Question

Asked by Olive from usa | Sep. 28, 2019 16:20

About:240-Hour Visa-Free Transit

SFO to Shanghai to Bali to Beijing to SFO

We hold USA passports, and will be in Shanghai for 2 days, then Bali for 8 days, then back to Beijing for 4 days before flying back to SFO. Do we qualify for the 144-hour exemption for the Shanghai leg, then again the Beijing leg? The complication is that the flight from Beijing to SFO is not direct, we make a stop at Qingdao first (only 2 hour stop). However, all the flights are on a single ticket (SFO - Shanghai - Bali - Beijing - Qingdao - SFO). Do we need visas? Thank you!

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Answers (4)

Answered by Saul | Sep. 28, 2019 20:41

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Two stops (Qingdao, Beijing) immediately limits you to 24 hours visa-free transit in China. Any longer than 24 hours requires a visa. Your first entry would qualify for 144 hours visa-free in Shanghai. But it may be more convenient just to get a multiple-entry visa.

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Answered by Olive | Sep. 28, 2019 20:52

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Thank you for the quick response! Do you know if it's possible to get a rush visa in SF or Shanghai? Do you know if the San Francisco consulate does same-day visa services? We leave on Thursday and I saw that the consulate is closed on Monday and Tuesday =(

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Answered by Olive | Sep. 28, 2019 22:08

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Also - what if I am able to change my flight, so it no longer stops by Qingdao but stops at Tokyo or Seoul instead? Would I then be able to rely on the 144-hour transit rule? Thank you!

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Answered by Saul | Sep. 28, 2019 22:33

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For the 144 hours it doesn't matter where your flights stop as long as you fly Country A-One stop in China-Country B. Only the flight immediately before China and the flight immediately after China are relevant. If you have two consecutive stops in different parts of mainland China you must leave within 24 hours. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan all count as third countries, by the way.

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