HOW TO VISIT CHINA WITHOUT A VISA - 144 Hour & 72 Hour Visa Explained
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- Опубликовано: 15 янв 2025
- Ever wanted to visit China without a visa? With recent changes, You can now enter China with visa-free transit in certain areas of the country.
We have fallen in love with China and find it a great place to live. In this video, we explain the new policies and how you can get into China without a visa; skipping the hassle of visa processes and the Chinese visa application but still enjoying an awesome time in the country.
We encourage everyone to make China their next stopover destination.
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Is there a cap as to how often you can get the 144 hour visa?
No cap :)
Great info! Thank you!
Glad we can help :)
great video :)
very informative, thank you :) i also love your bubbly attitude, you're so uplifting
Aww thank you so much!
Can I fly from Beijing to Xian and then Bangkok with 144 visa free rule?
Where are you starting from? You can fly to Beijing then down to Bangkok, but movement within China is restricted if you are on a visa-free trip
Thanks for clearing that up, my wife and I will be going to Cambodia in a couple weeks and would like to check out Shanghai during our layovers. We've already got our Visa for Cambodia and our US passports, so the 72 hour exploration visa should be no problem for us :)
+Osvaldo Salgado Great to hear you are coming to check out China! Just to let you know, you could stay for up to 144 hours if your layover is in Shanghai. Cambodia is a great place to visit. Have a great time!
Hi, I am so confused about this 144 hours visa.
so I will be heading out to Washington DC to Shanghai and day later (its not a layover flight) we are going to Vietnam with a different ticket and airline. if so will I be eligible to use 144 hours visa?
also if I am not eligible for 144 hours how would I print the tickets if I can't leave the immigration?
That flight path is fine, it doesn't matter if you are flying with a different airline as long as you are travelling onwards within that 144 hour time. I would make sure you have evidence of your flight the following day such as a confirmation email and when you go through immigration they will be able to confirm that you have a flight the next day. Have fun in Shanghai!
Can't go back to my home country or can't do a round trip ticket to where you are coming from????
You can fly for example, from London to Beijing to Seoul, but you can't do London to Beijing to London without getting a visa
My travel agent in Uzbekistan told me today that if I fly to Shanghai and apply for the transit visa there, I cannot venture beyond the city to other jurisdictions or provinces. Also, I must leave China in Shanghai where I arrived.
Yes this is true, when you enter China on the visa-free scheme, you are restricted to where you travel to and you must leave from that city too
How often can you use the visa waiver programme? Our flights to Thailand from the UK next year go via Beijing both ways and looking to stopover on the outbound and inbound trips. All within one month.
That is absolutely fine, there is no limit to how many times you can use the visa waiver programme. Let us know if you need any help planning your time in Beijing, there is so much to see and do and Beijing offers a great taster of what life is like in China. What time of the year are you travelling?
Thank you
I've heard you must not check your bags onward to your final destination if you are planning to take advantage of the transit visa, is this true?
I have a 23 1/2 hour layover in Guangzhou, leaving from Thailand, and carrying on to the US after the layover. I've already contacted China Southern and have been confirmed an airline paid hotel stay. If I check my luggage all the way to America will I be allowed to go to the hotel the night I arrive and out into the city the next morning before my flight that day?
When I arrive do I follow the transfer for "International Flights within 24 hours" sign or the "72/144 hour transit visa" signage?
Thanks for your help and expertise!
It shouldn't be a problem if you check your luggage all the way to America but double check with China Southern when you check in at Thailand.
When you arrive, head to the arrivals and when you get to immigration there will be an area for the transit visa, just follow the signs for the transit visa once at immigration :) Have an amazing time in Guangzhou, we are heading there in the summer and excited to explore the modern city!
I have a tricky question. I fly from Frankfurt to Hongkong via Beijing. As the final destination has to be a different country does Hongkong count so that I can stay in Beijing without visa? I am confused.
I am really not sure about this, I would say this would count because you do not need a visa for Hong Kong - I would double check with your embassy! Safe travels!
How I get a China transit visa
You can apply for a transit visa on arrival when using China as a stopover.
I’m flying from LAX to Shanghai in July. Since I’m landing in Shanghai, can I travel to Beijing by bullet train or does it have to be a plane ride?
