China visa

[meredith27]

We are booked to go on Sapphire Princess on April 25th.The last stop on the 17 day cruise is Shanghai. We are transferring from the pier to the airport for our flight home to UK.This is our only stop in China bar Hong Kong where we don't need a visa.For the coach trip to the airport we apparently need to purchase a visa which, depending how you buy it, can cost around £200. Since there are four of us it could cost up to £800 pounds for our trip to the airport! Perhaps Princess should have considered this when planning the cruise stops.

Anyone else been in this crazy situation or have I misunderstood something and got my facts wrong?

[pppatpc2]

I'm not sure but I think there is an exemption if your stop is under a certain amount of hours. Maybe Princess or your travel agent can clarify.

[tothemall&beyond]

We are on the same cruise. You MUST get the Chinese visa. You don't have a choice. Princess will not let you board without it. No choice. For us it was $140 USD pp plus $79 USD PP agency fee. The visa is good for 10 years. There are actually TWO stops in China (not counting Hong Kong). It's not just Shanghai for which you need it, but also Taiwan.

Edited February 10, 2016 by tothemall&beyond

[tothemall&beyond]

Although it admittedly is a lot of money, it's just one of the cost factors we had to take into account for what we see as a very special cruise. Princess had pop-up boxes about it from the moment we booked, and kept sending us reminders. So it's not like anyone didn't know.

 

But, again, please remember that you have two ports in China, not just your transit port of Shanghai.

Edited February 10, 2016 by tothemall&beyond

[chrysalis]

We are on the same cruise. You MUST get the Chinese visa. You don't have a choice. Princess will not let you board without it. No choice. For us it was $140 USD pp plus $79 USD PP agency fee. The visa is good for 10 years. There are actually TWO stops in China (not counting Hong Kong). It's not just Shanghai for which you need it, but also Taiwan.

 

What are the two stops in China, not counting Hong Kong?

[tothemall&beyond]

What are the two stops in China, not counting Hong Kong?

 

Taiwan and Shanghai. Taiwan is officially part of China, and unlike Hong Kong, it requires the visa.

Edited February 10, 2016 by tothemall&beyond

[chrysalis]

Taiwan and Shanghai.

 

Taiwan is a different county...no one visa would cover both.

[john watson]

I did a fairly recent cruise on Princess; Diamond, Hong Kong to Yokohama. We stopped at Taiwan and obviously Hong Kong. We did not need visas of any type as Taiwan and Hong Kong are special economic regions of China not needing a visa. I think the problem you have here is exclusive to Shanghai and specifically as you are disembarking the ship to reach the airport.

 

The high cost of visas if it is £200 is a bit of an own goal for Princess, but I firmly believe they are in this region to get local far eastern people to start cruising.

 

Regards John

[chrysalis]

I did a fairly recent cruise on Princess; Diamond, Hong Kong to Yokohama. We stopped at Taiwan and obviously Hong Kong. We did not need visas of any type as Taiwan and Hong Kong are special economic regions of China not needing a visa. I think the problem you have here is exclusive to Shanghai and specifically as you are disembarking the ship to reach the airport.

 

The high cost of visas if it is £200 is a bit of an own goal for Princess, but I firmly believe they are in this region to get local far eastern people to start cruising.

 

Regards John

 

Sorry, but Taiwan is not a special economic region of China (PRC)....it is a sovereign country in its own right.

[john watson]

I think you should look at this site. It is difficult to work out whether you need a F visa for visits and other activities. a G visa for transits or an L visa as a tourist. They seem to specify 72 and 144 hours types as well. Click VISAS TO CHINA on the site.

 

http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk

 

Regards John

Edited February 10, 2016 by john watson

[john watson]

Sorry, but Taiwan is not a special economic region of China (PRC)....it is a sovereign country in its own right.

 

Interesting viewpoint. The United States recognized the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole government of China acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. Are you saying the US government is wrong?

 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35855.htm

 

Regards John

Edited February 10, 2016 by john watson

[chrysalis]

Interesting viewpoint. The United States recognized the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole government of China acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. Are you saying the US government is wrong?

 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35855.htm

 

Regards John

 

 

Are you saying that they are right?

[john watson]

Are you saying that they are right?

 

I am saying under the current political system the world is in The United States has decided it is prudent to support Taiwan and it's people on an unofficial basis and not try to re-establish it as a separate sovereign state. The People's Republic of China have included it as part of their country. In so doing, along with Hong Kong they have declared a special economic status on these two areas. The reason for this is political inasmuch as they do not have a strong communist background. China has emerged more recently as a global economic power and does not want to undermine the prosperity of these two areas as it want prosperity. In order to keep things stable the residents of mainland China are unable to visit these places easily. This is how it is.

 

When I visited Taiwan, Princess had kept my passport as they did with everyone else. The night before docking in Taiwan, we received Princess Patter Newsletters along with cruise line provided photocopies of our passports. The ATM's would not accept my card so we went to a few banks to get money. Most wanted sight of your passport not a photocopy. Eventually we were successful, upstairs in a bank which used a sit and wait system after you got a serial number from the machine. You then went to a cashier when your number came up. Very few English speakers and going alone anywhere is a bit tricky. The Princess Patter always had a line in it something like "Take me to the Cruise Terminal" with a local translation to show taxi drivers as a last resort.

