Exactly when do they expire?

I read it as one must enter *BEFORE* the stated date--in other words, they are not valid on that day. The travel agent reads it as they are valid on that date.

I didn't realize I had an old visa that was still good--we are booked to arrive on the "enter before" date on the visa. Do I need a new one?

You don't need a new one, my parents were able to enter China last year 2 days before the "must enter before" date on their visas.

Two days before is fine. The problem is that this is exactly the "enter before" day on the visa.

If it really means *BEFORE* then the visa is expired and I need a new one. However, expiration dates are usually inclusive, not exclusive.

I would think "enter before" means...well enter before, at least in english
language.

Just get another visa. Who knows, they might restrict them for some odd reason.

Hmm, interesting situation. I do know of people who actually changed their travel plans in order to enter the day before the one listed on the visa, just to be safe. I'm really not sure how you'll be received at immigration. Moreover, you may not be allowed to check-in by your originating airline, depending on where you are flying to China from. If you have time, consider getting a new visa. If you will be doing another future trip to China after this one, definitely get a new visa.

On a sidebar note (that's not your particular issue right now), confusion about Chinese visa terminology sometimes comes up on the forums, so I'll add the following for those readers. Generally terms generally fall under one of two types depending on visa type and where it was issued:

1) If the visa has "valid until" than that is a hard-wired expiration date, and you need to be out of China by that date, or get an official extension. After that, a new visa must be obtained. This is pretty easy for most people to understand and many countries do their visas this way.

2) If the visa has "enter before" than that is the last day (actually the day before to be on the safe side) that you may enter, and your duration of stay will be whatever the terms of your visa states. Example: My current visa has an "enter before April 3, 2010" on it, with a duration of stay of 90 days each entry. I entered China last on February 26, 2010, and I must leave the country by May 27, 2010. If I left China this month, I could re-enter on April 2, and reset the clock another 90 days from then. Then it's leave the country and new visa time. (Many of the visas, especially the 12-month multiple entries, are being issued to US citizens in the US using this terminology.)

[QUOTE=Loren Pechtel;13497329]Exactly when do they expire?

I read it as one must enter *BEFORE* the stated date--in other words, they are not valid on that day. The travel agent reads it as they are valid on that date.

You need to entry before, At passport control in china they will ask you how long your stay is, If you are staying 5 days, & your entry is valid for only 3, they will remind you of that, & allow you to enter. Hotels check the visa enter dates, & copy that page & the stamped page for the police.

It's a 12-month/60-day/multiple entry visa.

To play it safe I've applied for a new one.

When we get there she's going to ask (she's a native speaker) the official if we could have entered on the old one.

Its quite possible the airline would deny boarding when they see your visa expiration date.

I can definitely answer this on monday. My last visa was a 12 month/30 days multiple, valid to enter before Jan 02. If I remember well, I have entered on Jan 2. (I live in Macau and mostly go to Zhuhai just for a few hours. That is why I will need to check my passport to be sure). I am in HK right now and that passport is in Macau.

I have now checked and can confirm that you can still enter on the day mentioned as "enter before" and then can stay for the period allowed, in my case 30 days as I have entered Jan. 2 this year.

Followup:

The passport official would have accepted the old visa--at least had our plane not been any later than it was. We were wheels-up 7 hours after the scheduled departure and it was 28 minutes to midnight when we hit passport control.

I'm glad I got a new one. Being deported because of a late flight would be crazy!

That is indeed a good point if you fly in directly. I haven't thought about this risk as I would normally enter from Macau walking.

You wouldn't be deported because they wouldn't allow you to enter.

Not worth risking the time, effort and expense to get that far and have
that kind of problem.

Isn't it considered being deported if you are sent back from passport control?

Deportation means expelled from the country. They would not allow you to enter. So you could fly on to, the closest port country.. hong kong, to get a visa or
return to US.