MR to China - Visa Needed?
Feb 6, 2013, 7:23 pm
#61
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA EXP (2.5MM), Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,859
You're welcome to try without a visa if you like 
They don't clearly define transit at that portion of the page. If you look higher up it has this:
That is typically the view that they have taken on it being transit - to a third country. its not transit if returning back to original country.
If I don't have explicit experience in being denied it's because I read up here on the rules and had many many members confirm that the TWOV only applies if going to a 3rd country, not for a return trip.
But, as I said earlier, feel free to look for other data points and/or create your own by going without a visa. Good luck
They don't clearly define transit at that portion of the page. If you look higher up it has this:
transit through China on his/her way to a third country or region
If I don't have explicit experience in being denied it's because I read up here on the rules and had many many members confirm that the TWOV only applies if going to a 3rd country, not for a return trip.
But, as I said earlier, feel free to look for other data points and/or create your own by going without a visa. Good luck
Not questioning - just gathering data at this point (I'm a scientist by trade and we gather data to support or refute a hypothesis). You know this because you were denied boarding?
Again, I'm soliciting actual experience because the following appears on the Chinese Embassy website (http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/zgqz/):
Again, I'm soliciting actual experience because the following appears on the Chinese Embassy website (http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/zgqz/):
4. Visa-free Entry
A foreign citizen can enter China without a visa under any one of the following circumstances:
1) Direct Transit
A foreign citizen who is transiting through China by air is exempted from a visa if he/she will stay only
in the airport for no more than 24 hours and has a valid connecting ticket with confirmed seating on an
international flight.
A foreign citizen can enter China without a visa under any one of the following circumstances:
1) Direct Transit
A foreign citizen who is transiting through China by air is exempted from a visa if he/she will stay only
in the airport for no more than 24 hours and has a valid connecting ticket with confirmed seating on an
international flight.
Feb 13, 2013, 1:10 pm
#62
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Indianapolis
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 383
Well, I was supposed to be on my MR (EWR-PEK-EWR) today and tomorrow and I was more than willing to test the hypothesis that a visa wasn't needed for staying two hours in the PEK airport. Unfortunately, I had to cancel due to a death in the family, so I need to find another set of days where I can apply my SWUs back to back. I am even considering IAD-DXB-IAD, but haven't had time to do any searching.
Thanks to all for the opinions and information!
Thanks to all for the opinions and information!
Feb 13, 2013, 7:55 pm
#63
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 108
Well, I was supposed to be on my MR (EWR-PEK-EWR) today and tomorrow and I was more than willing to test the hypothesis that a visa wasn't needed for staying two hours in the PEK airport. Unfortunately, I had to cancel due to a death in the family, so I need to find another set of days where I can apply my SWUs back to back. I am even considering IAD-DXB-IAD, but haven't had time to do any searching.
Thanks to all for the opinions and information!
Thanks to all for the opinions and information!
Feb 15, 2013, 9:45 pm
#64
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: UA-1K, AA-Gold, H GP-LIfeTime Diamond
Posts: 819
Personal experience, not an expert. Two years ago, US passports.....
Booked HKG-PVG (46 hours lay over) - TPE, 2 one way awards on AA via CX metal. Unfortunately PVG-TPE came with a HKG layover. Family didn't have visa and we were escorted to next CX flight going back to HKG. Agent was processing paperwork to fine CX for allowing us to board in HK without valid visa.
Should had booked another one way PVG-NRT and cancel it after we cleared custom.
Booked HKG-PVG (46 hours lay over) - TPE, 2 one way awards on AA via CX metal. Unfortunately PVG-TPE came with a HKG layover. Family didn't have visa and we were escorted to next CX flight going back to HKG. Agent was processing paperwork to fine CX for allowing us to board in HK without valid visa.
Should had booked another one way PVG-NRT and cancel it after we cleared custom.
Feb 15, 2013, 10:11 pm
#65
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Well, I was supposed to be on my MR (EWR-PEK-EWR) today and tomorrow and I was more than willing to test the hypothesis that a visa wasn't needed for staying two hours in the PEK airport. Unfortunately, I had to cancel due to a death in the family, so I need to find another set of days where I can apply my SWUs back to back. I am even considering IAD-DXB-IAD, but haven't had time to do any searching.
