144hr visa china

Question

Hello,

I'm a little confused regarding the 144 hour visa policy.

I'm flying from London to Chongqing via Hong Kong (1 hour layover). Spending 4 nights In Chongqing then flying out to Hong Kong for 4 days before leaving to return to the UK.

Will the 1 hour layover in hong kong not allow me to get the 144hr visa? Or will the via a third country be counted as London > Chongqing > Hong Kong.

There is literally no clarity online!

Thanks,

Emma

Answer

The 144-hour visa-free transit policy in China allows eligible travelers from certain countries to stay in designated cities for up to 144 hours (6 days) without a Chinese visa, provided they meet specific conditions. However, there are several important details relevant to your itinerary:

1. Eligibility and entry requirements:

The 144-hour visa-free transit is only available for travelers arriving from a third country or region and departing to another third country or region. In other words, you must have an onward flight from China to a different country than the one you arrived from.
Hong Kong and Macau are considered separate administrative regions, and flights from Hong Kong to mainland China do not qualify as “arrival from a third country.”

2. Your specific itinerary:

London → Hong Kong (1-hour layover) → Chongqing.
You intend to spend 4 nights in Chongqing, then fly to Hong Kong for 4 days, and finally return to the UK.

Based on this itinerary:

The 1-hour layover in Hong Kong before arriving in Chongqing does not qualify as arriving from a third country, because Hong Kong is considered a part of China for immigration purposes when entering mainland China.
Therefore, you would not be eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit in Chongqing under this routing.
To use the 144-hour transit, you would need to enter from a truly foreign country (for example, directly from London or another international destination) and depart to a different foreign country, not Hong Kong.

3. Practical advice:

Since you are coming via Hong Kong, you will need a regular Chinese visa for your stay in Chongqing.
If you want to use the 144-hour visa-free transit, you would need to plan a routing such as London → Chongqing → a third country (e.g., Singapore or Japan) without stopping in Hong Kong first.
Always check with the airline and Chinese consulate before traveling, as eligibility can vary depending on nationality and entry point.

In summary, the 1-hour layover in Hong Kong is treated as part of China for visa purposes. Your itinerary London → Hong Kong → Chongqing will not allow you to use the 144-hour visa-free policy. You will need a regular visa to stay in Chongqing for 4 nights.

144hr visa china

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