanghai. Our last port is Hong Kong before we disembark in Shanghai & fly out same day to Bangkok. We transit in Kong Kong for 3 hours of the way to Bangkok. Shanghai-Hong Kong-Bangkok. Can we use the 144 hour visa exemption.
Hello Coral,
if you do Australia -> Singapore -> Shanghai -> Hong Kong -> Bangkok, in principle it shall work.
However, you are arriving by boat. So you must be absolutely sure that you can apply for the exemption on the exact port where you arrive (as not all entry points in Shanghai might qualify for the exemption). In the article, you find a link to a chinese gov website that shall provide more advice on the entry points.
Hi, do you have any idea is it possible to have the 144h transit visa if you’re going to departure via train to Hong Kong not by plane.
It really depends: some cities offer the exemption from SPECIFIC train stations, so it must be evaluate case by case
It depends on not only the train station but the actual train. Beijing overnight train from West station to HK qualifies but the new high speed train from the same station does not.
Hi there, I read in your article that one of the documents required for a visa exemption is a passport with at least 3 months validity. So does this mean that the Chinese Immigration no longer enforce the 6 month rule of passport validity to enter China? The reason I’m asking is because I will be transiting through China for 5 hours then fly onward to Canada with confirmed onward ticket with date and seat but my Canadian passport is only valid for 5 months from the time I enter China. Is this no longer a problem then? Please help. It will be greatly appreciated.Thanks so much.
Hi there, as far as we know, 3 months shall be enough for the exemption (note, this is not a visa). However, as we disclaim in the article, we are not a “entry/exit authority” and regulations may change at any time.
Thus, we always advice to get an opinion from a Chinese consular office / your flight company.
Hi,
Traveling from DTW-PEK 09APR stopping to see the great wall. Leaving PEK-PVG 11APR, then PVG-CMB(Sri lanka). Would i qualify for the exemption?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hello Sarah,
I’m sorry but I have no idea what “DTW” is. Also, please have a look at the article, it’s pretty clear, so you shall be able to understand if you qualify or not
Not you don’t qualify you have too many landings in China.. writer of this article is not very familiar with the process or the airporrs of the world so this is not a good place to ask specifics
You are funny, CD King.
Hi,
I need some advise. I am taking a flight from
LAX – SHANGHAI HONGQIAO but this has a 2.5 hr stop over in GUANGZHOU
leaves from the same terminal with the same airline, obviously I won’t be leaving the airport at all.
My flight leaves PVG to Australia (arrive in China 29th and Leave 5th)
Am i still able to get the 144 transit visa for Shanghai province?
I just want to make sure my entry to China is considered in Shanghai and not Guangzhou as I couldn’t get a direct flight from LA.
I don’t think you can apply for the exemption, as you have 2 stops in china.
However, as explained on the article, we aren’t an official source. You shall confirm this with your airline
Hi There,
Will I be eligible for the 144 hour transit exemption if I flying from
Toronto – Hong Kong (July 23, with 2.25 hour layover in Shanghai)
Hong Kong – Shanghai (August 3-August 6)
Shanghai – Toronto
Thanks
I don’t know, because:
a.) you go into China twice and
b.) Your trip starts and ends in Toronto
You shall ask to your flight company, in the end they will be the ones deciding if you can board your plane without a visa or not
If I fly from Tokyo to Shanghai, and then stay there for two days, am I allowed to use the transit-visa if my flight home routes via PEK?
My flight path would be:
JFK-NRT
NRT-PVG (stay less than 144 hours and don’t leave the city)
PVG-PEK-JFK (don’t leave the airport in PEK)
Is this allowed????
If you stop in both Shanghai and Beijing, I don’t think you can use the exemption
would PIT-YUL-PVG-PIT work for exemption?
I don’t know what are “PIT” and “YUL”, but if it’s either in China or in the same country, I don’t think the flight would qualify for the exemption
USA to Canada to Shanghai to Canada to USA
If it’s Canada -> Shanghai -> Canada, I don’t think you qualify for the exemption. However, we suggest to contact your flight company to get a confirmation
Hi! I have a US passport, and am headed to Thailand next week. On the way back to the US from Phuket, my friend and I have a 12 hour layover in Shanghai. Do we need a visa for this trip?
Thanks!
Hi,
if you have a flight Thailand -> Shanghai -> US you might be able to get the exemption. Read the details in the article and see if your case applies.
Hello,
Is the 144 hour rule only for stop overs? I want to fly round trip between Seoul, South Korea and Beijing. My trip will be less than 144 hours. Do I need a visa?
My mother will be joining me. She will fly from Seoul to Beijing and then back to the United States. Will she need a visa?
Thank you!
Hello Emily,
I don’t understand your question. The exemption is valid for a maximum of 144 hours, as long as you can comply with the rules that allow the exemption
Hi
I’m in this situation that we have bought non-refundable tickets Denmark – Shanghai – Denmark. In this situation the visa exemption does not apply – that I know. Therefore we are planning to buy new tickets from Shanghai to Hongkong and from Hongkong to Denmark. We still have the return ticket from Shanghai to Denmark because we cannot cancel it without cancelling our outbound ticket (which we are planning on using).
So my question is do you think the airplane company won’t allow us to board the plane without a visa – because we have the return ticket (which we are not going to use), even though we bought new separate tickets for Hong Kong? I originally thought the problem would occur when we land in Shanghai (but then we would just cancel the return ticket when we had used the outbound ticket) not on our way over there? Where would you say your problem lies? And what would you say is the likelihood that we won’t be allowed to enter the country?
Thanks in advance?
Hello Mia,
I’m sorry but what I think here is not very important, as it’s the air company in Denmark that will decide if you can board the plane or not. I advice you to call them and ask (call, not email). Also, make sure to PRINT your flight tickets Shanghai-Hong Kong, and show them at the checkin. This is the best you can do but, as I said, the air company will decide if you can board the plane or not.
