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Question: Asked by Mr.Armstrong from usa | Jan. 26, 2011 09:59

About:China Transit Visa

I am a US citizen and have a 21 hour layover in Beijing(PEK). It is an International(USA) to international(Indonesia) flight and the only stop in China is the 21 hour layover. I am finding lots of conflicting information as to wether I can leave the airport without a Visa. Do i need a Visa? or can i obtain a transit stamp at the international transit desk at the airport?

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Answers (2): Answered by MattyW | Jul. 22, 2011 14:41

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Good luck with finding the real answer. I agree - the information is not consistent on this concept, and it is not well-established that you need a visa to leave the airport.

Many travelers arrive in Beijing and report that they can obtain visa-free entry, which allows a 24-hour stay with a transit stamp and no visa if you have a confirmed departing flight within 24 hours (see the website for the Chinese embassy in the US for details). The Chinese embassy webiste and some others claim that you cannot leave the airport with the transit stamp. However, many travelers report that they are able to obtain this stamp and then visit Beijing during their layover. The issue at hand is, are they doing so legally? The IATA database (which contains information for airlines regarding the visa rules for citizens of all countries for wherever they travel) states that a traveler CAN leave the airport during the 24-hour period with this stamp.

So, bottom line, you will physically be able to leave the airport. It sounds like, from some sources, that you can do so legally. Do your best to get confirmation from the Chinese embassy in the US or someone trustworthy (and let everyone else know the real answer!)

0 0 Reply; Answered by Mr.JOHNNASH | Jan. 26, 2011 21:39

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You need a visa if you leave the airport. You can't obtain stamp at the international transit desk at the airport.

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