zrs70

I will be connecting from OS to UA, a 3 hour connection. Will I need a Visa?

dogcanyon

It's worth a call to the Chinese Consulate to get the official answer on this one. You might get a posting here from somebody who says that they didn't need one, only to find out the hard way later that they didn't need one because they are a different nationality (subject to different rules), or that the rules have changed since the date of their trip.

silverpie

China does require transit visas. You can get info at http://www.chinaconsulatela.org/Pass...hina_visa.html (the consulate is at 443 Shatto Place in 90020, not far from 4th at Vermont).

RoarAhead

Actually I don't think you do. I made an international connection from CPH to HKG in BJS two weeks ago (Hong Kong is actually another country for this purpose). An airline agent will wait at the gate with a sign saying "international transfers" and you just follow her to the security check for int. transfers. There you have to fill out an entry and exit card and get a stamp in your passport. The whole journey to the departure gate takes less than half an hour.

However, this is China...and you may want to double check for your particular case. If you're a Chinese citizen, for instance, this does not work.

Atuchan

I used to live in Mongolia for three years and I transited Beijing at least every few months. During my stay in Mongolia, the situation about transit visa has changed so many times.. If you are US or British citizen, I would suggest that you make sure with the Chinese embassy/consulate and get some fax or something fro mthem.

My wife just came back from Mongolia and she told me that the situation has changed again that all British and US citizen will get stamp upon arrival for transit visa and rest of us do not have to go outside to get transit connections.

However, as with the previous posts suggest, make sure that you get something concrete. Even if Chinese immigration do not require you to get transit visa, the airline check-in agent may not believe you and he/she may not allow you to get on-board the plane(it happend to me in Bangkok a couple years ago).

B747-437B

You can use the Timatic system to check documentary requirements by clicking here.

silverpie

That database indicates that only at Pu Dong or Hongqiao (Shanghai) can you transit without a visa.

moondog

I'm 99.9% sure you could pull this off if you wanted to. However, given that PRC regulations change daily and tend to be ambiguous/arbitrary, I'd probably get a letter from your consulate to be safe. (I would do this even if taking advantage of the Shanghai 48 hour rule.) Just out of curiosity, why do you want to transit at PEK without stopping? If you just want to transit, there are much nicer airports in which to do so(SIN, HKG, SEL, etc.). Plus, Beijing is an interesting, if not downright pleasent, city that deserves a visit.

zrs70

It's part of a RTW. I am flying to Asia out of Viena, and OS flies to neither PVG nor HKG.

moondog

...but, they do fly to NRT, BKK, KUL, and SIN.

Guy Betsy

Actually they don't fly to SIN. It's only on TG metal on a codeshare.

zrs70

Not on hte day I need to fly!

Karen2

Your airline should be able to advise you about visa requirements. They are better equiped to know than anyone because, at the airport, they are the enforcers. I have found they are VERY reliable.

Quokka

Yes, it's somewhat pointless to depend on showing a fax from a consulate to someone at PEK if the airline refuses to let you get on board a flight headed there. While consulates sometimes have more current info than the airline, the airline will likely depend on its database. Why? Because airlines get fined by most countries if they land someone who does not have the appropriate documents.

In China's case:


Non-compliance with the transit regulations will result in
deportation of passenger by same or returning aircraft. Fines
varying between CNY 500.- and CNY 2,000.- will be levied for
each passenger. Moreover the transporting carrier will be
fined for an additional amount varying between CNY 5,000.- and
CNY 10,000




[This message has been edited by Quokka (edited 01-23-2002).]

Atuchan

Really? I got denied boarding once in BKK and I had one consultant denied boarding in SIN despite the fact that we (non-USA, non-UK passport holders at that time) did not need VISA for transit in Beijing.

Maybe if you get a fax from your Airline prior to reaching the airport check-in counter, it may be fool-proof.