Aussie Transit via Shanghai Trip then to India

[Tueqalto]

Hi all,

As Aussies can we enter Shanghai for about 31 hours and then take next flight onwards to India, if we do not have a China visa?

Our flight from SYD is to reach Shanghai at 5 am, then next day at 1:15 pm is the flight to India. Between 5 am to 1:15 next day want to go around Shanghai. Is it possible without prior applying for a visa to China.

 

[Archipelago]

Yes, under the 144 hour rule, and as long as you stay within Shanghai area.

See here

 

[Tueqalto]

Yes, under the 144 hour rule, and as long as you stay within Shanghai area.

See here

Thank you. I assume I require an onward ticket, and perhaps accommodation. is there anything else that I require.

Also do you happen to have a link to an official webpage to read more about the 144 hour rule, would really help

 

[Tueqalto]

Is this the right official govt link ?

What to know before you travel: China's 144-hour visa-free transit

english.shanghai.gov.cn

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Your inbound and outbound flights from shanghai must be non-stop into and out of china.

some flights by chinese carriers have technical stops in china, and these are not always made clear at the time of booking.

technical stops limit your total transit without visa to 24 hours, not the 31 you need. Non-stop into and out of china stopping only in shanghai will allow you 144 hour TWOV.

 

[Archipelago]

Thank you. I assume I require an onward ticket, and perhaps accommodation. is there anything else that I require.

Also do you happen to have a link to an official webpage to read more about the 144 hour rule, would really help

Everything you need to know is in the link I provided, and the information in there is official and correct

For emphasis - you must arrive directly from one country, then depart directly to a 3rd country. You cannot return to your country of origin.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That’s a great resource!

Unfortunately though, ‘arriving directly’ is not enough for the 72 and 144 hour TWOV. It must be ‘arriving non-stop’ into the applicable region. It’s not uncommon for people get caught out by the technical stops of chinese carriers, and are either then limited to 24 hours TWOV, or not permitted to enter china at all.

 

[Archipelago]

That’s a great resource!

Unfortunately though, ‘arriving directly’ is not enough for the 72 and 144 hour TWOV. It must be ‘arriving non-stop’ into the applicable region. It’s not uncommon for people get caught out by the technical stops of chinese carriers, and are either then limited to 24 hours TWOV, or not permitted to enter china at all.

semantics. you know exactly what I meant and to anyone else "directly from one country" is obvious that there's no stop in China on the way. Gimme a break.

 

[elanshin]

semantics. you know exactly what I meant and to anyone else "directly from one country" is obvious that there's no stop in China on the way. Gimme a break.

Should also point out that Taiwan, Hong Kong are not considered China for the purpose of transit visa.

You can definitely do something like SYD (transit in HKG) > PVG > SYD with 144hours as it counts HKG > PVG > SYD when they work out the transit visa. Some airline check in staff may misintrept this as not allowable.

 

[Tueqalto]

Thank you guys,

I also assume I can do this twice is that correct ? i.e. we have a 11 hour layover on the other way a few afters after the initial trip towards India. This one is towards Syd. So I can do the same again ? Or is it only once that I can enter?

 

[elanshin]

Thank you guys,

I also assume I can do this twice is that correct ? i.e. we have a 11 hour layover on the other way a few afters after the initial trip towards India. This one is towards Syd. So I can do the same again ? Or is it only once that I can enter?

No problems. I did SYD > PVG > Tokyo > PVG > SYD with 2 144h visa and i only spent 3 days in tokyo in October.

Make sure you print all your documents with a paper copy. WiFi is a bit awkward at PVG.

 

[Tueqalto]

Cheers !

 

[Archipelago]

Should also point out that Taiwan, Hong Kong are not considered China for the purpose of transit visa.

You can definitely do something like SYD (transit in HKG) > PVG > SYD with 144hours as it counts HKG > PVG > SYD when they work out the transit visa. Some airline check in staff may misintrept this as not allowable.

I replied to the info in the original post. A flight from Sydney to Shanghai, and then an onward flight from Shanghai to India.

The info I provided for that was correct. Not up to me 'should also point out' every other possible origin and departure point - just trying to assist the OP

 

[Major]

We used the 144 hour visa to start a cruise from Shanghai. We flew SYD-PVG and played tourist for 3 days before boarding our cruise.

Showed paper copies of accommodation and cruise booking with no problems.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

semantics. you know exactly what I meant and to anyone else "directly from one country" is obvious that there's no stop in China on the way. Gimme a break.

It’s not a criticism of you!

It’s a problem with chinese carriers that sell ‘direct’ flights, which are marketed as such, but are not ‘non-stop’. The technical stop - which may not even be disclosed on the ticket - will invalidate some itineraries trying to use TWOV.

While there may not be a stop on the way into china, the OP needs to make sure if flying a chinese airline, that there’s no technical stops on the way *out* of china on the way to india.

There are plenty of data points where pax have been caught out by this.