How to get a China transit visa for your layover

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Disclaimer: Please note this is intended as a guide only. All information is based on my experience (through Beijing Capital airport for the 24 hour stay only) and research I have done into the China transit visa. The information below is accurate at time of writing in 2019. I aim to keep it as current as possible but please make sure to check your country’s Chinese embassy website for up to date details before you travel.

If you are going through China on your way to another country and are lucky enough, like I was, to have a decent length of a layover, you can potentially apply for the China transit visa. The China transit visa is a way to enter China as a traveler without the need to apply for a visa before you get there. Note: the China transit visa is also known as China visa-free transit. There are certain rules about the China transit visa that you need to be aware of. I hope this post will clear some things up for you, answer some of your questions and set you on your way to a real Chinese travel experience.

What are the benefits of the China transit visa?

The biggest benefit is that you can enjoy some time exploring China without the hassle of having to apply for a full visa. I lived in China for 2 years and have applied for countless visas. It often involves a lot of paperwork and a lot of time. But if you’re traveling to somewhere else in Asia then there’s a high possibility you could end up routed through China. So why not take a look around while you’re there. Many people are not sure whether they will like China. The culture shock is REAL and if you don’t know the language it can be overwhelming at first. Everything is chaos from the get-go, but if you give it a chance I’m sure you’ll have a great time.

But back to the China transit visa. The great thing is you can experience a bit of China, get a little taste, and not commit to a full vacation there. Head out into a city and get some food. Do a little shopping, a little sightseeing, maybe even a tour. All without needing a visa in advance. You can get it right at the airport when you land.

The China transit visa is not for everyone

While the China transit visa is a wonderful new addition for travelers, you have to understand there are limits. The first one, and a big one, is that not all nationalities qualify. There are currently 50+ countries that are able to take advantage of the China transit visa. If you are from one of those 50+ countries, and you want to take advantage of the China transit visa, then carry on reading. If you are not from one of those countries you will likely need to apply for a visa in advance of traveling. You should definitely consult the Chinese embassy in your country. The following countries are those currently allowed to make use of the China transit visa:

Europe: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

North America/South America: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and United States of America.

Oceania: Australia, New Zealand.

Asia: Brunei, Japan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea and United Arab Emirates.

The China transit visa has a maximum time length

Planning to go to China for a week or more? You’re going to need to apply for an actual visa in advance. This won’t work for you. If you are happy to spend up to 24 hours, 72 hours or even 144 hours there, then you can keep reading about the China transit visa. From what I understand there is no minimum time needed for a visa. Well, other than the length of time you will need to actually do anything that is. We were due to arrive into Beijing at 3:30pm and our departing flight was at 1:30am. That’s 10 hours, and probably the minimum time you would want to comfortably get into the city and back. Otherwise you’ll only have time to just take one photo and leave.

If you are able to get a longer layover, I would recommend at least a couple of days. If you’re arriving into Beijing there are lots of things to do in and around the city. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, the Summer Palace and lots of eating and shopping. The timing of our flight was not ideal for seeing what Beijing had to offer as it was getting later in the day. But since I’ve been to Beijing a lot of times before I was comfortable enough getting around. My friend had never been to China but she was happy with seeing a couple of sights in real China and having a bite to eat. With up to 6 days you can spend in China visa free, you’ll be able to do so much else.

It’s called a China transit visa for a reason

The China transit visa is specifically for those in transit (hence the name). You cannot book a flight to China and back home and use the transit visa to explore China. The China transit visa requires you to arrive from one country/region and be leaving for a third country/region. A different one to where you have just arrived from. For the purposes of the China transit visa Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are considered a third region, but other Chinese cities are not.

So you can effectively travel from let’s say the United States to Hong Kong via Beijing and enjoy the China transit visa in Beijing. You would not be able to go from the United States to Beijing and back to the United States (including Hawaii or Alaska) and enjoy the China transit visa. Likewise in most cases you cannot take advantage of the China transit visa if your flight goes from let’s say France to Beijing to Guangzhou to Bangkok. That is more than one Chinese city so the China transit visa would not apply.

You can only get the China transit visa at certain Chinese cities

The number of cities you can take advantage of the China transit visa has been steadily growing. You’ll have more options than just Beijing and Shanghai. However there are limits, so make sure to check where your flight connects through. Most cities allow the 24 hour transit visa. Some will limit the maximum time at 72 hours, while others allow up to 144 hours. Here’s the latest information on the airports you can get a China transit visa:

Cities where you can visit for up to 72 hours – Changsha, Chongqing, Guilin, Harbin, Xi’an.

