It's sad but that is the norm, look at SJW's... The first reaction is to go nuts, put them under a Muslim Sharia regime like Iran/Middle East or in Africa and they are strung up and killed publicly.
Its china and Han chinese, my experience is they are utterly rascist and do not understand what customer rights are. There are 3 airlines i will never set foot on again, Air China, Aeroflot and PIA
I don't understand WHY are you surprised by this? It's communist country! I grew up in communist country, in former Czechoslovakia and this is exactly how it was everywhere and all the time...and that's why I live in Canada for past 30 years... In communism there's NO consideration to individual...everybody is disposable and replaceable.
@@luciasaunders9736 Even most chinese in Canada can barely form two english sentences together, if you're Canada's atleast speak french if not English, if you don't speak neither how can you call yourself Canadian. I have a strong feeling the chinese deliberately don't learn other languages so they force others to learn mandarin and when it leads to miscommunication they accuse others of being racist, when they themselves are some of the biggest racists on our planet.
Germany wouldn't wan to make any waves in China. Lots of their cars are purchased by the Chinese. If one of their residents have to be stuck in China for a period of time, so be it. Just lucky they didn't change the law that Germans were not allowed in the country out of a whim, otherwise you would be hanging like a roast duck at a restaurant. Also, just like the laws, the Chinese are like a jealous girlfriend on her period. Emotional yet very brutal.
@@are_u_inspired_yet4663 well I have emigrated to Japan, so much better. Just a normal country just like in the EU. hassle free. the LACK of communism is a nice thing to have.
Of course they couldn't care less unless it's something life threatening. Plenty of people get kicked out everyday. If the embassy responds to every single request, they might as well just sleep in airports full time.
Dude this happened to me and my wife 12 years ago. We went to work on a film for the chinese company. I got ill, and had to be flown back to the US for western medicine treatment. When we go to the shanghai airport, they said my wifes work permit was legal, but mine was illegal. Two military guards appeared with guns, took us to holding. And then they demanded that we pay them $10000 USD. I said no fing way, Im not doing that. So after a few phones calls to producers and the conuslate and everyone we could think of. We finally were told, show them your hospital records from the hospital in Wuxi. So I showed them and the producers over the phone said, do you want a international incident, he is sick and needs to return asap. They then got two military guard escorts, by pass everything and everyone, directly to the plane, to our seats, and we finally got out of china with only 1 min to spare before the flight doors closed. Never ever again.
yea thats sad but even in the USA foreigners especially with arabic names and who look arabic are treated badly, too. i have an arabic friend who is born and raised in belgium and when he went to the USA the immigration treated him like a terrorist and even yelled at him. Its actually crazy how many racist people work at the immigration. i am looking forward to the day where there won't be any borders anymore and humanity will stop with this nationalism nonsense
Yes, you are absolutely right. They always treat Arabs as terrorists ignoring that there are peaceful people who are great. Terrorism can be from every part of the world no matter what nationality one is.
Yeah that’s right the so called “homeland security” in general behave like a bunch of arseholes because they have a uniform and they seem to think it gives them the right to treat people like shit. Having said that though you do get some nice ones.
They are overly suspcious of forejgners I found..The younger people were not too bad..but the older folks, no. Never wanted to converse or show an interest..Guess that's the way they have been taught. But scary to be.isolated like this video.. one thing they did show an interest in was Your Money... Fascinatong history and easy to see all the sights..but be careful you are not ripped off and Tipping is most def expected..
This is shocking! I used to work for immigration and the treatment you got with boarding escort and passport retention is something meant only for serious offenders (e.g. criminals to be deported). Your whole experience just boils down to the insensitivity and bad attitude of the people. They really need to get their act together.
I just flew into China a few weeks ago and let me tell you, going to China post-covid is absolutely terrifying especially for foreigners. It took me 2 years to get my visa to even come here. I had to show up to the airport 8 hours before my flight for covid tests, then after the flight, they kept us locked in a room for another 5 hours then forced us all on a bus to a quarantine hotel where we were kept there like prisoners for 2 weeks. This wouldn't have been as bad if they didn't ban everyone on our plane from accessing any chinese documentation services. If you were already a Chinese citizen then getting those documents is no problem but I was a foreigner. Yet the government didn't let me out of quarantine until I could get those chinese documents that they banned me from accessing. I only got out thanks to my employer who hired me in China and the kind passengers on the plane with me who could translate and order necessities for me online with their chinese bank cards. And no, no one working at the airport or hotel who were hired by the government could speak English.
I have heard for surveillance purposes they take pictures of you on three angles and make you recite something into a microphone so they have your voice on record. Is this true?
@@grumg8858 Like it or not the international de facto language for foreigners across the world is English, they should expect that not everyone in the world can speak Mandarin and a country such as a China who conducts business on a great volume with foreign countries should have the facilities to service foreigners.
I don’t travel since Covid. You have given me a good example of how to behave when stuck in a “ sticky” situation. Gracious, Kind, & under-control. I’ve always said that ,” we should be a good Representative of our Country”, wherever we leave.
This almost happened to me one time when I was supposed to be flying from manilla to Beijing. Luckily the Filipino air control or something similar took me aside and told me “hey you’re going to get arrested in china if you go without the necessary visa” so I bought another ticket to my home country instead.
I have been to India and China. India is a democracy and the immigration was quite decent with me. China is communist and the immigration people were suspicious and asked many questions. I was glad when I left China. They literally spy on you.
Great of you to keep your calm all the way. I flew Air China in First this summer. In the air it was okay, but the ground service in Beijing is MIND BLOWINGLY bad. In the first class lounge the crew kept hiding to get away from their duties. The best service we got was from the lady cleaning the restrooms lol. Air China is a disgrace to Star Alliance.
I had one of those China situations years ago... I got to an authority and asked "Can't I buy a special pass to let me through?" ... In other words - "Can I bribe you?"... He gave me a price. I told him I don't have that much in cash on me, but I have about half that. Then he said, "Oh, I see we are running a special on these special passes"... Suddenly I was able to buy the pass and all was good.
i am suprised how many people have had bad experiences lol, maybe i'm lucky but i've entered through china a few times and also had transit stops there and it's been fine for me so far. only speak basic mandarin that is not that useful for these situations, but google translate makes it easy if someone doesn't speak english. i even got my friend to come with me on a tourist visa to go to japan and then harbin for the ice and snow festival. in harbin we were the last flight coming in and my friend was entering china for the 1st time on a tourist visa, they were really nice and just wanted to go back home to sleep and just let us through without even bothering about reading the landing info 😭😂 although i can imagine why these things happen, i think the laws and regulations change reguarly and it's true that companies aren't as well updated on them. i think it's something that is getting complained about enough for it to start to improve, at least now there's apparently a big relaxation on the covid entry requirements for tourists now. things like this sound very annoying and i do hope they improve and am hopeful they will. i do think people shouldn't be really scared of things like this though, rather see it as an annoyance. you're not going to get put in prison or be beat up by any guards for something like this lol, it would be an international incident and most guards/police are quite understanding. if you're polite or even say basic chinese replies with google translate/baidu translate & usually they will be try to help you (make sure you have a VPN(s) before you go to china), it's just going to be a massive annoyance because of lack of proper protocol for these situations with visitors not having the right visa. but not like a "omg i could be detained and send to a makeshift prison" like australia does sometimes with foreigners. bribes were apparently a big issue before but pretty sure that's been cracked down on a lot as part of the anti-corruption campaign the past 5 years. probably still happens but less likely because people are way more afraid in case they get put in prison for accepting bribes. air china though i think is pretty notorious for being one of the worst chinese airlines.
This past week the Chinese Consulate in Tashkent UZ told me that I could get the 144 day transit permit at Shanghai Pudong airport on my way to Seoul provided I had an onward ticket. Nothing was said about registering for it.
Alex Lielbardis The issue is not that you have to register for the transit arrangement, but rather that he failed to register with the local authorities on a previous tourist visa, if I understood this correctly.
@@mark9294 Maybe but surely the consequences of not registrering should be explained to foreigners very clearly?? That's not very fair. No excuses, the last time he left China why didn't the Immigration Officer say you can't come back again? Not very fair to people to come such a long way
@@Oksana7305 And you wouldn't have known you were violating the rules anyhow. Nobody would. Because your accommodations (hotel, host address, etc.) are supposed to do all that registration stuff for you. Which nowadays means they scan your passport during check-in. Most travelers don't give it a second thought. Not sure what went wrong for Josh here.
Hi Josh, we were in Shanghai last week. When arriving at immigration, the officer wanted our flight itinerary to check we qualified for the 144 hour visa. Only problem was that he didn't speak a word of English - actually one word. The only word he knew was "visa". You can imagine that pantomime that ensued. I hope the return visit goes OK for you.
That's an experienced traveler right there, not freaking out and not letting the authorities take control over his decisions. Even then, dude how did you manage to keep recording!
Any more information on this new law? I've entered Beijing before for 72 hours in transit and it was just a case of showing the immigration officer my onward flight ticket. All the information I can find online suggests this is still the case, so how come there aren't hundreds of foreigners finding themselves stuck in Chinese airports?
