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Interpretation of the 72-Hour Visa-Exemption Transit Policy

2018-06-08 14:56:00
Sanctioned by the State Council, Guangzhou Municipality, Chengdu Municipality, Chongqing Municipality, Guilin Municipality, Xianyang Municipality, Kunming Municipality, Qingdao Municipality, Xiamen Municipality, Wuhan Municipality, Harbin Municipality and Changsha Municipality are to adopt the 72-hour visa-exemption transit policy available to nationals from 53 countries.
 
An eligible passenger can transfer via any of the following air ports and stay within the administrative precincts for 72 hours:

No.

The relevant airports

City

Administrative precincts for visa-free

1

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (IATA:CAN ; ICAO:ZGGG)

Guangzhou

Guangdong Province

2

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

(IATA:CTUICAO:ZUUU)

Chengdu

Chengdu

3

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport

(IATA:CKG;ICAO:ZUCK)

Chongqing

Chongqing

4

Guilin Liangjiang International Airport

(IATA:KWLICAO:ZGKL)

Guilin

Guilin

5

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport

(IATA:XIYICAO:ZLXY)

Xianyang

Xi'an and Xianyang

6

Kunming Changshui International Airport

(IATA:KMGICAO:ZPPP)

Kunming

Kunming

7

Qingdao Liuting International Airport (IATA:TAOICAO:ZSQD)

Qingdao

Shandong Province

8

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport

(IATA:XMNICAO:ZSAM)

Xiamen

Xiamen

9

Wuhan Tianhe International Airport

(IATA:WUH; ICAO:ZHHH)

Wuhan

Wuhan

10

Harbin Taiping International Airport

(IATA:HRB; ICAO:ZYHB)

Harbin

Harbin

11

Changsha Huanghua International Airport

(IATA:CSX; ICAO:ZGHA)

Changsha

Hunan Province

 

The 72-hour visa-free transit policy shall apply to the following 53 countries:

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, Belarus, United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

 

An applicant for 72-hour visa-exemption transit needs to possess a valid passport or other valid international travel documents and an onward air / vessel / train ticket to a third country (region) with confirmed date and seat within 72 hours upon arrival, fill out an arrival card for temporary entry foreigners, and be interviewed by the immigration inspection authority. The following types of foreign nationals will not be issued a temporary entry permit:  

I. Those who are inadmissible to China in accordance with relevant laws and administrative regulations;

II. Those whose international travel documents are valid for less than 3 months at the time of application, or those who possess international travel documents containing refusal stamps affixed by Chinese visa issuing authorities;

III. Those who have records of illegal entry or exit, illegal stay or residence, or illegal employment in China in the past 5 years;

IV. Those who have seriously violated the regulation of registering their addresses for temporary residence in China with the public security bureaus in the past 2 years.

 

Foreign nationals, during their visa-exemption transit, must abide by Chinese laws and regulations. They must not leave the specified area of stay or overstay the visa-exemption period. In the first 24 hours of entry, foreign nationals themselves should register their residence addresses with the local public security bureaus or foreigner service stations, or those who provide the foreign nationals with residence can complete the registration on their behalf. For foreign nationals who dwell at a hotel, the hotel has the obligation to register residence for them. In case of force majeure which necessitates a longer period of stay than 72 hours within the visa-exemption area, they need to lodge an application to the exit and entry administration department of a public security bureau for corresponding stay or residence documents.

 

Regarding those foreign nationals who have entered China by successfully applying for 72-hour visa-exemption transit, the following acts including traveling beyond the specified areas of stay, overstaying the visa-exemption transit period, departing from unspecified ports, or failing to register their residence information, will be punishable by law by the immigration inspection authority or local public security authority.

 

Q&A

1,How is the duration of the 72 hour visa-free transit policy calculated?

The duration of stay as referred to in the 72-hour visa-free transit policy will begin from 00:00 o'clock the following day, after entry in any relevant port mentioned above. For example, in accordance with the 72-hour visa-free transit policy, from 00:00 o'clock the following day after entry in Guangzhou, the applicant will be allowed to stay for three days at most in the relevant city without entry visa.

If applicant is unable to depart on time due to unavoidable reasons, such as flight cancellation or treatment of sudden disease, they need to apply for a visa from Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB).

 

2,If citizens from any of the 53 designated countries eligible for the 72-hour visa-free transit policy do not hold a valid connecting travel ticket to a third country; can he/she apply for 72-hour visa-free transit?

According to the regulations pertaining to the 72-hour visa-free transit policy, any applicant must hold a valid connecting visitor tickets for travel, with confirmed seat and departure time within 72 hours, or he/ she must possess relevant supporting documents. The applicant must have these documentations before applying for the72-hour visa-free transit.

 

3,If citizens from any of the 53 designated countries arrive in those specific cities mentioned above with a valid ticket for travel to their country of origin, with a confirmed seat and departure time within 72 hours, would he/she be eligible for the 72 hour visa-free transit policy?

The policy applies for 72-hour visa-free transit rather than visa-free entry. Therefore, the applicant should transit to a third country or region. Visitors returning to their country of origin would not be eligible for this policy.

For example:

Cyprus - Guangzhou - Russia is available to apply 72 hours transit visa in Guangzhou.

Cyprus - Singapore - Guangzhou - Russia is available to apply 72 hrs transit visa in Guangzhou.

Cyprus - Guangzhou – Cyprus is NOT available to apply 72 hrs transit visa in Guangzhou.

 

4,Can I enter China in one city (for example: Guangzhou) and apply the transit visa, then leave China from another city (for example: Xiamen) within 72-hour ?

No, if visitors have applied the 72 hours transit visa in the specific city, they will not be allowed to travel beyond this region. Any other city is not available to travel to.

 

 

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