Is a Visa required

[cricketlover]

Looking at a cruise that ends in Shanghai and just wondering would a visa be necessary, we would be going to the airport in under 24 hours.

[Project_gal]

You need to carefully check the current regulations on an official UK-based China Visa website. The regulations do change and different regulations apply to different nationalities. When we went in 2015, a visa was always required unless you were both arriving and departing my air - thus you would have needed a visa. This MAY have changed but you cannot rely on what other nationalities may tell you.

 

If you do need a Visa, make sure that you follow the instructions to the letter and allow sufficient time without applying too early. I a so thankful that I was pedantic enough to follow the instructions precisely because it made a difficult process relatively short. Whilst I was in waiting my turn and being processed, I witnessed many people being turned away, some in great distress.

 

Best of luck.

[cricketlover]

Many thanks for your prompt and helpful reply.

[thirstyman1]

There are several on line companies that will handle the entire process for you. For a fee of course!

[Miaminice]

Looking at a cruise that ends in Shanghai and just wondering would a visa be necessary, we would be going to the airport in under 24 hours.

 

No, you do not need a visa, arrival by cruise ship is handled the same way as arrival by plane. There are 24 hour, 72 hour and 144 hour regulations.

Shanghai International Cruise Terminal is part of it.

 

Quote: The 144-hour visa-free transit program has been implemented in Nanjing Lukou Airport of Jiangsu, Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport of Zhejiang, and all air, sea and railway ports of Shanghai, including Pudong Airport, Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Wusong Passenger Transport Center and all railway stations in Shanghai.

 

see more here:

 

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/

Edited September 8, 2016 by Miaminice

[Celebrity Cruises]

Looking at a cruise that ends in Shanghai and just wondering would a visa be necessary, we would be going to the airport in under 24 hours.

 

Citizens from the following 51 countries (Albania, France, Poland, Argentina, Germany, Portugal, Austria, Greece, Qatar, Australia, Hungary, Romania, Belgium, Iceland, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland, Serbia, Brazil, Italy, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovenia, Canada, Lithuania, South Korea, Chile, Luxemburg, Spain, Croatia, Macedonia, Sweden, Cyprus, Malta, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Denmark, Montenegro, Ukraine, Estonia, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Finland, New Zealand, United States of America) may stay within the Yangtze Delta region (Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang) without Chinese visas by producing valid international travel documentation and onward air/vessel/train tickets to a third country (region) with confirmed dates and seats within 144 hours upon arrival.

[sandyss]

Citizens from the following 51 countries (Albania, France, Poland, Argentina, Germany, Portugal, Austria, Greece, Qatar, Australia, Hungary, Romania, Belgium, Iceland, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland, Serbia, Brazil, Italy, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovenia, Canada, Lithuania, South Korea, Chile, Luxemburg, Spain, Croatia, Macedonia, Sweden, Cyprus, Malta, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Denmark, Montenegro, Ukraine, Estonia, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Finland, New Zealand, United States of America) may stay within the Yangtze Delta region (Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang) without Chinese visas by producing valid international travel documentation and onward air/vessel/train tickets to a third country (region) with confirmed dates and seats within 144 hours upon arrival.

 

Yay!! Celebrity is FINALLY providing this information.

 

Note: This 144 hour exemption only applies if your cruise starts or ends in Shanghai and if you are traveling to a 3rd country within the 144 hour period. You can't return to the same country as your prior port or go to another city in China of you plan to use this 144 hour visa free transit program.

[hockeyfan12]

So if the cruise stops in Shanghai for a day as part of an itinerary that begins and ends in a third country - is a visa required?

[newport dave]

So if the cruise stops in Shanghai for a day as part of an itinerary that begins and ends in a third country - is a visa required?

 

If the country you visit after Shanghai is different to the one you visited immediately before Shanghai, then you don't need a visa. China class Taiwan and Hong Kong as a different country to China.

[sandyss]

So if the cruise stops in Shanghai for a day as part of an itinerary that begins and ends in a third country - is a visa required?

 

For cruises starting and ending in Shanghai, most people will not require a visa and will qualify for the 144 hour visa-free transit.

 

For port stops, it is less clear. You should check with the Documentation Officer for your ship to find out if your cruise qualifies.

[Adidas4fun]

For cruises starting and ending in Shanghai, most people will not require a visa and will qualify for the 144 hour visa-free transit.

 

For port stops, it is less clear. You should check with the Documentation Officer for your ship to find out if your cruise qualifies.

 

yep, and therein is the rub.

 

But really the USA is no different. Many foreign nationals have been detained in concrete cells because they have transited twice via the US and contravened some ludicrous interpretation of their non-sense laws.

[Miaminice]

For port stops, it is less clear. You should check with the Documentation Officer for your ship to find out if your cruise qualifies.

 

There is nothing unclear about that... the 144 hour policy clearly mentions and regulates the arrival or departure via the Shanghai cruise terminal.

 

If you are a passport holder of one of the mentioned nations arrive at the cruise port and leave China by ship or plane (or vise versa) within the stated period of time and do not leave the region - you do not need a visa.

 

Celebrity Cruises statement (see above) and the official statements easy to be found on the internet regarding the matter are very clear!

 

The policy has been implemented and changed to accommodate the growing numbers of cruise tourism.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Miaminice

[Canada17]

If the country you visit after Shanghai is different to the one you visited immediately before Shanghai, then you don't need a visa. China class Taiwan and Hong Kong as a different country to China.

 

Hi Newport Dave;

 

Well said. This visa issue is popping up all over the place on CC forums. People just have to read carefully and the main "hiccup" is always that "3rd country rule", as long as you arrive in Shanghai from one country (by air or sea) and leave Shanghai to a 3rd country, you are visa exempt. Pretty clear. Guess you and I have read this a million times!

[hockeyfan12]

If the country you visit after Shanghai is different to the one you visited immediately before Shanghai, then you don't need a visa. China class Taiwan and Hong Kong as a different country to China.

 

 

 

Thanks.

[JVilleGal]

Please do not trust any advice on something this important. Do not risk being denied boarding! Contact the Visa Service your Cruiseline uses. They will have info for each specific sailing and will know what your sailing requires based on your nationality and passport you travel with.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[easyboy]

Please do not trust any advice on something this important. Do not risk being denied boarding! Contact the Visa Service your Cruiseline uses. They will have info for each specific sailing and will know what your sailing requires based on your nationality and passport you travel with.

Very much agree.