Does anyone know anything about the Shanghai 144 hour transit visa?

[Tucson54]

Just got a call from our TA - says that we MUST get Visa for China - evidently folks have been having a lot of trouble - we leave in less than 2 weeks for a Panama Canal Cruise & need our passports - can't apply for Chinese Visa till mid December - gives us about 4 weeks till Pacific Cruise - think that's enough time to get a Visa??

[cannockfrodo]

Just got a call from our TA - says that we MUST get Visa for China - evidently folks have been having a lot of trouble - we leave in less than 2 weeks for a Panama Canal Cruise & need our passports - can't apply for Chinese Visa till mid December - gives us about 4 weeks till Pacific Cruise - think that's enough time to get a Visa??

 

 

Are you going to any part of China OTHER than Shanghai and Hong Kong ?

If so, then yes you need a visa.

If not, then no you don't.

See a previous post of mine regarding our very recent Far East cruise that included these two ports.

 

 

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[Hoyaheel]

- gives us about 4 weeks till Pacific Cruise - think that's enough time to get a Visa??

 

Yes. Do you plan to go to the Consulate yourself or use a service? If you're going yourself, typically you drop off Mon, can pick up Thurs. If you send through a service, will take a week or maybe 2 (you can pay more to expedite if you're worried).

 

Did your TA say the problems are with the airline, the cruiseline, or Chinese immigration? Typically immigration isn't the problem - it's airlines not knowing ALL the rules and not allowing boarding. Airlines use Timatic as their guidelines, so if it's there, it's ok. If it's not, you could have problems....

[annbarker23]

I got a similar call from our TA advising us that we needed a visa for China. We asked her to ring back and ask specifically about Shanghai. This time she was given a totally different response - no visa required if arriving and departing on same cruise ship and taking an organised tour with an approved company. Their own tours fit the bill.

 

 

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[bennybear]

No worries. :cool:

You enter from Taiwan, spend well within the 144 hours in Shanghai, & depart to HK.

You are covered by the visa-free terms. :)

 

But do make sure that the cruise line is aware of that & that you do not intend to get a visa for Shanghai - right or wrong, they have the right to refuse you boarding if they believe you are required to have a visa. If you get an unsatisfactory response, contact the person's supervisor, & that supervisor's supervisor if necessary.

Since Shanghai is your only Chinese port (as hoyaheel's post, HK is a separate entity) and is a mid-cruise port-of-call, someone at head office should know the rules.

 

JB :)

 

Thanks! Trying to get HAL response as they seem unsure. First response is if you are on their tours. Reminds me of Russia. So will persevere.

[bennybear]

Won't do any harm to print off the Shanghai website rules either.

 

 

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Done and sent to HAL, thanks!

[John Bull]

Thanks! Trying to get HAL response as they seem unsure. First response is if you are on their tours. Reminds me of Russia. So will persevere.

 

That kinda suggests to me that HAL are well-aware of the Shanghai visa-waiver.

And yes, it sounds like cruise lines' tactics at St Petersburg, where at least it is true that a visa-free visit does require using an authorised tour operator - though as CC members know, that can be a pre-booked local operator rather a ship's tour.

 

So I get the distinct impression that they're more interested in boosting their Shanghai tour numbers than being up-front with their passengers about their visa-waiver rights. :rolleyes:

 

Importantly, since Shanghai is a port-of-call and they're offering visa-free tours, that should mean you can board without a visa even if you don't get confirmation from HAL. (that's not advice I'd give to cruisers flying in or out of Shanghai)

Ships' crew tend to be far more knowledgeable than even senior folk at head office - they will either tell you that you can go ashore independently without a visa, or tell you that to go ashore you'll have to book their tours.

That means you don't waste money on a probably-unnecessary visa, and if you can't go ashore independently a ship's tour is easier and probably cheaper than fixing your own visa in advance.

 

But if it's not crystal-clear ahead of the cruise, I suggest you find out as soon as you board in case ship's tours book-out.

 

Good luck

 

JB :)

[bennybear]

Great advice John Bull! Thanks!

[annbarker23]

I agree. We booked our Celebrity tour as soon as we got an e mail from our TA advising us that no visa was required if we took one of their excursions. Shanghai was one place we didn't want to do on our own in any case.

 

 

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[TravelMore&More]

Booking a tour is certainly not a requirement of the Chinese immigration authorities.

It is easy to do Shanghai on your own, assuming that you can speak English.

[annbarker23]

We won't be using the 144 transit visa but the 15 day exemption for cruise passengers arriving in the port of Shanghai. This clearly stipulates that you must be part of an authorised tour group of two or more people.

 

 

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[yoredale]

From 1st October cruise ship passengers arriving and departing on the same ship and booked on a tour can you use the 15 day visa exemption. Tour company takes care of the admin and there is no charge.

[bennybear]

If I am understanding correctly we can use the 15 day cruise exemption if we are on a licensed and approved tour. Don't think hop on hop off would be covered. HAL has responded that it can be a private independent guide as long as they are licensed and approved.

I had my itinerary wrong. We are arriving from Japan to Shanghai and then leave for another Japanese port Okinawa so I don't think the 144 hour exemption will work for us.

Thoughts?

[cannockfrodo]

If I am understanding correctly we can use the 15 day cruise exemption if we are on a licensed and approved tour. Don't think hop on hop off would be covered. HAL has responded that it can be a private independent guide as long as they are licensed and approved.

 

I had my itinerary wrong. We are arriving from Japan to Shanghai and then leave for another Japanese port Okinawa so I don't think the 144 hour exemption will work for us.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Yes it would as long as you're NOT returning to another part of China (HK) doesn't count.

 

 

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[bennybear]

Yes it would as long as you're NOT returning to another part of China (HK) doesn't count.

 

 

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From what I read, you have to be going to a third country and as immediately before and after are both Japan I don't think it will work for us. But the 15 day will if we use a licensed and approved guide.

[Papillon5]

Hi all has anyone got through the 144 free transit and or 24 hr free transit with the following similar criteria:-

Arriving Pudong airport from UK ( via transfer in Zurich) staying 2 nights Shanghai then 4 night cruise out of Boachan (Wusongkou) fist stop Jeju island in South Korea then Kumamoto in Japan before return to Shanghai Wusongkou port for flight same day back out of Pudong to UK via transfer in Frankfurt.