240 hr transit without visa - routing question

Question

Hi there

Not my 1st trip to China, but this is my 1st going through the transit without visa as my country (indonesia) has recently been added to the list.

I plan for a 9 days trip upcoming in end of Aug.

Routing will be

- Singapore -> Xi An (1 ticket booking)

- train to Shanghai

- Shanghai -> Hongkong -> Jakarta (1 ticket booking) on CX

Would the above routing works for the transit without visa? I am allowed to leave the Shaanxi region to go to Shanghai, right?

Thanks for all the help.

Cheers

Answer

For Indonesian passport holders, China recently added eligibility for the 24/144/240-hour visa-free transit (depending on city). For your planned trip, here’s how it applies:

1. The 240-hour visa-free transit allows you to enter China without a visa and stay in certain cities or regions for up to 10 days, provided you meet the conditions. Importantly, it only applies to the designated areas for that city or province.

2. In your routing:

Singapore → Xi’an: You will enter China in Xi’an (Shaanxi Province), which is part of the 144/240-hour transit program.
Train from Xi’an → Shanghai: You are leaving Shaanxi Province. The 240-hour visa-free transit in Xi’an does not automatically allow you to travel to Shanghai. The transit permit is region-specific. To go to Shanghai, you would need either a regular visa or to enter Shanghai under its own 144/240-hour transit rules.
Shanghai → Hong Kong → Jakarta on Cathay Pacific: Leaving Shanghai counts as your departure from China, so any valid transit there must be in accordance with Shanghai rules.

Summary of key points:

The transit without visa is not nationwide; it is city/region-specific.
If you plan to travel from Xi’an to Shanghai by train, your transit without visa in Xi’an won’t cover Shanghai. You need to check if you can enter Shanghai under the 24/144/240-hour rule separately, which usually applies to Shanghai metropolitan area. You may need a proper visa if your plan involves multiple regions.
Make sure your train and flight bookings clearly show your schedule in each city, as immigration may ask for your plan.

Recommendations:

Consider obtaining a regular Chinese visa for simplicity, especially for multi-city travel within China.
If you want to rely on transit without visa, your travel should remain within the same city or province where the transit permit applies.
Double-check with Chinese consular services or the airlines, as enforcement can vary and the rules can be strict for inter-provincial travel under transit without visa.

In short, under your current routing, leaving Shaanxi for Shanghai would not be allowed under the 240-hour visa-free transit from Xi’an. You would need either a separate eligible transit in Shanghai or a standard visa.

240 hr transit without visa - routing question

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