Hi..informative article! I will be flying from Bangkok to Beijing with a 2 hour stopover in HK, I will then be leaving Beijing onto London again via a HK stopover of a couple of hours only. Will the visa apply? Thanks
Hello Ray,
in your case I don’t know. It’s borderline because they may consider Hong Kong -> Beijing -> Hong Kong, in which case the exemption won’t apply. I suggest you to get in touch with your travel agency / flight company
This is great news! Thank you for providing this. I am a US citizen and will be traveling to several countries with my family this summer. During the last leg of our trip, we will be flying to Beijing from Bangkok, Thailand. We plan to spend 2 and 1/2 days in Beijing, then fly home to the United States. Does the exemption apply in our case because we will be arriving to China from Thailand? Please let me know if you know the answer. Thanks!
Hello Ryan,
if your itinerary is Bangkok -> Beijing -> United States, it shall apply. However, we always suggest to confirm this with your aircompany
Hi thanks for the helpful information.
I’m Malaysian which will need to transit in China Shang Hai for 16 hours.( Malaysia > China ShangHai > New Zealand ) I’m planning to go out of the airport boundaries and travel around shanghai among that 16 hours, should I apply for visa?
hello Jonice,
you find all the info in this page
How many times can you use this exemption? For instance, My daughter and I flew into Shanghai in October 2017 for less then 24 hours.
My family and I plan on flying from Okinawa Japan to Beijing for 48 hours and then Beijing to Hong Kong for 48 hours to back to Okinawa Japan.
Are you only allowed to use the exemption once in a life time?
Hello Raeven,
honestly I don’t know how many times you can use the exemption, it’s something we shall research and add to the article ASAP!
I have been searching everywhere but not really able to find what I am looking for. I actually have a round trip from Montreal, Canada to Beijing, China, but I have a third and fourth country I am seeing. So my trip will be the following:
Montreal to Beijing (staying in Beijing for 3 days)
Beijing to Taipei (staying in Taipei for 3 days)
Taipei to Tokyo (staying in Tokyo for 3 days)
Tokyo to Beijing (probably stay 1 more night in Beijing) to catch flight home to Montreal.
So A will be Montreal, B will be Beijing (apply for 144 hour visa, or maybe even 72 hour visa if that is all that is required) and C will be Taipei, the only thing is that I am coming back to Beijing after traveling Japan and Taiwan and staying in Beijing for another night, will it be problematic to apply for another 24 or 72 hour visa on top of the 144 or 72 hour visa within less than 2 weeks? In addition, I know round trips aren’t valid, so Montreal-Beijing-Montreal (I already booked this and it is on the same reservation code) would not be okay, but I am leaving to other countries, so technically, it would be like Montreal-Beijing-Taipei-Tokyo-Beijing-Montreal. How would this work? Would this be okay or not?
Hello Laura,
I’m sorry but I can’t tell you more than what is written in the article. I never heard of somebody using the exemption twice within 2 weeks, so I don’t know if it’s possible or not.
Hi,
I have a simple itinerary and just need confirmation if this will qualify for the 144 TWOV policy. LAX – Beijing (nonstop flight, will stay 5 days) – Manila, Philippines (nonstop flight, will stay 5 days) – Beijing (2 hour layover) – LAX. Will call China Air when they open but for now, need confirmation from someone with TWOV experience. I have emailed the Chinese consulate but they just sent me TWOV information on their website. Thank you!
Hi there,
we can’t provide “confirmations” as we aren’t an official organism. We can only tell you to check the information, judge for yourself, and contact your flight company
We’re flying from USA into Shanghai airport and planning on staying for 3 nights before boarding a cruise ship for many nights. It ends in Singapore where we stay more nights before flying home to the USA. From what I read we qualify for the 144 Visa free entry. Sounds right to you? Thanks!
Hello Cindy,
I don’t know, because I don’t know where the cruise will stop, while going to Singapore.
I am looking at using the 144 hour visa to go to Beijing from London and return to Paris.
Does anyone know if it’s an issue for the layover stop on the return flight to be London?!
So I would travel London to Beijing direct, then Beijing-London-Paris on the return leg.
I think it may be a problem, even though I have no personal experience with this. I strongly suggest you to CONFIRM this with your flight company, as you risk to be denied to fly, if the flight company deems that you don’t apply for visa exemption
HI Chloe, what was the outcome of this situation? Were you ok to travel under the 144hr transit visa? I have a similar query and can’t find anything official on the internet/with the embassy. Thanks!
please tell me if i need a visa – or if passport is enough
houston USA direct flight = beijing 3 days
flight beijing – hong kong stay 3 days –
hong kong direct flight to houston USA
Hi Karen,
we can’t tell you if you “need a visa”. The best we can do is present to you the information we have (see article, you shall be able to find the answer by yourself, once you read it).
Also, we always suggest to contact your flight company and confirm with them
Greetings! I’m a US passport holder living/working in Japan. I will be taking a one way cruise to Shanghai from Yokohama port. My plan is to stay in Shanghai upon arrival for 64 hrs to be exact (nov 11 thru 14) before I catch a flight to Manila (have a ticket with seat assignment already). Based on this, I should qualify for the 144 hrs transit visa correct?
Hello Rolando,
based on what you say, it could qualify. However, we always recommend to confirm with the cruise/flight company as, ultimately, they will be the one evaluating your case and deciding if letting you in without a visa (which they will only do if they think you qualify for the exemption).
Hello and thank you for the helpful information. We are travelling:
US to Japan for 5 days, then Japan to China (Shanghai) for 4 days, then flying to Osaka (2-hr. stopover) where we change planes back to the U.S.
Is this considered Japan>China>U.S.?
Appreciate the clarification.
I’m not sure, but this looks more like Japan -> China -> Japan -> US to me
Hello.
I am Canadian passport holder who will be cruising from Tokyo to Dubai for 30 days.
One of our destinations is Shanghai where we will stay for 35 hours (2 calendar days). Port before Shanghai will be Tokyo, next port after Shanghai will be Okinawa.
I was wondering if I am eligible for the 72 hours exemption visa?
If yes, does it means I don’t need to apply for any official document before exit from the cruiseship?
