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11 hour layover in PEK - do I need a visa to leave airport?

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11 hour layover in PEK - do I need a visa to leave airport?

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Old Sep 20, 2014, 9:08 am
  #1  
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11 hour layover in PEK - do I need a visa to leave airport?

I'll be flying lhr-fra-pek-lax over Christmas. I have a long layover in PEK. I'd love to get out into the city for the day. I've never been to China before. Do I need a visa to leave the airport for the day?

Thanks
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Old Sep 20, 2014, 9:19 am
  #2  
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
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As long as your layover is under 72 hours, you don't need a visa (many countries, such as the US, the UK and Canada, don't require a visa for this type of itinerary). Additionally, because you are not flying a roundtrip (i.e. FRA-PEK-FRA), you are entitled to leave the airport without a visa.

Check out this page for more info.
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Old Sep 20, 2014, 9:33 am
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Originally Posted by BuildingMyBento
As long as your layover is under 72 hours, you don't need a visa (many countries, such as the US, the UK and Canada, don't require a visa for this type of itinerary). Additionally, because you are not flying a roundtrip (i.e. FRA-PEK-FRA), you are entitled to leave the airport without a visa.

Check out this page for more info.
Thanks for the quick info. Actually technically I am flying a round trip, it's just that PEK isn't my destination.

12/23: SNA-IAH-FRA-LHR
1/1: LHR-FRA-PEK-LAX

I've always wanted to do a round the world "trip" all award travel in saver J too ^
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Old Sep 20, 2014, 10:27 am
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And for any further discussion, let me move this to the dedicated forum on China. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
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Old Sep 20, 2014, 10:36 am
  #5  
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Assuming you don't have a really unusual passport, you qualify for at least the 24 hour TWOV and probably the 72 hour TWOV too on this itinerary. You can definitely leave the airport and even visit part of the Great Wall, but you cannot leave what is considered the Beijing area.
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Old Sep 20, 2014, 10:50 am
  #6  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Assuming you don't have a really unusual passport, you qualify for at least the 24 hour TWOV and probably the 72 hour TWOV too on this itinerary. You can definitely leave the airport and even visit part of the Great Wall, but you cannot leave what is considered the Beijing area.
His layover is only 11 hours ---> he can get a 24 hour stamp, which does not limit him to Beijing. This point is probably academic in the instant case though since I can't imagine he'd want to leave Beijing during an 11 hour visit.
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Old Sep 21, 2014, 9:26 am
  #7  
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
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Originally Posted by enviroian
Thanks for the quick info. Actually technically I am flying a round trip, it's just that PEK isn't my destination.

12/23: SNA-IAH-FRA-LHR
1/1: LHR-FRA-PEK-LAX

I've always wanted to do a round the world "trip" all award travel in saver J too ^
Ah, as long as you don't enter and leave China (PEK) from the same country, you are fine.
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Old Sep 22, 2014, 11:23 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by moondog
His layover is only 11 hours ---> he can get a 24 hour stamp, which does not limit him to Beijing. This point is probably academic in the instant case though since I can't imagine he'd want to leave Beijing during an 11 hour visit.
You're right as always but I wonder whether some people are automatically given the 72 hour version of TWOV if they qualify. It would have the advantage of allowing them to postpone their next flight if that later seems to be necessary or desirable.
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