Lollermate

Hi everyone,

I have a bit of a novel question, I have a friend who I want to meet whilst I'm transiting in PVG (on my way to London). She lives in Seoul and we just want to meet up at PVG.

If she is able to book a return flight from ICH to PVG on one airline (say China Eastern), arriving in Shanghai at say 5pm one day and leaving 9am the next day on the same ticket, will they allow her to board in Seoul without a visa (considering she's not going to a third country)?

Thank you!

MSPeconomist

What passport does she have?

Lollermate

She has a British passport.

Just to clarify, the aim is for her not to leave the airport in that time, she would just be meeting me in transit/airside then getting on her flight back to Incheon.

m.y

No, she will need a visa, transit without visa requires a ticket to a third country. Boarding a round trip flight requires the passenger to satisfy entrance requirements to the destination country, this is a universal requirement, not just for China

I would also not recommend booking a dummy ticket out of PVG to a third country and then fly back to ICN.

narvik

Completely agree.

But OP: she could, however, book & fly ICN-PVG-NRT-ICN; that would work.

moondog

Returning to the country of origin is not "transit".

Even if she could pull that off, would you honestly want your friend to endure spending a night in that place just to see you?

Lollermate

Yes fair enough, before I wrote that post I thought that I was able to check her into a hotel airside but I see that's not the case.

We've changed the plans slightly...but not sure if this is viable. She will spend a few days in Shanghai and then come to the airport just before my flight arrives. I have a 5hr 40min layover, is there a decent chance the airport officials will let me go out under the 24 hr TWOV if I either explain to them that I have a friend waiting in departures or I could say I want to get a few hours sleep at the transit hotel in the airport landside?

I am flying China Eastern all the way, so wondering if it's possible / safer to ask them not to check my bags in all the way, so that I'm "forced" to go through security and immigration and recheck in at Shanghai to ensure I can meet my friend?

moondog

In the pre-2024 TWOV thread, I floated the idea that booking a room at the dazhong would probably yield an entry permit, but this was based on logic, rather than any hard data.

On the other hand, we do have reports of short-checked luggage forcing entry permits. Things (I can think of) that could go wrong with this: 1. China Eastern refuses to short check; 2. border control directs you to the transit desk anyway and they arrange to have your bags transferred (so you can remain airside).

IluvSQ

Instead of putting her through so much trouble, why don't you apply for a visa? Then no issue entering for a few hours.

Lollermate

Ah but wouldn't they pull me up on such a short itinerary of only a few hours when I apply?

moondog

Building an overnight into your own itinerary is the best solution IMO. This shouldn't be too expensive.

ElevatorEnthusiast

Yes, OP and their friend should be just do an overnight in the city, and TWOV would be likely - assuming both are eligible for 144-hour TWOV (obviously, the British friend is).