Hope you are okay after this ordeal Josh. I had a similar experience recently when I traveled on Tainjin Airlines from London Heathrow to Sapporo Chitose on 28 December. I had a connection in Tianjin with my next flight being in 18 hours. The airline decided to make a stopover in Xian where everyone had to get off and go through immigration before reboarding the flight. My itinerary, flight ticket and boarding pass made absolutely no mention of this stopover (apparently this was a regular scheduled stopover), I had only one boarding pass destined to Tianjin and no idea why I was walking through immigration at Xian. This information was also not given to me in London when I checked-in, they simply said you should be allowed into China in Tianjin. Eventually, my entry into China was denied and when I asked for a reason they said "no reason". I did not violate any immigration laws and was in compliance with the less than 24 hour transit rule. I was escorted by immigration officers and security staff to a hotel close to the airport and was kept under surveillance with two of them in the room at all times, all my luggage and my passport was confiscated. I was confined to a bed and was allowed to use my phone but thanks to Chinese internet it was not really useful in any way. I pleaded to be allowed to stay in the transit area and I even offered to buy a ticket on a difference airline which leaves from Xian towards Sapporo. All my requests were rejected and I was kept at the hotel until the next day when I was escorted to the airport at around noon and forced to board a flight back to London Heathrow. My passport was only given back to me when I got to London. In the end I got to Sapporo 2 days late by booking a new ticket on Thai Airways at double the price (Zero issues in Bangkok). I searched around and discovered this happened to other travelers on China Eastern Airlines as well as some other Chinese Airlines and now with you on Air China. The take home message is if you want to transit through China just don't because there is always a risk of this happening and you won't like the outcome. All Chinese airlines will likely be the same in not knowing how to deal with the situation and they will all make mistakes. Just save your money, time and energy by choosing a transit in a country with normal transit immigration laws.
I feel bad on what happened to you. I had the same experience way back in May 2018, Manila-Shanghai-California-Washington DC. I was stock at Shanghai and missed my flight for US. I was so helpless, there was a communication gap, I couldn't understand the situation and I couldn't express too because they could not comprehend.
well at least you did the most important thing in this situation which was to keep calm , stay cool and not start shouting , i have seen too many times when people start to lose it thinking that they can bully people into getting what they want which almost never works and a lot of times just makes things worse
Wow, this was crazy. The takeaway I've got from this video is that I wouldn't want to fly with Air China. Don't want to risk such things happen to me or anyone else. Thanks for the video, and I hope your free now. Happy new year!
I'm a British citizen living in Canada and I recently flew a round trip to the Philippines with my fiance, the Vancouver to Beijing section and the Beijing to Manila section (and in reverse for the return flights) were done through Air China. We had about a 12hr layover in Beijing both going and returning and I have to say that despite the many differences in culture, lifestyles and procedures in China, we had a relatively good experience. We had a few speed bumps when we were there (i.e. no charging docks on the plane, poor WIFI connection in the airport, OTT security, no access to ANY social apps AT ALL), we managed the whole experiences like champions. Having said that, the next time we go to The Philippines, we've opted to transfer through somewhere else like Taiwan, Japan or South Korea.
but tbh, visiting philippines just asks for problems. Philippines may not be as strict as china but they are kinda poor over there and some regulations are really out of place (for example the ban on abortion) i personally could never visit a poor country like that, i just wouldn't feel safe there
Happened to me in Japan at the beginning of the pandemic, the rules changed overnight to forbid foreigners from coming in but the airline didn't know so they let me and a bunch of other foreigners fly into Japan, the Japanese immigration officers said that the airline were legally and financially responsible for taking us back home, which they did.
This is why I check, recheck, check one more time, then check again when traveling internationally. China is very particular about its visitors and you just can’t take anything for granted if you want to visit...
I have lived in China for 16 years. I can honestly say that the police registration system in China is shady at best. I was not even made aware of the registration requirement for the first 3 years in China! When I finally found out the hard way, the information given and the fines I was threatened with also didn't add up. I was told that each city has their own requirements for registration. Late 2018, I needed to register at the Suzhou police station. Since I have done this dozens of times before I knew (or at least thought I knew) the procedure and requirements. Low and behold the police officer registering me gave me conflicting information to my past experiences. When I asked why the registration was different, I was told that different cities, different requirements. With the help of my wife this statement turned out to be total nonsense. The point I am making here is China is can be very complicated, contradictory, and unfortunately in a lot of cases idiotic. I don't completely agree with Josh's complaints and opinions but I definitely understand the frustration of dealing with police/immigration officers that are clueless to the laws and their own job responsibilities. Telling Josh that it is his own responsibility to understand the laws and procedures is a valid point for most countries, when it comes to China most of you do not know what the hell you are talking about.
It's different for Josh. He was trying to obtain an 144-hr transit visa, for which one of the requirement is "not failing to register in the past 2 years." And it's stated on the consulate website in an article published in June 2018.
Agreed I've been living in Suzhou for the last 3 years and had similar experiences. It baffles me the chain of procedure is never clear and the people that should know...don't..
Have a question, if you go to a police station and want to register to your new address, will they ask for the former registration form of residence? Can they check where you were previously registered? Can they see that you haven't registered to another place in a long time and punish you, or will they just don't care or can't see so they will proceed to give you the form for your new residence if you provide them with all the right documentation?
Wait until you have an issue getting into the States!!! I was detained, in handcuffs by DHS for....wait for it........an outstanding parking ticket on a previous visit the month prior. I was interviewed by the FBI.....I laughed at them when they explained that I would have to return to the UK. I offered to pay the ticket. they said the time frame for payment had lapsed and it can longer be paid. As a result my Visa was cancelled and I would not be let in as I was viewed as a potential felon and therefor, in breach of immigration laws. I was held for 24 hours without food and one glass of water and only one visit to the toilet, whereby, I was accompanied by three 'Officers' who were reluctant to unlock the handcuffs. I have had better treatment in Iran and Moscow as a traveler. I speak both of those languages so I as lucky. But America....parking ticket.. never again to be let in... Lucky escape I reckon.
Hey Josh, know exactly what you are going through with this one. I had an Air China connecting flight through Shanghai and onto Japan. They called me at the gate to say that my bags would not be on the plane before the check in counter people physically pushed me down the airbridge and on to the plane. I couldn't believe it! Must say though that the Air China crew based in Fukoaka were angels and managed to sort out the issue and fly my bags over the next day - seems like an airline with plenty of problems though!
This is true on so many levels. The incompetency of Chinese state-owned airlines (including but definitely not limited to Air China) and immigration is nothing new; nor is how they roll out a new regulation and chaos ensues because nobody is sure what to do. Living in China I see this happen regularly. Glad you made it out safely.
I flew Air China from DC to Ho Chi Minh City, transiting in Beijing. It was the worst experience in all of my travels, except for the return flight a week later. They are ridiculously inefficient. No one is helpful. You have to go through three or four lines where they check and double check and triple check everything.
I know exactly how that feels like, when I landed there for a 12-hour layover they were very unhelpful no one knew anything neither spoke English which blows my mind being this is an airport which receives international flights.
@@willieho3056 Is Arabic the world language? You fish. Which is the international lingua franca today? Do you speak every language? Do you speak Chinese? Do you speak German? Do you speak arabic? And what about Spanish? And Japanese? Which language do Arabs speak when they go to China?
@@willieho3056 Alsoooooo.... which language do pilots from different countries use to talk to other pilots and to talk to air traffic control? You think they use arabic or Chinese? Don't be an idiot
If you put a $100US bill on the counter to the decision-maker, you most likely would have had no more issues. I found your video searching for business class seats on Air China but am now booking with Emirates. Thanks for saving a possible terrible headache.
16:50. When I touch Korean soil, I’ll be a free person again. This tells me something about Air China and keeping you hostage 😁 Very much respect for you for making such a great video while you are stuck at the airport for so many hours! You made the best out of the worst
I like the way how calm you are in all your video's. Fighting for your rights (and for passengers in general), for safety and good service. But always in a friendly way. Kind but clear.
I had the same problem with Air China in 2016 just that the situation is slightly different but they all said Air China is supposed to let the passenger know before boarding. So I would agree with you that it was Air China's fault for letting you board the plane when the rules had changed over night.
Question - why would Air China be aware that this passenger had previously violated the regulation of registering their addresses for temporary residence in China with the PSB thus rendering them ineligible to the 144 Visa Free transit? Airlines currently don't have such access to the PSB system, and at the moment the system is reliant on the passenger to ensure they meet *ALL* the regulations. If there was a system such as the ETAC for Australia, then sure, Air China shouldn't let him board.
whenever i fly to japan from LA, i always see the cheapest fares from Air China or China Eastern and I always gladly pay an extra $200 or $300 to fly another airline. for those saying it's not Air China's fault, they should have let him on the flight in the first place. They should have checked his visa before allowing him on the flight as is done for most airlines.
I’m sorry for the terrible situation you had to experience😱 As a flight attendant, I (and many of my friends) avoided having to fly to China for about three decades. Eventually, I wanted to give it a try twice, and that was more than enough for me😅 Some of my flying partners were denied entering the country for a few different reasons as well (I’m with a US air carrier).
