Apr 7, 2013, 10:50 am
Last edit by: JDiver
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TWOV (Transit Without Visa) - UNDER 24 HOURS: Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets for a max. transit [[TIRULES/R32]] time of 24 hours. Transit incl. two stops, with a total transit time of 24 hours, within China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
For other China visa information: China Visa / Visas Master Thread (all you need to know)
From IATA / TIMATIC: "CHINA (PEOPLE'S REP.): (under) 72-HOUR VISA-FREE TRANSIT AT BEIJING, SHANGHAI, GUANGZHOU, AND CHENGDU (ONLY)
In order to avail of 72 hour TWOV, persons must remain in one of these 4 regions, and arrive/depart via air. In other words, flying into Beijing and out of Shanghai is fine for <24 hour transits, but is prohibited for 24-72 hour transits. (moondog, 9/10/2013)
CA175/6 (PEK<->PVG<->SYD), CA177/8 (PEK<->PVG<->MEL), CA155/6 (PEK<->PVG<->SDJ), CA153/4 (PEK<->DLC<->HIJ), CA951/2 (PEK<->DLC<->NRT), CA953/4 (PEK<->DLC<->FUK), CA977/8 (PEK<->XMN<->CGK), CA945/6 (PEK<->CTU<->KHI) and CA905/6 (PEK<->KMG<->RGN) are not non-stop international flights from Beijing; therefore passengers taking these flights do not qualify for the 72-hour visa-free policy in Beijing because the point of entry/exit into China is the intermediate stop, not PEK. Transiting China with these flights is OK without a visa as long as you enter and exit China - intermediate stops included - within 24 hours. If your time in China is over 24 hours, a visa is necessary. (kaimanawa, Jan 2014)
Effective from 1 January 2013, nationals of 45 countries transiting through Beijing (PEK) and Shanghai (PVG and SHA) to a third country (includes Hong Kong or Macau SARs) and holding confirmed onward tickets are permitted to enter China (People's Rep.) without a visa, for max. 72 hours. Passengers must arrive in and depart from the same city. This facility is available for nationals of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland (Rep.), Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Fed., Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and holders of British Citizen passports.+ - 28 Jan 2013, c/o drewguy
"Nationals of USA holding confirmed onward tickets for a max. transit time of 72 hours at Beijing (PEK), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) or Shanghai Pudong (PVG), provided arriving in and departing from the same city. " (c/o Akiestar)
China Embassy website: "3. Visitors are not allowed to leave Beijing or Shanghai to other cities during the 72-hour visa-free period. They can only depart Beijing from Capital International Airport (PEK) or Pudong International Airport (PVG) as well as Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)." (c/o anacapamalibu) (You are expected to remain generally within the Port of Entry municipality and to depart from the same POE within 72 hours.)
These are merely advisory summaries and not meant to be comprehensive; please read the thread, with TIMATIC: <star alliance link>; skyteam link> (easier to read), etc.
See China visa FAQ post here
and be aware: China visa requirements and procedures are due to change 1 July 2013.
Note that there's a separate and much shorter thread here in the China forum devoted to TWOV at PVG/Shanghai. It has some details of the airport setup for TWOV at PVG, especially the new 72 hour rule.
Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are considered 3rd countries for the purpose of TWOV.
This is what constitutes "transit" in the eyes of Chinese officials:
1) You must FLY in from one country and out to a different country NONSTOP
*Cruise ship passengers are reportedly going to get TWOV privileges soon
2) The Chinese only care about the segments that touch PRC soil
-this means that it's totally fine to go to China from the US and back as long as you connect in a third country in one direction
3) For 72 hour TWOV you must arrive and depart from the same Chinese city
4) For 24 hour TWOV, you can arrive and depart from anywhere by plane (e.g. into Guangzhou and out from Wulumuqi is fine)
moondog, 2/2/2014
TWOV (Transit Without Visa) - UNDER 24 HOURS: Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets for a max. transit [[TIRULES/R32]] time of 24 hours. Transit incl. two stops, with a total transit time of 24 hours, within China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
For other China visa information: China Visa / Visas Master Thread (all you need to know)
From IATA / TIMATIC: "CHINA (PEOPLE'S REP.): (under) 72-HOUR VISA-FREE TRANSIT AT BEIJING, SHANGHAI, GUANGZHOU, AND CHENGDU (ONLY)
In order to avail of 72 hour TWOV, persons must remain in one of these 4 regions, and arrive/depart via air. In other words, flying into Beijing and out of Shanghai is fine for <24 hour transits, but is prohibited for 24-72 hour transits. (moondog, 9/10/2013)
