Answered by Borut | Dec. 31, 2024 07:21
Colin, you do not have to bother with 24 hour visa free transit in your particular case. You can now rely on 240 hour visa free transit that allows you to stay in mainland China for up to 240 hours visa free regardless if you cross so called transit zones that were recently scrapped. In other words, now you can travel within the major part of mainland China for up to 240 hours freely regardless of the fact that you are crossing old transit zones.
So, since you plan to stay in mainland China for more than 24 hours, the first thing that you will do upon your landing in Beijing will be to approach 24/240 hour visa free transit counter where you will apply for a temporary entry permit by presenting your flight tickets. Here you will also present your ferry or train ticket that you will use to exit mainland China (Shenzhen in your case) to Hong Kong. You will have to buy this Hong Kong bound ticket even before you board the plane in Paris. Probably the most practical is Shenzhen to Hong Kong high speed train ticket. You will print out a confirmation and have that printout with you at hand.
When your temporary entry permit is granted, you will proceed to the immigration and then to the gate of your flight to Shenzhen. Like this you are covered for the next 10 days, literally.
When you are done with your stay in Shenzhen, you will take exactly that train you have bought your ticket for to Hong Kong. I hope that this new scheme makes your entire journey far easier. Have a nice journey.