I’m studying in China and I had the worst experience last year while I was traveling by air China. I got stuck at Thai airport just like you. I missed my transit flight because Air China flight was delayed from Beijing. They asked me to pay the fare from Thailand to my country even if it was their fault.
That's horrible. That happened to me with China Eastern Airlines. The airplane was 2.5 hours late when my transit flight was supposed to be 3 hours after touch down. China Eastern Airlines did take full responsibility and paid for a rescheduled flight the next day. That's what airlines should do but it seems Air China just doesn't.
I had something similar happen 18 years ago, but it was at a train station, and not an airport. I was living in Austria, had spent a week in Italy, then took a fairy over to Greece. After being scammed in Athens, I decided to get out of the city, and got food poisioning on the train. At this point, I did not want to take the fairy back to Italy (being on a boat with food poisioning is not fun), so I looked at other modes of transit. Well, I knew my Eurail pass did not work in Eastern Europe, but hey, there is a train line, and the cost from Thesolinika to Vienna was only $20USD, with a transfer in Belgrad. This is when I learned that when traveling, it helps to understand Geography and World News. Belgrad was in Yougoslovia. Yougoslovia was in the middle of a civil war. Apparently the US dropped a bomb on Belgrad while I was in Italy (so I was told). But it gets worse - to get to Yougoslovia, you have to go through Macedonia, which was also at war. They had no issues selling me a ticket, or letting me on the train. The person in the sleeping car asked for my passport and if I "tipped" him, he would take care of any issues during the night. Didn't think anything about it - once again, I was completely oblivious to what was going on in the world. So, the cabin guy bribed the border patrol in Macedonia. I had no clue, I was asleep. However, just a few days before I came, they closed the border off in Yougoslovia completely, and they refused to take the bribe. Once again, I had no clue this was going on, until I find myself being awoken in the middle of the night with a machine gun muzzle in my face. Now I have a problem. I am denied entry into Yougoslovia, even for transit. The map I had said I was in Croatia - it was during the transition, so i had no clue. The train leaves, and I am at a border checkpoint. No heat, no glass on windows, no doors, no running water. Remember, I have food posioning. No return ticket. When the ticket office opens up the next morning, no electricity, so I cannot use my card. I do not have the local currency to pay for a ticket. The police throw me on the train, just to be thrown off in Macedonia, once again, also at war, because I don't have a ticket. The conductor would have accepted a bribe if I had dollars or Deutsche Marks on me, but I only had drakma, Lire, and Schillings. A taxi driver in Macedonia finds me, gets me to a bank where I can withdraw cash, and charges me $100 USD to drive me 2 hours to Greece. I still have food poisioning. I then find a "cheap" flight (considering it was last minute) from Thesolinika to Munich. Thank you, Lufthansia. It was about $350 (this was in spring of 2001), but it wasn't bad considering I bought the ticket 2 hours before the flight. I was never so happy to see Germany as I was when I landed. Took the train from the airport all the way to Salzburg, then I got home and slept for days. I have been to Slovenia and Croatia after they joined the EU, but I have never been back to Greece
WHAT A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE ❗❗❗ IT PAYS TO BE ALERT AND TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING TO COUNTRIES YOU ARE VISITING ESPECIALLY THEY ARE FACING A WAR ❗❗❗ BE SMART AND GET THE HELL OUT ❗❗❗❗
I love how the Chinese commentators like to blame the victim and strain to ignore the fact the people are not informed of legal changes by the government.
Note to everyone, if you stay in a hotel they register you. So nothing you have to do. Can not share your faults about Air China. Always had very good experiences. I did however have a similar situation in Russia - where I was stuck for 12 hours because my flight got cancelled and Visa expired. All night crazy odyseey to get a new visa. Btw. Its I'm stuck not I stuck ;-)
That's correct. If you are going to be staying at a hotel, you don't have to worry about the registration requirement. The hotel will do the registration for you. It is their responsibility, not yours. Now, if you are going to be staying at a friend's house, then it's different. It is then going to be YOUR responsibility to go and register and let the Chinese authorities know where you are staying. This is not a new law. It has been this way for a while, although not a lot of foreigners know about it. Failure to comply with this requirement will most likely result in your being denied entry into China in the future. The poster was denied entry because he violated this law in Jan. 2018.
Forgive an olde woman for saying this, but you are so good-looking, it breaks my heart. Because you look identical to my late/deceased German fiance. He died in 1984. I am so happy to see there are other people, like you, who look so handsome. I'm happily married to a handsome Alsatian (French/German/Dutch and Scottish ancestry.) I'll be 70 November 12th. Your smile is a dream. Your travels are enjoyable. God go with you. You fly, and so does time.
It’s all about miscommunication, I think. I’m living in Beijing and they cannot converse in any language besides Chinese. They can’t tell you what actually happened.
I was being treated rudely by a customs officer when I was entering US from LAX. He was super impolite, arrogant without any respect since the very beginning for no reason. I talked to him with good manner the whole time, the first thing I said to him when I approach the desk was “How are you.” But the first thing he said to me was “DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?” I said yes but he kept asking me the same question “DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH??!” I was confused, then he threaten me that “Do you know I can send you back? DO YOU KNOW??!” And asked me to read the whole document, even the “signature____ Date____”. I read it, but he kept saying “KEEP READING!!” to me, louder and louder. At this time I realized that I didn’t sign on my i20 document, which was never an issue before. He had no right to treat me like I’m not a human being. Btw, the officer was Korean. I could tell from his face and his last name.
Most of us who regularly traveled internationally routes have endured tiresome and dehumanizing situations in airports, and onboard aircraft. I can't single out one airline over another, but there are airports (Bejing and Frankfurt) and countries (China and Germany) that I have learned to avoid at all costs.
I think for anyone going to china for a visit or transit should just get the regular 10 year visa assuming you are from a country that allows you to get that particular tourist visa. If not I don't know if the hassle of getting a regular visa or transit visa is worth the cost savings of transiting through china. For example many people at the visa center in BKK were getting a visa just for transit, i don't really understand that one. Just fly a different airline the prices going back to the americas from south east Asia are very rarely cheaper on Chinese carriers now. I did the visa free transit a year before i got my actual visa, and for the exception of PEK and PVG they didn't let you out in the regular terminal area that may or may not be different now. So at least in my case no food or lounge access. Things change at a rapid pace in china. Some cities even have up to a 144 hour visa free transit where you can go explore the city. Ive heard foreigners having problems staying at really local style accommodation that do not see many foreigners. The hotels may or may not know how to register you at the police department without the actual visa in your passport. At the time of writing this i am in PVG transitting onto an Air Canada flight. Because i had to change terminals i just entered China like anyone else. Very easy. Not so easy for people that don't have visas. My seat mate did not have one. Wondering how his experience is going right about now. Also in any country like Vietnam, Lao, Thailand, Malaysia, HK. For like 150 CAD you can get a rushed Chinese 10 year visa, you can do it yourself. There are websites online that explain a step by step process for each visa processing center in those countries. Just book all refundable tickets and hotel reservations. And get one if you are in one of those countries even if you are not planning to go to china in the near future. I got my 10 year visa in 23 hours in Bangkok. Plus China is a very beautiful country and the easiest to travel in Asia. Once you figure out how to use the high speed trains and apps like didi.
Sama experience here! We were in Mongolia and heading to China for transit but we were denied for entry in China because our transit was too long. because of the language barrier, we were forced to pay 900USD for a flight with shorter transit time. Not really hating on the airport nor the government for the law but I should've been more aware next time.
Kenji Dris WTF? It is always your responsibility to check immigration. Not just for China but everywhere else! It will be the same even worse. You will get arrested for transit too long in US
I honestly think you're awesome that you can still remain sort of calm & chill!! If I were in such a situation, I would've gone so mad like a bitch lol
tsk tsk 😕 at least they are kind enough to give you food. i hope this wont give a negative impact for travelers . you handled it professionally with out any aggressions. thanks for sharing and its a mind opening for the viewers ( my take is avoiding is not the second opinion but it's the First," ) have a safe journey and thanks ✌👍
Given English is the language of aviation internationally, that they couldn't find someone who spoke English to help is disgraceful - especially when you consider every pilot at that airline has to be able to speak English to an internationally agreed standard that China is a signatory to. Tbh, this entire situation kind of reeks of that Chinese supremacist attitude that some Chinese folks in positions of authority have, like because you're other-than-Chinese, they can treat you however they like. It's a shame - I worked for many years for National Express in the UK and my Chinese passengers were amongst the nicest and politest people I served regularly. Never gave me any problems and always behaved impeccably - which is more than I can say from folks from some European countries, the US and Australia. Makes you wonder about the circumstances at home that make the country so inhospitable - though when you consider the human rights abuses, maybe not so much. Thank goodness for the few decent folks here, like the ones who gave you food. At least there was a good heart or two somewhere in this story.
I must applaud you. The first German I’ve seen who can keep his calm like that knowing he has done anything wrong, knows his rights bravo👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽or maybe it’s coz you’ve lived around the world and you are diluted a bit. Coz you’re first 👏🏽
Omg, haven't you complained to some place in germany for the poor work of the embassy? I think it's a no go, it's their job to help people in your situation. Do you had any troubles when flying via Beijing again?
can you tell me a bit how exactly you did not register before that led to this? I was not registered for maybe 3 nights on my last transit entry, now I don't know if I could even reenter ..