Thank you very much in advance for help.
Hi there, you shall ask this to your travel/cruise agency
Your article mentions that “in some
cities, passengers can apply directly for the free transit policy (144 hours) after arrival at the airport.” Is Shanghai one of these cities? If you don’t know, where can I find out?
Hello John,
yes, I applied directly at Shanghai Pudong airport myself, in 2017.
Hello,
We are party of 2 flying from Sydney, Australia to Shanghai, staying 3 nights from 21 August 2018 to 24 August 2018. Check out of hotel the 24th August.
Then go to Wusongkou International cruise terminal for cruise back to Sydney. The first port after leaving Shanghai will be Pusan (South Korea), following to ports at Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore before coming back to Sydney. Can we apply for 144 hour visa in Shanghai or shall we apply for Chinese visa in Sydney before we leave?
Best regards
Oleg
We are not sure if you can get the exemption arriving by plane and departing by cruise. Try to contact the embassy or the cruise company
Thanks, The actual wording of the rules from a Beijing Gov’t site I have found, is that you may enter and exit through any of the 6 allowed entry points listed and must have onward air, vessel or train tickets to a third country.It does not say the entry and exit has to be the same which was the case with the 72 Hour visa (you had to arrive and leave by air from Beijing Airport)
I’ll try and get clarification from Beijing Immigration at the Airport as to their interpretation,
Good luck Rob : )
Hi Rob,
Have you got a clarification from Beijing Immigration at the Airport as to their interpretation?
We are party of 2 flying from Sydney, Australia to Shanghai, staying 3 nights from 21 August 2018 to 24 August 2018. Check out of hotel the 24th August.
Then go to Wusongkou International cruise terminal for cruise back to Sydney. The first port after leaving Shanghai will be Pusan (South Korea), following to ports at Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore before coming back to Sydney. Can we apply for 144 hour visa in Shanghai or shall we apply for Chinese visa in Sydney before we leave?
Best regards
Oleg
Hi Oleg
I emailed Shanghai/Beijing Immigration but have had no reply. I see no problem with your situation, as with mine. The old 72 hr visa exemption clearly states you must arrive and exit by air. The new 144 hr visa exemption allows entry or exit through any of the authorised airports, train stations or cruise ports.
Other Travel sites I have contacted have confirmed this is the case.
Regards
Rob
Hi
I realize there are no guarantees but would like your advice as to whether you see any problems with my trip qualifying for the Beijing 144 Hour transit visa.
I am an Australian citizen. Arriving at Beijing Capital Airport via overnight transit in Singapore.
I will be sightseeing within the Beijing area for 3 nights and then leaving on a cruise out of Tianjin back to Singapore. The first country on the cruise is Japan. I understand it is only the last country before arriving and the first after leaving, that is considered by Immigration when granting the 144 hr Transit Visa. Therefore Singapore – Beijing – Japan should quality? Under the new 144 Hour rules, it also seems acceptable to arrive and depart from a different location (within the Beijing/Tianjin Province)? In my case, arrive Beijing Airport
and depart Tianjin International Cruise Terminal.
Thanks
Your trip has two aspects that may cause some problems:
1) You enter and exit in different port/airport
2) Arriving by plane and leaving by cruise: I’m not sure is possible.
Anyway you should try to confirm with your airline, cruise company or the Beijing local authorities. If you decide to try luck be sure to have the plane and cruise ticket and the hotel booking of your stay in Beijing/Tianjin
Hi, I wondered if we might qualify for the 144 hour transit visa. We fly into Beijing, stay for 3 nights and then leave by cruise ship from Tianjin to Japan. I can’t get a clear answer!
Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Hi there,
we can’t offer any “guarantees”. All we know is written in this article.
Hi Sborto
Thank you for your reply.
I was hoping because we were leaving Shanghai by cruise to Japan for seven days and then re entering China we might be lucky enough.
Thank you
Hi I was wondering if you could help as I am not sure if we will qualify for a free transit visa in China.
We are flying
London – Hong Kong staying for a two days
Hong Kong – Shanghai staying for two days
Hong Kong cruise terminal cruise to Japan for seven nights
Hong Kong cruise terminal / Shanghai airport / Hong Kong / London
Thank you
I think you don’t qualify because the origin and destination are the same, HK. Anyway you should confirm it with the airline
Hi, I am a German citizen and have to go to an urgent meeting in Zhanjiang. Can I get a 72 hour transit visa if I have the following itinerary:
Bergen – Amsterdam – Guangzhou (her I get the 72 visa) – Zhanjiang
Zhanjiang – Guangzhou – HK – Amsterdam – Bergen
I saw on one website that you can leave the airport you get the visa as long it is within the same district (Guangdong), but not sure if you can actually continue on a domestic flight… I assume it is ok if I buy this as a separate ticket.
Hello Inga,
I’m sorry but I don’t know the answer to this specific question
Hello, I am wondering if I am eligible for the 144 hour visa free transit to Beijing.
I have a US passport and my itinerary is as follows:
All one way tickets –
Portland, OR to Tokyo Japan
Tokyo, Japan to Bangkok, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand to Bali, Indonesia
Bali, Indonesia to Beijing, China
Beijing, China to Portland, OR
Does this qualify?
Hello Shay,
In theory, I would say yes, because you Indonesia -> China -> US
In practice, always confirm it with your flight company as they are the ones that decide if you let you in the plane or not!
Hello Furio Fu!
I am back with another question.
A bit tricky one, but actually real!
I am now traveling from KL to Beijing.
The SCHEDULED arrival time is 00:20 on 03/04/18 (Malaysia airline)
The 144h exemption starts at 0:00 on the 04/04/18, correct ? Then 6 days bring me to the 09/04/18, day I plan to leave.
My question is : when do they actually consider you “arrive”?
Is it base on the SCHEDULED arrival time? Or the ACTUAL real time you landing? Or when you cross the customs?
