Question

Asked by Flavia from italy | Nov. 20, 2019 01:48

About:How to Travel to China without a Visa

Can I aplly for a 24h Visa Free twice?

Italian couple, travelling on Dec 25 to final destination Philippines (Manila) with TWO layover in China (Beijing and Shangai). We would like to get out from the airport ONLY in Beijing because we have a 10 hours layover, not in Shangai where we will only change company airlines. Do we need a Visa for the exit or we can apply for Visa free 24h? (stay in China less than 24h total between Beijing and Shangai).

Way back from Manila 06 Jan to final destination Milan: again a short layover in Shangai and then a long one in Beijing where we would like to get out from the airport.
Can we apply AGAIN for the Visa Free or not?
Thank you so much

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Answers (5)

Answered by Flavia | Nov. 21, 2019 00:44

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Thank you very much to both of you. Your suggestion have been very useful.
Anyway to be cristal clear here are my flights:
Please note that on the way back I will be doing the same itinerary as the outbound, so I’ll be stopping first in Beijing and then shangai and Milan (same company).

For your convenience here the flight numbers:
AIR CHINA 25/12 ROME TO BEIJING (ARRIVE AT 1.30 PM 26/12)
AIR CHINA 26/12 BEIJING TO SHANGHAI (depart at 8.20 PM 26/12 arrive at 10.30pm)
CEBU PACIFIC 27/12SHANGHAI TO MANILA
(Depart at 1.40 AM)

way back
AIR CHINA 06/01 MANILA TO BEIJING (arrive at 10,50 AM)
AIR CHINA 06/01 BEIJING TO SHANGHAI (depart at 8.20 PM arrive at 10.30pm)
AIR CHINA 07/01 SHANGHAI TO MILAN (Depart at 1.55 AM)

My only doubt is: do I have to apply just on Beijing for both the trips or do I have to apply for visa even in shangai after Beijing?
Thank you SO MUCH

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Answered by CDKING | Nov. 20, 2019 09:32

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Since total time in china is under 24 hours including internal flights you would qualify for visa free transit. You will need to apply for the entry permit to leave the airport upon arrival as you will need to transfer between Domestic and International terminals. You are pretty much guaranteed to be approved for this due to terminal change.

I've never been to Shanghai so i'm not sure if its like Beijing where you have to exit even on connection to another flight. Just make sure the connection isn't too short. Hopefully someone else will chime in on that

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Answered by ZUPAN | Nov. 20, 2019 11:48

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The situation in Shanghai on her way back will be almost the same as it will be in Beijing on her way to China from Europe. She will apply for a temporary entry permit upon landing in Shanghai at 24 hour visa free transit counter and this permit will be granted because the next flight (to Beijing) is purely domestic one. This means that she will be again able to exit the airport in Beijing and to spend her time by exploring a city.

It is important that the layover time in Shanghai is not less than at least 2.5 hours. It would be ideal about 3 to 3.5 hours. Pudong airport is quite time consuming.

By the way, now with two airports in each city (Beijing and Shanghai) it is always good to check the itinerary to confirm if both flights, arriving and departing one, are at the same airport!

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Answered by ZUPAN | Nov. 21, 2019 14:15

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Part one:

Flavia, your flights are definitely eligible for 24 hour visa free transit both ways without any doubt. Anyway, there are some differences between your two flights. Nothing to be worried about, of course :)

First of all, you will print out your flight tickets and have those printouts with you. Also, you will declare at check-in in Rome that you will travel to Manila via China using 24 hour visa free transit. After a short inspection of your tickets, you will be allowed to board the plane. Now, one important detail. I can see from your itinerary that your flight from Shanghai to Manila will be with Cebu Pacific. This is fine, but you will have to ask at check-in in Rome whether your luggage will be tagged to Beijing or Shanghai because it will not be definitely tagged all the way to Manila because Cebu Pacific, as low cost airline, does not accept luggage in this way. So, you will have to know where you will have to take care about your luggage, whether in Beijing or Shanghai or even maybe in both cities. Please, have this detail in mind.

Also, you will ask the same question during your check-in in Manila for your trip back home, although I assume that your luggage in this case will be tagged all the way to Milan because all the flights are with Air China. Although I assume that it should be like this, you will receive the final confirmation at check-in in Manila because it could be also different than my assumption.

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Answered by ZUPAN | Nov. 21, 2019 14:15

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Part two:

OK, when you arrive in Beijing during your first leg, you will approach 24 hour visa free transit counter where you will apply for a temporary entry permit to be allowed to exit the airport because your next flight will be a domestic one. During this landing, you cannot apply for a temporary entry permit for your flight back.

So, when you arrive from the Philippines on your flight back home, you will also land in Beijing first and you will just repeat the process as you have done it during your first leg, i.e. you will again apply for a temporary entry permit to be allowed to continue your journey to Shanghai and then to Milan.

As you can see, there are details that you will have to take care about, but in reality nothing so complicated.

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