24-HOUR WITHOUT VISA, TWOV FOR ALMOST ALL COUNTRIES BY AIR, CRUISE OR TRAIN TRANSITING IN CHINA. COUNTED FROM THE LANDING TIME, MULTIPLE STOPS.

 But the destination and place for departure can't be the same  (e.g New York – Shanghai – Bangkok)

Starting: scheduled arrival time

Ending: scheduled departure time

About: How to go through the 24 hours “visa-free access” at Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao International Airport?

If wishing to leave the transiting area to explore the city during the layover, passengers are supposed to apply for a free temporary stay permit at the immigration counter upon arrival.

Step 1: Go to Foreigner Fingerprint Self-collection Area and record your fingerprint.

Step 2: See the Visa on Arrival, then follow Arrival Card Sign, later you'll fill in the information through the self-service machine and get your printed arrival card.

Step 3:  Please walk through the “China Inspection and Quarantine”, where you can get the “Visa-free Permit Stamp” at 24/144-hour Visa-emption Transit Area.

Step 4: Your tour guide will wait and hold a paper with your name sign at the arrival hall.

NOTE: 24-hour TWOV is not available to passengers traveling on the following passports; Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The 144-hour visa-free transit policy in China allows air, train and ship passengers from 53 countries to transit and stay for up to six days without a visa. You must be in transit to a third country or region (Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are included) with a departure time within 144 hours for the country you are traveling to.

Destination and place for departure can't be the same  (e.g New York – Shanghai – Bangkok)

NOTE: 144-hour Visa-Free is valid for the following passport holders:

24 Schengen Agreement 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

15 Other European Countries: Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia (FYROM), Albania, Belarus, Monaco

6 American Countries: the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile

2 Oceania Countries: Australia, New Zealand

6 Asian Countries: Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar

How the 144 Hours are calculated?

Be advised that the 144 hours begin the next day 0:00 am after you received permission for transit.

i.e. If one arrives at 7:00 am on May 1, the layover time counts from 00:00 of May 2 and the passenger should hold a ticket with the scheduled departure time before 23:59 of May 7. In this case, the allowed stay period is more than 144 hours.

How to go through the “144 visa-free access ” at Shanghai Pudong or Hongqiao International Airport

Method 1:

Step 1: Declare information via E-application system before transiting to Shanghai, once required information is collected, a QR code will be generated for the application to keep. This the E-application system link: http://gaj.sh.gov.cn/crj/144zy.jsp                                  

Step 2: After landing at the airport, go to Foreigner Fingerprint Self-collection Area and record your fingerprint. 

Step 3: See the Visa on Arrival, then follow Arrival Card Sign, scan the QR code or your valid passport. An arrival card for temporary entry will be printed.

Step 4: Please walk through the “China Inspection and Quarantine”, where you can get the “Visa-free Permit Stamp” at 24/144-hour Visa-emption Transit Area.

Step 5: Your tour guide will wait and hold a paper with your name sign at the arrival hall.

Method 2: 

If a traveler doesn't apply online in advance, please apply free-visa upon arrival.

Step 1: After landing at the airport, go to Foreigner Fingerprint Self-collection Area and record your fingerprint.

Step 2: See the Visa on Arrival, then follow Arrival Card Sign, scan the QR code or your valid passport. An arrival card for temporary entry will be printed.

Step 3: Please walk through the “China Inspection and Quarantine”, where you can get the “Visa-free Permit Stamp” at 24/144-hour Visa-emption Transit Area.

Step 4: Your tour guide will wait and hold a paper with your name sign at the arrival hall