CA175/6 (PEK<->PVG<->SYD), CA177/8 (PEK<->PVG<->MEL), CA155/6 (PEK<->PVG<->SDJ), CA153/4 (PEK<->DLC<->HIJ), CA951/2 (PEK<->DLC<->NRT), CA953/4 (PEK<->DLC<->FUK), CA977/8 (PEK<->XMN<->CGK), CA945/6 (PEK<->CTU<->KHI) and CA905/6 (PEK<->KMG<->RGN) are not non-stop international flights from Beijing; therefore passengers taking these flights do not qualify for the 72-hour visa-free policy in Beijing because the point of entry/exit into China is the intermediate stop, not PEK. Transiting China with these flights is OK without a visa as long as you enter and exit China - intermediate stops included - within 24 hours. If your time in China is over 24 hours, a visa is necessary. (kaimanawa, Jan 2014)
Effective from 1 January 2013, nationals of 45 countries transiting through Beijing (PEK) and Shanghai (PVG and SHA) to a third country (includes Hong Kong or Macau SARs) and holding confirmed onward tickets are permitted to enter China (People's Rep.) without a visa, for max. 72 hours. Passengers must arrive in and depart from the same city. This facility is available for nationals of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland (Rep.), Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Fed., Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and holders of British Citizen passports.+ - 28 Jan 2013, c/o drewguy
"Nationals of USA holding confirmed onward tickets for a max. transit time of 72 hours at Beijing (PEK), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) or Shanghai Pudong (PVG), provided arriving in and departing from the same city. " (c/o Akiestar)
China Embassy website: "3. Visitors are not allowed to leave Beijing or Shanghai to other cities during the 72-hour visa-free period. They can only depart Beijing from Capital International Airport (PEK) or Pudong International Airport (PVG) as well as Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)." (c/o anacapamalibu) (You are expected to remain generally within the Port of Entry municipality and to depart from the same POE within 72 hours.)
These are merely advisory summaries and not meant to be comprehensive; please read the thread, with TIMATIC: <star alliance link>; skyteam link> (easier to read), etc.
See China visa FAQ post here
and be aware: China visa requirements and procedures are due to change 1 July 2013.
Note that there's a separate and much shorter thread here in the China forum devoted to TWOV at PVG/Shanghai. It has some details of the airport setup for TWOV at PVG, especially the new 72 hour rule.
Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are considered 3rd countries for the purpose of TWOV.
This is what constitutes "transit" in the eyes of Chinese officials:
1) You must FLY in from one country and out to a different country NONSTOP
*Cruise ship passengers are reportedly going to get TWOV privileges soon
2) The Chinese only care about the segments that touch PRC soil
-this means that it's totally fine to go to China from the US and back as long as you connect in a third country in one direction
3) For 72 hour TWOV you must arrive and depart from the same Chinese city
4) For 24 hour TWOV, you can arrive and depart from anywhere by plane (e.g. into Guangzhou and out from Wulumuqi is fine)
moondog, 2/2/2014
FAQ: PRC Visa-Free Transit (AKA Transit Without Visa or "TWOV")
Dec 12, 2012, 12:49 am
#571
Ambassador: China
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
Oh, jeez. I'm transiting PVG the first week in January. I'm on Star Alliance award tickets. The routing I wanted put me in PVG for 49 hours, so I switched to a much-less-pleasant red-eye to get under the "old" 48-hour limit.
It now looks like my preferred routing is no longer available for award travel, but I still have other options -- that I might want to take. Can anyone tell me if PVG has to be my first port-of-entry into China to take advantage of the visa waiver? My recollection is that it does. So, for example, I can't fly BKK-Chengdu-PVG without a visa, right?
Second, what matters isn't what the visa rule is, but what the airlines think the rule is. How does this information get processed by TIMATIC? And is there any way to speed the processing of that info? I don't think it's wise to change my tickets until TIMATIC lists the new policy -- which I assume is, in fact, a "done deal."
It now looks like my preferred routing is no longer available for award travel, but I still have other options -- that I might want to take. Can anyone tell me if PVG has to be my first port-of-entry into China to take advantage of the visa waiver? My recollection is that it does. So, for example, I can't fly BKK-Chengdu-PVG without a visa, right?
Second, what matters isn't what the visa rule is, but what the airlines think the rule is. How does this information get processed by TIMATIC? And is there any way to speed the processing of that info? I don't think it's wise to change my tickets until TIMATIC lists the new policy -- which I assume is, in fact, a "done deal."
Just do your homework.
Dec 13, 2012, 10:58 am
#572
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,904
Is this okay for TWOV with USA passport?
ORD-PVG (approx. 36 hours)
PVG-HKG
HKG-PVG (approx. 24 hours)
PVG-ORD
Note that ORD/PVG/ORD is one ticket and PVG/HKG/PVG is another.
ORD-PVG (approx. 36 hours)
PVG-HKG
HKG-PVG (approx. 24 hours)
PVG-ORD
Note that ORD/PVG/ORD is one ticket and PVG/HKG/PVG is another.
