Question

Asked by Joe from england | Sep. 18, 2019 09:12

About:How to Travel to China without a Visa

Train from Shenzhen airport to Kowloon

I will be landing in Shenzhen airport (British citizen) from Cambodia. Can I get visa exemption then catch train to Hong Kong?

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Answers (5)

Answered by Joe | Sep. 19, 2019 07:48

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Hi Zupan - thanks for your answer. I do actually have a connecting flight from Shenzhen to UK three days later, but I want to see Hong Kong. So my route is: Cambodia - Shenzhen - UK. Can I land in Shenzhen, get the 144-hr visa, then go to Hong Kong for two days travel, then return to Shenzhen and get another 144-hr visa for my final flight to UK? Many thanks, Joe.

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Answered by Joe | Sep. 19, 2019 21:04

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Hi Zupan, thanks for your excellent answers. I have one more question - what if I just get Visa on Arrival when I first land in Shenzhen from Cambodia, then go to Hong Kong via train, and on the way back into Hong Kong afterwards, get another Visa on Arrival. I know I will have to pay for these, but seems an easier option that trying to get ferry booking / visa free transit. What do you think?

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Answered by ZUPAN | Sep. 18, 2019 12:32

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No, unfortunately, this is not allowed. To be allowed to make a transit to Hong Kong after you have arrived in Shenzhen, you will have to book your ferry ticket from Shenzhen Shekou port to Hong Kong Macau ferry terminal through CKS - Chu Kong Passenger Transport company website in advance and take care that your scheduled departure by ferry has to be at least 24 hour + 1 minute after your scheduled arrival in Shenzhen. In other words, you have to be eligible for 144 hour visa free transit because 24 hour visa free transit is not allowed for transit to Hong Kong if you use Shenzhen airport. 144 hour visa free transit is perfectly fine.

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Answered by ZUPAN | Sep. 19, 2019 13:44

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Joe, you cannot do exactly as you have described. Anyway, there is a solution. Here are the steps:

- Even before your departure from Cambodia to Shenzhen, you will book a ferry ticket as explained in my first answer
- During your check-in in Cambodia you will declare that you will travel to Hong Kong via Shenzhen using 144 hour visa free transit and you will present your ferry e-confirmation
- Upon your arrival in Shenzhen, you will approach 144 hour TWOV counter and you will again present your ferry e-confirmation. After that you will get a sticker in your passport and be allowed to leave the airport
- You will stay in Shenzhen until your ferry departure and, please, have in mind that you have to take exactly that ferry you have bought your ticket for. There, at Shekou terminal you will exchange your e-confirmation for a real ticket and you will depart for Hong Kong
- To return back to Shenzhen, you cannot use any kind of visa free transit scheme, so you will just apply for a 5 day Shenzhen VOA on the border crossing, preferably at Lo Wu / Luohu
- After your VOA is granted, you will proceed to Shenzhen airport for your flight back to UK. It is allowed to take a flight out of China while on Shenzhen VOA.

In my opinion, this is the solution that will be definitely convenient for your travel plan.

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Answered by ZUPAN | Sep. 19, 2019 23:33

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You can try to do that, but I seriously doubt that the airline will allow you to board the plane in Cambodia. In reality, you should try that, but please have a back up solution ready. So, you can declare at check-in that you travel to Shenzhen where you intend to apply for VOA, but if denied that possibility, you can say that you were confused and that you really thought on traveling by using 144 hour visa free transit in Shenzhen to reach Hong Kong. Of course, to have this back up option you really need to have among your documentation the mentioned ferry ticket (e-confirmation in reality). So, if they allow you to board the plane after you have declared that you will rely on VOA upon your arrival in Shenzhen, you will cancel your ferry after your VOA is attached in your passport and you will get a refund minus some administrative and handling fees. In any case, have this 144 hour visa free option alive and ready to be used if this option with VOA fails.

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