Are you leaving the UAE and traveling through China to another country? Or perhaps you’ve been wanting to go to China but have put off applying for a visa? Then, you should be aware that, in some cases, you can transit there for 144 hours without a visa.
The National Immigration Administration of China states that in order to enter China, you must instead obtain a “temporary entry permission” by doing the following two things:
1. Check your eligibility.
2. Obtain the ‘temporary entry permit’ at your port of transit
In order to provide transit convenience for international travellers, China introduced the 144-Hour Transit Visa Exemption policy in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang Province of the Yangtze River Delta in 2016. Since then, more cities have joined in, including Beijing, Xian, Tianjin, Chengdu, Xiamen, Kunming, Guangzhou, and so on. According to this policy, travellers from the designated 53 countries who have valid travel documents and round-trip airline tickets to a third country or region are permitted to enter China through particular ports and remain in specific locations for up to 144 hours (6 days) without a Chinese visa.
– For 72-hour visa-free transit, you should be transiting via these cities:
• Guangzhou
• Chengdu
• Chongqing
• Guilin
• Xi An
• Kunming
• Qingdao
• Xiamen
• Wuhan
• Haerbin
• Changsha
– For 24-hour visa-free transit, there are no requirements on your nationality or where you land in China.
However, again, you should consult the border inspection authority at the city where you land, to confirm your visa exemption status before you travel there.
It’s vital to remember that not all ports of transit are allowed under the visa-free regime, even inside certain cities. For instance, it is allowed at Qinhuangdao Sea Port but not at Qinhuangdao Beidaihe Airport in the city of Qinhuangdao. According to the website of the Chinese consulate in the United Arab Emirates, you must check with the border inspection authorities in the city where you land to see whether you will need a visa to enter your port of transit before you go.
You can phone the National Immigration Administration of China’s 24-hour hotline to be connected with the regional border inspection authority: +86 010 12367
How Can I Apply for a China Transit Visa for 144 Hours?
It is significantly simpler and quicker to apply for visa-free passage at an airport, seaport, or railway port than it is at a Chinese Embassy or Consulate abroad. Once accepted, a stay permit rather than an entire stick on a visa page will be stamped in your passport.
a. Personal foreign travel documents that are valid for at least 3 months after the date of the entrance are required.
b. An onward ticket (flight, train, or cruise) with a confirmed seat and date within 144 hours of arrival to a third nation (region);
c. A completed Arrival Card for Foreigners with Temporary Entry;
d. A valid visa for the third nation or area (if requires).
Application Process:
There are typically 6 stages to complete in order to apply for the 144-Hour Transit Visa-exemption. Since November 2018, Shanghai has established a quick and simple online application process. Let’s look at what you should do to claim the waiver for transit visas.
Option One (Most Popular Method):
A. When boarding, let the airline know that you plan to apply for the 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit. They will let the immigration office know what you require.
A. At the customs area, follow the signs to the immigration department’s special counter or channel for people seeking 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit.
D. If you are granted permission, the officer will stamp a stay permit in your passport, which will include the date of issuance and the length of time you are allowed to stay.