Dec 13, 2012, 11:34 am
#573
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,422
But it has to be in TIMATIC to actually matter. Does anyone know who "publishes" TIMATIC and how it gets updated. If I can get to them, I have a chance. Otherwise, there's no way I can realistically show up for a flight to PVG without a visa on a ticket that has a longer than 48 hour layover. The chances of having a problem are just too great.
Dec 13, 2012, 11:53 am
#574
Ambassador: China
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
TIMATIC is subscription based.
http://www.timatic.aero/
You can access it through some airline websites.
Need to search FT to see which ones allow what access.
Read recently that DL dropped that function last month.
http://www.timatic.aero/
You can access it through some airline websites.
Need to search FT to see which ones allow what access.
Read recently that DL dropped that function last month.
Dec 13, 2012, 1:36 pm
#575
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
Yes perfectly fine. Just make sure you've not only an eticket printout, but also the receipt of your connecting flight. Coming 1st January, you could stay up to 72hrs each way in Shanghai ^
Dec 13, 2012, 2:16 pm
#576
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AMEX AC CX UA AA DL
Posts: 3,008
TIMATIC is subscription based.
http://www.timatic.aero/
You can access it through some airline websites.
Need to search FT to see which ones allow what access.
Read recently that DL dropped that function last month.
http://www.timatic.aero/
You can access it through some airline websites.
Need to search FT to see which ones allow what access.
Read recently that DL dropped that function last month.
And interesting note regarding 2 stops transit...
China (People's Rep.) (CN)
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
for a max. transit For details, click here time of 24 hours. Transit
incl. two stops, with a total transit time of 24 hours, within
China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
- Not applicable at Chengdu (CTU).
- Nationals of Canada are not permitted to use the two-stop
transit within China, if transiting through Tianjin (TSN),
Weihai (WEH), Wuhan (WUH), Xi An (XIY) or Zhengzhou (CGO).
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
for a max. transit For details, click here on the same calendar day at
Chengdu (CTU). Transit incl. two stops, with a total transit
time of 24 hours, within China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
Dec 13, 2012, 6:51 pm
#577
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
Yup, been covered upthread. Luckily, those airports don't offer a whole lot of international flights so the restriction in question is effectively moot.
Dec 16, 2012, 1:41 am
#578
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: YOW
Programs: O6*G, Delta Silver, Air Berlin Silver, Marriott Gold, A|Club Gold, SPG Gold, AMEX Platinum
Posts: 50
two-stop transit
Quick question:
If I'm looking to fly a two-stop China transit itinerary with HND-PEK-PVG-BKK next month will I be limited to 24 hrs in total China transit time or can I avail myself to the 72 hrs that will be offered at Beijing? I'll be travelling on a Canadian passport. Thanks!
If I'm looking to fly a two-stop China transit itinerary with HND-PEK-PVG-BKK next month will I be limited to 24 hrs in total China transit time or can I avail myself to the 72 hrs that will be offered at Beijing? I'll be travelling on a Canadian passport. Thanks!
Dec 16, 2012, 5:16 am
#579
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
Quick question:
If I'm looking to fly a two-stop China transit itinerary with HND-PEK-PVG-BKK next month will I be limited to 24 hrs in total China transit time or can I avail myself to the 72 hrs that will be offered at Beijing? I'll be travelling on a Canadian passport. Thanks!
If I'm looking to fly a two-stop China transit itinerary with HND-PEK-PVG-BKK next month will I be limited to 24 hrs in total China transit time or can I avail myself to the 72 hrs that will be offered at Beijing? I'll be travelling on a Canadian passport. Thanks!
Dec 16, 2012, 10:35 am
#580
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1
Transit Visa if 48 hours in China (Kunming & Shanghai)
I'm from the US and I have an overnight layover in Kunming China for 20 hours and then fly to Shanghai China and have another overnight layover of 19 hours then fly back to the US. Less than 48 hours in China total and less than 24 hours at each location. What type of visa would I need or would I not need a visa and would I be able to leave the airport at each location? Thank you.
BKK -> KMG (20 hr. layover) -> PVG (19 hr. layover) -> US
BKK -> KMG (20 hr. layover) -> PVG (19 hr. layover) -> US
Dec 16, 2012, 11:33 am
#581
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
I'm from the US and I have an overnight layover in Kunming China for 20 hours and then fly to Shanghai China and have another overnight layover of 19 hours then fly back to the US. Less than 48 hours in China total and less than 24 hours at each location. What type of visa would I need or would I not need a visa and would I be able to leave the airport at each location? Thank you.