Because my flight is a 6h flight by night, and is scheduled to land after midnight, but night flights often happen to arrive before their schedule time… what will happen if I land at 23:50 the day before…
Sorry for this question twisted but it concerns me a lot…
If I remember well they start to count from the 00:00 hours of the day after, but it’s better you confirm this info
Thank you for your reply.
That is what I fear too that immigration will class it as returning Hong Kong flight, even though I did not clear Hong Kong Customs.
Sorry if i missed comments on this already but i just wanted to confirm that the 72hr Visa Free policy does not apply if we enter Beijing via air but depart Beijing via international train. We would be in Beijing less than 72hrs but it seems the waiver only applies if we were to depart by air correct? Thank you in advance as i’ve spent hours trying to research this online and think I have found my answer but have also seen some contradictory information. One person did suggest purchasing a fully refundable airline ticket for leaving the country but then still departing via the train as planned. That makes me nervous……
Hello Naomi, I’m sorry but I’m not sure if the exemption applies, when departing by train, as I never did that myself
Hi
We are flying UK to Beijing via Hong Kong (2hr transit in Hong Kong) with Cathay Pacific, and will not go through immigration.
Then we will fly Beijing to Hong Kong and staying in Hong Kong for 1 week before returning to UK.
So for all intents the journey is:
UK – Beijing via Hong Kong (Just transit)
Beijing to Hong Kong
Hong Kong to UK
I am confused if China Immigration will class our journey into China as originating from UK or Hong Kong?
Personally, I don’t think you can get the 144 hours exemptions because both your inbound and outbound flights are from Hong Kong. However, I’d suggest you to discuss this with your airline
Hello Furio Fu.
Your article is gold for people looking for Info.
I was planning a KL- PEK – (KL transit 2h, without going through custom) – DPS (Indonesia).
But apparently I may be denied the VISA exemption due to back and forth in KL.
So I’ll do KL-PEK-HKG.
I don’t want to be disrespectful of your help but do you have the link to an official Chinese website or an embassy about this 144h visa rule? I can’t find any on the french government website.
Sorry to bother and thanks a lot.
Hi there,
yes, going back to Kuala Lumpur wouldn’t allow you to get the exemption, that’s correct.
I don’t remember the link of the official law, just look on google. No disrespect at all, in fact this is exactly what we recommend: our article may help, but it’s always good to verify by yourself, also because the laws may change any time!
Ciao Furio,
ho una domanda.
Io volo a Shanghai da Tokyo per 3 giorni, poi Shanghai – Beijing per altri 3 giorni. In totale sono meno di 144 ore, devo applcare per la visa?
Grazie!
L’esenzione, da quello che sappiamo, vale solo se lo scalo in Cina è unico. Visto che andate sia a Pechino che Shanghai, direi di sì. Nota che noi non possiamo confermare se vi serve un visto, dovreste chiedere al consolato e/o alla vostra compagnia aerea.
Hello,
Thanks for the information.
I will have a flight from Katmandu to Beijing with a 3h stopover in Guangzhou (without leaving the airport) and then leave from Beijing to Paris a few days days later.
Does the stopover affect the possibility to be applicable for the 72 or 144 hours visa free transit?
Thanks again.
Hello Louis,
I’m afraid that if you stop twice in China, you can’t apply for the exemption. I still suggest, as we always do, to contact your airlines and ask them for further information.
Thanks for the info. One particular question: Would an itinerary like Boston – HKG – Beijing – Boston qualify for the the 144 hr visa exemption if I stay in Bejing (arriving from Hpng Kong) for less than 6 days, holding a US passport?
I guess it depends on how your flight is structured, as they may consider HK just as stopover. Honestly, your case is borderline and I don’t have an answer.
As we always say: this is something you must confirm with your flight company
Hello! Thank you so much for this post and the hard work you have put into it!
Im still confused about the outgoing/inbound countries policy;
Q1) my planned route is:
Perth(AUS) – Guangzhou(CN) – Taipei(TWN) – Seoul(PRK) – Perth(AUS)
Will I qualify for the 72h visa-free transit?
Q2) i’ve heard they are extending the 72h transit to 144h for the guangdong province (baiyun airport). have you heard any news on that?
Thanks again!
Hello Crystal,
in theory you qualify, in practice you must confirm with your airline…
As for Guangdong province, we heard of the extension to 144 hours, but we couldn’t find any official news yet
Curious to know how much time one should allow when going back to the airport for your continuing flight. We will be staying at the Hilton next door to Beijing airport. Flight is at 8:30in the morning. What time should we plan to leave the hotel?
Same as for any international flight. I mean, China is not special in this matter!
Hi,
Thinking about arranging a 3 or 4 days stop at Beijing on the way back from Japan.
Plan is to have a AEROFLOT Paris to Tokyo and then a Beijing to Paris for the way back.
Then, after staying in Japan, if I fly a china eastern tokyo to beijing, do you think I can spend 3 or 4 days in beijing before flying aeroflot to moscow?
I do not find clear information about that and if the visa free is granted only with one ticket or can be a combination of two different flight…
Thanks for advice
Hello Jerome,
all we know it’s written in the article! However, we can’t really tell you what will happen!
Arrival in Tianjin by Royal Caribbean cruise ship from Singapore in April 2018. US Passport holder with flight from US to Singapore and return from Beijing to US. Any update as to whether this will now qualify for the 144 hour transit Visa? Plan on 4 nights in Beijing. I know the Cruise Line will check documents at boarding in Singapore but was wondering if you’ve heard if this is now available to Cruise passengers? If so, do you know where the 144 hour transit Visa office is at Tianjin port? Thank you.
Hello Sue,
you shall ask to your travel company / agency. We certainly cannot assure you that they will let you in with the visa exemption, we can only report the news we found, from sources that were trustworthy in the past (read the article for the details)
Thanks for the reply. I’ve contacted the tour company and they say we’re eligible for the Tourist Visa. Now to get assurance from the cruise line that we can board without a regular Chinese Visa.
