Question

Asked by Ian from united kingdom | Jan. 16, 2018 00:56

About:72-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Connecting through Hong Kong then staying in Hong Kong on return

I am arriving in China via connection in Hong Kong, just connecting through Hong Kong airport. But will stay in Hong Kong on my return.

LHR - PEK (connecting HKG)
PEK - HKG (stay in Hong Kong)
HKG - LHR

I am unsure if it will be seen as return flight from HKG with the authorities in China.

I will be travelling through to China on one itinerary (same carrier) and luggage will be checked through from LHR - PEK. So will not enter into Hong Kong at all on outbound journey.
Return journey is broken by one week stay in Hong Kong.

In essence I am wondering if my journey is classed as:

LHR - PEK - HKG Making it eligible for 72 Hour Visa
Many thanks for any advice

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Answers (7)

Answered by Thomas | Jan. 16, 2018 02:09

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You're flying HK - PEK - HK so it's no transit and you nred a visa.

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Answered by Travelman | Jan. 16, 2018 03:33

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Is this the case if the travellers outbound journey is LHR - PEK with just connection in Hong Kong and not passing through Hong Kong immigration?

Is this not the same as say connecting through Dubai? Whereby there is no exiting of the airport through immigration, only changing planes to final destination. in essence it as if the passenger had not stepped inside the country and any immigration documents would not show as Dubai being a visited country.

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Answered by Rob | Jan. 16, 2018 04:58

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Dubai-China-Dubai is also not valid for free transit because it's not a transit. It doesn't matter if you don't pass immigration at Dubai. It doesn't matter if you don't even get off the aircraft. Immigration documents are irrelevant because you will be denied boarding at your origin and won't make it as far as China.

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Answered by Travelman | Jan. 16, 2018 07:39

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What I meant to say was if a passenger went to PEK from LHR connecting Dubai.
Would the actual travel as far as China immigration is concerned be a passenger arriving from UK. Since the passenger journey originated in UK.
Then if that passenger travelled to Hong Kong would that be OK?
Would the journey be seen as:
LHR - PEK - HKG
albeit the passenger has connected flights in Dubai
Or because of the connection is it
DXB - PEK - HKG

The crux is does a connecting airport count. In the sense that my understanding is if you are just connecting through an airport, and do not enter/clear immigration in the country technically it should be seen as a single journey.

For example I have connected through Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar etc on flights from UK to Far East. I have never been through immigration so have no passport stamps, or passport scans in these countries. As far as I am aware I would never have been classed as visiting them.

So if someone visits China and connects through Hong Kong (never going through immigration) does China class them as arriving from Hong Kong?

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Answered by John Doe | Jan. 16, 2018 08:33

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Your understanding is not correct. Chinese immigration only cares about the country/territory immediately before and after arrival, NOT your final destination. That includes any transit points/stopovers/etc. So LHR-DXB-PEK-HKG will only be seen as DXB-PEK-HKG, while LHR-HKG-PEK-HKG will be seen as HKG-PEK-HKG and will not work. They also do not give a hoot about whether you actually entered the third country/territory and will not bother looking for stamps either.

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Answered by Travelman | Jan. 16, 2018 09:27

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Thank you for the clarification. I does seem a little confusing. Seems certain airlines could be penalised for having their hub in Hong Kong.
For example Air China, Hainan etc: LHR - PEK (72H Visa OK) direct then PEK to HKG (second country) then HKG to LHR (Via PEK connection no visa requirement) trip is fine.

But for Cathay Pacific LHR - PEK (Via HKG connection) Then PEK - HKG (Again Second Country) and finally HKG - LHR is not OK.

It makes little sense to me, but I do get that as far as immigration officers are concerned they may see the passenger arriving from a Hong Kong Flight, rather than arriving from the UK.

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Answered by Victor | Jan. 16, 2018 13:46

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Of course it promotes visits to mainland China over Hong Kong! What did you expect?

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