Visa to China

[AviramOren]

Hey gang,

 

Does someone know if a visa is necessary to enter China (Shanghai), arriving with a cruise line? If necessary, Does the cruise line take care of it?

 

Avi

[Darcy15]

Yes a visa is needed

 

While I can't speak for all cruise lines, my experience was needing to obtain the visa myself

 

Hope this helps :)

[timtam2]

This question gets asked very regularly. And the threads always turn into a debate over the wording of various websites and the intrrpretation of in transit. The cruise lines cannot get you a visa for China. Yes, you will need one.

[Philob]

Yes you will need a Chinese visa.

 

The cruise line will not do it for you.

 

You must apply for it yourself or through a visa service.

[Philob]

This question gets asked very regularly. And the threads always turn into a debate over the wording of various websites and the intrrpretation of in transit. The cruise lines cannot get you a visa for China. Yes, you will need one.

 

The Chinese gov'mt has clarified it to mean air travel only and only at certain airports/cities. Transit With Out Visa no longer applies to any combination of air/land/sea transit travel.

[TravelMore&More]

The Chinese gov'mt has clarified it to mean air travel only and only at certain airports/cities. Transit With Out Visa no longer applies to any combination of air/land/sea transit travel.

 

Do you have the source? Because I have seen government websites saying the contrary. And one poster on TripAdvisor mentioned that he was told by both the embassy and the cruise company that he would be fine. He has not traveled yet though so we'll see what the result is.

Thanks.

[Philob]

Do you have the source? Because I have seen government websites saying the contrary. And one poster on TripAdvisor mentioned that he was told by both the embassy and the cruise company that he would be fine. He has not traveled yet though so we'll see what the result is.

Thanks.

 

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/ ...3. Only use flights to transfer in China. Passengers using other vehicles (including using flight for single trip) are not eligible to enjoy the policy.

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china/708095-china-24-hour-72-hour-transit-without-visa-twov-rules-master-thread.html ...The TWOV rules apply to air travel only at this time (TWOV will reportedly be extended to cruise ship passengers soon, but as of May 2014, this has not yet been implemented).

 

http://www.chinaembassy.org.nz/eng/lsqz/t1002503.htm

 

Chinese Embassy - New Zealand:

 

tarting from 1 September 2013, holders of passports issued by the following countries do not need a visa if transiting through Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyu International Airport, Chengdu ShuangLiu International Airport provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked onward flight seats, and stay in Beijing , or Shanghai, or Guangdong Province, or Chengdu for less than 72 hours.

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

 

IMPORTANT

1. It only applies to passengers who transiting through Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The destination and place of departure cannot be the same.(e.g Auckland – Shanghai - Auckland)

 

2. It does not apply to passengers who travelling by train, ship or other transportation.

 

3. Visitors are not allowed to leave the city to other cities during the 72-hour visa-free period. You must depart from the city where you arrive in. For example, you arrived at the Shanghai Pudong Airport, you must depart from Shanghai, NOT from the Beijing Capital International Airport or other airports.

 

4. The 72 hours will be counted from the time when the transit permit is granted, not from the time when the flight land at the airport.

 

5. For more information, please contact:

 

Beijing Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection 0086 10 56095400

Shanghai Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection 0086 21 51105100

 

 

Chinese Embassy - United States:

 

 

Visa Exemptions

A foreign citizen can enter China without a visa under any one of the following circumstances:

 

1. Direct Transit

 

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.

 

Beijing International Airport... http://en.bcia.com.cn/server/notice/72visafree/72visafree_faq.shtml

2、Is the policy applicable for foreign visitors from listed countries who enter into China by train at Beijing West Train Station and leave China by air at Beijing Capital International Airport?

Beijing Capital International Airport is the ONLY entry-exit port in Beijing applicable for the 72-hour visa-free transit policy.

Edited May 21, 2015 by Philob

[TravelMore&More]

The New Zealand website of the Chinese embassy has been known in the past for having a lot of mistakes. While this resembles the standard text for the 72-hour TWOV, I can spot several problems with this text such #4 which is completely wrong.

In any case, this is not relevant for the question asked. Yes, the 72-hour TWOV does not apply but the 72-hour TWOV is not the only visa exemption. There are also 24-hour exemptions. Here is the reference that I was talking about for cruises. The problem is that often cruise companies do not appear familiar with this and will not let you on board without a visa. I have yet to hear about someone who did this without a visa successfully. One poster in TripAdvisor was given a green light by both the embassy of his country and the cruise company but he only travels in November. We won't hear about it for a while.

http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=37&id=2943

[BCHappyGal]

Yes you need a China visa for all of China except Hong Kong

[Floridiana]

Yes you need a China visa for all of China except Hong Kong

and Macau

[loeb]

Good news if you are a US citizen, you can get a PRC Visa (Multiple entry) for as long as your passport is valid less six months. This lessens the cost if your planning to travel to mainland China in the future.