Everyone seems so confused about this – good to know I’m not alone. I am flying Melbourne – Hong Kong. Overnight stopover in Hong Kong. Then next day I am taking a flight from HK to Shanghai. Then 5 days later, flying Shanghai to Melbourne. Is this ok – as long as I have stopped over in Hong Kong? Thanks for your help
Probably you can’t ask for this exemption if all the flights are with the same company, because the origin and destination is the same country. Anyway you can ask to your airline to be sure.
Hello,
Australian passport holder, took a trip to China, July 2017, where we obtained visa before we left as we were visiting Shanghai, Beijjng, Xi’an (lots of running around, took quite a bit of time, several days, and quite expensive).
Heading to USA in April and going back to Beijing. Planning to stay under the 72 hour limit.
Our trip, fly to Beijng from Bali via Manila – leave Beijing to fly to San Francisco. This flight is with China Southern and has a 5 hour stop in Wuhan, the flight out of Beijing booked as Beijing-San Francisco.
Am I able to get the 72 hour visa? I am flying in from Indonesia and going to San Fran, my query is will the stop in Wuhan on the way to San Fran make us ineligible for the 72 hour twov.
Thanks,
Tracy
Hello Tracy,
the stop in Wuhan may indeed make you ineligible. I’m not sure. I suggest you to confirm with your airline.
Hello!
Does a Hong Kong – Shanghai – Taipei route qualify as three different countries for the visa free transit in Shanghai? Thanks for all the information!
It shall qualify. However, as we say to everybody, make sure to confirm with your airline
Can you help me?
I have a flight to Brazil from Wuhan (delta airlines). I’m planning to travel a bit around another countries before I leave Asia. Can I go back to Wuhan from some other asian country (probably another air company), then take my plane to Brazil? My visa is just one entry, so l technically can’t enter china again.
If your flight doesn’t stop in any other city in China and the origin and destination is different, you could apply for a 72h visa exemption, just confirm it with your airline
What happens in case that the departure flight is delayed and I am then forced to overstay my stay in Shanghai?
Go straight to security and explain the situation!
not sure what will really happen, I never heard of this situation
I hope to apply for the 144 transit visa.
I will be flying HKG – PVG – ICN. I have called Hong Kong Airlines to ask if I need to let them know in advance so they don’t denied me boarding at HKG (since I won’t have a visa beforehand) and every time I mention visa – they say I need to refer to my immigration office. Not helpful.
Well I hope they let me on the plane and the employees are aware of this option because I’ve seen stories of people getting denied to board.
If you have any personal stories/advice with Hong kong airlines – please let me know.
Hello Mel,
if the airline is not helpful, get there prepared:
1. Bookmark in your phone an official Chinese website that explain how the visa exemption work
2. Print your flight ticket PVG – ICN, which I assume to be Icheon, in Korea
can you link an official chinese website?
Hi there, we used to link to it but the link changed. You can probably find it with a research in Baidu, if you speak Chinese (I assume you speak Chinese, from your name)
Hello,
Could you help me with an answer, please?
I am going to flight from Vladivostok through Beijing to Vancouver. I will carry on two cats.
I have read about restriction for animals to carry into China, but if my cats will be carried only by transit during 14 hours through Beijing Airport will they be taken to Quarantine as well?
Hello Elena,
sorry, I never traveled with cats. I advice you to get in touch with your flight company!
If it is a dog and I will care it by transit, I have to place it in Quarantine or no?
Hi, I never traveled with an animal. My suggestion is to ask to your flight company
I plan on using a 72 hour visa free visit. I would like to stay with a friend and know we need to check into a police station with him. Do you know what documentation he needs with him so that our visit is valid.
If I remember well he shall bring to the police station:
– His passport with his resident permit (or Chinese ID card, if he’s chinese)
– Original of rent agreement
– A copy of the above documents
Hi Furio,
I am a US national flying from Bangkok to Guanghzou (4hr layover) and then to San Fransisco ( the plane stops for 1hr25 mins in Wuhan – CZ659) The whole trip from Bangkok to SFO is 23hrs. Do I need a transit visa or I can request for the TWOV ?
Thanks,
James
Hi,
are you even leaving the airport? If you don’t even leave the international zone, then you don’t even need a transit exemption.
In any case, I would suggest to call your flight company, in these case it’s always the best!
Passengers travelling on US and Canadian passports are not permitted to use the multiple-stop transit within China if transiting through Weihai (WEH), Wuhan (WUH).
Hello Lea, I did some research and it seems you’re right! I added a note to the article
Hi! I’m a Pakistani national and is flying from manila via china then to pakistan. Will i need a transit visa when landing in China? What is the longest possible time that I’m allowed at the airport for transit without a visa?
Hi Faisam, honestly I dont know if Pakistani nationals enjoy the visa exemption
Hello Furio,
I must say thanks to you for providing advice for people. I also have a question. We are from Canada but our flight itinerary is Canada > South Korea > Japan > SHANGHAI > South Korea > Jeju (island south of South Korea) > Busan (city south of South Korea) > Canada all within 2 weeks at the end of April-May.
Now to focus on mid part of our trip. Japan to Shanghai with “China Southern Airlines”, [we are planning to visit friends in Suzhou which falls in Jiangsu Province, which is ok from this article Shanghai to South Korea with “Korean Airlines”.
Just want to get your input. Do we qualify for 144 hour transit visa? I’ve read article thoroughly and it seems like we do qualify. I also called China Southern Airlines and they said we don’t but I couldn’t understand her explanation very well so I’ll call again.
Hi!
What matters is the flight Japan -> Shanghai -> South Korea.
In my opinion you seem to qualify, however make sure that the airline agrees because if they don’t let you in on the flight, it’s a big problem!
Dear Furio,
Great website, thank you for the time you invest to help travellers like us.
My wife is mozambican, resides in France (am french) and will travel to China but no visa yet as we need advice before moving forward. Here is the situation: she will travel with our daughter (17y.o, french), they currently have a ticket to Chongqing (from Paris, going though Finland) and they would like to head directly to Hong Kong without having to leave the Chongqing airport as no visa is needed for our daughter as a french citizen (transit in Chongqing staying at the airport then heading to HK, to finally return from Japan, already holding a ticket for that onward journey from Japan to Paris, only missing the HK-Japan ticket, if HK trip gets confirmed, then we will make sure to book the flight from HK to Japan to show proof of onward journey for our daughter (and even for my wife’s HK visa).