BKK -> KMG (20 hr. layover) -> PVG (19 hr. layover) -> US
BKK -> KMG (20 hr. layover) -> PVG (19 hr. layover) -> US
Dec 22, 2012, 9:53 am
#582
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: sometimes SIN, sometimes JFK/LGA
Programs: UA 1K, 1.6MM bis
Posts: 767
But it has to be in TIMATIC to actually matter. Does anyone know who "publishes" TIMATIC and how it gets updated. If I can get to them, I have a chance. Otherwise, there's no way I can realistically show up for a flight to PVG without a visa on a ticket that has a longer than 48 hour layover. The chances of having a problem are just too great.
To be super clear - I checked with UA, not another airline. And - if I hadn't asked the check in lady to look up this item, she admitted she didn't know about this new regulation. Last but not least, let's hope the China immigration (the front line uniformed officers who actually look at our passports) know about this change too. Not to be negative, but to me it's not real until it's real.
BTW does anyone know if any Chinese newspaper has written an article in Chinese on this? I'd love to have a printout of said article in my hand to give to the immigration officer at passport control in case there are any hiccups? (I thought the post upthread referring to the HK Ming Pao article was going to cut it until I realized it referred to Shanghai.)
Dec 22, 2012, 10:24 am
#583
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
Dec 22, 2012, 12:14 pm
#584
Ambassador: China
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
Timatic search from KLM website.
/ 22DEC12 / 1912 UTC
National USA (US) /Embarkation USA (US)
Transit China (People's Rep.) (CN)
Destination China (People's Rep.) (CN)
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW
China (People's Rep.) (CN)
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
for a max. transit For details, click here time of 24 hours. Transit
incl. two stops, with a total transit time of 24 hours, within
China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
- Not applicable at Chengdu (CTU).
- Nationals of USA are not permitted to use the two-stop
transit within China, if transiting through Tianjin (TSN),
Weihai (WEH), Wuhan (WUH), Xi An (XIY) or Zhengzhou (CGO).
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
for a max. transit For details, click here on the same calendar day at
Chengdu (CTU). Transit incl. two stops, with a total transit
time of 24 hours, within China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
Visa required, except for Nationals of USA holding confirmed
onward tickets for a max. transit For details, click here time of 48
hours, provided arriving at and departing from Shanghai
Hongqiao (SHA) or Shanghai Pudong (PVG).
- All transiting passengers are subject to a check by
immigration officials. Passengers in transit are required to
hold passports or passport replacing documents that are
accepted for entry into China (People's Rep.). For more
details on document requirements, please enter China
(People's Rep.) as a destination.
- Leaving the transit area is allowed.
- Effective from 1 January 2013, nationals of USA holding
confirmed onward tickets can transit without a visa for a
max. transit For details, click here time of 72 hours at Beijing
(PEK), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) or Shanghai Pudong (PVG),
provided arriving in and departing from the same city.^
/ 22DEC12 / 1912 UTC
National USA (US) /Embarkation USA (US)
Transit China (People's Rep.) (CN)
Destination China (People's Rep.) (CN)
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW
China (People's Rep.) (CN)
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
for a max. transit For details, click here time of 24 hours. Transit
incl. two stops, with a total transit time of 24 hours, within
China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
- Not applicable at Chengdu (CTU).
- Nationals of USA are not permitted to use the two-stop
transit within China, if transiting through Tianjin (TSN),
Weihai (WEH), Wuhan (WUH), Xi An (XIY) or Zhengzhou (CGO).
Visa required, except for Holders of confirmed onward tickets
for a max. transit For details, click here on the same calendar day at
Chengdu (CTU). Transit incl. two stops, with a total transit
time of 24 hours, within China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
Visa required, except for Nationals of USA holding confirmed
onward tickets for a max. transit For details, click here time of 48
hours, provided arriving at and departing from Shanghai
Hongqiao (SHA) or Shanghai Pudong (PVG).
- All transiting passengers are subject to a check by
immigration officials. Passengers in transit are required to
hold passports or passport replacing documents that are
accepted for entry into China (People's Rep.). For more
details on document requirements, please enter China
(People's Rep.) as a destination.
- Leaving the transit area is allowed.
- Effective from 1 January 2013, nationals of USA holding
confirmed onward tickets can transit without a visa for a
max. transit For details, click here time of 72 hours at Beijing
(PEK), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) or Shanghai Pudong (PVG),
provided arriving in and departing from the same city.^
Dec 22, 2012, 1:13 pm
#585
Ambassador: China
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
First opportunity to try it:
Monday, December 31, 2012
Departure: 00:40 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International, terminal 2
Arrival: 05:30 +1 day(s) Beijing, China - Capital International, terminal 3
Airline: Air China CA984
Do you feel lucky?
Monday, December 31, 2012
Departure: 00:40 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International, terminal 2
Arrival: 05:30 +1 day(s) Beijing, China - Capital International, terminal 3
Airline: Air China CA984
Do you feel lucky?