Cities where you can visit for up to 144 hours – Beijing Capital (PEK), Chengdu, Dalian, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jieyang, Kunming, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai (both airports), Shenyang, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Wuhan, Xiamen

Non airport locations to apply for the (144 hour) transit visa – Beijing West railway station (only for the Beijing to Kowloon, Hong Kong train), Qinhuangdao Seaport, Qingdao Seaport, Shanghai Port International cruise terminal, Shanghai Wusongkou International cruise terminal, Shanghai railway station (only for for Shanghai to Kowloon, Hong Kong train), Tianjin International cruise home port, Xiamen Seaport.

Don’t go too far

Generally the rule will be that you are not to leave the area from which you entered. Meaning that if you enter through Beijing, you cannot travel to Shanghai or Xi’an or somewhere else in the country. Usually you will be limited to the city you land in, or the province it is situated in. Make sure to check in advance what the allowances are for the place that you land.

How to get a China transit visa

So you’re eligible for the transit visa, have an adequate length layover and are in one of China’s major cities, now what? I’ll admit this was the part that I was worried about. I had seen online that I should be eligible, but actually going through the process is another matter. Airports in China can be frantic, no matter how few people there might be. So make sure to look out for the right way to go for your transit visa. It’s easy to get pushed along with the crowd and miss the right place to go. That being said, the China transit visa process was surprisingly easy.

What do you need to bring?

Other than yourself and your passport, which you will have with you anyway, there’s nothing else you need. I saw somewhere that you need to advise your airline when you check in that you plan to leave the airport in China. Apparently this isn’t the case if you are transiting through Beijing Capital as I was, which is perhaps why I feel like I just added confusion at check in. My check in agent didn’t really get the transit visa idea and kept telling me we wouldn’t be able to leave the airport without applying for a visa in advance. Cue 11 hour flight of my panicking that I was destined to spend 10 hours in an airport with nothing to do. But to be safe I would always recommend telling the airport crew when you check in before you leave home.

Follow the signs at the airport upon arrival

When you get off the plane in China, you’ll see a lot of signs pointing you towards transfers, baggage claim, exit etc. But on this board will be two important things you will need if you are applying for the China transit visa.

The first is the Fingerprint self-collection area and the second is the Temporary entry permit application. In Beijing one followed the other, although one of the application kiosks was unmanned so we had to go to the next one a little further along. They may also be signposted as Visa-Free transit depending on the airport.

Get your fingerprints taken

If you are transiting through China and you are NOT leaving the airport, then you can continue past these machines. If you plan on getting the China transit visa however, this is a necessary stop for you. The automated machines have English instructions on them too, and will require you to scan your passport and your fingerprints. The machines are simple enough, but you need to press your fingerprints down hard. At the end of this, you will receive a little print out receipt that you’re good to go. Keep hold of it, you’ll need this later on.

Fill out the form

After getting your fingerprints taken continue to follow the signs for the temporary entry permit application. Don’t follow the crowd that will most likely be transfers through to another flight.

When you find the desk for applying for the China transit visa you’ll see a stack of little forms. Fill one out before you get in line.

Get stamped

Join the line for the desk to apply for your temporary transit visa. You’ll need to present your completed form and fingerprint receipt from earlier, along with your passport. I was asked a couple of questions and to verify my onward flight information so they knew when I would return. I got my photo taken and a couple minutes later had a new stamp in my passport stating I had a temporary entry permit.

Go through passport control

After you receive your temporary permit, your China transit visa, you can rejoin all the people leaving the airport through the usual security checkpoint. Simply present your passport again and they’ll check your new transit visa. I had my fingerprints taken again as well as my photo taken again. It feels like a lot of repetition but doesn’t take too long. You’ll get a stamp in your passport showing you were admitted to the country.

Head into China

And that’s it. You’re all set to visit China. The whole process from plane through to passport control was about an hour. We still had plenty of time before we needed to be back at the airport for our next flight. I landed in Beijing and from there took the express train into the city, connecting to the subway with the same ticket. It was really easy and quick, and a ticket only cost 25 RMB ($3.5 USD).

Is the China transit visa worth it?

I had a 10 hour layover, probably the shortest you would want if you are going to attempt to leave the airport. It took about an hour to get our transit visa and get through passport control. It took another hour to get into the city center of Beijing by train. Allowing the same amount of time for the return and a comfortable window for security we had about 4-5 hours in Beijing. While not a lot of time, it was better than sitting in an airport and could be a way to see a new country and see if you might want to return.

While I ended up with the 24 hour transit visa, the process above applies for the longer transit visas too. If anything it’s just easier and quicker if you are getting the 24 hour transit visa. I didn’t ask for a specific one, I just told them when my flight was and they figured it out. I’m not sure if more than a 24 hour transit visa has a more rigorous questioning process, but no-one in line with us took too long to be processed. I hope this has helped with at least one or two questions you may have had about the China transit visa. Again, I urge you to check current information on the Chinese embassy site for your country in case there have been changes to the eligibility for this transit visa.

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