144 hour Visa free visit to China?

TooMuchDisney

Earning My Ears
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
So when you're desperate to see what all the fuss about with Shanghai DL. From what i understand, British passport holders can visit certain regions of China visa-free for 144 hours (6 days) here's the plan i'm considering =

Day 2 after leaving London arrive at Shanghai mid-day via: London > Hong Kong (compulsory layover) > Shanghai
Day 5 leave Shanghai via: Shanghai > Hong Kong
Day ??: Hong Kong > London

This works and meets the conditions under the 144 hour visa free transit travel rules right? Since Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region and has control over immigration controls into HK.

Have i hacked China?!?!?
 
you haven't 'hacked' china....this is what is allowed for UK passport holders...
there are a number of countries allowed a 144 hour visa free entry...

personally, i hold a passport that permits me to obtain a 10 year multiple entry visa to china for only $25....so clearly, i would choose that rather than the 144 hour method...

.
 
you've not hacked china, you're just overthinking it


now, there are some people who play it smart like you plan to do, and who get into very big trouble

if you're playing with the 144 hours limit, and your plane to HK gets cancelled, and you're stranded in mainland China and overstay your 144hrs because your next flight is the next day ... I'm not going any further, you've guessed it wouldn't be too good.
 
you've not hacked china, you're just overthinking it


now, there are some people who play it smart like you plan to do, and who get into very big trouble

if you're playing with the 144 hours limit, and your plane to HK gets cancelled, and you're stranded in mainland China and overstay your 144hrs because your next flight is the next day ... I'm not going any further, you've guessed it wouldn't be too good.

Turns out you must be transiting through China in order to stay 6 days visa free. So London > Shanghai > Hong Kong would work. Hong Kong > Shanghai > Hong Kong would not work. Also the 144 hours does not start until the day after you arrive, so you essentially have 7 days.
 


Turns out you must be transiting through China in order to stay 6 days visa free. So London > Shanghai > Hong Kong would work. Hong Kong > Shanghai > Hong Kong would not work. Also the 144 hours does not start until the day after you arrive, so you essentially have 7 days.


but why wouldn't you just get a visa?
.
 
Hey,

You get 144 hours in Shanghai. Hong Kong is Visa free for British Passports so this will work. I plan to do the same in May, spend 3 days in Shanghai then 4 in Hong Kong. You can also go London > Hong Kong > Shanghai > London - you just need your arrival and departure airports to be different.

It's not worth getting a Visa because it's so much hassle when you could just do it this way. You need to tell Chinese passport control on arrival and they'll issue the Visa, they will take your photograph and passport details on landing. Also I strongly recommend visiting Japan also if you've never been, the Tokyo parks are great.

From my pre-planning other advice is - get a VPN and portable WIiFi for Shanghai but don't bother for Hong Kong, they have wide-reaching, good quality WiFi.
 

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