Question

Asked by Patricia Chan from usa | Jun. 27, 2017 12:11

About:72-Hour Visa-Free Transit FAQ

Does my flight connection in Peking count towards my 72 hr visa?

Arrive in Peking 5:30am January 5, connect to Harbin China flight at 850am arrive Harbin at 10:55am on January 5th.
Flight leaves Harbin at 10:50pm Jan 7. Connection through Peking. Leaves Peking at 5:50am for Kuala Lumpur.

If I have to count the connection time in Peking, I am 20 minutes over the 72 hours. How will this affect me?

Thank you
Patricia Chan

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Answers (3)

Answered by Marco | Jun. 27, 2017 21:45

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Patricia, I'm afraid you cannot use the 72 hour free transit in Beijing. You need to apply for a visa for China beforehand.

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Answered by Patricia Chan | Jun. 28, 2017 13:21

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Hi Marco, I just changed my flights, so now I don't have the "20 minutes over " issue.
Thank you for your reply. This is so confusing to me and I have a Master's Degree, so one would think I should be able to read the requirements! I just spoke to a China Visa organiztion representative, and she informed me that the Beijing airport, and all airports, are neutral territory, and therefore, would not be classified as an "official" China entry point. I am still working on this question, as I don't want to be stopped at Beijing. Could you possibly send me the data you used to formulate your answer?
PS I have now paid $150.00 to change flights to fit into this 72 hour tourist window BUT I do transit still through Beijing. I'm not trying to be difficult, I am just trying to find out the correct data. Thank You Patricia Chan

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Answered by John Doe | Jun. 28, 2017 21:16

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The Chinese consulates and embassies are generally clueless when it comes to these issues. The problem is that you cannot have two stops within China, so you are not eligible even if your flights are within the 72-hour window. Your options are 1) to get a visa which is valid for 10 years and costs $140; or 2) to change your flights again so you only pass through one airport in China. The notion that PEK is not an official entry point is laughable as it is one of the busiest international gateways to China with over 94 million passengers in 2016.

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