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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")
#691
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,823
Hi
So two of us flying to PEK, less than 24 hrs, but will want to go see Beijing. One US passport and one UK passport. From what I read, the UK passport can stay up to 24hrs, but do they need to stay at the airport or can they visit the city under this new rule? US passport should be ok? (TWOV)
Doing HEL-PEK-HKG-SGN
Thanks
So two of us flying to PEK, less than 24 hrs, but will want to go see Beijing. One US passport and one UK passport. From what I read, the UK passport can stay up to 24hrs, but do they need to stay at the airport or can they visit the city under this new rule? US passport should be ok? (TWOV)
Doing HEL-PEK-HKG-SGN
Thanks
#692
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SIN / SFO
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Posts: 1,215
#693
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
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#694
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,417
Hi
So two of us flying to PEK, less than 24 hrs, but will want to go see Beijing. One US passport and one UK passport. From what I read, the UK passport can stay up to 24hrs, but do they need to stay at the airport or can they visit the city under this new rule? US passport should be ok? (TWOV)
Doing HEL-PEK-HKG-SGN
Thanks
So two of us flying to PEK, less than 24 hrs, but will want to go see Beijing. One US passport and one UK passport. From what I read, the UK passport can stay up to 24hrs, but do they need to stay at the airport or can they visit the city under this new rule? US passport should be ok? (TWOV)
Doing HEL-PEK-HKG-SGN
Thanks
#695
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,823
Great. Though the 24 hr rule may be the old one for the UK and had to stay at airport. Now I hope the airlines let us board without visa s. :-)
#697
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
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#698
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Just make sure the daytime period of the layover coincides with the opening times of the GW. Most sections (including Mutianyu) are open 08:00 or 08:30 to 16:00, longer in the summer. Badaling is the one that opens earlier, generally 06:00-19:00 in summer, 07:00-18:00 in winter. However, cable car operations may start be a bit after opening on some days.
#699
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: WAS
Posts: 70
This thread is about China though so I'll shut my trap.
#700
Ambassador: China
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
similar to China's twov "stay permit", it's a visa waiver, not a visa.
Landing permission is a sticker in a foreigner's passport by immigration officers at the airport or seaport where he or she goes through immigration procedures. It is this landing permission, not a visa, that serves as the legal basis for the foreigner's stay in Japan
Last edited by anacapamalibu; Jan 16, 2013 at 12:18 pm
#701
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,823
Just make sure the daytime period of the layover coincides with the opening times of the GW. Most sections (including Mutianyu) are open 08:00 or 08:30 to 16:00, longer in the summer. Badaling is the one that opens earlier, generally 06:00-19:00 in summer, 07:00-18:00 in winter. However, cable car operations may start be a bit after opening on some days.
#702
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,982
You don't need a "tour operator" for 2 people; any car is sufficient to accomplish the mission at hand.
#703
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
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Do you mean just hire a taxi RT? Do u know approx cost?
#705
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, Million Miler
Posts: 34
Thanks for the wealth of info on this.
So is it 72 hrs past immigration, in the country do you think? i.e. I land at 17:55 and the outbound is 19:35 (3 days later) - so technically it's 73.5 hrs on the ground. BUT really we'll arrive and be through immigration and in the country within the 72 hr window.
Am I just being paranoid here?
So is it 72 hrs past immigration, in the country do you think? i.e. I land at 17:55 and the outbound is 19:35 (3 days later) - so technically it's 73.5 hrs on the ground. BUT really we'll arrive and be through immigration and in the country within the 72 hr window.
Am I just being paranoid here?