 

Bon Voyage.

 

John

Edited February 10, 2016 by john watson

[meredith27]

No we Brits don't need a visa for Taiwan so as i said it's a load of money for a coach trip!

[hawkeyetlse]

Are you saying that they are right?

It doesn't matter who's right. It only matters who is in charge of immigration procedures when your ship enters a port in Taiwan. And you will find that it is neither the US, nor [mainland] China. And for many travelers, that is a very good thing, because entering Taiwan is a lot easier!

Perhaps Princess should have considered this when planning the cruise stops.

I don't see how this is in any way Princess's fault. I expect there are many on your sailing who are planning a post-cruise stay in China and they are delighted that this itinerary is being offered. I would suggest that perhaps you should have considered this issue before booking this cruise.

 

This topic comes up for European itineraries, too, because people are routinely caught out when they discover that it will cost them hundreds of dollars just to travel between the port and the airport in Istanbul, for example, or in St. Petersburg.

Edited February 10, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[john watson]

No we Brits don't need a visa for Taiwan so as i said it's a load of money for a coach trip!

 

You can email questions to the chinese embassy on a link from my earlier post #10

 

What sort of visa is appropriate for your specific travel arrangements?

 

What are the transport options Shanghai cruise port to the airport?

 

What is precise name of your airport?

 

Podong is only 24 miles from airport - is this the correct airport?

 

Are Princess saying that booking this coach is compulsory?

 

If you do book it are they insisting on a specific visa type through them?

 

Port of Call at Taiwan. I just went off ship with a photocopy of Passport given to me by cruise line which had retained the original.

 

Regards John

Edited February 10, 2016 by john watson

[meredith27]

Excellent point.The strange thing is that if we came into the airport we wouldn't need a visa but because we have come on a cruise ship, then we do. just think it's unfair and something that maybe should be addressed for future cruises. With all the passengers on board who ARE going straight home from Shanghai it's a nice little earner!

[meredith27]

May not need one after all.....

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-transit-144hour.htm

[tothemall&beyond]

Excellent point.The strange thing is that if we came into the airport we wouldn't need a visa but because we have come on a cruise ship, then we do. just think it's unfair and something that maybe should be addressed for future cruises. With all the passengers on board who ARE going straight home from Shanghai it's a nice little earner!

 

 

Yes, - the ruling on whether or not a visa is required was based on 4 factors: 1) the country of your citizenship, 2) the number of entry and exit points in China, 3) the time between them and 4) the mode of travel. The two most important factors are the first and last.

 

For Americans, there is no question here: the US considers Taiwan to be part of China, so with multiple entries and exits into China (Taiwan, then other countries, then Shanghai), US citizens must have Chinese visas. Simple, no question about it.

 

Apparently, the rules are a little different for British citizens because GB does not consider Taiwan to be part of China; therefore, multiple entries are not an issue. BUT, because the mode of entry into Shanghai is by ship, not by air, even British citizens would have needed visas for this cruise.

 

From Chinese Consulate FAQ's:

What is not acceptable

Transit without visa is only available to air travelers and is not applicable to any combination of land or sea passage.

 

BUT, as of January 30, 2016, it appears that maybe the rule has changed to allow for multiple modes of in-transit transportation in Shanghai (but still not for Americans if another Chinese port, including Taiwan, is on itinerary).

Edited February 10, 2016 by tothemall&beyond

[hawkeyetlse]

All ideological positions aside, for the purposes of travel documents, mainland China and Taiwan are two separate entities. You may need a visa for China but not for Taiwan, or vice versa, or you may need a visa for both, or neither. Because each entity makes up its own entry requirements.

 

If you need a visa for Taiwan, you cannot obtain it from a Chinese consulate. If you need a visa to enter China, you cannot obtain it from any Taiwanese authority.

 

For the purposes of this thread, US and UK citizens do not need any sort of visa to visit Taiwan on this cruise itinerary. This has absolutely nothing to do with the US or the UK government's stance on Cross-Strait relations. And the fact that the cruise stops in Taiwan has absolutely no bearing on whether passengers might need a visa for China, and it does not count as an entry into China as far as Chinese border authorities are concerned. There is really no reason to continue including Taiwan in this discussion.

 

If you want to say that the itinerary of this cruise includes three stops in China (Hong Kong, Keelung, and Shanghai), feel free. But as far as travel documents go, most passengers will only actually enter China once, when they disembark in Shanghai. (The only other opportunity to enter China would be during the overnight in Hong Kong, if some passengers choose to exit Hong Kong and travel into mainland China).

Edited February 11, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[TracieABD]

May not need one after all.....

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-transit-144hour.htm

 

That is amazing news!

 

I had to get a visa for Argentina. I was there for less than 24 hours to board a cruise ship. Luckily, it is good for 10 years-- I hope that I can get back and get a little more use out of it!