Thanks to all for the opinions and information!
Thanks to all for the opinions and information!
Last edited by tcook052; Feb 18, 2013 at 9:36 pm Reason: content
Feb 20, 2013, 3:01 am
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
Whereas this quote is true, it ONLY applies in the event you DO leave the airport. As this is not this case here, it shouldn't be a problem. How United will interpret it is another matter. I was in a similar situation about a month ago on a trip I had booked having about a 2-hour layover at PEK before flying out to another destination. I did contact the Chinese embassy (in Chicago, I believe) and this was prior to January 1st before the new rule took effect, so I would have needed a visa to transit (if that was my intent) but the lady I spoke to specifically told me that if you are NOT leaving the airport, no visa is necessary. I don't see a reason not to believe that. I ended up changing my itinerary and skipped PEK but I believe that is still true. If you did plan to enter China on a EWR-PEK-EWR itinerary, it would be problematic since TWOV won't apply to you but since you aren't, I think you should be OK. You can always do what I did and call the local embassy/consulate. Not sure if that will help you board and at PEK but at the very least it can give you some peace of mind. Good Luck!
The consulate probably didn't appreciate the nature of the question -after all - how many people would be flying immediately back to where they were coming from? I would guess none (unless on a MR).
Bottom line: transit without visa (old rules or new, same same) is only allowed if transiting to a third country. Return to the same country is not eligible.
Feb 20, 2013, 9:01 am
#68
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
what you were told is correct - you don't need a visa if you are not planning to 'enter' the country. Nor do you need one even if you are planing to enter the country (but less than 24/48 or 72 hours depending on which city). But this only applies if you are in transit to a third country. That rule is clear and there is no doubt on it.
The consulate probably didn't appreciate the nature of the question -after all - how many people would be flying immediately back to where they were coming from? I would guess none (unless on a MR).
Bottom line: transit without visa (old rules or new, same same) is only allowed if transiting to a third country. Return to the same country is not eligible.
The consulate probably didn't appreciate the nature of the question -after all - how many people would be flying immediately back to where they were coming from? I would guess none (unless on a MR).
Bottom line: transit without visa (old rules or new, same same) is only allowed if transiting to a third country. Return to the same country is not eligible.
Those of us that have done a MR to China without a visa (return to same country), have done so with little/no problem. (Occasional need to contact a supervisor to get your boarding pass stamped.) No problems in China.
Those that have not tried it, do not believe it is possible. (And in most cases do not believe those that have done it.)
If I were reading this thread (and not one of the people that have done these runs with same country return without a visa), I would err on the safe side and have a visa or plan a real stopover in a third country.
Nov 11, 2015, 10:40 am
#69
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 2
VISA to PEK from States
I just returned from a weekend mileage run to PEK (Beijing) from LGA thru DFW on the Dreamliner. I did not need a VISA, but it took about 45 minutes to explain to the gate agent that that was the case because I was not leaving the PEK airport and immediately returning.
I only found this out honestly because I was denied boarding the week before for a mileage run to Shanghai because I did not have a VISA. Similar to PEK, I was only going into and out of the airport there for less than 24-hours.
When I got to LGA to fly to PEK, if I would have gotten a less patient, less professional gate agent I could see where they would have said no. But once I landed in PEK, it was totally EZ. Terminal 3 in PEK leaves a lot to be desired and the lounge is pedestrian, but it was totally worth the miles.
I only found this out honestly because I was denied boarding the week before for a mileage run to Shanghai because I did not have a VISA. Similar to PEK, I was only going into and out of the airport there for less than 24-hours.
When I got to LGA to fly to PEK, if I would have gotten a less patient, less professional gate agent I could see where they would have said no. But once I landed in PEK, it was totally EZ. Terminal 3 in PEK leaves a lot to be desired and the lounge is pedestrian, but it was totally worth the miles.
Nov 11, 2015, 12:54 pm
#70
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I just returned from a weekend mileage run to PEK (Beijing) from LGA thru DFW on the Dreamliner. I did not need a VISA, but it took about 45 minutes to explain to the gate agent that that was the case because I was not leaving the PEK airport and immediately returning.