 

Also, I asked the Documentation Officer on the Celebrity Millennium in January 2015 if a PRC Visa was required for Shanghai if you did not get off the ship (this is the only port in China on the cruise). He stated that the port agent in Shanghai stated that a PRC Visa was not required if you did not get off the ship (the ship is going to be in port for only about 12 hours).

[Ashland]

Good news if you are a US citizen, you can get a PRC Visa (Multiple entry) for as long as your passport is valid less six months. This lessens the cost if your planning to travel to mainland China in the future.

 

Also, I asked the Documentation Officer on the Celebrity Millennium in January 2015 if a PRC Visa was required for Shanghai if you did not get off the ship (this is the only port in China on the cruise). He stated that the port agent in Shanghai stated that a PRC Visa was not required if you did not get off the ship (the ship is going to be in port for only about 12 hours).

We were just on a cruise in March from Singapore-Shanghai with ports in Vietnam & Hong Kong & China...

 

We got our own China visa from a private visa service company before our cruise and they are now giving a 10 year visa with multiple entries for the same price (our last China visa in 2012 was only given for the specific timeframe of your visit this new 10 year one is making it much easier to visit China). And my passport expires next year so I will have to take my old passport with me that has the visa in it in addition to the new one when I return to China...wish I was just able to have the visa put into my new passport but I'll have to see if there's any way to do that..so far I've read...no.

 

Our RCI ship provided the Vietnam visa for $6.00pp onboard and of course nothing was needed for HK.

 

Sorry but "only" being in Shanghai for 12 hours and not getting off the ship...a waste...Shanghai is our favorite port and what a shame to miss seeing as much of this city as possible.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Ashland

[4774Papa]

We were just on a cruise in March from Singapore-Shanghai with ports in Vietnam & Hong Kong & China...

 

We got our own China visa from a private visa service company before our cruise and they are now giving a 10 year visa with multiple entries for the same price (our last China visa in 2012 was only given for the specific timeframe of your visit this new 10 year one is making it much easier to visit China). And my passport expires next year so I will have to take my old passport with me that has the visa in it in addition to the new one when I return to China...wish I was just able to have the visa put into my new passport but I'll have to see if there's any way to do that..so far I've read...no.

 

Our RCI ship provided the Vietnam visa for $6.00pp onboard and of course nothing was needed for HK.

 

Sorry but "only" being in Shanghai for 12 hours and not getting off the ship...a waste...Shanghai is our favorite port and what a shame to miss seeing as much of this city as possible.

We have done a three week tour of China that included Shanghai. We are on a cruise that only stops once in China (in Shanghai) and would probably opt to stay on the ship if we could avoid getting the visa. However, that is not an option. All the tours that that I have researched, private and ship's, go to places we have already visited.

Frankly, it irritates me that Celebrity even scheduled Shanghai for this cruise.

[Ashland]

We have done a three week tour of China that included Shanghai. We are on a cruise that only stops once in China (in Shanghai) and would probably opt to stay on the ship if we could avoid getting the visa. However, that is not an option. All the tours that that I have researched, private and ship's, go to places we have already visited.

Frankly, it irritates me that Celebrity even scheduled Shanghai for this cruise.

Decisions the cruiseline's (in my case RCI) makes when it comes to itineraries irritates me too....if you have to get a China visa you might as well get off the ship and make the best of it....sad that there's no option...but that's China for ya. Me, I would go shopping ;)

[loeb]

We have done a three week tour of China that included Shanghai. We are on a cruise that only stops once in China (in Shanghai) and would probably opt to stay on the ship if we could avoid getting the visa. However, that is not an option. All the tours that that I have researched, private and ship's, go to places we have already visited.

Frankly, it irritates me that Celebrity even scheduled Shanghai for this cruise.

 

I checked with the Documentation Officer on the Celebrity Millenium in Jan / Feb 2015 and he contacted the Port Agent in Shanghai and the Port Agent stated that you do not need a PRC Visa if you don't get off the ship. Therefore, you can stay on the ship and not have to get a PRC Visa.

 

We have been to Shanghai several times (once for a week) so we were also not interested in paying for a PRC Visa for a short stay and have seen most of the sites including the observation floor from the tallest building in Shanghai, but since they changed the rules we decided to get a PRC Visa because over the next 9 1/2 years we might go back and we won't have to worry about getting a PRC Visa. (I should also state that we are close to a Chinese Embassy so we won't have to pay a company to process our PRC Visa)

[4774Papa]

I checked with the Documentation Officer on the Celebrity Millenium in Jan / Feb 2015 and he contacted the Port Agent in Shanghai and the Port Agent stated that you do not need a PRC Visa if you don't get off the ship. Therefore, you can stay on the ship and not have to get a PRC Visa.

