China TWOV questions

[earlyriser]

Hi, I am struggling to find an answer to this. What is considered a through airfare for the 72-hour visa?

Can one go from SYD to PEK (stay 72 hours) to KUL? Or does one have to go onwards and not back in the direction of SYD?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Steady]

Hi, I am struggling to find an answer to this. What is considered a through airfare for the 72-hour visa?

Can one go from SYD to PEK (stay 72 hours) to KUL? Or does one have to go onwards and not back in the direction of SYD?

Thanks in advance.

My understanding is if your SYD-PEK is direct, and your PEK-KUL is as well, you are ok. (as would SYDxSIN-PEK PEKxHKG-KUL etc)

What you cannot do is SYDxHKG-PEK and then PEKxHKG-KUL.
The last departure point (or stopover on indirect flights) must be different than the first arrival (or stopover)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi, I am struggling to find an answer to this. What is considered a through airfare for the 72-hour visa?

Can one go from SYD to PEK (stay 72 hours) to KUL? Or does one have to go onwards and not back in the direction of SYD?

Thanks in advance.

There is no requirement for a 'through airfare'... it is simply onward travel to a third country. As steady says, this must be non-stop inbound and outbound from China to the third country. Your onward travel can be separate tickets, separate airlines.

SYD-PEK-AKL, SIN-PEK-KUL and MFM-PEK-HKG are all valid examples under TWOV.

 

[Steady]

PEK is supposed to be increased to a 144h visa free transit by the end of 2017 - I have booked flights and accommodation for Sep assuming this will happen

 

[MEL_Traveller]

PEK is supposed to be increased to a 144h visa free transit by the end of 2017 - I have booked flights and accommodation for Sep assuming this will happen

rumour has it CAN will as well... but when, or not, is the question. PEK announced it back in July... but nothing yet

 

[mushez]

Hi, I am struggling to find an answer to this. What is considered a through airfare for the 72-hour visa?

Can one go from SYD to PEK (stay 72 hours) to KUL? Or does one have to go onwards and not back in the direction of SYD?

Thanks in advance.

The through Airfare for 72 hour visa is just that, a through Airfare.

It is to allow Chinese Airlines to fly people from the likes of USA via Chinese Hub of PVG or CAN to BKK or SIN. Likewise Australians flying BNE via CAN to LHR.

The most convoluted routing I have seen of this, is HNL - PVG - SIN - KMP - KTM. Because the 72 hour visa doesn't allow domestic travel from PVG to KMP, the airline (MU) had to route the passenger to SIN, to then fly back to KMP (cough, China), as they only fly to KTM (Kathmandu) from KMP.

You simply must, be genuinely transiting onto another destination through one of the approved hub airports. It allows Chinese Airlines to fly anyone via their hub who desires to fly with a Chinese Airlines Network.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The through Airfare for 72 hour visa is just that, a through Airfare.

It is to allow Chinese Airlines to fly people from the likes of USA via Chinese Hub of PVG or CAN to BKK or SIN. Likewise Australians flying BNE via CAN to LHR.

The most convoluted routing I have seen of this, is HNL - PVG - SIN - KMP - KTM. Because the 72 hour visa doesn't allow domestic travel from PVG to KMP, the airline (MU) had to route the passenger to SIN, to then fly back to KMP (cough, China), as they only fly to KTM (Kathmandu) from KMP.

You simply must, be genuinely transiting onto another destination through one of the approved hub airports. It allows Chinese Airlines to fly anyone via their hub who desires to fly with a Chinese Airlines Network.

As I pointed out above, it does not have to be a 'through' airfare. Separate tickets, even separate tickets on different airlines, none of whom may be Chinese, are eligible itineraries for TWOV. The only requirement is that you don't return to the place you just came from.

Interesting to know the details behind the MU routing via SIN. Perhaps it was a connection issue, as the passenger would ordinarily be allowed a 24 hour TWOV allowing multiple stops, including domestic connections.

 

[dk4]

You simply must, be genuinely transiting onto another destination through one of the approved hub airports. It allows Chinese Airlines to fly anyone via their hub who desires to fly with a Chinese Airlines Network.

Let me assure you that IME -
1) you do NOT need to be flying on a Chinese airline to take advantage of TWOV
2) you do NOT need to be on a through ticket to take advantage of TWOV
3) there is also no need to travel in a "continuous direction" to take advantage of TWOV

The only stipulation is that the country FROM which you ARRIVE is NOT the country TO which you DEPART... and I have done this using one way tickets, from two different non-Chinese airlines, without any issue.

 

[earlyriser]

Please excuse the rookie question but the Chinese Visa website states to apply for a Visa one month in advance but also offers 2-day rush processing (if all documents are present). If I submit today or tomorrow (in person), will I be safe for a 9/1 departure? As they require you to show proof of round-trip flights, it is a risk worth asking about. Thanks in advance.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Please excuse the rookie question but the Chinese Visa website states to apply for a Visa one month in advance but also offers 2-day rush processing (if all documents are present). If I submit today or tomorrow (in person), will I be safe for a 9/1 departure? As they require you to show proof of round-trip flights, it is a risk worth asking about. Thanks in advance.

