Multiple uses of 240hr free transit on 1 ticket

Question

Would this flight Itinerary work with the 240hr visa free transit?

London > Beijing >Taipei > Shanghai > London

BUT all 4 flights I want to book on the same ticket (Air China) as much cheaper that way. I've read that doing multiple uses of the transit is okay but cant find a definitive answer if its allowed on a single ticket. The Shanghai segment could be just a connecting flight staying in the airport if needs be. Thanks

Answer

The 240-hour visa-free transit in China is intended for travelers who are passing through a Chinese city on their way to a third country. It is generally issued for a single entry into one of the designated cities and is tied to a confirmed onward flight to a third country.

Regarding your proposed itinerary: London → Beijing → Taipei → Shanghai → London, here are the key points to consider:

The 240-hour transit permit is allowed at each designated city, but it is typically valid only for your first entry and your stay within that city’s administrative area.
It is not officially designed to be used multiple times on the same ticket or to cover multiple cities in sequence. Using it twice (e.g., Beijing and Shanghai) on the same itinerary could be problematic, because immigration may not issue a second 240-hour permit if they see you have already used it on the same trip.
For your Taipei segment, keep in mind that Taiwan is considered a “third country,” so the entry from Beijing to Taipei is fine. But the subsequent arrival in Shanghai from Taipei may be treated as a new entry from a different country, which could technically qualify for another transit permit—but this is at the discretion of Chinese immigration and may not be guaranteed, especially on a single ticket.

Practical considerations:

If your stay in Shanghai is only as a connecting flight and you do not leave the airport’s international transit area, you typically would not need a 240-hour permit for that segment.
It is safest to plan your 240-hour transit for only one Chinese city per itinerary. If you want to visit multiple cities, consider separate tickets or ensure you comply with standard Chinese visa requirements for the second city.
Always carry all onward flight information and accommodation details, and check with the airline as well as Chinese consular sources before booking.

In summary, while the itinerary is tempting for cost reasons, relying on multiple uses of the 240-hour visa on a single ticket is not officially guaranteed. The Shanghai segment would likely need to remain a simple airport transit without leaving the transit area to avoid visa complications.

Multiple uses of 240hr free transit on 1 ticket

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