Can You Get Into China?

[Randy W]

from China Highlights

How to Transit Through China for 144 Hours Without a Visa

Written by CindyUpdated Aug. 4, 2022

What Regions and Ports Are Visa-Free?

Passengers 144-hour transit must be confined to one of three regions. They must stay within their Permitted Area of Stay. However there is a choice of entry/exit ports within each region :

• Region 1: Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province
• Region 2: Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province
• Region 3: Liaoning Province
  

144-Hour Transit in 5 Steps

1) Inform your carrier of your intent to use 144-hour TWOV, and acquire your onward ticket before travel.

2) Fill in arrival and departure cards (available on flights).

3) At the dedicated counter for 144-hour visa-free transit at your arrival port, provide the immigration officer with your documents.

4) Claim your luggage, go through customs, and exit the airport, as you would with a visa.

5) Leave from a designated port as normal before midnight on the sixth full day, handing in your completed departure card at immigration.

[Randy W]

Tanner Boyette - The first inbound guest of China Highlights since the epidemic landed in Beijing today! 👏👏👏 He (US passport holder) traveled from Manila - Beijing - New York, and entered with #144hrs transit visa. 

Today he visited the Forbidden City and he will hike to the Great Wall tomorrow! What a time-smart plan to cover two must-see sites within 28hrs’ duration! 
Please contact us (Cecilia: +86 152 95870193) if you want to do this too! 

We’d like to share his actual experience with all you guys!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/going2china/posts/5814495002012156/

 

 

[Randy W]

China’s embassy in US to step up visa processing as applications – and frustration – rise

• Number of appointment slots and office hours to be extended
• Holders of visas issued before March 2020 will need to reapply to visit

from the SCMP

US holders of Chinese visas issued before March 2020 will need to reapply to enter China. Photo: Reuters
 

Quote

 

The Chinese embassy in the United States plans to issue more visas as demand, particularly among Chinese overseas and business travellers, rises following the reopening of China’s borders two months ago.

The decision was made “to better meet the demand for visa applications in the current situation and further optimise the service”, the embassy said in a statement late on Friday.

The number of visa application appointment slots would be expanded and office opening hours would be extended “as necessary”, it said.

 

The Spokesperson’s Remarks on the Current Visa Policy

If holders of the multi-year multi-entry visas issued before March 26, 2020 need to travel to China at the current stage, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in the US will issue new visas to them according to the individual needs. The specific arrangements are as follows:

1. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General can issue free of charge a new 2-entry, 6-month valid visa to the applicants who hold a multi-year multi-entry visa issued before March 26, 2020 during the use suspension. (Visas for tourism and medical treatment in China excluded).

2. After the resumption of the normal use of visas issued before March 26, 2020, in case they have expired, the Embassy and Consulates General can issue free of charge to the visa holders a new multi-entry visa valid roughly equivalent with the suspension period.

If a visa issued before March 26, 2020 remains valid after the normal use resumed, then after its expiration date, the Embassy and Consulate General will issue a new multi-entry visa valid roughly equivalent with the suspension period. The detailed guidance will be announced in due course.

[Randy W]

关于进一步调整外国人来华签证及入境政策的通知

Quote

 

关于进一步调整外国人来华签证及入境政策的通知
2023/03/13 14:00
为进一步便利中外人员往来，决定自北京时间2023年3月15日零时起，就外国人来华签证及入境政策作如下调整：

一、恢复2020年3月28日前签发且仍在有效期内的签证入境功能。

二、驻外签证机关恢复审发外国人各类赴华签证，具体要求详见办证须知。

三、口岸签证机关恢复审发符合法定事由的各类口岸签证。

四、恢复海南入境免签、上海邮轮免签，港澳地区外国人组团入境广东免签、东盟旅游团入境广西桂林免签政策。

 

Google Translate:

Notice on Further Adjusting the Visa and Entry Policies for Foreigners in China
2023/03/13 14:00
In order to further facilitate the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel, it is decided to make the following adjustments to the visa and entry policies for foreigners coming to China from 00:00 on March 15, 2023, Beijing time:

1. The entry function of visas issued before March 28, 2020 and still within the validity period will be resumed.

2. The visa agencies stationed abroad resume the review and issuance of various types of visas for foreigners to go to China. For specific requirements, please refer to the Instructions for Applying for a Visa.

3. Port visa agencies resume reviewing and issuing various port visas that meet statutory reasons.

4. Reinstate the policies of visa-free entry into Hainan, visa-free cruise ships in Shanghai, visa-free entry for foreigners from Hong Kong and Macau in groups entering Guangdong, and visa-free entry for ASEAN tour groups in Guilin, Guangxi.

 

[Martin B]

2 hours ago, Randy W said:

关于进一步调整外国人来华签证及入境政策的通知

Google Translate:

Notice on Further Adjusting the Visa and Entry Policies for Foreigners in China
2023/03/13 14:00
In order to further facilitate the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel, it is decided to make the following adjustments to the visa and entry policies for foreigners coming to China from 00:00 on March 15, 2023, Beijing time:

1. The entry function of visas issued before March 28, 2020 and still within the validity period will be resumed.

2. The visa agencies stationed abroad resume the review and issuance of various types of visas for foreigners to go to China. For specific requirements, please refer to the Instructions for Applying for a Visa.

