Going to Japan via Shanghai soon with around 10 hrs of time to kill in Shanghai where the plan is to check out Shanghai a bit. My Thai wife who will be accompanying me requires a visa for this short visit to Shanghai leaving the airport.

However, from what most websites tell me, Germans do not require one in this case, I quote:

"Visas are not required of passport holders of the following countries, who transit through Pudong Airport or Hongqiao Airport of Shanghai, provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked seats, and stay in Shanghai for less than 48 hours : Republic of Korea, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland. "

From: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t84242.htm

When my wife did her visa at the Chinese embassy in Thailand and asked her clerk about the above statement they told her that I would need one also.

Does anyone know about this? I'd hate to spend 1000 Baht and wait at the embassy for nothing and I don't really trust what the clerk there said.

Cheers,

Basch

★Visa-free transit

1. Visas are not required of aliens who hold air tickets to the final destination and have booked seats on international airliners flying directly through China, and will stay in a transit city for less than 24 hours without leaving the airport.

2. Visas are not required of passport holders of the following countries, who transit through Pudong Airport or Hongqiao Airport of Shanghai, provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked seats, and stay in Shanghai for less than 48 hours : Republic of Korea, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland.

I'm pretty sure they are talking about a transit visa. I don't believe you can leave the airport IMHO.

It would be worth your time to check out Shanghai. Very cool city.

★Visa-free transit

1. Visas are not required of aliens who hold air tickets to the final destination and have booked seats on international airliners flying directly through China, and will stay in a transit city for less than 24 hours without leaving the airport.

2. Visas are not required of passport holders of the following countries, who transit through Pudong Airport or Hongqiao Airport of Shanghai, provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked seats, and stay in Shanghai for less than 48 hours : Republic of Korea, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland.

I'm pretty sure they are talking about a transit visa. I don't believe you can leave the airport IMHO.

It would be worth your time to check out Shanghai. Very cool city.

Yah, turns out I need one, will get it on the 20th, costs 1000 Baht. Actually turned out quite a hassle, apart from 2 forms, I needed to show photocopies of the passport, Bank Statements, flight bookings(all of which I knew) and even the marriage certificate and wife's ID as well as re-entry permit into Thailand (which no one had told me before).

All of that for a single entry 8 hrs transit visa.

Cheers,

Basch