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Asked by Kate from USA | Jan. 20, 2024 07:22
About:72-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Singapore to Shanghai to Singapore to Vietnam visa free in China?

Hello -

I have a US passport. I am flying US > Singapore > Shanghai less than 72 hours > Singapore > Vietnam. These are all one way tickets (it was easier and cheaper to book this way). I might be flying China Eastern into Shanghai and Singapore airlines out. I will be staying with a family member in Shanghai. I was also born in HK but left as a 2 yr old and I hold a US passport now - not sure if that matters but I know China has strict policies when it comes to that.

Can I use the 72/144 hour visa free transit option while in Shanghai? Can you confirm I just need to tell the airline at check-in at Singapore that I will only be staying for less than 3 days and then go to the visa free transit counter when I land in Shanghai? Am I missing anything?

Thank you for your help.

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Answers (1)
Answered by Borut | Jan. 22, 2024 00:12
00Reply
Kate, unfortunately, the segment of your itinerary:

Singapore - Shanghai - Singapore

Is not eligible for any kind of visa free transit because this is just a return journey. Simply you miss a country C. You have A - B - A and this is not a transit, but a round trip.

In order to be eligible for 144 hour visa free transit in Shanghai or any other city, you simply have to have the immediate points before and after your mainland Chinese destination in two different countries or eligible territories (eligible territories: Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau).

So, I strongly advise you to alter your itinerary to look, for example:

Singapore - Kuala Lumpur - Shanghai - Singapore

or

Singapore - Hong Kong - Shanghai - Singapore

As you can see, like this you will have two different countries/territories as your immediate points and you will be eligible for 144 hour visa free transit. It is 144 and and not 72 hours in Shanghai already for years. Hopefully, you can alter your itinerary and proceed with your travel plans. I am also more than certain that you will not have any problems with your citizenship and ancestry.
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