We would like to avoid applying for two visas for my wife (a chinese + HK visa) indeed mozambican passport are not eligible for Transit without Visa, and it’s quite painful to do it in France, 160eur in Paris and we live far from there etc, we even thought of doing it in Laos or Vietnam where we’re heading soon, as more flexible and cheaper…hoping they will not ask for residence^^) thus we came with this idea of going straight from Chongqing to HK, hoping they will allow her to board the flights from Europe, only with a HK visa (which she will apply for in Laos, Thailand or Vietnam during our upcoming trip next week). Do you think my wife would still need a Chinese tourist L visa is she stays at the airports to connect and reach HK ?
We were thinking of dropping one tourist visa application at the Chinese embassy in Laos/Vietnam and see what they say but am sure you have great insights to share beforehand :-)
Sorry for this lengish message, we tried to get answers everywhere, to no avail… Appreciate your help and guidance,
Jay
PS: I guess we might not be able to use your awesome tip on booking a flight from Chongqing to Shenzhen (rather than HK) to save money as Shenzhen is mainland China and coming out of the airport would require a chinese visa for my wife :-(
Hi I’m sorry but I’m not qualified to give any suggestions for Mozambican passport or such a complex situations
May I enter as a US citizen from Delhi to Beijing for 24 hours, then take a flight to LAX that has an 18 hour layover in Chengdu and wander about BOTH Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden City) and Chengdu?
I don’t think you have this option in Beijing, as technically you are flying to Chengdu, thus isn’t a transit.
You may qualify in Chengdu, however make sure to confirm this with your airline
I am flying from Los Angeles, USA to Manila, Philippines with a layover in Beijing International Airport. My flight arrives in Beijing at 5:20am and departs at 8pm the same day. Will I need a Chinese Visa if I want to go to the Great Wall of China and maybe the city of Beijing during that time? or do I qualify for the 72 hour visa?
Hi Azhlee,
if your itinerary is Los Angeles – Beijing – Manila, then you shall qualify. However we always recommend to double check with the airlines, as at the end of the day they are the one that have the power to let you flight (or don’t let you fly).
Also, make sure that the section of the Great Wall you want to visit is within Beijing borders, as you are not allowed to leave Beijing without a visa!!!
Hello Furio,
I have a flight Chicago – Shanghai april 27 With American Airlines and Return Shanghai – Chicago may 2nd
I also bought/might buy with China Eastern – Shanghai – Hong Kong to qualify for the visa and return hong kong – shanghai to catch my flight back May 2nd (not leaving airport, just landing and grabbing my flight a few hours later).
If I present my tickets at immigration will I be able to get the 144hr G visa? I booked with 2 different airlines so my final destination will be considered Hong Kong. Thanks
Hi Diego,
if your itinerary is Chicago – Shanghai – Hong Kong, then you shall qualify. However we always recommend to double check with the airlines, as at the end of the day they are the one that have the power to let you flight (or don’t let you fly)
Hello, If I arrive in Shanghai and use the visa free transit period would it be possible to take the train to beijing for a few days? I know it is officially not allowed but they don’t check visas when buying a train ticket or on the train right?
Hi, this would be extremely illegal. If they catch you, they will kick you out (at your expense), probably fine (and / or ban from China for years).
We suggest you to stick to the law!
Is the 144h visa exemption rule valid for guangzhou as well?
According to this site, it is
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-transit-144hour.htm
We did some research and we could find this info only on the link you shared with us. In another website we found that in Guangdong the 144 hours were only valid if you join a group tour. So at the moment we can’t confirm this news.
Hello,
Thank you for your reply. Would you know where I can find official information about that? My Airline company does not know about it.
Thanks
Hi,my daughter and I will have a stopover in Beijing for 21 hours. Will be flying Bangkok-Beijing-South Africa,do we need to apply for transit visa?
We can’t tell you if you need a visa. Please read the article, which is quite comprehensive
Hi I live in China and my mom is coming to visit from US in January. We will be flying to Thailand and Singapore for vacation for most of the time she’s in Asia (about 2 weeks), but she’s flying into Shanghai first (where I live). I’m wondering if it’s possible to do the 24 or 144 hours visa twice in a short amount of time. For instance she is flying in to Shanghai on 24th of Jan and flying back to US on 5th of Feb. Hoping to tack on 1 or2 days both at the beginning of her stay and at the end coming into China before and after our trip in SE Asia but not sure it’s possible to do the transit visa 2x in short period. Any ideas?
It is possible but you should confirm it with your airline befor
Hi Mr. Furio Fu, I’ve tried emailing the us embassy and the airlines give conflicting reports. My itin is as follows: oma/usa to hkg arrive 14dec on american airlines, then hkg to pek on the 17dec on china southern airlines, then pek to oma/usa 19dec on american airlines. From looking at the various diagrams on some blogs, it appears to qualify for the 72hr TWOL?? Your opinion please. Thanks!
It appears. However we don’t have any authority to confirm / deny this. If you want to be sure, please discuss with your airline / consular office
Hi I am travelling from UK to Shanghai for 5 days in April 2017 and then flying to phuket for 1 week. Will I be able to re-enter shanghai for another 2 days after phuket before I fly back to the UK?
I don’t know Julie. There are so many factors to take into account. I suggest you to talk with your flight company
Hi Mr. Furio Fu,
As a citizen from the Netherlands, I plan to visit Shanghai for five days, then fly on to Hong Kong, stay there for three days, return to Shanghai and then fly home the next day. So I would visit Shanghai twice. Would I need a visa for China?
Many thanks Hajo Smit
Hi, what we know is what we published in this article. As said already in many comments, in this case we can’t make a full assessment; we always suggest to get in touch with the flight company as they are the one that decide if you can get on the plane or not!
