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Old Apr 5, 2018, 7:29 am
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China Travel Visa Question

Traveling DL from DTW-PEK soon with a layover in PEK of about 48 hours. Then traveling PEK-ICN for 72 hours, and ICN-PEK for another 24 hours before taking PEK-DTW.

I have onward travel already purchased DTW-PEK-DTW. With that said with the China transit visa can I get that twice (first time landing from DTW second time from ICN) or is it a one time per X days thing/

Trying to figure out if I need to go get real China visa or not.

Thanks!
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 7:39 am
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I assume you have US passport... Since your stay in Beijing is <72 hrs, you do not need a visa.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 7:43 am
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Yes US passport. Though I can use the travel visa more than once in a one week period (arriving in PEK from DTW and PEK from ICN)?
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 7:55 am
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YES. Check the big sticky thread on this in the China destination forum for all the rules.

Note that you are NOT using a transit or travel VISA. TWOV means TRANSIT WITHOUT VISA. If you call it a transit visa, this will cause great confusion.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 7:56 am
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Originally Posted by MonAmQB
I assume you have US passport... Since your stay in Beijing is <72 hrs, you do not need a visa.
For the record, this information is incorrect.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 7:57 am
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Just did this same thing (with SIN/HKT as the onward destinations). No problem at all. Only issue was the length of the line for the TWOV approval....then entry into the country.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 8:04 am
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I am pretty sure China Immigration will process your TWOV every time you enter China. I just did so at PEK ~ a month ago.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 9:05 am
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Originally Posted by MonAmQB
I am pretty sure China Immigration will process your TWOV every time you enter China. I just did so at PEK ~ a month ago.
Yes, but the biggest problem in using TWOV is that DL might not let you board the flight because employees "believe" that everyone needs a visa for China.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 9:17 am
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IMO, the 10 year multi-entry visa is a good buy, especially if you need to go to China more than a few times. They are relatively easy to get and eliminate any question on TWOV rules and regulations. And of course also make it easy for the airline to board you without question.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 9:36 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Yes, but the biggest problem in using TWOV is that DL might not let you board the flight because employees "believe" that everyone needs a visa for China.
Though I'm sure some have had problems, it's the exception. Don't get a visa just because you're worried your airline might not let you board. Especially DL. From DTW. They're used to it.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 10:07 am
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Originally Posted by tkey75
Though I'm sure some have had problems, it's the exception. Don't get a visa just because you're worried your airline might not let you board. Especially DL. From DTW. They're used to it.
Didn't mean to imply that was the sole reason for the visa, but it opens up a lot more opportunity for travel to/from China.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 10:14 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Yes, but the biggest problem in using TWOV is that DL might not let you board the flight because employees "believe" that everyone needs a visa for China.
It's funny you say that because the last time I was on the mainland (not HK or Macau) that happened to me ATL-PVG. GA's (plural) would not let me board and I even printed out my onward travel arrangement showing them and explaining the TWOV. It took about 15 minutes of persistence and a red coat finally coming over to let me on board.
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Old Oct 2, 2018, 11:55 am
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I'm looking for recent experience flying DL and utilizing TWOV - specifically from LAX.

Our plans are as follows:

Fly LAX-PVG (DL) non-stop, arriving at PVG at 6:30pm on the 18th. We'll leave PVG for NRT (JL) at noon on the 22nd. We return to PVG at noon on the 26th and will return to LAX (DL) later that night.

We'll bring hard copy of all tickets and hotel reservations (both Shanghai and Tokyo) and a printout of the relevant TWOV rules from Timatic.

Is this a simple enough situation such that we shouldn't expect any issues from DL staff in LAX?

FWIW, getting Chinese visas probably wouldn't be too difficult for us, given our close proximity to SF. However, our passports expire at the end of 2019, and ideally we'd apply for 10 year visas after the new passports are issued, so as to get more use from them.

Thanks in advance.
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Old Oct 2, 2018, 12:01 pm
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Originally Posted by work2fly
I'm looking for recent experience flying DL and utilizing TWOV - specifically from LAX.

Our plans are as follows:

Fly LAX-PVG (DL) non-stop, arriving at PVG at 6:30pm on the 18th. We'll leave PVG for NRT (JL) at noon on the 22nd. We return to PVG at noon on the 26th and will return to LAX (DL) later that night.

We'll bring hard copy of all tickets and hotel reservations (both Shanghai and Tokyo) and a printout of the relevant TWOV rules from Timatic.

Is this a simple enough situation such that we shouldn't expect any issues from DL staff in LAX?

FWIW, getting Chinese visas probably wouldn't be too difficult for us, given our close proximity to SF. However, our passports expire at the end of 2019, and ideally we'd apply for 10 year visas after the new passports are issued, so as to get more use from them.

Thanks in advance.
Chinese visa doesn't expire when passport does. Just bring old passport with visa in it.
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Old Oct 2, 2018, 1:10 pm
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Originally Posted by work2fly
I'm looking for recent experience flying DL and utilizing TWOV - specifically from LAX.

Our plans are as follows:

Fly LAX-PVG (DL) non-stop, arriving at PVG at 6:30pm on the 18th. We'll leave PVG for NRT (JL) at noon on the 22nd. We return to PVG at noon on the 26th and will return to LAX (DL) later that night.

We'll bring hard copy of all tickets and hotel reservations (both Shanghai and Tokyo) and a printout of the relevant TWOV rules from Timatic.

Is this a simple enough situation such that we shouldn't expect any issues from DL staff in LAX?

FWIW, getting Chinese visas probably wouldn't be too difficult for us, given our close proximity to SF. However, our passports expire at the end of 2019, and ideally we'd apply for 10 year visas after the new passports are issued, so as to get more use from them.

Thanks in advance.
How was your ticket written, specifically do you have a RT fare to China with a stopover in Japan on the return portion or a RT to Japan with a stopover in China on the outbound portion? I'm asking because I suspect that when you do the visa check with DL, either your ticket will automatically determine whether China is your destination or not or the DL employee will look at the fare components on your ticket and enter it accordingly. This matters because the key to having airline employees see the correct TWOV rules is that China not be entered as the destination on TIMATIC.
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