china visa free possible visa run

[harrry]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-12/06/content_15992599.htm

gives many countries that can now get 72 hr visa free entry.

May be a good visa run option for some,

[impulse]

Probably not much good for a visa run since they won't accept round trip tickets.

You have to be going from one place to another, and just stopping over in Beijing. They won't accept BKK-PEK-BKK.

Makes it kind of expensive for a visa run.

And you can't leave the city of Beijing.

Of course, the rules change and they may lighten up.

I've also been reading Guangzhou is planning to offer the 72 hr visa free, with fewer restrictions, like side trips to 11 cities in the area. They may make a reasonable visa run. We'll see.

[fvw53]

pls keep us update about the easy ways to visit Guangzhou

[phuketrichard]

shanghai also offers it, 72 hours. Flying China Eastern to US from Phuket via Shanghai

but as stated above u need a ticket to another country NOT back to the one you came from

There is no restriction on where you can go ( how would they know where you went?)

BUT I would not want to go over the 72 hours

72-Hour Visa-Free Transit
From Jan. 1, 2013, Citizens of 45 countries and regions can make an air transit in Pudong and Hongqiao Airports without a transit visa if your period of stay does not exceed 72 hours, showing valid passport, visa of your destination country and connecting flight ticket. You are allowed to get out of the airport.
These countries are: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

Edited August 5, 2013 by phuketrichard

[fvw53]

does somebody knows if Hong Kong can be considered as a "third" country?...after all the Territory has totally different entry regulations than P.R.China

[impulse]

shanghai also offers it, 72 hours. Flying China Eastern to US from Phuket via Shanghai

but as stated above u need a ticket to another country NOT back to the one you came from

There is no restriction on where you can go ( how would they know where you went?)

BUT I would not want to go over the 72 hours

How would they know where you went?

Not 100% sure they would, but if you stay at a hotel, they have to report their guests daily. And in Beijing, you have to report your whereabouts to the popo within 24 hours, which would be hard to do if you're not there.

So if you stay at a hotel, they rat you out and if you plan to stay with friends, you have to report in person. Not much wiggle room there. I'd sure hate to show up back at the airport if I hadn't dotted the I's and crossed the T's.

One official website was clear that even a side trip to Tianjin is prohibited, and offenders could receive a lifetime ban from China.

I've not looked into Shanghai's visa free 72 hour program, since my travel plans would be around Beijing. I'd hope Shanghai would be less restrictive since they're usually 10 years ahead of Beijing in dealing with foreign devils.

Edited August 5, 2013 by impulse

[taxout]

Yes, HK counts as outside Mainland China for this purpose, so BKK-PEK-HKG will work. But as noted, BKK-PEK-BKK will not.

[taxout]

Guangzhou joined the 72-hour no-visa club on August 1. Chengdu will join it shortly.

Note that not all nationalities qualify for the 72-hour transit-without-visa, though all nationalities qualify for the standard 24-hour transit-without-visa available at all international airports in China.