Thank you, mr. Furio Fu.
Regards
Hajo Smit
Hello,
I arrive in Beijing 28th December 2016 at 0955 and depart from the same airport on January 2017 at 1930. This would equate to c.80 hours in transit. I have contacted the visa office (who didn’t know), our airline (who directed us to the embassy) and attempted the embassy with no reply. I have seen several sources online that say it begins midnight the following day, which means we would be ok for 72 hour exemption.
I have seen this on trip adviser as well but can’t find the source:
How to calculate the duration of the exemption.
For the cities of Guilin, Kunming, Harbin, Qingdao and Shenyang, the 72-hour duration is based on scheduled arrival and departure times. HOWEVER in the cases of the other cities, the calculation starts at 00h01 following the day of entry. So, three full days starting the next day for a potential stay greater than 72 hours.
As of April 30, 2016 this “starts at midnight after arrival” is confirmed for Beijing. As long as your flight out is any time on the day that 72 hours expires, you will have no problems at immigration. Have your immigration slip filled out that the airline gave you and go to the “For D/P Only” line. They will inspect your passport and your paperwork showing the incoming and outgoing flight, then have you write the outgoing flight number and date under the spot you wrote the incoming flight on the slip. Stamps are made on your slip and passport and you are on your way.
Is there any way you could clear this up for me as I seem to be going in circles and if I in fact need a visa, I should sort this out soon. I don’t want to pay for one that is not needed.
Thank you,
will
Hello Will, we can only accede to the same info you have. We don’t have any “insider” information. Thus, it’s up to you to make sure you qualify for the exemption.
Thanks for your response Furio.
I understand your point – but surely there is a robust policy that says whether it starts at midnight or not? I’ve seen plenty of websites/forums that say it does, I’m just not so sure about whether the 72 visa security will accept “less official” print outs stating this.
I wont be holding you to account on this of course! I fully accept this is my responsibility.
Many thanks
Hello Will,
unfortunately on the detail you mention I don’t know any specific policy clause. It may exists, but since it’s local (about Beijing) I never saw an official source!
Appreciated Furio,
Have a good weekend
Hello,
I’m holding a US passport and I’m unsure if my trip requires a Visa.
I have 2 itineraries: Roundtrip SFO-PVG and Roundtrip PVG-ICN.
Essentially, I’ll be going from SFO-PVG-ICN-PVG-SFO
These were booked separately on different airlines, and my layover time in Shanghai total up to under 4 hours. Would this itinerary qualify for being visa exempted?
Could you please write the full name of the stopovers not the codes, if you don’t have any internal flight in China it’s possible that you don’t need a visa. However, make sure to confirm with your airline as we aren’t in the position to confirm this
Hi, I’m a Filipino but having residence working visa of United Arab Emirates. Flying Dubai-Shanghai-Hongkong. I will have 23 hours lay over to shanghai. Can I go outside without applying china Visa?
I’m not sure if filipinos passport holders are allow, you shall double check that
Having a crazy difficult time getting this to work. Still not sure that it will, at the airport right now. Was planning to fly San Francisco to Beijing to Tokyo, but was told here at the aiport by several people that the US is not one of the countries that can be used for the TWOV (even though I have a US passport). Changed my flights to add Hong Kong before Beijing, hopefully that will work.
Hi Jeremy,
thank you for your feedback, we never heard that you couldn’t start your trip from US; who told you that? The flight company?
Hello ,
This is not clear with me ,Filipino can transiting in Guangzhou airport without holding a visa ?? And how about my luggage ?
As far as I know, this exemption doesn’t apply to holders of filipino passports. You find a list of allowed countries in the article
I have 2 questions, and I’m asking since I got conflicting answers for these:
For the 144 hour transit Visa to Shanghai:
1) Is coming from an EU country and returning to another EU country okay?
2) When they check for which country you got from and returning to – do they check:
(a) the direct flight in/out of China, or
(b) The first origin and final destination?
My flight is:
Malaga->Amsterdam->Shanghai
Shanghai->Paris->Malaga
I was told by some people that wit’s okay since what matters is the direct flight in/out – i.e. they will look at Amsterdam->Shanghai->Paris without caring about Malaga
But I called now China Eastern, which is the airline I’m flying with and they told me it is not valid since I’m flying and returning to Spain (Malaga) – and that also if I flew from on EU country to the other – it wouldn’t be valid.
(I have to mention there’s a lot of confusion on the 144 hours visa, and even embassies dont know enough about it)
Hello,
1. Yes
2. I think they check the final destination, however you shall confirm with your flight company. What the flight company says is what really matters as they are the one that decide if you can get on the plane or not!
Can I get the 72-hours visa exemption if:
1) I will fly from Milan to London, and stay in London for 24 hours
2) I will then fly from London to Shanghai and stay in Shanghai for less than 72 hours because I will fly from Shanghai to Hong Kong two days later. I will stay in HK for one day and then will fly back from HK to Milan.
Yes, it seems possible but make sure to get a confirmation from your airlines
If I’m not wrong I do not need any Visa to fly from Shanghai to HK (I’m a Swiss citizen). Am I wright?
Hi, I don’t think you need a visa for visiting HK, EU citizens for sure don’t need visa, just double check for Switzerland!
I’m transiting in china for 144 hrs .. Must i inform my airline so that it can inform the immigration authorities .. And i’m arriving in china on airline and departing on another airline so Which one should i tell
I would ask both airlines. Also, make sure that the country of departure and destination are different, or the visa exemption won’t work for you!
Hi,
Very useful article! I am looking at flying Korea – Shanghai – Taipei – Korea using the 144-hour transit in Shanghai. While Taiwan is my final destination of this trip before I go back to Korea (where I am currently living and working), I’m looking at spending less time there than in Shanghai, or possibly the same amount of time. For example, 5 nights in each place. Do you think this matters?
Many thanks!
Hello, what matters is that you only spend less than 144 hours in Shanghai. Also, make sure to confirm with your flight company that they accept to let you in without visa!