 

We have been to Shanghai several times (once for a week) so we were also not interested in paying for a PRC Visa for a short stay and have seen most of the sites including the observation floor from the tallest building in Shanghai, but since they changed the rules we decided to get a PRC Visa because over the next 9 1/2 years we might go back and we won't have to worry about getting a PRC Visa. (I should also state that we are close to a Chinese Embassy so we won't have to pay a company to process our PRC Visa)

This is not what Celebrity is telling us. X says we must have the Chinese visa just to get on the ship.

This is not something that we will gamble with. Should we not be able to get on the ship, the result would be catastrophic.

Too bad China doesn't adopt a similar policy to that of Russia for cruise ships.

[Mary Ellen]

This is not what Celebrity is telling us. X says we must have the Chinese visa just to get on the ship.

This is not something that we will gamble with. Should we not be able to get on the ship, the result would be catastrophic.

Too bad China doesn't adopt a similar policy to that of Russia for cruise ships.

This is a wise decision. On our recent cruise that included China, around a dozen passengers didn't have the required visa. They had to get 'Emergency' visas from the consulate in our embarkation city before they could board. IIRC they paid around $1600/pp in order to get the visas within a few hours. :eek:

Edited May 29, 2015 by Mary Ellen

[loeb]

This is not what Celebrity is telling us. X says we must have the Chinese visa just to get on the ship.

This is not something that we will gamble with. Should we not be able to get on the ship, the result would be catastrophic.

Too bad China doesn't adopt a similar policy to that of Russia for cruise ships.

 

If you want to check, you can email the Documentation Officer on the Millennium to see if things have changed.

 

ML_documentationofficer@celebrity.com

[4774Papa]

If you want to check, you can email the Documentation Officer on the Millennium to see if things have changed.

 

ML_documentationofficer@celebrity.com

 

Loeb,

Thanks, I did email him and received this response:

 

Good afternoon George,

 

Yes, below is correct. Guests without Chinese will have to stay onboard as per Chinese Immigration regulation. They will not be penalized for not having a visa in China.

Kind Regards,

 

Jhun Carulla

Documentation Officer Celebrity Millennium| Celebrity Cruises®

 

 

Since then, I have emailed Celebrity asking for an official letter confirming this information. Hopefully, they will confirm and inform all cruisers on our cruise.

[desertfun]

We are doing the Singapore to Shanghai cruise next March. We can get our Visas through the cruise line but they are so expensive. If I read your post correctly you did yours independently. We live in So. CA. We would welcome any information regarding the visas and your trip to Shanghai-Singapore.

Thank you!

 

Carol and Dean High

[Mary Ellen]

We used CVSC (China Visa Service Center) both times we've needed visas for China. http://www.mychinavisa.com/ I don't know what your cruise lines is charging, but visas for China aren't inexpensive. :o

[4774Papa]

I printed out the email from the Documentation Officer and attached it to a letter that I mailed to Celebrity two weeks ago. I have yet to receive a response on whether I can rely on this statement that no visa is needed if I don't get off the ship.

[Philob]

We are doing the Singapore to Shanghai cruise next March. We can get our Visas through the cruise line but they are so expensive. If I read your post correctly you did yours independently. We live in So. CA. We would welcome any information regarding the visas and your trip to Shanghai-Singapore.

Thank you!

 

Carol and Dean High

 

You may apply directly with the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles:

 

http://losangeles.china-consulate.org/eng/visa/chinavisa/

 

The cost is $140pp for US Citizens, doesn't matter if it's single or multiple entry visa.

[Philob]

I printed out the email from the Documentation Officer and attached it to a letter that I mailed to Celebrity two weeks ago. I have yet to receive a response on whether I can rely on this statement that no visa is needed if I don't get off the ship.

 

Or maybe they made him "walk the plank" after sending that email :D

[4774Papa]

Or maybe they made him "walk the plank" after sending that email :D

I don't want to get the guy into trouble, but I need a definitive and authoritative statement in the form of a letter that will protect me if I show up at the port in Japan to check in and told that I cannot board the ship because I don't have the Chinese Visa.

 

We were on the Celebrity Century (next to last cruise) from Singapore to Dubai. We paid for our Indian Visas and had no problem, but we talked with other passengers that were on the ship and didn't have the Indian visa. We were told there were about 150 persons that didn't have a visa.

 

They were allowed to board, but don't know if arrangements for them to depart from the ports for sightseeing was finalized. I was surprised that anyone was allowed on the ship without the Indian visa.