I had a similar experience. I was trapped in the airport, this is embarrassing to admit but I started screaming "Help!" after 3 hours and immediately immigration rushed over and resolved it. I thought I was going to get arrested. It's such a huge lapse in communication in China. I felt guilty for acting like a privileged American but honestly I was so scared not knowing how to get out when no one was helping.
Did it happened recently? I thought With the COVID situation the airport is less crowded. I came in China last year and every step there were somebody guide us. Anyway Dealing with this situation you need to act tough and being a foreigner generally helps the authorities are more friendly towards foreigners.
@@underhorse5367 No, my experience was a few years ago. While they were very rude at the airport, once I was out literally everyone else was super friendly. I'm going to write it off as just a lapse in communication but they could have been nicer. I was stuck in a hallway with security on each end that wouldn't open the doors. lol Also I was pretty direct and firm, but that wasn't helpful until I pretended to lose my mind. haha
Avoid Air China, avoid all Chinese airlines, and avoid all the trip to china. I live in Hong Kong and I may say the rules in China are always stupid, and the people there are always rude and not polite. it is common to see a taxi driver is very very ANGRY just because he needs to wait ONLY 1 minute due to the traffic jam.
Wow I don't understand at all how you managed to keep smiling throughout all that total horror in China. You are extremely resourceful - a thousand times more resourceful than I would have been. Accept please my congratulations as to how you handled this dreadful situation.
he failed to register with the local police on a previous visit to china, that's why he was denied entry. However if you are staying at a hotel they will do it for you, so you don't need to worry about it.
@@anguscovoflyer95 It is a very serious offence for foreigners coming to China, living outside hotels and do not get registered. He will be blacklisted for years.
thats so crazy... when i flew to Sydney from Germany, i flew over shanghai for transit, and had a 16 hours stay (yes...), they just opened a little door for employees for me and let me visit the country... without any visa or anything.
Just to understand correctly: during your last trip to China you used the transit visa and you didn’t stay in a hotel and therefore you didn’t where registered at the police? Or did you stay in a hotel and they/you forgot to register? I was in China too but never registered to the police too. Hope the hotel did (?)
Hotels in China are by law obligated to automatically register you. Otherwise if you have confirmation of stay and they didn't register you. They can be shut down. And hotels who can't register you (lack the system) refuse your stay. He obviously frolicked somewhere
@@beyondthestars4299 you always need to update where you are with police. move to a new apartment? update with police? travel? update as well. bit of a nuisance. but it is a decent law. lowers crime since you can't do stupid things somewhere without being known
@@beyondthestars4299 chinese people also register. for them it's easier with the ID in hotels since every hotel has the ID scanner. passports have to be manually done, so a lot of hotels don't wanna do that paperwork. for foreigners. the application of the same rule is stricter.
Why should a country immigration tell anyone when they change the law, it will be on the immi website, everyone has the responsibility to check, when go travelling.
As a Chinese living in a Chinese city whose main business is foreign trade, I am honored to know this law that foreigners must register with the local police station within 24 hours after entering the country. This is not a new law, it has been around since at least 2014. In fact, if you come to China for work or tourism, your employer or travel agency should inform you of this law, or they should inform you and assist with registration when you check into a hotel in China on your first day. This law is very remote. Few Chinese people know about it, and airlines may not know about it either. Even if the airlines knew, they would have no way of knowing from any system that you didn't check in during your previous trip to China. It's a pity that I didn't see this video of yours until today, otherwise I could help you file a claim with the travel agency or hotel that last hosted you in 2019.
It's always nice to check out the policies of the destination country. When I was gonna travel to Belgrade from Salzburg, Austria, I also had issues with the Austrian police at the airport for not checking their entry requirements at that time since they had just changed it 3 days ago and at that time I was already in Vienna coming from Mallorca.
The lady who gave you the noodles was so sweet. We need more people like her in this world.
She was a sweety
I’ll say, she’s probably a mother.
Yeah she was a diamond in the rough
Folks at individual level are kind.
agreed
The great thing that impress me the most is that you remain super calm after during all this like a champ ....
A true gentleman!
Travel Channel by mraquinas He was in China. He had no choice 😂😂 They would lock him up.
He's probably excited about making this video 😂😂
It's sad but that is the norm, look at SJW's... The first reaction is to go nuts, put them under a Muslim Sharia regime like Iran/Middle East or in Africa and they are strung up and killed publicly.
@@imluvinyourmum Why are you making nonsensical ramblings like a lunatic???
The people who did help you with the food and drink were kind and have a good heart.
Most Chinese people are good people stuck in a bad system full of bureaucracy and confusion.
@@sudonim7552 有病哇
@@sudonim7552 your the one who’s never been to China and believes everything that is said against it
@@sudonim7552 Have you been to China? Why you said so?
@@sudonim7552 well I kind of defend that but, I guess outsiders thinks like that for a reason
It's unacceptable that an international airline doesn't have at least one (broken) English speaking employee per shift.
Its china and Han chinese, my experience is they are utterly rascist and do not understand what customer rights are. There are 3 airlines i will never set foot on again, Air China, Aeroflot and PIA
I don't understand WHY are you surprised by this? It's communist country! I grew up in communist country, in former Czechoslovakia and this is exactly how it was everywhere and all the time...and that's why I live in Canada for past 30 years... In communism there's NO consideration to individual...everybody is disposable and replaceable.
The chinese don't give two f's about speaking english actually
@@luciasaunders9736 Even most chinese in Canada can barely form two english sentences together, if you're Canada's atleast speak french if not English, if you don't speak neither how can you call yourself Canadian. I have a strong feeling the chinese deliberately don't learn other languages so they force others to learn mandarin and when it leads to miscommunication they accuse others of being racist, when they themselves are some of the biggest racists on our planet.
@@Tate525 Except for the richest parts- Shanghai, Hong Kong.
The biggest disappointment for me, in your awkward experience, is that the Embassy did not stand up for you. Sehr enttäuschend!
Deutschland kannst nicht etwas machen es ist China eine störrische Land
Germany wouldn't wan to make any waves in China. Lots of their cars are purchased by the Chinese.
If one of their residents have to be stuck in China for a period of time, so be it.
Just lucky they didn't change the law that Germans were not allowed in the country out of a whim, otherwise you would be hanging like a roast duck at a restaurant.
Also, just like the laws, the Chinese are like a jealous girlfriend on her period. Emotional yet very brutal.
@@dansun6823 There was no procedure. Not even Air China had a clue.
@@are_u_inspired_yet4663 well I have emigrated to Japan, so much better. Just a normal country just like in the EU. hassle free. the LACK of communism is a nice thing to have.
Of course they couldn't care less unless it's something life threatening. Plenty of people get kicked out everyday. If the embassy responds to every single request, they might as well just sleep in airports full time.
Dude this happened to me and my wife 12 years ago. We went to work on a film for the chinese company. I got ill, and had to be flown back to the US for western medicine treatment. When we go to the shanghai airport, they said my wifes work permit was legal, but mine was illegal. Two military guards appeared with guns, took us to holding. And then they demanded that we pay them $10000 USD. I said no fing way, Im not doing that. So after a few phones calls to producers and the conuslate and everyone we could think of. We finally were told, show them your hospital records from the hospital in Wuxi. So I showed them and the producers over the phone said, do you want a international incident, he is sick and needs to return asap. They then got two military guard escorts, by pass everything and everyone, directly to the plane, to our seats, and we finally got out of china with only 1 min to spare before the flight doors closed. Never ever again.
yea thats sad but even in the USA foreigners especially with arabic names and who look arabic are treated badly, too. i have an arabic friend who is born and raised in belgium and when he went to the USA the immigration treated him like a terrorist and even yelled at him. Its actually crazy how many racist people work at the immigration. i am looking forward to the day where there won't be any borders anymore and humanity will stop with this nationalism nonsense
Yes, you are absolutely right. They always treat Arabs as terrorists ignoring that there are peaceful people who are great. Terrorism can be from every part of the world no matter what nationality one is.
Yeah that’s right the so called “homeland security” in general behave like a bunch of arseholes because they have a uniform and they seem to think it gives them the right to treat people like shit.
Having said that though you do get some nice ones.
@@yoshtg USA is a Democratic country while China is communist. There is hardly any freedom in China.
They are overly suspcious of forejgners I found..The younger people were not too bad..but the older folks, no. Never wanted to converse or show an interest..Guess that's the way they have been taught. But scary to be.isolated like this video.. one thing they did show an interest in was Your Money...
Fascinatong history and easy to see all the sights..but be careful you are not ripped off and Tipping is most def expected..
This is shocking! I used to work for immigration and the treatment you got with boarding escort and passport retention is something meant only for serious offenders (e.g. criminals to be deported). Your whole experience just boils down to the insensitivity and bad attitude of the people. They really need to get their act together.
Never travel to China, NK, Venezuela, Cuba or any communist country if you come from US or any western country. They will treat you like enemies.
They are suspicious of foreigners.