Firstly, where are you flying on to after China?
Also, you would not be able to travel up to Beijing because the 144 hour visa permits travel within the region. You could however get a train over to Hongzhou - a very beautiful city in China and well worth a visit! Hope this helps!
Do I need to show the boarding pass to the 3rd country I'm flying after China at the immigration WITH A RESERVED SEAT NUMBER? or is it just fine to have the itinerary printed out?
You don't need the reserved seat number, just the itinerary is fine
more cities have been added to the 14-hour visa free list on Dec 2018. However, due to covid, it's suspended
Hello! Thank you so much for making this video and helping others for their trips! I am planning to fly from JFK to INCHEON South Korea, but there is one stop in PVG. I won’t be leaving the airport and am only there to go to my next flight to Incheon. Do I need any types of visas? When I get off the flight in Shanghai where do I go? Thank you!
No, you won't need a visa for this trip as you are using China as a stopover for onward travel. Stay safe
Hello, Im traveling to Thailand from USA. I have a 4 1/2 hour layover in Shanghai. Then off to thailand. The following week i fly into Beijing to stay for 3days.
My question is, when i land in Shanghai for the layove do i go straight to "Connecting flights" and may i come back to Beijing and stay for 3days if i show then i have a flight back to the USA? Do my hours count for when im in Shanghai? Sorry if this is confusing.
Hi Zee O,
You would go straight to connecting flights whilst in Shanghai because it isn't enough time to leave and return. The time in Shanghai doesn't count towards your layover time in Beijing, as this is a different stopover. Beijing as a stopover will count as it is en route back to the USA.
We would recommend a trip to the great wall (obviously), some time seeing the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven and make sure you try some Beijing Duck too! If you have a day free, pop on a speed train to Tianjin, a lot less crowded and a bit more of an insight to real city life in China :)
Hi, I’m traveling From Malta to Beijing (3days) and then Tianjin cruise port to Singapore. where can I get the arrival/departure card? Thanks
You will get given arrival and departure cards on your flight :) They have lots of spare forms at immigration and they will be available at the Tianjin Port too! Enjoy Tianjin - we love it!
Thank you 😊
You're welcome. Have a great time!
Hi great info!
Im travelling from Birmingham to Beijing via Amsterdam on the way. Spending 3 days in Beijing, then on the return back to Birmingham fling via Paris.
Would I be able to get the free visa?
I don't think this would count for the visa free entry, you would have to be travelling on further east - e.g Amsterdam to Beijing to Tokyo
Can i enter Southeastern China without a visa? I really wanted to live and work there permanently. Except i got to pay and cover the medical expenses and maybe others as well. I only got my own native land official documents. Now, i’m currently looking for someone to guide me if this is even possible.
You will have to have a visa to live and work in China. There are lots of jobs available to foreigners so browse online but make sure the jobs come with visa expenses covered and medical insurance - good luck!
to clarify:
i’m flying to shanghai from tokyo and staying there for about 3 days and moving on to hong kong? this qualifies, correct?
also, i heard that the arrival/departure card must be asked onboard your flight to china instead of after landing? is that incorrect?
thanks!
I believe that would be correct and would be applicable for the 144 hour visa free entry. But always check with your local Chinese embassy to make sure.
Usually you will be handed a arrival card on your flight but don't worry if not, you can pick one up before immigration.
Enjoy your time in China :)
Hong Kong (the same as Macau) is a special region in China so they count it like "another country" since citizens of many countries can probably stay in HK for 30 days but must apply for a visa for China.
Hi! I am traveling to Korea in like 2 weeks from now. I am going from LAX to Beijing (14-hour layover) and headed to Korea after and then come back to the U.S. Do I need any type of visa? or how do I apply or get the free visa?
If you are only in Beijing for 14 hours you won't need to apply for a visa. When you arrive, there are signs for the 48/72/144 hour entrance, follow those signs and you will be fine. Depending on what you want to see in Beijing, you can organise a driver to collect you from the airport and do the major sights like the Great Wall and it isn't to expensive. Let us know if you are stuck finding someone, we have a few contacts of people we always use for trips :)
Hello, I am confused. Does one need to apply for a transit visa in China after arriving?
