i fly into Shanghai and leave by ship for Japan

You are eligible for 144 hour visa free transit if your itinerary fulfills the following two conditions:

- Your flight from UK to Shanghai is not allowed to have any additional stop within mainland China and Japan.
- Your cruise is not allowed to have its first port of call, immediately after Shanghai, in mainland China port.

If the above conditions are fulfilled, you are definitely eligible for 144 hour visa free transit in Shanghai area. You should bring printouts of your cruise ticket and the confirmation of your accommodation booking.

72 hour visa free transit has been replaced in Shanghai by 144 hour visa free transit a couple of years ago and you will apply for this visa free transit scheme at the airport upon your arrival in Shanghai. By the way, this is not a visa, but a transit without a visa. There is no visa at all.

Thank you Zupan

I have a further question. After Shanghai, we go on the cruise to Japan. The cruise then goes to Hong Hong then Thailand. Is Hong Kong still mainland China or is it different? We do not return to China after Hong Kong.

Hong Kong adopts a different immigration system so you don't need to worry. British citizens enjoy visa-free for HK.