Help China TWOV, 3rd destination country explanation

Question

Can anyone help me to clarify my confusion if I will be eligible for China TWOV with flight routes below?

First of all, I am an Indonesian passport holder which recently become 55th country that can apply for 240 hrs China TWOV.

My flight will be from Denpasar to Shanghai, transit in Singapore for 15 hours. I will fly with Singapore Airline. It is 1 ticket 2 different flight numbers for DPS-SIN, SIN-SHA.I will stay in Shanghai and Beijing, before departing from Beijing to Surabaya with Malaysia Airline (different airline from my entry flight to China via Shanghai), with 15 hours transit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Again it is 1 ticket 2 different flight numbers for PKX-KUL,KUL-SUB.

I will only have paid ticket Beijing to Kuala Lumpur (transit) to Surabaya, not boarding pass, when applying for TWOV entry permit in Shanghai. I also can show my hotel booking during my transit in Kuala Lumpur (staying overnight in hotel outside the airport) if this can help.

Will my flight from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur for 15 hours transit before flying to Surabaya be considered as going to 3rd destination country, meeting requirement for applying TWOV entry permit?

I really appreciate any clarification from you all who know exactly about this 3rd destination country classification or experienced similar situation.

Regards,

Answer

The 240-hour Transit Without Visa (TWOV) program in China allows eligible nationals to enter China without a visa if they meet certain conditions, including the requirement of traveling to a “third country” after their stay in China. Here’s a detailed explanation for your situation:

1. Third Destination Country Requirement:

To qualify for TWOV, the traveler must be traveling from their origin country (DPS in your case) to China (Shanghai) and then onward to a third country, which cannot be China or the country you arrived from.
The transit or final destination counts as the “third country.” Importantly, the stopover in another country is acceptable if you leave China for that country and can demonstrate onward travel, even if your flight involves another transit, as long as it is outside China.

2. Your Flight Scenario:

Entry: DPS → SIN → SHA (Indonesia → Singapore → China)
Internal China travel: SHA → Beijing
Exit: PEK → KUL → SUB (China → Malaysia → Indonesia)

3. Key Points to Meet TWOV Eligibility:

The TWOV authorities will check that your ultimate destination after leaving China is a third country different from your origin country. In your case, you will be leaving China for Malaysia (KUL), which is considered a third country relative to Indonesia (DPS) and China.
Even though KUL is a transit point before returning to Indonesia (SUB), as long as you can show a confirmed ticket and, ideally, proof of hotel booking during the 15-hour stopover, it should satisfy the third country requirement. Many travelers have used transit countries with overnight stays for TWOV successfully.
You do not need the boarding pass for PEK-KUL at the time of entry; a confirmed flight ticket is sufficient. Carrying the hotel booking for your KUL stopover strengthens your case, especially if requested at immigration.

4. Recommendation:

Ensure you have all flight tickets clearly showing the route from China to Malaysia (even if you don’t have boarding passes yet).
Have proof of accommodation for your overnight stay in Kuala Lumpur.
Carry printed copies of your internal China flight tickets and hotel bookings in case immigration asks.
Be ready to explain your travel plan concisely to the immigration officer, emphasizing that your onward travel from China is to a third country (Malaysia) before returning to Indonesia.

In summary, your PEK → KUL → SUB itinerary qualifies as leaving China to a third country (Malaysia) and should make you eligible for the 240-hour TWOV in Shanghai, provided you can show your onward ticket and supporting documentation for your stopover.

Help China TWOV, 3rd destination country explanation

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