Originally Posted by Mama
I am still not quite sure what a "transit visa" is. Does "transit visa" allow you go leave the airport and stay over night in the city, shopping and touring for 48 hours? or "transit visa" only allows you to stay at a transit hotel on the airside for 48 hours?
In Shanghai, when using PVG, a "transit visa" (on arrival for Americans and a few other nationals) allows you to leave the airport and stay overnight in the city -- including to go shopping and touring within the 48 hours (or whatever time is applicable to get you out of China within the proscribed time).