Visa Free Transit

Question

My partner and I plan to travel from the UK to several Asian destinations in September - December.

We have a flight to Tokyo that stops in Shanghai for 1.5 hours on 4th September which I am aware we can use direct visa- free transit (24 hour) for.

However, we aim to return to China, to pass through Beijing and Shanghai later on in our trip from the 22nd September, before moving on to the next destination. Are we able to use the visa- free transit 10 day (240 hour) visa for this even though we had a stop over 2.5 weeks prior?

Thanks for your help.

Answer

China’s visa-free transit policies allow foreign travelers to stay in certain cities or regions for a limited period without a visa, depending on the type of transit and airport. The common types are 24-hour, 72-hour, and 144-hour (6-day) or 10-day (240-hour) visa-free transit, depending on your entry city.

In your case:

Your first stop in Shanghai on 4th September for 1.5 hours qualifies for the standard 24-hour transit. Since this is just a short layover, it does not use or affect longer-term transit policies.
Later, from 22nd September, you plan to return to China via Beijing and Shanghai. This is considered a new entry into China and is completely independent of your earlier short layover in early September.
You are eligible to apply for and use the 10-day (240-hour) visa-free transit in the designated cities, provided you meet all requirements: entering through a qualifying airport or port, holding a confirmed onward flight to a third country, and having valid travel documents.

Key points to consider:

Each entry is treated separately, so previous entries, even within the same month, do not prevent you from using a visa-free transit again.
Ensure your onward flight after your 10-day transit is confirmed to a country other than China, as this is a requirement.
Check which cities offer the 10-day/240-hour transit; currently, Shanghai, Beijing, and some other major cities allow this type of extended transit, but it is city-specific.
Carry documentation of hotel bookings or planned itinerary during your transit, as immigration officers may request this information.

In summary, your brief stop in early September does not affect your eligibility to use the 10-day visa-free transit later in September. Each arrival is treated independently as long as all requirements are met at the time of entry.

Visa Free Transit

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