Transit visa on arrival for Indian passport holder

You have every right to use 24 hour visa free transit that allows you to travel via Shanghai absolutely visa free. I also encourage you to use correct terminology because this is not a transit visa, but 24 hour visa free transit, so there is no visa at all.

You are allowed to use separate tickets (PNRs) and unrelated airlines and all you have to take acre of is that your entire transit time in Shanghai does not exceed 24 hours.

So, it is advisable to print out your tickets and in Abu Dhabi at check-in you will declare that you are traveling to Singapore using 24 hour visa free transit. After a short check, you will be allowed to board the plane. Upon landing in Shanghai, the first thing you will do is to approach transit counter (desk) where you will apply for a temporary entry permit in order to be allowed to exit the airport. Here you will present your flight tickets. This application is absolutely free of any charge. You will be granted a temporary entry permit and you will exit the airport in order to spend some time in Shanghai and also to perform your new check-in for your flight to Singapore. Basically, this is it.

Hello Borut, thank you so much for such detailed explanation. You’ve been the only one to help me out with this and I truly do appreciate you.

Just a quick doubt, I do see that you’ve mentioned that I’ll be able to exit the airport and does this mean I can go into the city and stay at hotels and sightsee as long as I leave China within 24 hours? Asking this specifically as I’ve read so many conflicting opinions on internet about this for Indian passport holders.

Anita, you will have to apply for a temporary entry permit to formally enter China because, as you have mentioned, you are traveling on two different airlines and different PNRs or in other words by using two different tickets. So, since your luggage will not be tagged all the way to Singapore, you will have to collect it upon your arrival in Shanghai, cross immigration and make a new check-in for your flight to Singapore. It is logical that Chinese authorities will have to issue a temporary entry permit in order that you accomplish everything according to the rules valid for 24 hour visa free transit.

When you pass through immigration and collect your luggage, you can store it at luggage storage facility and proceed to the center of the city before your onward flight to Singapore and taking care that you arrive on time for that flight.

By the way, there is one tiny possibility that you will be assigned a person that will go along with you all the time and that you will be required to return to transit zone (airside) as soon as you make your check-in for your flight to Singapore. However, I doubt that something like this will happen, although it is a possibility, but as I have written a very slim one.

Hello Borut, I had to take a moment and thank you for all that you do. You were absolutely right and your detailed explanation helped me a lot. Initially I had some issues with the ground staff in India as they denied to print my boarding pass but I stood my ground with all the knowledge you’ve shared and spoke to their supervisor. After 2 hours they finally handed over my boarding pass and from there, I faced no issues at all. I did obtain a 24 hour visa free transit and it did allow me to leave the airport and I got a chance to explore Shanghai. Once again thank you so much. You’re amazing!!!!