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Transit visa

Hi, sorry, I'm a bit confused with the 144 HR transit visa...

If I go from London to Beijing on transit visa, then go to Hong Kong, that's okay? But on the way back from hong kong to London, there is a stop over (only a couple of hours) in Beijing again. Will this layover on the way back affect my elegibilty for 144hr transit visa for beijing on the way?

Thank you!

The 144-hour (6-day) visa-free transit policy in China allows travelers from certain countries to enter specific cities in China without a visa if they meet the criteria. Beijing is one of the eligible cities under this policy.

For your first trip from London to Beijing, then onward to Hong Kong, you are eligible to use the 144-hour transit visa as long as you have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country (in this case, Hong Kong) within 144 hours of your arrival in Beijing. Hong Kong is considered a separate administrative region, so your transit through Beijing to Hong Kong is generally acceptable under this policy.

Regarding your return trip: if your flight from Hong Kong back to London has a stopover in Beijing, whether you are eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit depends on a few factors:

  • The stopover in Beijing must be long enough for you to technically enter China under the 144-hour policy. Very short stopovers, where passengers remain in the international transit area without passing immigration, do not count as using the 144-hour transit visa.
  • If you leave the airport or pass through immigration, this counts as an entry into Beijing for the 144-hour visa-free transit. You cannot use the 144-hour policy again immediately if you have just used it recently and are re-entering China within the same period.
  • If your stopover is purely in the international transit zone and you do not leave the airport, you do not need a 144-hour transit visa, and this stopover will not affect your eligibility for a future 144-hour visa on a separate trip.

Additional considerations:

  • The 144-hour visa is not extendable, and it is only valid for entry through designated ports in Beijing. If you leave Beijing for Hong Kong, you must ensure your itinerary fits within the 144 hours.
  • Each transit entry is treated separately. If you plan to enter Beijing again on a later trip, as long as the previous 144-hour period has ended, you are eligible again.
  • Always carry onward flight tickets and proof of accommodation, as immigration officers may request verification of your transit plan.

In summary, your initial trip from London to Beijing to Hong Kong is fine under the 144-hour transit visa. For the return trip, a short stopover in Beijing that does not require you to pass through immigration does not affect your eligibility. However, if you plan to exit the airport in Beijing during the stopover, it would count as using the transit visa, and you cannot re-use it immediately for the same trip.

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