Traveling from SFO to MNL. Making 2 stops in China. Do I need a visa?
Traveling from SFO to Manila. We're making a technical stop in Wuhan and a layover in Guangzhou. I'll be in China for less than 24 hours. After that I will take a flight from Guangzhou to Manila.
Do I need a travel visa? I called the Chinese embassy, they said no I don't. Different travel agencies say no. My airline says yes.
Do I need one or not?
Best Answer
As stated in Timatic, the database used by check-in staff at airports (to determine whether to let you board the flight):
Visa required, except for holders of confirmed onward air tickets in transit through Guangzhou (CAN) to a third country, for a max. transit time of 24 hours.
Transit incl. multiple stops within China (People's Rep.) is permitted at Guangzhou (CAN) only when the first transit point is Beijing (PEK). The total maximum transit time is 24 hours.
Depending on the country, even a technical stop not involving clearing immigration may count as transit, and Timatic doesn't indicate this not being the case.
The determining question here is: does the technical stop at Wuhan count as a transit point? Timatic doesn't clarify this, unfortunately.
What you need to do is call the airport, ask to speak with a supervisor of the ground handling agent responsible for China Southern and ask this specific question (the flight number is CZ 660).
If the technical stop in Wuhan does count as a transit point, you will need a transit visa: because multiple-stop visa-free transit at Guangzhou is only allowed if the first transit point is Beijing.
If the technical stop in Wuhan does not count as a transit point (in which case get it in writing from the supervisor), you do not need a visa
Once again, it is the ground handling agent responsible for China Southern at SFO that you have to contact, because their interpretation of the info in Timatic is the thing that determines whether you'll get on the flight.
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Can you transit through China without a visa?
Under the 24-hour visa-free transit rule, no visa is required for international flight, ship, or train passengers who transit directly through mainland China and will stay for less than 24 hours. Passengers should hold tickets to a third country or region and have a confirmed seat.Does China allow transit?
24 hour visa-free transitForeign citizens travelling to a third country or region through China by plane, ship or train may stay up to 24 hours in China without a visa. The application for a preliminary entry permit at the Chinese border is a requirement for the visa-free entry.Can I transit through Shanghai?
Travelers of any foreign countries can get 24 visa free transit with connecting (air, ship, train) tickets to a third country (region). It allows travelers to transit in Shanghai without going through any immigration inspections. You can stay inside the airport or leave the airport to visit Shanghai within 24 hours.Can US citizens travel to China?
Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes. China currently allows foreign nationals with valid residence permits and visas to enter the country under certain very limited conditions. The U.S. Embassy has no say in these policies, and these are subject to change at any time.PHILIPPINES TRAVEL UPDATE JULY 2022| ONEHEALTHPASS CHANGES AND NEW INFO TO BE PROVIDED BY PASSENGERS
More answers regarding traveling from SFO to MNL. Making 2 stops in China. Do I need a visa?
Answer 2
You don't need a visa, if you are less than 24 hours in China from first scheduled arrival time to scheduled departure time. Source
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Images: Tim Durgan, John Lee, John Lee, John Lee