What are the rules for China's visa-free transit programs?
Assuming one wants to travel through China, what are the rules for visa-free access? To be more specific:
- How does the 24-hour visa free transit work?
- How does the 72-hour version work?
- What does a person ineligible for either of these programs have to do to transit China?
- Do the programs apply to flights only or do they also work for transit on land?
- Would a visitor save much hassle by using visa free transit instead of just getting a visa?
NB: this is intended as a canonical question on transiting China
Best Answer
I'm flying from Malaysia to Kazakhstan via Guangzhou and Urumqi in a couple of days. After emailing and calling China Southern, the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the Chinese consulate in Kota Kinabalu, I still don't have a definitive answer as to whether a visa is required or not. All of them said to get a transit visa "just to be safe", which I've done now.
I interpreted Timatic the same way Coke did, but didn't want to take any risks. I do believe "If Urumqi is the first transit point" are Coke's words, because that doesn't seem to be explicit on Timatic. I'll update my post after the flights, if I learn anything more than stated already.
Edit: It turns out China Southern has a transfer lounge at Urumqi. When we arrived at 13h30, there even was a free lunch buffet. They seem to want to keep you here until 2 hours before the flight out of Urumqi. I assume this is to meet the 2 hour Transit Without Visa rule for Urumqi. In other words, I believe that a visa isn't needed, as long as you apply for the TWOV at your first airport in China.
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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.Who can enter China visa-free?
A citizen of Singapore, Brunei or Japan with an ordinary passport is exempted from a visa if he or she visits China's mainland for tourism, business, or meeting with friends or relatives, and if he or she enters China through ports open to foreigners, and stays for no more than 15 days.How do I get a transit visa for China?
Chinese Transit (G) Visa A Chinese transit visa is valid for 7 days. To apply you would send your passport, a passport photo, visa application and a copy of your itinerary indicating the dates of transit through China. A Chinese tourist visa is typically issued for 6 months validity with a stay of 30 days.How long can you stay in China without a visa?
The government of the People's Republic of China allows holders of ordinary passports issued by some countries to travel to Mainland China for tourism or business purposes for up to 15, 30, 60 or 90 days without having to obtain a visa.10 Things You're NOT Allowed To Do In China
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