Transit in PVG

[MEL_Traveller]

. The "Chinese Experience" will be a highlight and a difinitive answer for the non-visa entry to Shanghai will be provided.

we already HAVE a definitive answer on the transit without visa question.

people whip up a sense of frenzy which has no foundation. exactly the same, as I said before, as recommending someone go get a US visa even thigh they're entitled to the waiver program...

 

[OverrideServlet]

we already HAVE a definitive answer on the transit without visa question.

people whip up a sense of frenzy which has no foundation. exactly the same, as I said before, as recommending someone go get a US visa even thigh they're entitled to the waiver program...

One persons knowledge and experience doesn't really constitute a "definitive" answer.

Again, I don't doubt that your experience is different to mine and that you are being quite truthful about it. But you seem to be implying that some of us are just making this stuff up? What would be the motivation for doing that?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

One persons knowledge and experience doesn't really constitute a "definitive" answer.

Again, I don't doubt that your experience is different to mine and that you are being quite truthful about it. But you seem to be implying that some of us are just making this stuff up? What would be the motivation for doing that?

that's the whole thing I have been saying since the beginning of this thread... this is NOT just my experience! there are hundreds of posts on FT about this. both in thechaina forum and on several of the mileage run forums.

it ALWAYS follows the same pattern. one person proposes travel to china (within the rules of the transit without visa) and then 50 people with absolutely no experience all jump on and urge extreme caution, or have stories about a friend of a friend where they may have had problems.

in every case the original poster comes back after the trip and reports that yes, exactly as the china residents and all the previous travelers have said, there was NO problem with the transit without visa.

each one of those posters goes saying 'I will provide the definitive answer' - and as always, there is no change. same result each time.

so it is not just my experience... once again it is the same as the USA transit without visa. sure one or two people get caught out because they haven't declared something and they get sent home. but that then doesn't prompt dozens of people to urge caution. people just say 'well, if you followed the rules you would have been ok'. the same applies for the Chinese transit without visa.

staff are well versed to handle it. there are no surprises.

there is no one yet who has reported they were not granted a transit without visa. so my experience cannot be different to anyone else's

 

[OverrideServlet]

50 peop,e with absolutely no experience all jump on and urge extreme caution, or have stories about a friend of a friend wheee they may have had problems.

Maybe I wasn't clear when I said "my actual experience"; which is obviously quite different to the assertion of yourself & many others on FT that there is "no problem" transiting sans-visa.

But, putting my own definitely baseless made-up statements aside for a moment. You're basically saying many people on FT have done it without problem, and many others have chimed in to say that they've had problems (or know people who've had problems). That hardly seems definitive to me and I don't know why you think people would be motivated to scare monger as you're suggesting.

Yes going to the visa office and forking out money is inconvenient, I don't disagree with you there. But in my actual experience (and the actual experience of one of my siblings on a totally separate occasion), it's better to just have a visa than spend another 4 hours being questioned by Chinese authorities - which has happened to both of us.

I also have immediate family living in PVG. I'm not as detached from reality as you might think

Anyway, the OP has a few data points to digest now so I'm done with this thread.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Maybe I wasn't clear when I said "my actual experience"; which is obviously quite different to the assertion of yourself & many others on FT that there is "no problem" transiting sans-visa.

But, putting my own definitely baseless made-up statements aside for a moment. You're basically saying many people on FT have done it without problem, and many others have chimed in to say that they've had problems (or know people who've had problems). That hardly seems definitive to me and I don't know why you think people would be motivated to scare monger as you're suggesting.

Yes going to the visa office and forking out money is inconvenient, I don't disagree with you there. But in my actual experience (and the actual experience of one of my siblings on a totally separate occasion), it's better to just have a visa than spend another 4 hours being questioned by Chinese authorities - which has happened to both of us.

I also have immediate family living in PVG. I'm not as detached from reality as you might think

Anyway, the OP has a few data points to digest now so I'm done with this thread.

(my bolding)

that is not what my post said! it said many without experience, or only relying on what they thought a friend of a friend might have had a problem with... there have been no actual issues that anyone has been able to point to.

what would be really valuable would be if you could share your story so that there is an actual data point. you say you attempted a transit without visa. in shanghai. for the 24/48 hours permitted by your respective passport, and you had an onwards flig ticket to a third country. and they questioned you for 4 hours and also one of your siblings?

that is something which could impact on the advice being given to others. some specifics as to why, when you met all of the above criteria, they gave you grieve would be useful

 

[harvyk]

Guy's mww99 has made a decision based on the information in this thread...

Sitting here arguing over the point won't do or change anything...

Until mww99 reports back stating how easy or difficult their chosen method was I don't see there being anything more to discuss unless someone can put up "I travelled via PVG yesterday in the exact same circumstances as mww99 and my experience was..." or someone has a suggestion for what mww99 can do to kill time.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Guy's mww99 has made a decision based on the information in this thread...

Sitting here arguing over the point won't do or change anything...

Until mww99 reports back stating how easy or difficult their chosen method was I don't see there being anything more to discuss unless someone can put up "I travelled via PVG yesterday in the exact same circumstances as mww99 and my experience was..." or someone has a suggestion for what mww99 can do to kill time.

yes. agree.All we need is one person to say they weren't able to do it (within all the rules as stated). That is why overrideservlet's experience will be really useful here.

 

[auriga]

. some specifics as to why, when you met all of the above criteria, they gave you grieve would be useful

I am curious to know the specifics as well.

The rules seem pretty clear, and I have done an overnight stay in Shanghai without visa a few years ago. No problems, but it was a somewhat disconcerting experience, having my passport taken away by an official to be processed (out of sight). Took probably at least 15 minutes.

 

[harvyk]

I am curious to know the specifics as well.

The rules seem pretty clear, and I have done an overnight stay in Shanghai without visa a few years ago. No problems, but it was a somewhat disconcerting experience, having my passport taken away by an official to be processed (out of sight). Took probably at least 15 minutes.

It's certainly very disconcerting watching an offical walk away with your passport, even if they do then give it back shortly afterwards and let you through...

 

[Cruiser Elite]

mww99 I forgot something - not sure where you are staying but make sure you try Peking Duck whilst in SH - yes I know you are staying in SH and not BJ - but still some great duck restaurants. Xindalu in Hyatt on the Bund is really good - aint the cheapest but it is good. Just ask the concierge at your hotel and they will point you in the right direction.

God I love Peking / Beijing Duck - and I can't get back to BJ til late October to chow down again.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And a couple more





Did I mention that I LOVE Peking Duck?

 

[sinophile888]

My solution to this problem is to always have a current 1-Year Multi-Entry Chinese Visa in my passport.