I just flew into China a few weeks ago and let me tell you, going to China post-covid is absolutely terrifying especially for foreigners. It took me 2 years to get my visa to even come here. I had to show up to the airport 8 hours before my flight for covid tests, then after the flight, they kept us locked in a room for another 5 hours then forced us all on a bus to a quarantine hotel where we were kept there like prisoners for 2 weeks. This wouldn't have been as bad if they didn't ban everyone on our plane from accessing any chinese documentation services. If you were already a Chinese citizen then getting those documents is no problem but I was a foreigner. Yet the government didn't let me out of quarantine until I could get those chinese documents that they banned me from accessing. I only got out thanks to my employer who hired me in China and the kind passengers on the plane with me who could translate and order necessities for me online with their chinese bank cards. And no, no one working at the airport or hotel who were hired by the government could speak English.
Well, that's what happens when a virus leaks in your country from an American-funded virology lab. It is treated as a threat to national security.
I have heard for surveillance purposes they take pictures of you on three angles and make you recite something into a microphone so they have your voice on record.
Is this true?
Why do they have to speak English ? Why don't you speak their language ? you are the one who go to their country.
Why would anyone go to China? Their human rights abuses are legendary, yet you went.
@@grumg8858 Like it or not the international de facto language for foreigners across the world is English, they should expect that not everyone in the world can speak Mandarin and a country such as a China who conducts business on a great volume with foreign countries should have the facilities to service foreigners.
I love how I got an air China ad on this video
Hahahahaha
what happen why they sent you back
@@JoshCahill 😃👍👍👍👍
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Well i got a Turkish airlines AD.
I already flown with them 4-5 times. So no AD needed.
Loved so much flying with Turkish airlines !
It's ironic how there's a 144 hour visa free transit banner behind you during most of the video
Dutch Universe this guy in the video need some milk lol. Loser
@@johnjiang1721 Best not to use Google translate you muppet.
@@johnmackenzie8559 there's literally english next to it, you blind?
@@Lukas-fx4mw No he's smartass. It's an epidemic.
but the visa free is mean to be use only inside or on the perimeter of the terminal?
I don’t travel since Covid. You have given me a good example of how to behave when stuck in a “ sticky” situation. Gracious, Kind, & under-control. I’ve always said that ,” we should be a good Representative of our Country”, wherever we leave.
This almost happened to me one time when I was supposed to be flying from manilla to Beijing. Luckily the Filipino air control or something similar took me aside and told me “hey you’re going to get arrested in china if you go without the necessary visa” so I bought another ticket to my home country instead.
I have been to India and China. India is a democracy and the immigration was quite decent with me. China is communist and the immigration people were suspicious and asked many questions. I was glad when I left China. They literally spy on you.
Dude, I LOVE that you (1) stuck to your guns, and (2) didn't get mad and stayed polite. You are my hero.
For someone who is in such a mess yet remain so calm and Vlog, i can't help but admire you... you just gained 1 more subscriber! 👍 ♥
Great of you to keep your calm all the way. I flew Air China in First this summer. In the air it was okay, but the ground service in Beijing is MIND BLOWINGLY bad. In the first class lounge the crew kept hiding to get away from their duties. The best service we got was from the lady cleaning the restrooms lol. Air China is a disgrace to Star Alliance.
Dude huge props to you remaining calm especially during this fiasco. Bravo man!
"once I touch Korean soil I'm a free man" ahh that is until you walk north
There's a boarder, South Korea is quite a great country and it's not easy to walk to North Korea so he's safe..
He specified South Korean soil though at 16:50.
ZappyyZ that made me smile
Ik it was a joke just to have a laugh ^_^
@@sophiemarie1905 it’s a joke, relax
Now try recording getting detained at a US airport and refusing to cooperate with the officials
This wouldn’t happen in the US...
@@guesswhatimirish You sweet summer child... oh the innocence...
Welcome to the USA
*AMERICAN ANTHEM INTENSIFIES*
@rana pipien I think they mean Mexicans
You are so cool man. The way you handled all this in an foreign country really surprising me.
exaclt china sucks
@@devanshgoyal07 China is also C...... .
Surprised he wasn't jailed for being a foreign spy or CIA agent
what’s so cool about it
Especially china, he managed to avoid a public execution
I had one of those China situations years ago... I got to an authority and asked "Can't I buy a special pass to let me through?" ... In other words - "Can I bribe you?"... He gave me a price. I told him I don't have that much in cash on me, but I have about half that. Then he said, "Oh, I see we are running a special on these special passes"... Suddenly I was able to buy the pass and all was good.
"Special pass" 🤣
i am suprised how many people have had bad experiences lol, maybe i'm lucky but i've entered through china a few times and also had transit stops there and it's been fine for me so far. only speak basic mandarin that is not that useful for these situations, but google translate makes it easy if someone doesn't speak english.
i even got my friend to come with me on a tourist visa to go to japan and then harbin for the ice and snow festival. in harbin we were the last flight coming in and my friend was entering china for the 1st time on a tourist visa, they were really nice and just wanted to go back home to sleep and just let us through without even bothering about reading the landing info 😭😂 although i can imagine why these things happen, i think the laws and regulations change reguarly and it's true that companies aren't as well updated on them. i think it's something that is getting complained about enough for it to start to improve, at least now there's apparently a big relaxation on the covid entry requirements for tourists now. things like this sound very annoying and i do hope they improve and am hopeful they will.
i do think people shouldn't be really scared of things like this though, rather see it as an annoyance. you're not going to get put in prison or be beat up by any guards for something like this lol, it would be an international incident and most guards/police are quite understanding. if you're polite or even say basic chinese replies with google translate/baidu translate & usually they will be try to help you (make sure you have a VPN(s) before you go to china), it's just going to be a massive annoyance because of lack of proper protocol for these situations with visitors not having the right visa. but not like a "omg i could be detained and send to a makeshift prison" like australia does sometimes with foreigners.
bribes were apparently a big issue before but pretty sure that's been cracked down on a lot as part of the anti-corruption campaign the past 5 years. probably still happens but less likely because people are way more afraid in case they get put in prison for accepting bribes. air china though i think is pretty notorious for being one of the worst chinese airlines.
Don't go to Russia ever! Thos communist's past bloody awful!@@oight
This past week the Chinese Consulate in Tashkent UZ told me that I could get the 144 day transit permit at Shanghai Pudong airport on my way to Seoul provided I had an onward ticket. Nothing was said about registering for it.
Alex Lielbardis The issue is not that you have to register for the transit arrangement, but rather that he failed to register with the local authorities on a previous tourist visa, if I understood this correctly.
@@mark9294 Maybe but surely the consequences of not registrering should be explained to foreigners very clearly?? That's not very fair. No excuses, the last time he left China why didn't the Immigration Officer say you can't come back again? Not very fair to people to come such a long way
@@Oksana7305 And you wouldn't have known you were violating the rules anyhow. Nobody would. Because your accommodations (hotel, host address, etc.) are supposed to do all that registration stuff for you. Which nowadays means they scan your passport during check-in. Most travelers don't give it a second thought. Not sure what went wrong for Josh here.
@@SciFi2285 Yes that makes sense. Most people can't read or speak Chinese. Maybe it was just a bad day for the Immigration officer.
@@mark9294 why this law? Why registration is needed?
Hi Josh, we were in Shanghai last week. When arriving at immigration, the officer wanted our flight itinerary to check we qualified for the 144 hour visa. Only problem was that he didn't speak a word of English - actually one word. The only word he knew was "visa". You can imagine that pantomime that ensued. I hope the return visit goes OK for you.
I am impressed with your excellent self control under such pressures, I do believe that your good situation handling was a key in solving the ordeal.
That's an experienced traveler right there, not freaking out and not letting the authorities take control over his decisions. Even then, dude how did you manage to keep recording!
First Malaysian Airlines, now Air China, soon you will be left with Ryanair only :) :) :)
not neccesary, many korean airline is quite good and gold standard.
@@longlee1100 nut rage incident
Love Ryanair
did you say Malaysia airlines? omg i would never board those flights. EVER!
He should try Lion Air, Indonesians make fun of its name into Lie Is Our Nature because of its annual delay flights
Any more information on this new law? I've entered Beijing before for 72 hours in transit and it was just a case of showing the immigration officer my onward flight ticket. All the information I can find online suggests this is still the case, so how come there aren't hundreds of foreigners finding themselves stuck in Chinese airports?
Because there are. You saying how come theres not is simply you nmot knowling what you're talking about!