If you are flying to and from China only, you will need to apply for a visa from your home country. You only do not need a visa if you are flying via China for up to 6 days - e.g. London to Beijing to Korea
So I am traveling from USA to Toronto, Toronto to Shanghai. Staying there 4 days then leaving to Sri Lanka and staying there for 2 weeks. That qualifies right?
Yes that should be fine! Enjoy your trip.
My head is going to explode. I am traveling from LAX to South Korea (3weeks). However, whithin those 3 weeks I will be going to Japan for 7 days then back to Korea. Korea to Shanghai for 3 days then back to Korea for 1 week then back to LAX. I made my life complicated, I know . Will I qualify?
To clarify my Shanghai stay, I arrive around 10pm on July 8th and leave July 11th at 8:30am. My hours there are 58
Do you have a return flight from Korea to Shanghai? If so then you will not qualify. The visa free entry is aimed at those using China as a stopover. Make sure you get a Chinese visa from your home country before travelling as you won't have enough time to apply whilst you are in Korea.
Creative Travel Guide thank you so much. I got my visa already lol pheww 😅 asked for a single entry and got the 10 year one on Friday~~
Hope you have a great time in China!
I'm hoping you can advise me. I am US citizen who will be spending 2 weeks in Seoul. I am interested in departing Seoul for Shanghai. After spending 3 days in Shanghai, I will return to the US. So Korea to China to US (home country). Does this qualify?
Yes this would work! Seoul to Shanghai to USA would be a good route once the borders all reopen
I plan to travel from the US, a stop in Toronto then go to Shanghai where I'll be staying there for less than 4 days and returning to Toronto for a stop and back to the US. Is there any visa that I have to sign up for?
Unfortunately, you would have to get a Chinese Visa because it is not a stopover you are doing but a return flight to and from Toronto. For more info on getting a visa, see here: www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/hrsq/
Hi there :),
I am not sure if you are still replying to these comments but I am going to try anyways. I am currently in New Zealand and on my way back home to Germany I'd like to spend time in China. I was planning to spend time in Bejing,Shanghai,Chengdu and Xian. Can I use multiple free visas? And would I have to fly from one place to another or could I take the train? The Embassys over here only go to voicemail both in Auckland and Christchurch and their email doesn't work so help would be much appreciated. Cheers :)
We are still replying no worries :) You can't use the free entries multiple times at once. You could fly from New Zealand to one of these destinations and then onwards to Germany but not all of them.
We are flying from UK to Thailand and was thinking to stop in Beijing on the way home. Would it qualify for the free 144hr visa?
Yes you would qualify for the stopover. Beijing is a great place to stopover too, you can do day trips to the Great Wall, eat the weird and wonderful local street food and explore the hutongs. I am biased but I would also recommend a day trip to Tianjin, 30 minutes away on the speed train from Beijing South!
"I am a little bit biased.." haha I guess this should be easy for me? Because I live in South Korea, but have an American passport and want to go to Australia through China.
Yeah you are fine with that trip :-)
I am flying from US to Vietnam, then Shanghai for 4 days, and then back to US. Will I be able to use the 144 hours transit?
If the flight is Vietnam to Shanghai to US then yes you will be able to use the transit. Have a fantastic time in Shanghai, we have some videos on some fun things to do in Shanghai but definitely check out The Bund and Yu Gardens!
Hello! Maybe you can help me. :)
I have an austrian passport and we are flying from singapore to Beijing after 5 days we are flying to munich with and stopp over in moskow. So I thing this will no problem fro the 144 hours visa.
Thank you so much! :)
Yes that trip would be fine - safe travels!
Hi I'm a British holder passport and I'm going to Indonesia in November and was thinking of visiting Beijing for a short time before I continue my journey to Indo. So I'm I entitled to this 72 / 144 hrs free visa. I will sort out my accomodation shortly.pls reply ty
Yes that is fine :) you are entitled to the visas and I would recommend booking your hotel in advance. Hotels are cheaper on Agoda or Ctrip than other websites. If you are heading to Beijing, we love the courtyards - aim for a place in the hutongs!
What if you stay only 2 hours at the Beijing airport ? All passengers are allowed to stay there for 24 hours except passengers from taiwan. Do y know anything about that ?
