bullroot

It's my first trip to Beijing in a few years and I wasn't sure about the visa situation. I read the new 72 hour transit visa info on the Chinese embassy website, and decided to email them for more details.

Below is a snippet of the response. So I'm pretty sure I meet the transit visa requirements; however will BA make the request automatically via my booked ticket, or do I need to make the request before flying, or on arrival?

"A foreign national that meets the requirements may submit his/her request to the airline company that carries him/her and the airline company or the passenger him/herself shall make the application to the border control authorities that shall grant a temporary entry of a passenger meeting the requirements for transit visa exemption upon verification."

Additionally, I am guessing the menu will be a mixture of Chinese and Western food. Any examples of what to expect in J in terms of food options on this flight?

paulwuk

I've used the transit visa twice this year. Last time I flew man-lhr-pek, arrive 9 am, depart about 9pm pek-hKG. No problem with ba.

The first time was CX bkk-hKG-pek(36 hours)-lhr-man. Had a little trouble at check in at bkk to persuade them of my eligibility.

In arrival go to the transit entry desk, and you'll get a stamp. I wasn't the only one on the ba flight to be doing it.

jerry a. laska

The best information (and the best advice) is available in this thread in the China forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...er-thread.html

bullroot

Thanks both, this is very helpful!

Farringdon

I did this recently (but flying to PVG). No issues at all from BA, even though my onward flight from PVG was booked on a separate ticket. However, there was lots of faffing about at immigration, where they officials seemed unfamiliar with the transit w/o visa. They called over a manager and everything was sorted out.

LOUDNOISES

I find the Chinese options, even when originating from there to be pretty poor on BA. It is generally a take on British Chinese food, rather than more authentic dishes. This is a menu from flight originating in Chengdu but is similar to what is offered on the PEK route.




This is the Seabass which was pretty grim having sat in the sauce for god knows how many hours.

LDNConsultant

Food on BA is quite grim to begin with let alone authentic~

flatlander

When I did this on CX to Beijing and BA out, I didn't make any application beforehand. I'm not even sure it is possible to apply beforehand as an individual; perhaps there is an implicit application on departure when the airline supplies information to the destination immigration authorities.

The main thing I found is that you must be in transit to a third country, not on a return trip back to the same place, and you must bring the itinerary and ticket receipt with the E-ticket number on it. Both your inbound airline and the immigration staff in Beijing will want the outbound e-ticket number. My journey through Beijing being on two tickets did not seem to be a problem at all.

Look for the single "international transit" immigration desk, to the far left of the row of desks as you approach the immigration desks in PEK, and go there.

Chokkoubin

I did this at PVG in February, and it was fine, except fro the point where my friend and I were nearly arrested.

Basically, our intended stay amounted to about 68 hours in China, and stupidly I hadn't printed the part of our flight confirmation that had the actual ETD of our flight from PVG, it just had the date and flight number.

SO: As has been noted above, you MUST be in transit from one country to another, via the PRC - e.g my itinerary of TPE-PVG-NRT.
Also, make sure you bring all the details of your flights, including time and date of departure from China, or you'll get in big trouble with the scary officials at passport control. I've done it, believe me you don't want to do it too.

Seriously, I nearly cried.

morges1

Recently, I was asked to have a meeting in Beijing at very short notice. I was already out of Switzerland in Jakarta which made it impossible to get a visa. I thought I would see what latitude there was with the new 72h no-visa entry. My routing was CGK-HKG, with one night in HKG then HKG-PEK staying in PEK for two nights and then flying on connecting flights PEK-HKG on one ticket and then HKG-LHR-GVA on another. I had a feeling that it might be an issue. My HKG-PEK-HKG flights were on a CX ticket but when I went to check in CX said it was not possible. The CX agent accepted that I was going to connect directly through HKG to LHR on my return but had been informed by the authorities that since I am British, I could change my flights and stay in HKG after my arrival (which was reasonable). To cut a long story short (and there was a story), I bought the cheapest TG ticket, PEK-BKK with which CX let me get on the next HKG-PEK flight. I did not cancel my PEK-HKG since I was planning on connecting with BA26 to continue home.

On arrival in Beijing I decided to chance my luck and gave the immigration officer my PEK-HKG and HKG-LHR-GVA tickets and he immediately stamped my passport for the 72h stay. A colleague, also with a UK passport came in directly from BKK but also had no problem with his PEK-HKG, HKG-LHR tickets.

Two days later I arrived at Capital Airport with not inconsiderable trepidation. I had a 1630 CX departure on my PEK-HKG ticket and a remarkably convenient 1700 TG departure to BKK, I also never travel with checked baggage. Scenario 1 was to check in on both flights, show my BKK boarding pass to immigration and then be one of those many wonderous people I puzzle about when we are told frequently that a passenger hasn't appeared at the gate and that we are going to leave without them, and board the CX flight instead. Scenario 2 was just to check in on the CX flight and trust my luck.

As I was going to the airport, I got a sms from my colleague saying that there had been no issues when he left to go PEK-HKG-LHR. I decided to risk scenario 2. I checked in on CX then went to the TG desk and cancelled my flight and was politely informed how to get a refund (which I did in full). I marched up to the immigration officer handed my boarding pass without a comment. I got a stamped passport, a "si chen" and a come back soon!

In three weeks time I go GVA-LHR-PEK, stay for 2 nights and then travel PEK-HKG-CGK. I wonder if I have time to get the relevant letters and go up to Berne for a visa?

GinFizz

Not surprising your colleage had absolutely no problems as his/her trip was completely within the scope of the 72 hour TWOV rules (arrived from BKK; first stop after departing China HKG - so a true "transit" as far as the Chinese authorities are concerned).

To a certain extent you got lucky. I honestly don't know how much information is passed to the Chinese authorities by the airlines, but if the airlines have to submit passenger lists they would in theory know which flight you arrived from by matching name and passport number with their database. Clearly they mostly don't both checking this - but I assume they could. You arrived from HKG and left for HKG, which is not allowable under the 72 hours TWOV rules - so there is chance at least that an agent who was having a bad day and was double checking everything could have transfered his bad day to you ...

As you discovered though the bigger issue is in general getting the airline to board a flight. The information you were given about being able to stay in HK as a UK citizen is something of a red herring - all that matters is the TWOV rules for China require the country of the first touchdown after leaving China to be different to the country of the last take off before arriving in China. As crazy as it may seem the final destination is irrelevant.

In any case for your next trip there is no need to get a visa, as this will be entirely acceptable for a 72 hour TWOV visit (you arrive from LHR and depart to HKG, so a transit in the eyes of the Chinese authorities as HKG is regarded as an international destination).

morges1

Thanks, GinFizz. I will now complete arrangements for my next visa-less trip. It's funny, as I get older I get less risk averse and more willing to see how far one can go - I thought it was the other way round! Anyway, the tip for someone wanting to travel at short notice and can only do HKG-PEK-HHG-XXX or vice versa is to provide the back up I described even if it isn't very kosher!

morges1

morges1

Arrived in and passed through immigration at PEK yesterday without problem. In fact, it was far quicker than the normal immigration lines.

One surprise, although my ongoing flights from PEK-HKG-BKK are on a different KA/CX ticket to my BA ticket GVA-LHR-PEK, CGK-HKG-LHR-GVA, at no time did BA check whether I had a valid ticket to leave PEK within 72h. At each boarding pass check- Flight Connections, CCR and boarding, just the green light. I would have thought that BA would have had an obligatory check at Flight Connections.