You may remember that in 2013 UK and US citizens, along with citizens of 43 other nations including most of Europe, were no longer required to obtain a Chinese Visa if they transited through Beijing or Shanghai for 72 hours or less?
You thought it couldn’t get better?
Well this year from the 30th January there are more Visa relaxations, allowing Shanghai and neighbouring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to offer six-day, 144-hour visa-free transit to foreigners from 51 countries, beginning later this week. The only requirement is that you have to prove you are in transit to another country.
The main airports which will take advantage of this visa waiver scheme are Shanghai Pudong and Honqiao, Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan International and Nanjing’s Lukou International Airports. You will be allowed to stay in those cities and provinces for up to six days without a visa, providing that you are in transit to other countries. You will be allowed to exit the country from any of these four airports.
In order to take advantage of the visa-waiver scheme, passengers must advise their airline that they wish to do so, and the airline will arrange this with Immigration in Beijing or Shanghai in advance so that on arrival their paperwork is in order.
Here is a list of the countries whose citizens can take advantage of the six day free visa service: 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, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania.
If you are planning to take advantage of 144-hour visa-free in Hanghzou here is a link for what to do and see in Hanghzou. If you are planning to take advantage of 144-hour visa-free in Shanghai here is a link for what to do and see in Shanghai.
About the author: Tara
The travel professional with years of experience in the travel industry – in guiding, reservations, operations, contracting, customer service and product development – and have travelled extensively in Asia and Eastern Europe not just on holiday but also for work, inspecting hotels, visiting attractions and seeing exactly what each destination has to offer. The only way I could do this properly was with my own guide, car and driver and this inspired me to create my own range of customised private day tours for other people to be able to explore in-depth and learn to love their destination as much as I do.
Website: www.readyclickandgo.com
Website: http://www.readyclickandgo.com