[USN59-79]

All ideological positions aside, for the purposes of travel documents, mainland China and Taiwan are two separate entities. You may need a visa for China but not for Taiwan, or vice versa, or you may need a visa for both, or neither. Because each entity makes up its own entry requirements.

 

If you need a visa for Taiwan, you cannot obtain it from a Chinese consulate. If you need a visa to enter China, you cannot obtain it from any Taiwanese authority.

 

For the purposes of this thread, US and UK citizens do not need any sort of visa to visit Taiwan on this cruise itinerary. This has absolutely nothing to do with the US or the UK government's stance on Cross-Strait relations. And the fact that the cruise stops in Taiwan has absolutely no bearing on whether passengers might need a visa for China, and it does not count as an entry into China as far as Chinese border authorities are concerned. There is really no reason to continue including Taiwan in this discussion.

 

If you want to say that the itinerary of this cruise includes three stops in China (Hong Kong, Keelung, and Shanghai), feel free. But as far as travel documents go, most passengers will only actually enter China once, when they disembark in Shanghai. (The only other opportunity to enter China would be during the overnight in Hong Kong, if some passengers choose to exit Hong Kong and travel into mainland China).

Thanks for your logical and accurate reply. Having lived in Taipei many years ago I was getting frustrated reading this thread.

[caribill]

We are on the same cruise. You MUST get the Chinese visa. You don't have a choice. Princess will not let you board without it. No choice. For us it was $140 USD pp plus $79 USD PP agency fee. The visa is good for 10 years. There are actually TWO stops in China (not counting Hong Kong). It's not just Shanghai for which you need it, but also Taiwan.

 

A visa for mainland China is NOT valid for a visit to Taiwan.

 

If a visa is required for Taiwan, then you would need one from the Taiwan government. Depending on your citizenship, a visa for Taiwan may not be needed.

[Pierlesscruisers]

Whether somebody gets off a cruise ship in a foreign port or not is not relevant as far as whether a visa from that country is required or not. The fact is that you are in that countries waters and therefore are in that country even while on the ship, regardless of whether you get off that ship or not. That said, the information below is from the US Dept. of State and the Chinese government websites. Note that the Chinese site mentions airports only and says nothing about travel by ship, only by plane.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Tom

 

----------------------------------

Dept. of State website: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/china.html has this info.

 

Transiting China: U.S. citizens may stay in mainland China for up to 72 hours without a Chinese visa if transiting certain international airports. Consult the Chinese Embassy/consulate for a current list of eligible airports. Transiting without a visa requires a valid passport, a visa for your onward destination (if necessary), and an onward plane ticket departing from the same airport. You must remain in the same municipality or province while in China. Make sure to get an endorsement stamp at the immigration desk before leaving the airport.

 

-------

Chinese embassy website: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/zgqz/

 

A foreign citizen who is transiting through China by air is exempted from a visa if he/she will stay only in the airport for no more than 24 hours and has a valid connecting ticket with confirmed seating on an international flight.

Citizens with passport or other international travel document, confirmed interline ticket and valid visa to the third country or region (if required) of the following 51 countries, can apply to stay in the transit cities without visa for 72 hours on direct transit via the following airports: PEK, PVG, SHA, CAN, CTU,CKG, SHE, DLC, XIY,HGH,KWL,KMG. (For more info, please check the airports' websites)

Albania, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Montenegro, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

[USN59-79]

Whether somebody gets off a cruise ship in a foreign port or not is not relevant as far as whether a visa from that country is required or not. The fact is that you are in that countries waters and therefore are in that country even while on the ship, regardless of whether you get off that ship or not. That said, the information below is from the US Dept. of State and the Chinese government websites. Note that the Chinese site mentions airports only and says nothing about travel by ship, only by plane.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Tom

 

----------------------------------

Dept. of State website: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/china.html has this info.

 

Transiting China: U.S. citizens may stay in mainland China for up to 72 hours without a Chinese visa if transiting certain international airports. Consult the Chinese Embassy/consulate for a current list of eligible airports. Transiting without a visa requires a valid passport, a visa for your onward destination (if necessary), and an onward plane ticket departing from the same airport. You must remain in the same municipality or province while in China. Make sure to get an endorsement stamp at the immigration desk before leaving the airport.

 

-------

Chinese embassy website: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/zgqz/

 

A foreign citizen who is transiting through China by air is exempted from a visa if he/she will stay only in the airport for no more than 24 hours and has a valid connecting ticket with confirmed seating on an international flight.

Citizens with passport or other international travel document, confirmed interline ticket and valid visa to the third country or region (if required) of the following 51 countries, can apply to stay in the transit cities without visa for 72 hours on direct transit via the following airports: PEK, PVG, SHA, CAN, CTU,CKG, SHE, DLC, XIY,HGH,KWL,KMG. (For more info, please check the airports' websites)

Albania, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Montenegro, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

Actually, it is not helpful because it is outdated information. In the past, the 72 hour visa exemption was only valid when flying in and out of Chinese airports. As of 30 January 2016, there is a 144 hour visa available at no charge that includes passengers arriving at the Shanghai Cruise Terminal. Click on the link provided by meredith27 a few posts back. The unknown part is how long it will take Princess Cruise Line to recognize this new reality.