Vietnam/china/Hong Kong cruise

Question

Hi all, and thank you in advance

I’m planning a trip for Mar 26, starting in the US and flying to Ho Chi Min City. From there to Hanoi for a few days, before I fly on to Beijing for a 10 day tours, finishing in Shanghai.

From there I will make my way to Hong Kong to join a cruise back to Vietnam and Thailand finishing in Singapore and flying back to the US. It’s my intention of getting a 10 year visa from the Chinese embassy to avoid any Chinese visa issues I’ve read about.

Even with a full Chinese visa can anyone see any issues, I may have going to or from China.

Answer

Your planned itinerary: U.S. → Ho Chi Minh City → Hanoi → Beijing (10-day land tour) → Shanghai → Hong Kong SAR → cruise (Vietnam/Thailand → Singapore) → U.S. looks exciting. You asked: with a 10-year visa from China (for mainland) in hand, do you foresee any issues entering/leaving China or in the cruise segment? Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to check, what the risks are, and some actionable advice.

What the visa situation for mainland China looks like

– If you are a U.S. citizen, you *can* apply for a 10-year multiple-entry tourist (L) visa (or business M) for the mainland of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). – The process typically requires you to provide previous Chinese visas (if applying for 5/10 year) and meet other criteria. – The visa does *not* permit you to work in China; it is strictly for tourism, business, family visit etc. – According to the U.S. Embassy travel page: a visa is required for tourism in mainland China for most U.S. citizens. – Important: just because you have the visa, entry is never *guaranteed*. Immigration authorities in China retain discretion. Also, other local conditions (e.g., permitted duration per entry) still apply. – Also note: the consulate page mentions that at some U.S. posts the 10-year visa was suspended (or acceptance of applications) for certain categories, as of June 2023.

What to check for your specific itinerary

Ensure your visa validity period covers your entry into mainland China (Beijing) and that you will be able to re-enter if you leave mainland to Hong Kong and come back (though in your itinerary you may be leaving mainland rather than returning).
Confirm how many days you’re staying in China (Beijing + Shanghai) and be mindful of how many days each entry allows. Having the 10-year visa does *not* guarantee unlimited stay each visit — there is still typically a maximum stay per entry (often 30 or 60 days, depending on the endorsement). Check what your “entries allowed” and “days per entry” in the visa are.
When you travel to Hong Kong and then board a cruise, make sure you understand the status of Hong Kong entry visa and your onward journey. For U.S. citizens, entering Hong Kong for tourism is visa-free (up to 90 days) in many cases.
When you board the cruise from Hong Kong → Vietnam/Thailand → Singapore: if you plan to re-enter mainland China after the cruise, check whether your visa allows that and whether you will have any issues with exit/re-entry. If you do *not* re-enter mainland China after the cruise, then the main thing is ensuring you depart mainland properly, and you comply with Hong Kong and other countries’ immigration rules.
Check which port in China you will embark from (e.g., Shanghai or Hong Kong) and whether you or your cruise will call at mainland Chinese ports before leaving China. There are special rules for cruise passengers and visa relaxations in China that may apply. For example, cruise‐group visa-free allowances.
Potential issues / pitfalls
- Your 10-year visa is for mainland China only — it does *not* cover Hong Kong or Macau. Hong Kong SAR has its own immigration/entry rules. So you must satisfy Hong Kong entry rules when you arrive there. (For U.S. citizens it is straightforward, but you still need a passport valid, onward ticket etc.)
- If your cruise embarks or disembarks in mainland China and you are using a visa exemption or transit policy, ensure you meet those precise criteria. For example, if you are just transiting through China under a visa-free transit stay, that has limitations (ports allowed, travel to third country etc).
- If you leave mainland China, then come back, you must ensure your visa entries allow a re-entry. Some travelers assume “I have 10-year visa so I can go in-out-in freely” — but you still must check the number of entries remaining, and any condition on days per entry.
- Cruise itinerary complications: If your cruise stops at a mainland Chinese port where you disembark for a day or two, you must ensure you have the cruise port listed or appropriate permission or clearance. The policy for poll passengers for cruises sometimes allows group visa-free entry — but that may only be for certain ports and certain conditions.
- Exit/entry issues: Always keep your passport valid for at least 6 months, make sure blank pages are available. Chinese authorities expect this.
- Political or diplomatic shifts: While unlikely to affect a typical tourist, China has mechanisms (exit bans, etc) that have affected some foreign nationals in specific circumstances. These are rare but worth being aware of.
  Specific advice given your itinerary
  - Apply for the 10-year multiple entry visa for mainland China well ahead of your March 26 trip. Ensure you fill it out accurately, include travel history, and specify tourism (L).
  - Once you have visa in hand, check how many entries and the “days per visit” limitation. Plan your Beijing → Shanghai stay to be within permitted days.
  - Before you leave Shanghai (or Beijing) to go to Hong Kong, check your mainland exit date and ensure your visa exit is clean. Then for Hong Kong entry: As a U.S. citizen you should be eligible for visa-free visit up to 90 days (tourist) but confirm your passport validity and travel plans.
  - On the cruise: if you board in Hong Kong and do not re-enter mainland China, then your mainland China visa doesn’t cause extra issues. But if you re-enter mainland after the cruise you must re-entry under your visa. If the cruise port includes a mainland Chinese port stop and disembarkation, check with the cruise line whether you must have a special cruise clearance or use the group visa scheme.
  - Keep all backup documents: hotel bookings, cruise booking, flights, onward tickets, proof of funds may be requested in Hong Kong or elsewhere.
  - Allow for buffer time: even if your itinerary is smooth, delays happen, so ensure visas, onward flights and cruise arrangements are confirmed.
  In summary
  
  In short — yes, having a 10-year multiple entry visa for mainland China is a great preparation and will allow you to enter China (Beijing, Shanghai) for your portion of the trip without needing to obtain a separate short-term visa for each entry. However, it does *not* eliminate all risk or all requirements: you still must meet entry/exit conditions, ensure your stay length is within allowed days, obey Hong Kong entry rules separately, and be mindful of the cruise ports and any mainland Chinese port visits. If all documents are in order, I see no major red-flag issue with your trip as laid out — but you should double-check with a visa specialist or your cruise operator about the specific cruise port itinerary (especially if a mainland Chinese port is involved) and retain proof of your onward travel.
  
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