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It has long been difficult to visit China due to expensive and onerous visa requirements.
Over the years, China has expanded the ability to transit without a visa (TWOV), adding the ability to visit for 3 days and later, 6 days for select cities, when flying to China from one country and returning to a different country.
With TWOV, you can’t fly from the US to China and back to the US without a stop in a 3rd country on the outbound or return leg. Connecting in Hong Kong on, say, Cathay Pacific does count as a 3rd country, but just remember that you can’t fly both ways via Hong Kong!
Connecting in Taiwan also counts as a 3rd country.
As of today, the TWOV option has been expanded to 10 days for Americans and citizens of dozens of other countries. The first day starts at 12:01am the day after arrival, and you must depart by 11:59pm on the 10th day after arrival.
More importantly, while TWOV previously didn’t allow for intra-China travel between provinces, you can now transit between provinces and visit most major cities in China using TWOV.
While you need 6 months of passport validity to travel to China with a visa or with a visa waiver, when using TWOV, you only need passport validity for the duration of the stay in China.
Don’t expect China to allow visa-free travel for Americans anytime soon. The country insists on reciprocity and the US requires visas for Chinese citizens who want to visit the US. However, the TWOV program allows China to accept so-called transiting visitors, while still restricting visa-free travel and the ability to take nonstop flights without a visa.
Is this change an olive branch to the incoming Trump administration? Or does China just want to increase tourism, which has been down severely since COVID?
Note that The US State Department advises that Americans “Exercise increased caution when traveling to Mainland China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans.”
Will you travel to China thanks to the expansion of the TWOV program?
HT: Davidmal
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26 Comments On "China Expands Transit Without Visa For Americans From 3 Or 6 Days To 10 Days, Allows Intra-China Travel!"
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does macau count as third country ?
Yes
No.
helpful for business travellers.
Recommended to get a burner phone/ laptop/ tablet for use in china as your data there is not private to say the least.
can i bring modafinil a schedule 1 narcotic into japan and china or i can get in trouble? i have add and need it to concentrate,
Just to clarify do you need to stay in the third country and have a seperate return ticket to the US or is a stop over for a few hours good enough?
Stopover is fine
It’s actually better to have it all on one itinerary/ticket to clearly show that you meet TWOV requirements to overzealous airline staff.
whats the israel update?
Traveling to and spending money in China is like visiting Germany and spending money there in 1937. Do not visit the future enemy.
Also, we need to organize a boycott of travel to Ireland and the purchase of Irish products. Their anti-Israel and antisemitic government is abhorrent.
Will the ban include Irish Spring soap?
Dan, and Co….
Seriously considering a trip to Beijing (on Cathay P.) via Honk Hong – layover, but do I make the return flight on another carrier ” Seems like Cathay P only stoppers are in HK. Can I do one ways on separate carriers ? Permitted with new rules ? Share suggestions please.
NY / JFK is the home airport
You would need another carrier, yes.
One way is fine.
Thanks Dan.
is it possible to fly from US directly JFK to Beijing, but return Beijing-Seoul-JFK (with China transit new rules) ?
Yes
Thank you sir ..
JFK to Beijing
Beijing to Seoul to JFK
or Beijing – HKG- JFK ?
Both are fine.
great ! Be well
Lat question.. Different carriers for outbound + inbound flights is mandatory with my intended flights (just to confirm) ?
Apologies Dan
I will book JFK direct to Beijing (on carrier A)
I will book return Beijing – Seoul (or HKG if permitted) – JFK
spend less than week in Beijing to abide by TWOV rules
Hello Dan and JJ
-JFK to HKG (connection) HKG on carrier 1 (example Cathay)
-Spending a week in Beijing
Beijing to Seoul carrier 2 (example Korean Air) arrive afternoon in Seoul
-Book and fly a separate flight (ex Korean Air -pm flight on same day- separate return ticket to JFK )
Does this sound good?
Also, very important question too… Even though planning to fly from Beijing to Seoul on one ticket, and Seoul to JFK on separately purchased ticket .. a phone call was made to Korean Air, who advised that we could have bags checked in Beijing and go from Beijing to JFK (all the way). No need to claim and recheck bags in Seoul.
If this ok to check bags completely through in Beijing (to Seoul and onwards to JFK)?, in accordance to TWOV rules ? Or best to check bags to Seoul, and reclaim and check again to JFK ?
Thank you !!!
That’s fine. No need for 2 tickets from PEK-ICN-JFK, 1 ticket is fine and checked through luggage is fine.
Hello Dan and JJ
-JFK to HKG (connection) HKG on carrier 1 (example Cathay)
-Spending a week in Beijing
Beijing to Seoul carrier 2 (example Korean Air) arrive afternoon in Seoul
-Book and fly a separate flight (ex Korean Air -pm flight on same day- separate return ticket to JFK )
Does this sound good?
Also, very important question too… Even though planning to fly from Beijing to Seoul on one ticket, and Seoul to JFK on separately purchased ticket .. a phone call was made to Korean Air, who advised that we could have bags checked in Beijing and go from Beijing to JFK (all the way). No need to claim and recheck bags in Seoul.
If this ok to check bags completely through in Beijing (to Seoul and onwards to JFK)?, in accordance to TWOV rules ? Or best to check bags to Seoul, and reclaim and check again to JFK ?
Thank you !!!
Thank you
Sorry .. I meant to say *** JFK to HKG (connection from HKG to PEK -Beijing)
Staying in Beijing for a week
Then the PEK – ICN -JFK return
(Just wanted to be certain to add ** JFK to HGK and connection HKG to PEK ..
Return flight(s) is the same PEK-ICN-JFK
Just an FYI… 240 hour TWOV (10 days max)
All went well .. safe “ to and from” China trip
1) Flew JFK to HKG to PEK (Cathay Pacific)
2) A week later flew Korean Airlines PEK to Seoul (ICN) layover ICN to JFK (we did separate tix for return .. to play it safe. Note: Dan advised that this was not necessary, but I had already purchased the tix.
There is a transit doc, per passenger, to be completed, and presented to at Transit Desk” in HKG (for flight to PEK, along with digitally scanned fingerprints and image scan required