Question

Asked by CH from australia | Jun. 12, 2019 11:07

About:240-hour Visa-free Transit in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu

144 hour visa free transit then re-enter on a tourist visa

Hi there,

Can I fly from Sydney, Australia to Shanghai then fly to Hong Kong the following day?
Can I enter Shanghai via the 144 hr visa free transit entry?

Am I then able to fly from Hong Kong back to Shanghai and enter with a tourist visa?
I only arranged for a single entry on my tourist visa so am hoping to use the 144 hr visa free transit entry for the initial entry.

Many thanks.

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Answers (6)

Answered by XL | Jun. 12, 2019 13:18

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Hi CH!

We came to this post having exactly the same question as you had. Our plan would be Switzerland-Beijing(3 to 4 days, if 144hr transit works)-Mongolia, then enter China again after Mongolia using the single entry travel visa.

If you don't mind when will you be traveling and maybe could share with us? Just insanely curious/nervous to find out if getting 144hr transit is possible given that we already have a valid travel visa. Have to admit it's bit nerve-wracking if cannot find out till the moment you land.

Thanks!

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Answered by XL | Jun. 14, 2019 01:34

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Thank you so much ZUPAN!! This helps a lot since we tried to ask the visa center but the answers were just...blah.

Thanks again! We really appreciate it, will keep in mind to go to the right counter when we arrive!

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Answered by CH | Jun. 14, 2019 03:41

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Hi Zupan and XL,

Zupan - Thanks so much for your input, your information was very handy - thank you, it’s much appreciated!

XL - we fly tomorrow so I will let you know how we go. Fingers crossed!

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Answered by CH | Jun. 16, 2019 19:00

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We made it through ok - we ended up getting a 24 free transit visa and all was ok. Just make sure you have printed copies of your flights for the next part of your trip, that is very important. Good luck!

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Answered by ZUPAN | Jun. 12, 2019 15:11

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Part one:

CH and XL... You really should not be worried that much :).

First of all, having a Chinese visa already in your passport, doesn't forbid you to use any kind of visa free transit, of course, if your itineraries and citizenship are eligible. I definitely understand that you want to spare your single entry visas and you are legally allowed to do that. Everything you should do is to be extremely well focused upon landing, both CH in SH and XL in Beijing and not to make a mistake. So, upon landing, you will look after visa free counters and approach them FIRST. You should not proceed through immigration and after that look after the mentioned counters!!! So, when you have found visa free counters, you will fill out blue form and will explain your intentions, i.e. that you plan for your first landing to use 144 hours visa free transit and on your second arrival to use your pre-arranged singe entry visas. This is perfectly legal and really nothing new to Chinese immigration authorities. Both of you will be granted 144 hours visa free transit.

Now, one detail regarding CH's itinerary... Your itinerary is fine, but I wonder, how many hours do you have between your scheduled arrival in SH and your scheduled departure from SH to Hong Kong? There is nothing disputable, but this is important detail whether you will apply for 24 hours visa free transit, if your entire transit is shorter than 24 hours or you will apply for 144 hours visa free transit, if your entire transit is longer that 24 hours even for just one minute.

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Answered by ZUPAN | Jun. 12, 2019 15:12

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Part two:

Now, one detail regarding XL's itinerary... Having in mind that you will travel from Beijing to Mongolia, you should know that you cannot use the train for this route and remain eligible for 144 hours visa free transit, i.e. you have to fly from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar. Of course, after you have explored Mongolia, you can enter to China by train, bus, plane...

One more detail for your first landings and departures to and from China... CH, you should take care that your incoming flight for Shanghai doesn't have any additional landing within mainland China and Hong Kong and that your outgoing flight doesn't have any additional landings within mainland China. XL, you should take care that your incoming and outgoing flights to and from Beijing doesn't have any additional landings within mainland China.

I hope that the situation is now a bit clearer and the that the peace of mind has gradually returned :).

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