Question

Asked by Linh Tran from vietnam | Feb. 04, 2026 02:27

About:24-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Inquiry about Transit Visa Requirement for Self-Transfer in Shenzhen

I am a Vietnamese passport holder and plan to travel on this route (please refer to the attached itinerary) :
Budapest → Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (Hainan Airlines)
Shenzhen → Hanoi (China Southern Airlines)
According to the ticket information, this itinerary is marked as “self-transfer”, and I may need to collect my baggage and check in again at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. The layover time in Shenzhen is approximately 7 hours and 45 minutes.
In this situation, I would like to ask:
1.Do I need to apply for a Chinese transit visa in advance? If baggage collection and re-check-in are required, does this mean I must pass immigration and therefore need a visa?
2.Or can I transit with 24-Hour Visa-Free?

Reply

Answers (2)

Answered by Borut | Feb. 04, 2026 17:07

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Linh Tran, you do not have to apply for any kind of visa because your itinerary is definitely eligible for 24 hour visa free transit. Also, 24 hour visa free transit is not reserved only for those itineraries where you do not have to collect and re-check your luggage, but for all regardless of this detail. This is the essence.

You will have to cross the immigration in order to collect and re-check your luggage, but you should not be worried about it at all. Here is what will you do upon your landing in Shenzhen:

- Upon landing in Shenzhen you will fill out arrival card and tick transit in the appropriate box on the arrival card
- Perform fingerprinting at automatic fingerprinting machine
- Approach 24/240 hour visa free transit counter where you will present your flight tickets, your arrival card and fingerprinting receipt
- You will receive a temporary entry permit in your passport
- You will cross the entry immigration because you will have to collect and re-check your luggage for your flight to Hanoi
- You will collect your luggage and re-check it at the appropriate check-in counters
- When you have done it, you will cross the exit immigration and head to the gate for your flight to Hanoi.

You can start your travel with absolute peace of mind and I wish you a great journey.

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Answered by Linh Tran | Feb. 05, 2026 16:04

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Thank you so much for your time and support

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