In late January, I will be traveling home to the U.S. from an Australian vacation and stopping in Shanghai overnight on the way home. Specifically, I will be departing Sydney on Cathay Pacific, stopping in Hong Kong for a 2 hour layover, and then flying from Hong Kong to Shanghai PVG (also on Cathay Pacific). At Shanghai, I will be leaving the airport and staying overnight at a Shanghai hotel (for approximately 24 hours) before flying home to New York on American Airlines. Everything I've read here on FlyerTalk, on the US State Department website, the Chinese Consulate website, and other websites say that I don't need a visa, since I will simply be transiting China, and since my transit point in China is Shanghai PVG, I'm allowed to leave the airport for 48 hours (to be extended to 72 hours in 2013) as long as I stay in the city of Shanghai and register with the police (which my hotel will do for me). The requirements also state I need a valid passport and visa for my final destination (visa not required since I am a citizen of my final destination), and my tickets for the final destination (since using e-tickets I will also have a printout of the invoice showing amount paid). So it sounds like I have all my ducks in a row and should be fine. HOWEVER, I'm very scared to get there and find out that for some reason I do need a visa -- I don't want to not be let into the country, let alone risk arrest, detention, fines, or anything else bad. I'm also afraid that they might not let me on the flight to Shanghai (I've heard some airlines haven't let people on flights under this situation, even when the policy of not needing a visa under this scenario was clearly shown to them). I tried calling the Chinese consulate in New York, and they said that because I'm on a different airline (CX) to Shanghai than I am on my flight from Shanghai (AA), they weren't sure if it counted as a layover and they gave me the number to the security office in Shanghai, but nobody spoke English when I tried calling there. I've tried calling the NY Chinese consulate office back but the line is busy now and I can't get through. So I figured I would post here. I have 10 days before I'm supposed to leave for Australia, and that's plenty of time to get a Visa (it takes 4-5 working days max according to the consulate's website). I don't want to go through the time and expense of getting a visa if it's not needed, which everything I've read says that it isn't, but I'll certainly get one if there's any risk whatsoever in not being let in, as that's less stressful than getting there and finding out I did need one! Advice and help, please! Thanks in advance.