You only need a visa if you’re staying in a China or aren’t eligible for the 72/144 hour TWOV.

 

[earlyriser]

You only need a visa if you’re staying in a China or aren’t eligible for the 72/144 hour TWOV.

Thanks. Planning for 6 days in PEK and 4 in PVG.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Please excuse the rookie question but the Chinese Visa website states to apply for a Visa one month in advance but also offers 2-day rush processing (if all documents are present). If I submit today or tomorrow (in person), will I be safe for a 9/1 departure? As they require you to show proof of round-trip flights, it is a risk worth asking about. Thanks in advance.

Looks like they are closed on the 1st and 2nd of January (their website says 2nd January is New year's day, dunno if that's a mistake ior whether they are closed anyway).

But their processing is efficient and it comes back exactly when it says it will. I'd get there sooner rather than later... if there are any problems with the application it gives you time to rectify (for example if they want your old passport or photocopies of other stuff).

You should be fine for regular processing. They will advise you when you drop it off.

 

[earlyriser]

Looks like they are closed on the 1st and 2nd of January (their website says 2nd January is New year's day, dunno if that's a mistake ior whether they are closed anyway).

But their processing is efficient and it comes back exactly when it says it will. I'd get there sooner rather than later... if there are any problems with the application it gives you time to rectify (for example if they want your old passport or photocopies of other stuff).

You should be fine for regular processing. They will advise you when you drop it off.

Thanks, MEL_Traveller. Much appreciated.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Thanks. Planning for 6 days in PEK and 4 in PVG.

If your total time on the ground in China is less than 144 hours you can go to Beijing but you'll need to fly out of PVG not PEK to the third country.

 

[auriga]

If your total time on the ground in China is less than 144 hours you can go to Beijing but you'll need to fly out of PVG not PEK to the third country.

Are you sure about this?
I think technically, you are not supposed to travel to another region of the country while on TWOV?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Are you sure about this?
I think technically, you are not supposed to travel to another region of the country while on TWOV?

Correct. You must stay within the city, or regions covered by the particular TWOV entry permit issued on arrival. For most cities this restricts you to the administrative area of the city you arrive in. Shanghai and Beijing are different however as they are grouped together with other cities in regions.

For Shanghai you can also go to Zhejiang and Jiangsu (Hangzhou and Nanjing)

For Beijing you can go to Tianjin and Hebei.

Travel outside those regions is not permitted, and if you do you won't be able to check-in to accommodation as hotels can't register you.

(144 hour TWOV was introduced last week for Beijing, but still no word on CAN)

 

[seanpodge]

The

Correct. You must stay within the city, or regions covered by the particular TWOV entry permit issued on arrival. For most cities this restricts you to the administrative area of the city you arrive in. Shanghai and Beijing are different however as they are grouped together with other cities in regions.

For Shanghai you can also go to Zhejiang and Jiangsu (Hangzhou and Nanjing)

For Beijing you can go to Tianjin and Hebei.

Travel outside those regions is not permitted, and if you do you won't be able to check-in to accommodation as hotels can't register you.

(144 hour TWOV was introduced last week for Beijing, but still no word on CAN)

Theoretically, it should be quite difficult to actually leave the area permitted by one's TWOV since there are passport checks/"real name" ticket systems for all trains, flights and long distance buses in China. Apart from using a hire car or getting a taxi driver to take you across the border, it's hard to see a likely scenario where a typical tourist (particularly one without local connections) would manage to accidentally leave the permitted area. As you said, no legitimate hotel will be able to register you either.

 

[auriga]

The


Theoretically, it should be quite difficult to actually leave the area permitted by one's TWOV since there are passport checks/"real name" ticket systems for all trains, flights and long distance buses in China. Apart from using a hire car or getting a taxi driver to take you across the border, it's hard to see a likely scenario where a typical tourist (particularly one without local connections) would manage to accidentally leave the permitted area. As you said, no legitimate hotel will be able to register you either.

I think buses are possible. I did sneak a day trip to huizhou while I was visiting shenzhen..

 

[Jennifer Cook]

I would recommend extreme caution if intending to rely on the 144 hour visa waiver for travel through Shanghai. My partner and I attempted to enter Shanghai in November last year, and despite meeting the conditions in every respect, were denied entry and required to leave immediately. We were refused a reason, the only thing we could put it down to (and this is a guess on our part) was Turkish visa stamps from a two week sailing holiday in Greece and Turkey earlier that year. We had both been to mainland China on numerous prior occasions (with a tourist visa) and had no trouble entering Hong Kong later that same day, which is where we chose to go after being refused entry.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I would recommend extreme caution if intending to rely on the 144 hour visa waiver for travel through Shanghai. My partner and I attempted to enter Shanghai in November last year, and despite meeting the conditions in every respect, were denied entry and required to leave immediately. We were refused a reason, the only thing we could put it down to (and this is a guess on our part) was Turkish visa stamps from a two week sailing holiday in Greece and Turkey earlier that year. We had both been to mainland China on numerous prior occasions (with a tourist visa) and had no trouble entering Hong Kong later that same day, which is where we chose to go after being refused entry.

Hi. Just wondering, what was your exact itinerary on entering china? where you flying from and where were you flying to (any transit stops in china)? And both on aussie passports?