ams - hkg - pek - kix

Question

- On Monday I have a non-stop flight from AMS - HKG. I will be arriving in Hong Kong the next day on Tuesday.- After 1,5h on arrival on Tuesday in Hong Kong, I'll have a connecting non-stop flight from another airline, to PEK (country B). I won't leave the airport on arrival in Hong Kong.- After staying 4 days in Beijing I will be flying to Osaka (country C) with a non-stop flight.Does my flight from HKG-PEK, which is non-stop and from another airline I flew from AMS-HKG count as an international flight flying into China without a stopover anywhere in Mainland China despite I won't leave the airport in Hong Kong? And thus can I make use of the 144-hour TWOV? Or will this itinerary be seen as a flight to PEK with 1 stop (in HKG) and thus won't I'll be eligible for the 144-hour TWOV?I hope you onderstand my 'problem'.

John Doe · Answer

HK is a separate immigration jurisdiction and all Mainland Chinese flights to/from HK are international flights.

M · Answer

Yes, I know, but since I'm not going through the customs at the Hong Kong airport, I wonder if China interprets I'm travelling a) non-stop from Hong Kong to Beijing or b) from Amsterdam to Beijing with 1 stop (via Hong Kong). And since it should be a non-stop connecting flight only a) seems eligible for a 144-hour TWOV?I've got a return ticket AMS-HKG-AMS (KLM), one way ticket HKG-PEK (China Southern), one way ticket PEK-KIX (China Eastern) and a one way ticket KIX-HKG (Peach).

Hector · Answer

Relax. It's irrelevant whether you clear immigration (not customs) at Hong Kong or not. Chinese immigration only cares about where your aircraft touches down immediately before and immediately after mainland China. You're flying Hong Kong-Beijing-Japan and it obviously qualifies for transit without visa (assuming your passport is from one of the 53 qualifying countries). Check-in staff at HKG are familiar with the transit without visa rules, and you won't have a problem. Just print all your confirmed tickets on paper and be ready to show them.

M · Answer

Thank you for your very quick replies! I just did some researching about this topic on the web and together with your answers I am convinced now that this 144-hour TWOV applies to me.And you're right indeed, it should be immigration and not customs :) Thanks again!!

AMS - HKG - PEK - KIX

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