Hope you are okay after this ordeal Josh. I had a similar experience recently when I traveled on Tainjin Airlines from London Heathrow to Sapporo Chitose on 28 December. I had a connection in Tianjin with my next flight being in 18 hours. The airline decided to make a stopover in Xian where everyone had to get off and go through immigration before reboarding the flight. My itinerary, flight ticket and boarding pass made absolutely no mention of this stopover (apparently this was a regular scheduled stopover), I had only one boarding pass destined to Tianjin and no idea why I was walking through immigration at Xian. This information was also not given to me in London when I checked-in, they simply said you should be allowed into China in Tianjin. Eventually, my entry into China was denied and when I asked for a reason they said "no reason". I did not violate any immigration laws and was in compliance with the less than 24 hour transit rule. I was escorted by immigration officers and security staff to a hotel close to the airport and was kept under surveillance with two of them in the room at all times, all my luggage and my passport was confiscated. I was confined to a bed and was allowed to use my phone but thanks to Chinese internet it was not really useful in any way. I pleaded to be allowed to stay in the transit area and I even offered to buy a ticket on a difference airline which leaves from Xian towards Sapporo. All my requests were rejected and I was kept at the hotel until the next day when I was escorted to the airport at around noon and forced to board a flight back to London Heathrow. My passport was only given back to me when I got to London. In the end I got to Sapporo 2 days late by booking a new ticket on Thai Airways at double the price (Zero issues in Bangkok). I searched around and discovered this happened to other travelers on China Eastern Airlines as well as some other Chinese Airlines and now with you on Air China. The take home message is if you want to transit through China just don't because there is always a risk of this happening and you won't like the outcome. All Chinese airlines will likely be the same in not knowing how to deal with the situation and they will all make mistakes. Just save your money, time and energy by choosing a transit in a country with normal transit immigration laws.
thank you for sharing
Tianjin Airlines are just a terrible airline
I feel bad on what happened to you. I had the same experience way back in May 2018, Manila-Shanghai-California-Washington DC. I was stock at Shanghai and missed my flight for US. I was so helpless, there was a communication gap, I couldn't understand the situation and I couldn't express too because they could not comprehend.
well at least you did the most important thing in this situation which was to keep calm , stay cool and not start shouting , i have seen too many times when people start to lose it thinking that they can bully people into getting what they want which almost never works and a lot of times just makes things worse
I agree shouting doesn’t get you anywhere.
@@ensaymada11 Especially not in China, where the guards have Assault Rifles and dislike foreigners.
Wow, this was crazy. The takeaway I've got from this video is that I wouldn't want to fly with Air China. Don't want to risk such things happen to me or anyone else. Thanks for the video, and I hope your free now. Happy new year!
Or maybe check visa requirements before you leave
Similar happened to mw with Latam airlines in Brazlil during pandemic confusion.
Not as lucky as you. Had to buy 3 new tickets and scrap vacation
Just another reason to never step foot in China, not even during a layover
@@Utonian21CIA bot
I'm a British citizen living in Canada and I recently flew a round trip to the Philippines with my fiance, the Vancouver to Beijing section and the Beijing to Manila section (and in reverse for the return flights) were done through Air China. We had about a 12hr layover in Beijing both going and returning and I have to say that despite the many differences in culture, lifestyles and procedures in China, we had a relatively good experience. We had a few speed bumps when we were there (i.e. no charging docks on the plane, poor WIFI connection in the airport, OTT security, no access to ANY social apps AT ALL), we managed the whole experiences like champions.
Having said that, the next time we go to The Philippines, we've opted to transfer through somewhere else like Taiwan, Japan or South Korea.
I've done those, and I recommend them & also Hong Kong btw... Mabuhay
exactly, this guy is a jerk.
@asdf China = big and more capitalist north Korea.
but tbh, visiting philippines just asks for problems. Philippines may not be as strict as china but they are kinda poor over there and some regulations are really out of place (for example the ban on abortion) i personally could never visit a poor country like that, i just wouldn't feel safe there
Happened to me in Japan at the beginning of the pandemic, the rules changed overnight to forbid foreigners from coming in but the airline didn't know so they let me and a bunch of other foreigners fly into Japan, the Japanese immigration officers said that the airline were legally and financially responsible for taking us back home, which they did.
I love how you're so positive!! I wish to be more like you.
This is why I check, recheck, check one more time, then check again when traveling internationally. China is very particular about its visitors and you just can’t take anything for granted if you want to visit...
I have lived in China for 16 years. I can honestly say that the police registration system in China is shady at best. I was not even made aware of the registration requirement for the first 3 years in China! When I finally found out the hard way, the information given and the fines I was threatened with also didn't add up. I was told that each city has their own requirements for registration. Late 2018, I needed to register at the Suzhou police station. Since I have done this dozens of times before I knew (or at least thought I knew) the procedure and requirements. Low and behold the police officer registering me gave me conflicting information to my past experiences. When I asked why the registration was different, I was told that different cities, different requirements. With the help of my wife this statement turned out to be total nonsense. The point I am making here is China is can be very complicated, contradictory, and unfortunately in a lot of cases idiotic. I don't completely agree with Josh's complaints and opinions but I definitely understand the frustration of dealing with police/immigration officers that are clueless to the laws and their own job responsibilities. Telling Josh that it is his own responsibility to understand the laws and procedures is a valid point for most countries, when it comes to China most of you do not know what the hell you are talking about.
It's different for Josh. He was trying to obtain an 144-hr transit visa, for which one of the requirement is "not failing to register in the past 2 years." And it's stated on the consulate website in an article published in June 2018.
Agreed I've been living in Suzhou for the last 3 years and had similar experiences. It baffles me the chain of procedure is never clear and the people that should know...don't..
Not only China, try Thailand
First time I went to China I didn't register next time I had to the hotel guided me to the police station
Have a question, if you go to a police station and want to register to your new address, will they ask for the former registration form of residence? Can they check where you were previously registered? Can they see that you haven't registered to another place in a long time and punish you, or will they just don't care or can't see so they will proceed to give you the form for your new residence if you provide them with all the right documentation?
That was awful....I can feel your stress by just listening to your tone and your facial expression tells it all.....I emphatize with you...
Wait until you have an issue getting into the States!!! I was detained, in handcuffs by DHS for....wait for it........an outstanding parking ticket on a previous visit the month prior. I was interviewed by the FBI.....I laughed at them when they explained that I would have to return to the UK. I offered to pay the ticket. they said the time frame for payment had lapsed and it can longer be paid. As a result my Visa was cancelled and I would not be let in as I was viewed as a potential felon and therefor, in breach of immigration laws. I was held for 24 hours without food and one glass of water and only one visit to the toilet, whereby, I was accompanied by three 'Officers' who were reluctant to unlock the handcuffs.
I have had better treatment in Iran and Moscow as a traveler. I speak both of those languages so I as lucky. But America....parking ticket.. never again to be let in... Lucky escape I reckon.
china is worst
So you came here a criminal and expected to be treated differently?
@@mattk8810 it’s an unpaid parking ticket u fucken nonce. Criminal? 😂your tax dollars
@@mattk8810 “criminal” it’s a parking ticket💀💀
@@mattk8810 not paying a parking ticket doesnt make him a criminal. You simpleton.
Hey Josh, know exactly what you are going through with this one. I had an Air China connecting flight through Shanghai and onto Japan. They called me at the gate to say that my bags would not be on the plane before the check in counter people physically pushed me down the airbridge and on to the plane. I couldn't believe it! Must say though that the Air China crew based in Fukoaka were angels and managed to sort out the issue and fly my bags over the next day - seems like an airline with plenty of problems though!
This is true on so many levels. The incompetency of Chinese state-owned airlines (including but definitely not limited to Air China) and immigration is nothing new; nor is how they roll out a new regulation and chaos ensues because nobody is sure what to do. Living in China I see this happen regularly. Glad you made it out safely.
I flew Air China from DC to Ho Chi Minh City, transiting in Beijing. It was the worst experience in all of my travels, except for the return flight a week later. They are ridiculously inefficient. No one is helpful. You have to go through three or four lines where they check and double check and triple check everything.
I know exactly how that feels like, when I landed there for a 12-hour layover they were very unhelpful no one knew anything neither spoke English which blows my mind being this is an airport which receives international flights.
Does anybody speak Arabic in US airport
@@willieho3056 Is Arabic the world language? You fish. Which is the international lingua franca today?
Do you speak every language? Do you speak Chinese? Do you speak German? Do you speak arabic? And what about Spanish? And Japanese?
Which language do Arabs speak when they go to China?
@@willieho3056 Alsoooooo.... which language do pilots from different countries use to talk to other pilots and to talk to air traffic control? You think they use arabic or Chinese? Don't be an idiot
If you put a $100US bill on the counter to the decision-maker, you most likely would have had no more issues. I found your video searching for business class seats on Air China but am now booking with Emirates. Thanks for saving a possible terrible headache.
16:50. When I touch Korean soil, I’ll be a free person again. This tells me something about Air China and keeping you hostage 😁 Very much respect for you for making such a great video while you are stuck at the airport for so many hours! You made the best out of the worst
Feeling so sorry for Josh..who was so calm and suffered under air China's new law...best of luck Josh bro!
Dude, you have a lot of patients to deal with these situations. Glad everything worked out well
Patience***
Man you handled this like a pro. I would have had no freaking idea how to handle this.
China is a commie dictatorship and the rules are quite strict. Josh should have known that.
That's 2 more cookies than what Tom Hanks had in Castaway
Its THE TERMINAL.. not cast away
In Appolo 13
@@danialwrx yeah. But I think that conveyed the message as most have seen both the movies.
I like the way how calm you are in all your video's. Fighting for your rights (and for passengers in general), for safety and good service. But always in a friendly way. Kind but clear.
I had the same problem with Air China in 2016 just that the situation is slightly different but they all said Air China is supposed to let the passenger know before boarding. So I would agree with you that it was Air China's fault for letting you board the plane when the rules had changed over night.
