How long do I have to wait before being able to go back to Shenzhen again with another Special Economic Zone visa? And how often can I do so?

How long do I have to wait before being able to go back to Shenzhen again with another Special Economic Zone visa? And how often can I do so? - Young dwarf woman doing her makeup before mirror

Citizens from most countries may obtain an entry visa (Special Economic Zone visa) when traveling to and staying solely in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. The Special Economic Zone visa for Shenzhen a.k.a. Shenzhen 5-Day Visa on Arrival is valid for 5 days (the duration of stay starts from the next day of arrival).

If I enter Shenzhen from Hong Kong by train with a Special Economic Zone visa, then go back to Hong Kong, how long do I have to wait before being able to go back to Shenzhen again with another Special Economic Zone visa? And how often can I do so?


I am a French citizen. According to https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/guangdong/shenzhen/visa-on-arrival.htm (mirror), "As of July 2017, French and US citizens qualify for the five-day VOA" (VOA=visa on arrival).


I have crossposted the question at:



Best Answer

From what I have read and been told so far, same day re-entry is fine, but I'm getting conflicting information regarding how often one can obtain the Shenzhen 5-Day Visa on Arrival.

When I asked a Chinese immigration officer while doing the Shenzhen 5-Day Visa on Arrival in December 2018, I was told "you can obtain the visa no more than 3 times per month" and, once I repeated the question to confirm the information, the second answer I got the same officer was slightly different: "less than 3 times per month". So it was unclear whether 3 times would be ok.

Furthermore, someone on reddit reports having lived over 3 months on 5 days SZ visas:

You can come back same day if you want, I lived over 3 months on 5 days SZ visas, have over 20 of them in my old passport. Crossing the border at Luohu and immediately returning back applying for a new 5 day visa. Never had a problem.

In summary, same day re-entry is fine and twice a month is fine, but I'm not sure yet whether one can enter more than twice a month. The visa currently costs 168 RMBs for French citizens (the price depends on the visa applicant's citizenship; 168 RMBs is the most common price).




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How can I stay more than 90 days in Europe?

Ways To Stay In Europe For More Than 90 Days
  • Split Up Schengen and Non-Schengen Countries.
  • Working Holiday Visa.
  • Become a Student at a European University.
  • Long Term Tourist Visa.
  • Language Assistant Program.
  • Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Jobs.
  • Self Employment or Freelance Visa.
  • European Passport.


  • Can I apply for another Schengen Visa before it expires?

    A visa can be extended if you have stayed less than 90 days in the Schengen Area over the last 180-day period and if you have not exceeded the validity period of your visa. The conditions for granting an extension of a Schengen Visa are very strict and your reason for applying must be serious and unforeseeable.

    Can I have 2 Schengen visas at the same time?

    In theory, it is not possible for a person to hold two valid short stay visas covering the same period. I have a valid Schengen visa but it does not cover my next intended stay, what can I do? In this case, it is possible to file a visa application for another Schengen visa to cover the next intended stay entirely.

    Can you enter China right now?

    Yes. China currently allows foreign nationals with valid residence permits and visas to enter the country under certain very limited conditions.



    Understanding Special Economic Zones (SEZ)




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