I only found this out honestly because I was denied boarding the week before for a mileage run to Shanghai because I did not have a VISA. Similar to PEK, I was only going into and out of the airport there for less than 24-hours.
When I got to LGA to fly to PEK, if I would have gotten a less patient, less professional gate agent I could see where they would have said no. But once I landed in PEK, it was totally EZ. Terminal 3 in PEK leaves a lot to be desired and the lounge is pedestrian, but it was totally worth the miles.
I only found this out honestly because I was denied boarding the week before for a mileage run to Shanghai because I did not have a VISA. Similar to PEK, I was only going into and out of the airport there for less than 24-hours.
When I got to LGA to fly to PEK, if I would have gotten a less patient, less professional gate agent I could see where they would have said no. But once I landed in PEK, it was totally EZ. Terminal 3 in PEK leaves a lot to be desired and the lounge is pedestrian, but it was totally worth the miles.
Are you able to share your exact itineraries for both the unsuccessful Shanghai trip, and the trip to PEK? As in the exact route and connecting flights into and out of china (including any stops).
Apr 3, 2019, 10:16 am
#71
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
I'm MR'ing this weekend on AA, ABQ-LAX-PEK-DFW-ABQ, with 26 hours in Beijing. I will be leaving the airport and staying the night in Wangfujing. I have a 10-year multi-entry visa for China (had a couple of extended stays there in the past for work but never MR'd to China before), and everything I read/see seems to indicate that I should have no problems entering China for such a short period of time with that particular visa. However, I have read one or two instances of AA denying boarding to people MR'ing to China and of issues at PEK immigration, rare though both these scenarios seem. Can anyone who has attempted a similar MR WITH a visa just provide a little peace of mind by confirming my understanding that I should have no issues, either with AA or at PEK?
Apr 3, 2019, 11:46 am
#72
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,032
I'm MR'ing this weekend on AA, ABQ-LAX-PEK-DFW-ABQ, with 26 hours in Beijing. I will be leaving the airport and staying the night in Wangfujing. I have a 10-year multi-entry visa for China (had a couple of extended stays there in the past for work but never MR'd to China before), and everything I read/see seems to indicate that I should have no problems entering China for such a short period of time with that particular visa. However, I have read one or two instances of AA denying boarding to people MR'ing to China and of issues at PEK immigration, rare though both these scenarios seem. Can anyone who has attempted a similar MR WITH a visa just provide a little peace of mind by confirming my understanding that I should have no issues, either with AA or at PEK?
Apr 3, 2019, 2:54 pm
#74
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
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I'm MR'ing this weekend on AA, ABQ-LAX-PEK-DFW-ABQ, with 26 hours in Beijing. I will be leaving the airport and staying the night in Wangfujing. I have a 10-year multi-entry visa for China (had a couple of extended stays there in the past for work but never MR'd to China before), and everything I read/see seems to indicate that I should have no problems entering China for such a short period of time with that particular visa. However, I have read one or two instances of AA denying boarding to people MR'ing to China and of issues at PEK immigration, rare though both these scenarios seem. Can anyone who has attempted a similar MR WITH a visa just provide a little peace of mind by confirming my understanding that I should have no issues, either with AA or at PEK?
Apr 3, 2019, 10:45 pm
#75
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
I'm MR'ing this weekend on AA, ABQ-LAX-PEK-DFW-ABQ, with 26 hours in Beijing. I will be leaving the airport and staying the night in Wangfujing. I have a 10-year multi-entry visa for China (had a couple of extended stays there in the past for work but never MR'd to China before), and everything I read/see seems to indicate that I should have no problems entering China for such a short period of time with that particular visa. However, I have read one or two instances of AA denying boarding to people MR'ing to China and of issues at PEK immigration, rare though both these scenarios seem. Can anyone who has attempted a similar MR WITH a visa just provide a little peace of mind by confirming my understanding that I should have no issues, either with AA or at PEK?
If AA denied boarding to someone with a proper visa, then it had to do with something else.