Question - why would Air China be aware that this passenger had previously violated the regulation of registering their addresses for temporary residence in China with the PSB thus rendering them ineligible to the 144 Visa Free transit? Airlines currently don't have such access to the PSB system, and at the moment the system is reliant on the passenger to ensure they meet *ALL* the regulations. If there was a system such as the ETAC for Australia, then sure, Air China shouldn't let him board.
@@hjt2236 Just ask the passenger before they board simple no?
It is better to come to Taiwan. China is a communist dictatorship with strict laws.
@@NxtnTrouble is, Josh may not have even realized that this was an offence that would later land him in hot water.
I need your level of calmness in my life jesus christ after everything you are still calm.
whenever i fly to japan from LA, i always see the cheapest fares from Air China or China Eastern and I always gladly pay an extra $200 or $300 to fly another airline. for those saying it's not Air China's fault, they should have let him on the flight in the first place. They should have checked his visa before allowing him on the flight as is done for most airlines.
I’m sorry for the terrible situation you had to experience😱
As a flight attendant, I (and many of my friends) avoided having to fly to China for about three decades. Eventually, I wanted to give it a try twice, and that was more than enough for me😅
Some of my flying partners were denied entering the country for a few different reasons as well (I’m with a US air carrier).
Any airline in the world brings you from A to B and nothing else.
Kudos to your positivity and optimistic approach brother...
That smile surely made everything better💓
Keep it up!
I’m studying in China and I had the worst experience last year while I was traveling by air China. I got stuck at Thai airport just like you. I missed my transit flight because Air China flight was delayed from Beijing. They asked me to pay the fare from Thailand to my country even if it was their fault.
That's horrible. That happened to me with China Eastern Airlines. The airplane was 2.5 hours late when my transit flight was supposed to be 3 hours after touch down. China Eastern Airlines did take full responsibility and paid for a rescheduled flight the next day. That's what airlines should do but it seems Air China just doesn't.
I had something similar happen 18 years ago, but it was at a train station, and not an airport. I was living in Austria, had spent a week in Italy, then took a fairy over to Greece. After being scammed in Athens, I decided to get out of the city, and got food poisioning on the train. At this point, I did not want to take the fairy back to Italy (being on a boat with food poisioning is not fun), so I looked at other modes of transit. Well, I knew my Eurail pass did not work in Eastern Europe, but hey, there is a train line, and the cost from Thesolinika to Vienna was only $20USD, with a transfer in Belgrad.
This is when I learned that when traveling, it helps to understand Geography and World News.
Belgrad was in Yougoslovia. Yougoslovia was in the middle of a civil war. Apparently the US dropped a bomb on Belgrad while I was in Italy (so I was told). But it gets worse - to get to Yougoslovia, you have to go through Macedonia, which was also at war.
They had no issues selling me a ticket, or letting me on the train. The person in the sleeping car asked for my passport and if I "tipped" him, he would take care of any issues during the night. Didn't think anything about it - once again, I was completely oblivious to what was going on in the world.
So, the cabin guy bribed the border patrol in Macedonia. I had no clue, I was asleep. However, just a few days before I came, they closed the border off in Yougoslovia completely, and they refused to take the bribe. Once again, I had no clue this was going on, until I find myself being awoken in the middle of the night with a machine gun muzzle in my face.
Now I have a problem. I am denied entry into Yougoslovia, even for transit. The map I had said I was in Croatia - it was during the transition, so i had no clue. The train leaves, and I am at a border checkpoint. No heat, no glass on windows, no doors, no running water. Remember, I have food posioning. No return ticket. When the ticket office opens up the next morning, no electricity, so I cannot use my card. I do not have the local currency to pay for a ticket. The police throw me on the train, just to be thrown off in Macedonia, once again, also at war, because I don't have a ticket. The conductor would have accepted a bribe if I had dollars or Deutsche Marks on me, but I only had drakma, Lire, and Schillings. A taxi driver in Macedonia finds me, gets me to a bank where I can withdraw cash, and charges me $100 USD to drive me 2 hours to Greece. I still have food poisioning.
I then find a "cheap" flight (considering it was last minute) from Thesolinika to Munich. Thank you, Lufthansia. It was about $350 (this was in spring of 2001), but it wasn't bad considering I bought the ticket 2 hours before the flight. I was never so happy to see Germany as I was when I landed. Took the train from the airport all the way to Salzburg, then I got home and slept for days. I have been to Slovenia and Croatia after they joined the EU, but I have never been back to Greece
Awesome story
WHAT A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE ❗❗❗
IT PAYS TO BE ALERT AND TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING TO COUNTRIES YOU ARE VISITING ESPECIALLY THEY ARE FACING A WAR ❗❗❗
BE SMART AND GET THE HELL OUT ❗❗❗❗
This is the craziest travel story I've ever heard
God bless you that you survived the food poisoning and got home safe
How did you get scammed in greece
I love how the Chinese commentators like to blame the victim and strain to ignore the fact the people are not informed of legal changes by the government.
Note to everyone, if you stay in a hotel they register you. So nothing you have to do.
Can not share your faults about Air China. Always had very good experiences. I did however have a similar situation in Russia - where I was stuck for 12 hours because my flight got cancelled and Visa expired. All night crazy odyseey to get a new visa. Btw. Its I'm stuck not I stuck ;-)
Lol, at least the 't' is there.
That's correct. If you are going to be staying at a hotel, you don't have to worry about the registration requirement. The hotel will do the registration for you. It is their responsibility, not yours. Now, if you are going to be staying at a friend's house, then it's different. It is then going to be YOUR responsibility to go and register and let the Chinese authorities know where you are staying. This is not a new law. It has been this way for a while, although not a lot of foreigners know about it. Failure to comply with this requirement will most likely result in your being denied entry into China in the future. The poster was denied entry because he violated this law in Jan. 2018.
russia, china...go figure, with places like that. Can you imagine this nonsense in the EU or Japan? Never.
@@jamesw.823 Yes, the law has been in place for at least 16 years that I know of, and probably quite a good amount of years before that.
*Man it looks like those kind of disaster always happen to you* 😅 I feel sorry but I'm glad that everything worked out in the end.
Forgive an olde woman for saying this, but you are so good-looking, it breaks my heart. Because you look identical to my late/deceased German fiance. He died in 1984. I am so happy to see there are other people, like you, who look so handsome. I'm happily married to a handsome Alsatian (French/German/Dutch and Scottish ancestry.) I'll be 70 November 12th. Your smile is a dream. Your travels are enjoyable. God go with you. You fly, and so does time.
As a Chinese person, my advice is staying away from transit through Beijing. Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong are the way to go.
guangzhou is just as bad
Or chengdu
@@RadioNul dont come my city foreigner. Please
As a Chinese, I actually quite understand you. I will be even more angry to the airline and the government if I were you.
It’s all about miscommunication, I think.
I’m living in Beijing and they cannot converse in any language besides Chinese. They can’t tell you what actually happened.
Impressive how they managed to fuck up so badly, even more impressive that you managed to stay so calm and relaxed trough out this whole thing.
I was being treated rudely by a customs officer when I was entering US from LAX. He was super impolite, arrogant without any respect since the very beginning for no reason.
I talked to him with good manner the whole time, the first thing I said to him when I approach the desk was “How are you.” But the first thing he said to me was “DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?” I said yes but he kept asking me the same question “DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH??!”
I was confused, then he threaten me that “Do you know I can send you back? DO YOU KNOW??!” And asked me to read the whole document, even the “signature____ Date____”. I read it, but he kept saying “KEEP READING!!” to me, louder and louder.
At this time I realized that I didn’t sign on my i20 document, which was never an issue before. He had no right to treat me like I’m not a human being.
Btw, the officer was Korean. I could tell from his face and his last name.
Yeah same here so much racism in the United states
@@anguianoalan100 Don't go to the US, stay in home countries/
@@kapoorh The U.S is actually full of great people, but our airports aren't the best
I'm American. Recently was returning from India and honestly.. even i was treated like shit by my own ppl lol
Last time in a VISA office in India a USA japanese officer just REJECTED my VISA without any reason.
I guess YOU should also blame your embassy, for being so cold.
You are so cool, Iam referring to the way that you handle stressful situations, you should be therapist.
Most of us who regularly traveled internationally routes have endured tiresome and dehumanizing situations in airports, and onboard aircraft. I can't single out one airline over another, but there are airports (Bejing and Frankfurt) and countries (China and Germany) that I have learned to avoid at all costs.
Germany??? Wow... I am shocked...
May I asked what happened?
