144 Hour Visa Free Waiver in Shanghai

Question

Hi.

We are travelling to Shanghai from UK for 3 nights in a hotel. We are UK Passport holders. Then we fly from Shanghai to Tokyo and get on a cruise in Tokyo for 10 nights and do a land tour for 3 nights.

Then fly back to Shanghai from Tokyo for 1 night before we fly back home to the UK. Would the 144 hour waiver scheme work for us?

Thanks in advance

Answer

The 144-hour Visa-Free Transit (VFT) policy in Shanghai allows eligible nationals, including UK passport holders, to stay in certain regions of China without a visa for up to 144 hours (6 days) under specific conditions. For your itinerary, here’s how it applies:

Key points about the 144-hour waiver:

Eligibility: UK passport holders are eligible.
Region: The policy applies to Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province (Shanghai city is included).
Entry/Exit requirement: You must enter China from a third country and depart to a third country. In your case, entering Shanghai from the UK and departing to Japan qualifies.
Duration: You can stay up to 144 hours (6 days). Your initial 3-night stay in Shanghai is within this limit.

However, there are important considerations for your return:

Your return to Shanghai after Japan would be considered a separate entry. Each entry is individually eligible for the 144-hour waiver. Therefore, a short 1-night stay upon returning from Japan is also covered, as long as it does not exceed 144 hours.
Ensure that both entries are via Shanghai (or other eligible ports) and that you have onward flights to a third country (in your case, flying back to the UK satisfies this).

Additional tips:

Upon arrival in Shanghai, go to the dedicated VFT immigration counters for faster processing.
Prepare your onward flight ticket and hotel confirmation for immigration inspection.
Do not attempt to travel outside the eligible region (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang) unless you have a visa; the 144-hour waiver restricts movement to this area.

In summary, your itinerary is fully compatible with the 144-hour visa-free transit scheme. Your first 3-night stay and your single night after returning from Japan can each use the 144-hour waiver, as long as you follow the entry/exit rules.

144 Hour Visa Free Waiver in Shanghai

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