Transiting through China twice on route to SYD
Jan 13, 2019, 1:42 pm
#16
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So long as your passport/citizenship is from one of the approved countries (e.g. the UK) you should be fine, based on the itinerary you set out in your OP. The key thing isn't doing this twice within a few weeks (which as far as I know is fine) but to make sure your visits are transits - i.e. the country you fly to when you leave can't be the one you flew in from. Your post suggests you'll be flying UK - China (Shanghai) - Australia - China (Beijing) - UK so you meet this requirement.
If you have any problems my bet would be on these arising in Australia or the UK, not China (where you may encounter one or more long queues but no worse than that). Make sure you bring evidence of your onward ticket in both cases and tell the check in person you are merely transiting in China, so they look at the right set of rules. I had to do this at the Cathay Pacific desks in Hanoi and after a quick check with a supervisor all was fine. I would expect your experience to be similar.
If you have any problems my bet would be on these arising in Australia or the UK, not China (where you may encounter one or more long queues but no worse than that). Make sure you bring evidence of your onward ticket in both cases and tell the check in person you are merely transiting in China, so they look at the right set of rules. I had to do this at the Cathay Pacific desks in Hanoi and after a quick check with a supervisor all was fine. I would expect your experience to be similar.
Jan 13, 2019, 2:02 pm
#17
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Jan 13, 2019, 4:23 pm
#20
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More of a "get transit visa [ permission ] here" than "come here if you already have a transit visa".
Still, there are three sets of counters at immigration, however they are labelled:
- Transit without visa
- Visa, of any type
- Diplomat, APEC, and other specials
The middle one can't handle TWOV, so go to Diplomat if there is no transit counter open.
Jan 13, 2019, 7:07 pm
#21
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Am I correct in thinking that the flights must be on the same booking, I.e. LHR-PVG-SYD? I’m quite sure two seperate bookings would not be permissible without a visa because the first airline would not be aware of your second leg and couldn’t allow you on the aircraft? May be wrong about that but it was certainly my impression and recently had to arrange a trip to China and In such a way.
Jan 13, 2019, 7:09 pm
#22
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Am I correct in thinking that the flights must be on the same booking, I.e. LHR-PVG-SYD? I’m quite sure two seperate bookings would not be permissible without a visa because the first airline would not be aware of your second leg and couldn’t allow you on the aircraft? May be wrong about that but it was certainly my impression and recently had to arrange a trip to China and In such a way.
Jan 13, 2019, 7:12 pm
#23
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Jan 13, 2019, 7:55 pm
#24
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We did similar for Christmas - flew HKG-PEK return CX reward booking, with a nested QF PEK-SYD(-AKL) booking in between. We had 12hr layover on the outbound, and overnight layover on the inbound. No problems with immigration either end.
Not sure about PVG, but in PEK you need to look for the counter that says "24/144hr International Transfer (Apply for leaving the airport)" - the desk is opposite gat E13 in PEK. Pick up one of the blue landing cards (you won't need the orange one they usually hand out on the flight), fill it in and go to the counter, they will check and issue a stamp/sticker into your passport. You then proceed through normal immigration channel to get landside.
I would advise printing out the eticket receipt for your onward booking, and the TIMATIC rules, and have them handy at checkin for your first (LHR-PVG) leg in case they question the lack of visa at checkin.
Not sure about PVG, but in PEK you need to look for the counter that says "24/144hr International Transfer (Apply for leaving the airport)" - the desk is opposite gat E13 in PEK. Pick up one of the blue landing cards (you won't need the orange one they usually hand out on the flight), fill it in and go to the counter, they will check and issue a stamp/sticker into your passport. You then proceed through normal immigration channel to get landside.
I would advise printing out the eticket receipt for your onward booking, and the TIMATIC rules, and have them handy at checkin for your first (LHR-PVG) leg in case they question the lack of visa at checkin.
Jan 13, 2019, 8:03 pm
#25
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That's still pretty much how it is labelled, as I recall.
More of a "get transit visa [ permission ] here" than "come here if you already have a transit visa".
Still, there are three sets of counters at immigration, however they are labelled:
The middle one can't handle TWOV, so go to Diplomat if there is no transit counter open.
More of a "get transit visa [ permission ] here" than "come here if you already have a transit visa".
Still, there are three sets of counters at immigration, however they are labelled:
- Transit without visa
- Visa, of any type
- Diplomat, APEC, and other specials
The middle one can't handle TWOV, so go to Diplomat if there is no transit counter open.
Jan 13, 2019, 10:29 pm
#26
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As kindly indicated by KARFA, there is an extensive thread on TWOV in our China forum.
As the discussion here now has nothing to do with BA, we’ll close this thread and would ask that further contributions are made there.
/mod
As the discussion here now has nothing to do with BA, we’ll close this thread and would ask that further contributions are made there.
/mod