I think for anyone going to china for a visit or transit should just get the regular 10 year visa assuming you are from a country that allows you to get that particular tourist visa. If not I don't know if the hassle of getting a regular visa or transit visa is worth the cost savings of transiting through china. For example many people at the visa center in BKK were getting a visa just for transit, i don't really understand that one. Just fly a different airline the prices going back to the americas from south east Asia are very rarely cheaper on Chinese carriers now. I did the visa free transit a year before i got my actual visa, and for the exception of PEK and PVG they didn't let you out in the regular terminal area that may or may not be different now. So at least in my case no food or lounge access. Things change at a rapid pace in china. Some cities even have up to a 144 hour visa free transit where you can go explore the city. Ive heard foreigners having problems staying at really local style accommodation that do not see many foreigners. The hotels may or may not know how to register you at the police department without the actual visa in your passport. At the time of writing this i am in PVG transitting onto an Air Canada flight. Because i had to change terminals i just entered China like anyone else. Very easy. Not so easy for people that don't have visas. My seat mate did not have one. Wondering how his experience is going right about now. Also in any country like Vietnam, Lao, Thailand, Malaysia, HK. For like 150 CAD you can get a rushed Chinese 10 year visa, you can do it yourself. There are websites online that explain a step by step process for each visa processing center in those countries. Just book all refundable tickets and hotel reservations. And get one if you are in one of those countries even if you are not planning to go to china in the near future. I got my 10 year visa in 23 hours in Bangkok. Plus China is a very beautiful country and the easiest to travel in Asia. Once you figure out how to use the high speed trains and apps like didi.
13:44 sitting in front of a glass wall with ‘144hr visa free travel’ decals lol
Clearly didn't watch the fucking video moron
mikevismyelement r/wooosh
Love you Josh. Gonna be honest i love your videos and your accent is amazing
I don't know how you were so calm after all this trouble. You are great in handling situations!!!
Sama experience here! We were in Mongolia and heading to China for transit but we were denied for entry in China because our transit was too long. because of the language barrier, we were forced to pay 900USD for a flight with shorter transit time. Not really hating on the airport nor the government for the law but I should've been more aware next time.
Same*
Kenji Dris WTF? It is always your responsibility to check immigration. Not just for China but everywhere else! It will be the same even worse. You will get arrested for transit too long in US
You are lucky it's just 900USD instead of one night in some detaining room
I honestly think you're awesome that you can still remain sort of calm & chill!! If I were in such a situation, I would've gone so mad like a bitch lol
tsk tsk 😕 at least they are kind enough to give you food. i hope this wont give a negative impact for travelers . you handled it professionally with out any aggressions. thanks for sharing and its a mind opening for the viewers ( my take is avoiding is not the second opinion but it's the First," ) have a safe journey and thanks ✌👍
I love how calm you stay even when you're fuming inside!
AND they sat you in the last row where the seats don't recline 😭
They saw you in your situation and thought "HE NEEDS SOME MILK!"
It is not milk milk it is milk product like cola in the supermarkets.
Given English is the language of aviation internationally, that they couldn't find someone who spoke English to help is disgraceful - especially when you consider every pilot at that airline has to be able to speak English to an internationally agreed standard that China is a signatory to.
Tbh, this entire situation kind of reeks of that Chinese supremacist attitude that some Chinese folks in positions of authority have, like because you're other-than-Chinese, they can treat you however they like. It's a shame - I worked for many years for National Express in the UK and my Chinese passengers were amongst the nicest and politest people I served regularly. Never gave me any problems and always behaved impeccably - which is more than I can say from folks from some European countries, the US and Australia. Makes you wonder about the circumstances at home that make the country so inhospitable - though when you consider the human rights abuses, maybe not so much.
Thank goodness for the few decent folks here, like the ones who gave you food. At least there was a good heart or two somewhere in this story.
If you are Chinese, the customs officers will be even more hostile.
I must applaud you. The first German I’ve seen who can keep his calm like that knowing he has done anything wrong, knows his rights bravo👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽or maybe it’s coz you’ve lived around the world and you are diluted a bit. Coz you’re first 👏🏽
I salute you for being so calm dude - that is China for you as always -be safe!
Omg, haven't you complained to some place in germany for the poor work of the embassy? I think it's a no go, it's their job to help people in your situation. Do you had any troubles when flying via Beijing again?
can you tell me a bit how exactly you did not register before that led to this? I was not registered for maybe 3 nights on my last transit entry, now I don't know if I could even reenter ..
t1mmoe if you stay at a hotel, they automatically register you when you check in.
@@samanthas1168 i know, but i didnt stay at a hotel
I had a similar experience. I was trapped in the airport, this is embarrassing to admit but I started screaming "Help!" after 3 hours and immediately immigration rushed over and resolved it. I thought I was going to get arrested. It's such a huge lapse in communication in China. I felt guilty for acting like a privileged American but honestly I was so scared not knowing how to get out when no one was helping.
Did it happened recently? I thought With the COVID situation the airport is less crowded. I came in China last year and every step there were somebody guide us.
Anyway Dealing with this situation you need to act tough and being a foreigner generally helps the authorities are more friendly towards foreigners.
@@underhorse5367 No, my experience was a few years ago. While they were very rude at the airport, once I was out literally everyone else was super friendly. I'm going to write it off as just a lapse in communication but they could have been nicer. I was stuck in a hallway with security on each end that wouldn't open the doors. lol Also I was pretty direct and firm, but that wasn't helpful until I pretended to lose my mind. haha
you should do prior research of the country you're travelling...
He used to live there. I consider that having done research
@@tryingmybest206 laws change all the time as he explained in the video. Living there previously means jack diddly
Avoid Air China, avoid all Chinese airlines, and avoid all the trip to china. I live in Hong Kong and I may say the rules in China are always stupid, and the people there are always rude and not polite. it is common to see a taxi driver is very very ANGRY just because he needs to wait ONLY 1 minute due to the traffic jam.
man to kwok avoid HongKong too, is a shitty place, because is part of China.
please be careful, someone from China is very angry now
HWANG KWANG
@@larvaem7251 how?
Lol I went to China in September and flew back Jan 9th and it was a very quick and normal standard procedure
Wow I don't understand at all how you managed to keep smiling throughout all that total horror in China. You are extremely resourceful - a thousand times more resourceful than I would have been. Accept please my congratulations as to how you handled this dreadful situation.
I love the big blue 144 hour visa-free transit sign... just to rub it in LOL
i also wondered why they post it there..for what?
omg poor josh... try getting explanation as well as compensation fm air china & travel insurance
What law did exactly change? I;m going to fly there soon also with the plan of the Visa-Free Transit
he failed to register with the local police on a previous visit to china, that's why he was denied entry. However if you are staying at a hotel they will do it for you, so you don't need to worry about it.
@@anguscovoflyer95 It is a very serious offence for foreigners coming to China, living outside hotels and do not get registered. He will be blacklisted for years.
thats so crazy... when i flew to Sydney from Germany, i flew over shanghai for transit, and had a 16 hours stay (yes...), they just opened a little door for employees for me and let me visit the country... without any visa or anything.
Just to understand correctly: during your last trip to China you used the transit visa and you didn’t stay in a hotel and therefore you didn’t where registered at the police? Or did you stay in a hotel and they/you forgot to register? I was in China too but never registered to the police too. Hope the hotel did (?)
Hotels in China are by law obligated to automatically register you. Otherwise if you have confirmation of stay and they didn't register you. They can be shut down.
And hotels who can't register you (lack the system) refuse your stay.
He obviously frolicked somewhere
@@TangSuijin why the registration?
@@beyondthestars4299 you always need to update where you are with police. move to a new apartment? update with police? travel? update as well. bit of a nuisance. but it is a decent law. lowers crime since you can't do stupid things somewhere without being known
@@TangSuijin but this applies only to foreign/tourists?
@@beyondthestars4299 chinese people also register. for them it's easier with the ID in hotels since every hotel has the ID scanner. passports have to be manually done, so a lot of hotels don't wanna do that paperwork.
for foreigners. the application of the same rule is stricter.
In all honesty as a foreign student here in China, I've had no problems with getting in an out the country on Air China or any other airline.
Wait until you deal with work permits, residency permits, domicile registration, and the other bits.
If you are in China, how do you have access to RUclips?
@@DGoldy303 VPN. many people in China use that.
@@feitang584 Is that even legal?
@@DGoldy303 if vpn is illegal how international trade be made in China
Chinese government: imma change the law and not tell anyone
Why should a country immigration tell anyone when they change the law, it will be on the immi website, everyone has the responsibility to check, when go travelling.
@@daisyliem9640 lol they should check it before boarding,such a fool
As a Chinese living in a Chinese city whose main business is foreign trade, I am honored to know this law that foreigners must register with the local police station within 24 hours after entering the country. This is not a new law, it has been around since at least 2014. In fact, if you come to China for work or tourism, your employer or travel agency should inform you of this law, or they should inform you and assist with registration when you check into a hotel in China on your first day.
This law is very remote. Few Chinese people know about it, and airlines may not know about it either. Even if the airlines knew, they would have no way of knowing from any system that you didn't check in during your previous trip to China.
It's a pity that I didn't see this video of yours until today, otherwise I could help you file a claim with the travel agency or hotel that last hosted you in 2019.
Your cool attitude is an inspiration bro !!!
It's always nice to check out the policies of the destination country. When I was gonna travel to Belgrade from Salzburg, Austria, I also had issues with the Austrian police at the airport for not checking their entry requirements at that time since they had just changed it 3 days ago and at that time I was already in Vienna coming from Mallorca.
The difference is, Austrian Border Control did not treat you like a criminal, what the Chinese Border Control did to Josh.
Awesome video !
I like the fact that you kept smiling in the middle of storm :)
How could you remain so calm in this kind of situation man, hats off to you..