Okay, great! Thanks for the advice :-)
Another question – Does it matter if I arrive at Hongqiao airport and leave from Pudong airport?
I don’t think so, however you shall double check with your flight company
Hi
I need to know if we would qualify for the 144hr TWOV in Shanghai
We arrive in Shanghai as follows JNB-HKG-PVG on Cathay Pacific
We depart on a Costa Cruise with first port of call in Naha/Okinawa (Japan) within the 144hr time limit
We both have full british passports
On the face of it all looks good for us meeting the rules but complication is that the cruise also docks in Sanya (China) later on in the cruise
Have read in other sites that if you visit China again as part of the departure it is considered double transit and this thus violates the rules of the 144hr TWOV
Has anyone an opinion on this
Thanks
Tony
Hello Tony,
we can’t confirm this for specific situation. You must ask this to Costa Cruise!
Hello,
I am not clear about the transit. I am holding the U.S. Passport.
My flight comes from Okinawa, Japan via China Eastern Airlines and will be arriving in PVG. Then, I will take another international flight out to Phnom Penh, Cambodia within 4 hours on the same airlines. This will be considered international to international flight.
1. Do I need to pass through the Chinese immigration even though I will be staying less than 72 hours?
2. Do I need to pick-up my luggage again at the custom and send it to the transferred counter?
3. Will the China Eastern airlines tag my bag only to PVG or they will tag through Phnom Penh? If they tag only to PVG, how difficult it is to find the airline counter in orderr for me to send the luggage through my final destination?
Look like I will be spending a lot of time here, if this happens. Please advise. Thanks.
Hello Ike,
1. Yes,
2. Ask to your flight company, this depends only on the company, certainly not on the visa law
3. Same as for point 2, this is not related to the law!
Hi Furio. Love the informative post on the 72 hour visa. I have a question, which I can’t seem to find anywhere,and maybe you would know:
I’m planning a trip from Rome to Beijing, which say, arrives on the 22nd at 13:30.I then plan on staying in Beijing and departing for Seoul on the 25th at 8am.
Now, how are the 72 hours calculated? I’ve read online that it will commence from 00:00 on the day I arrive. This will technically mean that my schedule goes beyond 72 hours (22nd @ 00:00 – 25th 8am = 80 hrs) or have I misunderstood the rules and I will be perfectly fine? ( 22nd @ 13:30 – 25th @ 8am = around 65 hours)
Sorry for the long post, and thanks!
Hello,
I dont think there are clear rules for that. Some cities seem to use midnight, other the time of arrival. My suggestion is to contact your Airlines and see what they say. At the end of the day, they are the one that will decide whether let you take the flight or not!
Ciao.Se arrivo a Shanghai in transito per 144 ore posso partire per Hong Kong da Ningbo?
Grazie
Ciao, non penso Ningbo sia inclusa nel trattato dell 144 ore.
Hi! I am going to fly in to Beijing take a train to north Korea and stay there for 8 days and then back to Beijing and after that fly out of the country, is it possible for me to get Some kind of transit visa?
Hello Mattias, the transit visa is called G Visa
Hi Matthias, interested in doing the same as you proposed. Did this work? Wondered whether transit visa would work as train from Dandong to beijing is not international so I’d be refused entry into Dandong? I assume 24 hour visa would work on the way there as it allows you to go anywhere in China AFAIK.
The visa exemption don’t allow you to travel around China only the designated municipality or area
Hi. We note the free 144 hour transit visa in force since 30 Jan 2016, now covers the international cruise port in Shanghai…. We are from Uk. We are cruising in Japan, Taiwan and S.Korea before arriving in Shanghai, where we have 2 nights stay before flying back to Uk.
We have been unable to find any definite information in the Uk regarding this free visa.
Are we able to use it?
Thanks
Hello Maureen,
there is no “definite” info. There is a Chinese law, which is summarized in this article. However, I suggest you to get in tocuh with your cruise and flight company and make sure they agree to let you on board without a visa
Have you had an answer from the cruise company? We are in a similar position calling into Shanghai for less than 11 hours as part of a cruise before going on to
Hong Kong and flying home. Our cruise company – Celebrity – just keep referring us to their visa agents and they tell us they know nothing about the recent changes. Very frustrating!
The problem is that cruise companies often don’t want to take responsabilities for this. We heard several situation similar to yours
Hi, can you please advice if we qualify for the 144hr visa if we fly from Melbourne -> Hong Kong (not a stopover) -> Shanghai (for 5 days) -> Macau? The airline we booked with somehow but are unsure of how we can obtain the visa exemption. Thanks
Hello,
if the airline is unsure, we can’t certainly confirm it cause they are the one that decide if they will take you on board or not!
Hi my husband has a 13hrs lay over in shanghai. He want ro chk in in hotel while waiting for connecting. Is he need a visa to do that? He has Philippine Passport
thx,
Lailani
Hello, I don’t think Philippines passport’s holders are allowed to have a visa exemption. So I’d say that he needs a visa.
Hi Bren,
If I’m transiting in Shanghai for 5 – 10hours and enroute to SFO, I’m holding a Malaysian passport, does transit visa required in this case?
It’s under MU flight enroute to SFO.
There isn’t much clear info on the China Embassy website though.
Hope you could shed some lights.
Thanks!
Hello,
if you respect the requirements details on the article, you shall be fine. yet, I suggest you to ask also to your flight company
I have a question – I am traveling to China, arriving in Shanghai via a cruise and going directly to the airport, so I’ll be in the country less than 24 hrs. The info above only address visitors arriving by plane. Not sure if there are different rules for ports.
THANK YOU!
Hello Bren, the transit permit only applies if you arrive by plan!
From Feb 2016, one can enter or leave from 2 Shanghai airports, 2 cruise ports and 1 rail station using the 144 hours visa exemption.
My husband & I had a long layover in Beijing where we used the free transit visa. The process was pretty quick & painless. We loved that we were able to go out to the city to explore instead of sitting around the airport.
Check out our experience with getting our visa:
http://moneyleftfortravel.com/china-visa-free-transit/
thanks!