Flying through Beijing: Transit without Visa Question
 

Hi all,
I have been getting conflicting reports over the past few days about the TWOV option when flying through PEK.
Our issue/My question:
Our family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids) are flying RT from SFO to BKK in late Dec/return early January, with stops in Beijing (PEK) on both routes. On the way to BKK, we only have a couple of hours of layover, but on the return flight, we have 9 hours (6:30am - 4:00pm). We have been told by some that we can go through immigration WITHOUT A VISA and leave the airport for the day as long as we have proof of our flight leaving PEK within 24 hours to another country (called a transit stamp).

We would prefer not to get a visa, as they are $140 each, ($700 for family of 5), and if our plane from BKK is running late, we won't have time to leave the airport anyways (and that seems like an obscene amount of money to spend for just a few hours).

Per the IATA website/TIMATIC, this is possible. Per China websites, this is not. On TripAdvisor Forums, people saying yes, this is possible (and easy to do). My father's travel connections in China (used to work there) say no, we need visas.

Would love to know that there is a definitive source of information that I can print out and show at PEK in case of a problem (or know for sure that we can't, so we can figure out which is worse - spending $700 for the visas or spending 9 hours in PEK Terminal 3 with 3 very tired/whiny/cranky kids who just took a redeye from BKK and probably an equally cranky husband).

Any help is much appreciated!!!!

Hi Emily, I've been doing some research about this as I'll be transiting without visa through Shanghai on an upcoming trip. According to the Chinese Embassy in DC, Shanghai is the only city where you could leave the airport while transiting without a visa. For Beijing, you do not need a visa to transit between flights but you're not allowed to leave the airport.

Tripplanner001,

I have seen the same information (about 48 hours where you can leave airport in Shanghai), which is why I had assumed (before seeing the TripAdvisor Forums) that we couldn't leave the airport. To be honest, I was really surprised that the idea of 24 hours in BJ was even being discussed. Here are the two links that seem to support the notion:

1) http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic....html#44659273

2) From the IATA website:

Visa China (People's Rep.)
Visa required.
Passengers transiting only are exempt from holding a visa when:
Holders of confirmed onward tickets for a max. transit time of 24 hours. Transit incl. two stops, with a total transit time of 24 hours, within China (People's Rep.) is permitted.
Nationals of USA are not permitted to use the two-stop transit within China, if transiting through Tianjin (TSN), Weihai (WEH), Wuhan (WUH), Xi An (XIY) or Zhengzhou (CGO).
Nationals of USA holding confirmed onward tickets for a max. transit time of 48 hours, provided arriving at and departing from Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) or Shanghai Pudong (PVG).
All transiting passengers are subject to a check by immigration officials.
Leaving the transit area is allowed.

Any thoughts? This is so confusing!!!!

Emily, I haven't seen the TA information until you brought it to my attention, but the IATA information seems to match the information I received at the Chinese Embassy.

The above reply is incorrect. While the policy says you cannot leave airport, but that is not enforced and unenforcable. Nobody can or will stop you from leaving airport and visit the city. Tonnes of people do it everyday at various cities.

The only risk is if something bad happens during that time and you are questioned by police, or if you ended up missing the flight, etc. You can decide if you want to take that chance. But no one will or can stop you.

Ok, I think I'm confident in making it work. We will have someone meet us at PEK and bring us to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall and bring us back in plenty of time for our 4pm flight. Thanks to all for your help!

Well it looks as if your (and my) problem is solved as of this week:

http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine...e-stay-beijing

We too are flying through PEK (in December) and planned to meet our friends for dinner in the city during our 7 hour layover.

This 72-hour exemption has been talked about for a while but not in place. It may not be for a while actually.
The "official" rules say that you can leave the airport on a transit. You need to find the proper desk, show your onward tickets and get the transit stamp in your passport.

I don't understand the post above and the reference to a third country. Of course that "third" country can be your home country. The OP fully qualifies.
In addition, as an update, both Beijing and Shanghai have announced that they will finally extent the visa free transit to 72 hours as of January 1st for passport holders of certain countries. Here is the list of countries that qualify: http://www.wcarn.com/cache/news/22/22734.html

Thanks, JPDeM, that is good news.