That is fine, you just won't be able to leave the airport
Does anybody know if airplane ticket has to have SEAT NUMBER on it? Does it has to be boarding pass or confirmation from airline is ok? I mean some airlines allow you to choose seat number and get boarding pass only about 1-2 days before departure date so if you want go to Shanghai and stay for 3 or more days sometimes you're not able to have seat number and boarding pass at the moment of landing in China. How it's solved then?
Hi! You won't need a seat number, just confirmation of your flight will be fine. I hope this helps! Enjoy Shanghai. I am heading there next week!
I have a flight to Shanghai round trip but on the way back home I have a layover in Hong Kong then Seattle (US) then home in Dallas (US) does this qualify??
This wouldn't count because Shanghai is your destination. You need to be travelling onwards from there.
Hi there I'll be travelling from Indonesia with long layover in beijing (23 hours)...then onto Shanghai (10 hours) en route to usa...am I eligible for 72 hr transit visa?
That should work yes :) Have a great time!
Hey so I’m traveling the U.S then to Canada then to Shanghai and flying back to Canada then the U.S will the 144 hr visa apply to me?
Hi Roberto,
So Sorry for my late reply, you will have to get a visa for this trip but info on how to get a visa can be found here: www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/hrsq/
Hi i really hope you’re still replying to these. I’m going to india tomorrow and then i’m going to qingdao for 3 days and then i have a flight back to the us. does the 72 hour pass work for this? I read that you have to enter and exit from the same airport is that true? I’m entering via guangzhou and then flying to qingdao then i leave from qingdao and have a flight in beijing to go back to the us. very confused
Hi Courtney, sorry for our late reply. I don't think this trip would work. You would have to be travelling onwards towards the East, not back on yourself.
Hey, I am flying my girlfriend from Australia to Kuala Lumpar for a layover, then to Shanghai where I live. She'll be here for 5 days under 144 hours. Then, she will leave from Shanghai to fly to Singapore for a layover flight, then fly back to Australia. Does that work?
Double check but I don't think this will work because you are going back on yourself.
Not true, as it depends on the passport your traveling on
Yeah you are right, it does depend on your passport but most of our viewers are from the UK and US and this is the case for them. We will keep in mind that we have viewers from other areas of the world next time! Thanks for your comment :)
If people cant fly back to UK how do they get home!?! 😅😅
You can fly back to the UK, if you are doing UK - China - UK, you just need a visa. You have use China as a stopover to be able to qualify for the visa free entry :)
Hey! Is it possible visit Beijing 144h with separates tickets? For example: I bought a ticket London to Beijing and after I bought a ticket from Beijing to Berlin. Thank you!
Hi Cairo, you would have to be travelling on in the same direction. So London to Beijing is your flight towards the East, so you would have to then fly from Beijing further East or somewhere in the South of Asia. For example, London to Beijing, Beijing to Singapore, Singapore to Berlin.
Do you know where I can get more info? I have a US passport staying in Japan for a few months. I'm wondering if I can fly from Japan to China and back to Japan with this being okay. Japan obviously isn't my home country but I would be flying back and forth to the same place. I love your video btw! Short sweet and to the point
Hi, firstly, have a great time in Japan!
Unfortunately that wouldn't work because it isn't a stopover, it would be a final destination. You could fly from Japan to China and then to Singapore or somewhere west of China? that would work because you are using it as a stop during a flight but you can't go there and back again as a return flight.
@@CreativeTravelGuide thanks for the info. I am getting tidbits from many people.i am so glad you are willing to share!
Actually, do you know If shenzhen is under the 144 hour visa free? I keep seeing different Info different places..
Shenzhen will be available from January 2019 :)
@@CreativeTravelGuide I really appreciate the help. I'm sorry I'm so specific but where do you find this information?
Hey so I hope you could give me a tip on this , so I got a US passport
Flying to Singapore then Thailand
Thailand to Beijing
And then Beijing straight back to the US
My Beijing stay is only 48 hours
Would I have any problems
Taking my last flight Beijing to US ?
Thank you in advance
Excited to visit Asia for the First Time
and great Vid✈️
That flight path is fine :) Have a great time in Beijing, apart from the obvious stuff, try staying near Lama Temple, the temple itself is beautiful but also the hutongs surrounding it are great fun in the evenings, courtyard hotels are cheaper and there is a metro on your door step.