Originally Posted by
charlotteimmigration
Im so confused about this.
US citizen arriving in beijing next week.
in town for 19 hours while breaking journey from Frankfurt to Tokyo in Beijing.
Do I NEED a visa? I heard US citizens get a free transit visa as I am literally in transit but just leaving the airport to sleep overnight.
Can anyone help me? I call the chinese embassy here and no one answers and the website is mighty ambiguous
I'm pretty sure you're okay as long as < 24 hours.
As I'm planning a trip I recently read these two links:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...t-threads.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16200886-post3.html
And since it sounds like you're panicking I got the timatic for you too:
/ 23MAY11 / 1844 UTC
National USA (US) /Embarkation Germany (DE)
Transit China (People's Rep.) (CN)
Destination Japan (JP)
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW
China (People's Rep.) (CN)
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Nationals of USA holding confirmed
onward tickets for a max. transit TIRULES/R32 time of 48
hours, provided arriving at and departing from Shanghai
Hongqiao (SHA) or Pu Dong (PVG) airports.At all other
airports:
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
transiting TIRULES/R32 through Guangzhou Airport (CAN) on
the same calendar day.
At all other airports:
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
for a max. transit TIRULES/R32 time of 24 hours.
- All transiting passengers are subject to passport control.
Passengers in transit are required to hold travel documents
accepted for entry into China (People's Rep.). For more
details on document requirements, please enter China
(People's Rep.) as a destination.
- Leaving the airport transit area is allowed. Overnight
facilities are available outside the airport.
China (People's Rep.) (CN)
No vaccinations are required to enter China (People's Rep.)
from any country.
Japan (JP)
Passport required.
- Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid
on arrival.
Visa required, except for A max. stay of 90 days:
Minors:
- In the case of immediate family travelling together,
For details, click here
Additional Information:
- Visitors are required to hold proof of sufficient funds to
cover their stay and documents required for their next
destination .
- Valid visas in expired passports may be used provided
For details, click here
Warning:
- Visitors not holding return/onward ticket could be refused
entry .
Japan (JP)
No vaccinations are required to enter Japan from any country.
CHECK TINEWS/N1 - UNITED KINGDOM: ISRAELI TRAVEL DOCUMENT
IN LIEU OF PASSPORT
Timaticweb Version 1.3
23 May 2011