3. Port visa agencies resume reviewing and issuing various port visas that meet statutory reasons.

4. Reinstate the policies of visa-free entry into Hainan, visa-free cruise ships in Shanghai, visa-free entry for foreigners from Hong Kong and Macau in groups entering Guangdong, and visa-free entry for ASEAN tour groups in Guilin, Guangxi.

 

The end of an era...

Thankfully we didn't waste the time/money to try to get a Q2 visa, and I can now use my tourist visa from 2019!!

Unfortunately flight prices are still pretty outrageous 🥵

[Randy W]

This Weixin post shows the notices posted on the Chinese embassy web site in several different countries (all in Chinese), including USA, Thailand, UAE, France, . . . I have yet to see any of them posted in English, except in a notice posted at a consulate (someone posted a picture of it that I can't find right now).

Finally!! ALL Types of Visas To China Resumed From Mar. 15

Follow us 👉 NeoTube 2023-03-14 05:59 Posted on 广东

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/poNT4GoECc5tef_6GMtGRQ

 

China will resume the issuance of all types of visas（Including tourist visa） for foreigners starting on March 15, the Chinese embassies of multiple countries notified.

China visas issued before March 28, 2020, are restored to validity（Including 10-year visa）. 

The country will also resume visa-free entry for several places, including Hainan Island and for cruise ships that stop in Shanghai, the embassies said in statement. 

 

 

[Martin B]

Unfortunately prices are still really high and flights are slim pickings.

Our home base airport of Chicago O'Hare used to have Hainan Airline flights to Beijing and Chengdu, a China Eastern Flight to Shanghai, United to both Beijing and Shanghai, Cathay Pacific to HK, EVA to Taipei, and another one or two I'm forgetting.

Chicago is a huge US international megahub and right now their is EXACTLY one flight which is the EVA flight that requires connecting in Taipei, although United is resuming the Beijing/Shanghai flights at the end of this year... still far away.

Capacity is still a tiny fraction of what it was in 2019.

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Barfus (see edit history)

[Randy W]

4 hours ago, Barfus said:

Unfortunately prices are still really high and flights are slim pickings.

Our home base airport of Chicago O'Hare used to have Hainan Airline flights to Beijing and Chengdu, a China Eastern Flight to Shanghai, United to both Beijing and Shanghai, Cathay Pacific to HK, EVA to Taipei, and another one or two I'm forgetting.

Chicago is a huge US international megahub and right now their is EXACTLY one flight which is the EVA flight that requires connecting in Taipei, although United is resuming the Beijing/Shanghai flights at the end of this year... still far away.

Capacity is still a tiny fraction of what it was in 2019.

 

Yes - I'm sure it'll take a while for things to shake out. I'm hearing that prices are actually going UP for now.

 

[Randy W]

Announcements of the visas opening are fast becoming SPAM.

China's visa authorities abroad will resume issuance of all categories of visas to foreigners starting on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
The decision is made to further facilitate cross-border travel, the statement said.

from China Pictorial on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/ChinaPic/posts/pfbid0UMioHqefvmDxcYzVW11QdZm3WA8F7uG8QAq2uL35NVenR2wsQbdQXMNRWEHd9ZiMl

 

[Martin B]

10 hours ago, Randy W said:

Yes - I'm sure it'll take a while for things to shake out. I'm hearing that prices are actually going UP for now.

 

Definitely true based on what we're seeing. My wife's coworker just paid $5k for a summer trip, and this is 3-4 separate tickets on different airlines... Seems like SFO <-> HK is currently the best option if you can swing it and put up with connecting in HK.

[Randy W]

This may be the only actual English-language announcement that they've posted so far -

China to ease visa, entry policies

Foreigners with valid visas issued before March 28, 2020 will be allowed to enter China, as the country is adjusting its visa and entry policies to facilitate travel across the border.

Visa-free policies will be resumed for entry to the southern island province of Hainan and cruise tour groups at Shanghai ports, said the National Immigration Administration.

Visa-free entry to the southern province of Guangdong will be restored for tour groups of foreigners from Hong Kong and Macao, and a similar mechanism will be reinstated for tour groups from ASEAN countries to enter Guilin in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The policies will come into force on Wednesday, according to immigration authorities. 

Edited March 15, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Apparently, after a name change from a visa in an expired passport, you must apply for a new visa, even if the old visa has not yet expired. Proof of name change (e.g., marriage certificate) is not sufficient.This has been reported by several people on Facebook as well.

[ifearyeti]

Entered China via Guangzhou on 29 March with a Q2 visa. LAS to ICN to CAN  one way was 3000 USD. Hardest thing was getting COVID PCR test in USA. They are still advertised, but hardly anyone still does them.

[Randy W]

2 hours ago, ifearyeti said:

Entered China via Guangzhou on 29 March with a Q2 visa. LAS to ICN to CAN  one way was 3000 USD. Hardest thing was getting COVID PCR test in USA. They are still advertised, but hardly anyone still does them.

Many people report that they weren't checked, but that it's still best to have one ready to show.

You're still in China? Was it an old (pre-pandemic) visa, or did you get a new one?

Edited April 15, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)

[ifearyeti]

In China forever. It is a new VISA. All older visas still canceled when I applied.