China Visas

[Suesue22]

Hi there, we are Sue and Ray and we are on QM2 from 12Feb to 11Mar 2019. Having read Cunard's visa requirements on the CITB link it suggests that this leg of the world cruise does not require a visa  for China - am I reading that correctly? I am assuming that this bit of the cruise comes under the new 144 hour rule where you do not need a full visa, but can get a transit visa at the port. We are planning to do Cunard's tours in China. 

Can anyone give advice please, many thanks, Sue and Ray

ps. sorry if this topic has already been  covered, but I can't find it if it has

[Georgina1]

11 minutes ago, Suesue22 said:

Hi there, we are Sue and Ray and we are on QM2 from 12Feb to 11Mar 2019. Having read Cunard's visa requirements on the CITB link it suggests that this leg of the world cruise does not require a visa  for China - am I reading that correctly? I am assuming that this bit of the cruise comes under the new 144 hour rule where you do not need a full visa, but can get a transit visa at the port. We are planning to do Cunard's tours in China. 

Can anyone give advice please, many thanks, Sue and Ray

ps. sorry if this topic has already been  covered, but I can't find it if it has

 

Hi SueSue22,

 

As long as you are on excursions organised by a Chinese Tour Company starting in Shanghai you will be entitled to the 15 day free visa which is provided by the Tour Company who organise the excursions.

 

CIBT in their Visa Pack go on to say for the 144 hour visa free rule is for one port only in China:-

 

“Guests who transit in Shanghai or Beijing for up to 144 hours may be eligible for visa free transit stay. To be eligible, travellers must be entering China only once (either Shanghai or Beijing) on their way to a third destination and confirm in advance with their airline they will be travelling without a visa”.

 

“Guests entering China on board an ocean cruise ship may not require a visa for up to 15 days provided Shanghai is the first seaport of call in China. Guests with individual shore excursions and overland travel in China during the cruise are not eligible for this exemption. Guests must be arriving and departing China on board the same ship and must not visit other countries in between the Chinese seaports of call. Guests must go ashore in Shanghai prior to arriving in other Chinese seaports on their itinerary. Hong Kong is generally not considered a Chinese seaport”.

 

Visas for a World Cruise or part of one are a minefield.   So good luck.

 

Georgina1

 

[Aulanis]

Whilst I am sure the advice above is given in good faith , I personally would get the confirmation you need

in writing from Cunard. or from the Chinese Embassy in London. ( Not that foreign embassies have been

very helpful to me in the past)   

The advice may also be assuming that you are UK citizens with UK passports.

[Pear Carr]

Hi Suesue22

I emailed the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection direct with regard to the 15 day visa exemption policy and this is their response.

 

“Thank you for your message.

 

Starting from October 1st, 2016, foreign tour groups (consisting of 2 members or over), when organized and received by travel agencies legally registered in Mainland China, shall be exempted from the requirement of Chinese visas when entering the country as a whole from cruise ports in Shanghai and entitled to not more than 15 days (calculated from the next day upon arrival) of stay in China. The domestic areas which said foreign tour groups are allowed to visit include Beijing Municipality and cruise port cities and administrative regions of surrounding cities within Shanghai Municipality, Liaoning Province, Hebei Province, Tianjin Municipality, Shandong Province, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan Province.

 

Please refer to the above policy description.

 

If you don’t meet the requirements of above 15-day visa-exemption policy for foreign tour groups entering Shanghai by cruise, you will have to produce a Chinese visa to the immigration authority when disembarking from the cruise during its call at Shanghai. However, if you choose to remain aboard the cruise during the cruise’s call at Shanghai, you will not be required to produce a Chinese visa.”

 

We have joined forces with Georgina1 and have a trip booked with China Highlights for both Shanghai and Beijing and have been assured that they will attend to all requirements provided we dock in Shanghai as our first port of call and take a tour with them.  Given the cost of the Visas independently we are willing to take a chance that we will dock at some point over the planned 2 day visit to Shanghai.  Happy to share details of the tours booked with China Highlights if you or anyone else is interested in joining us.

[Suesue22]

6 hours ago, Georgina1 said:

 

Hi SueSue22,

 

As long as you are on excursions organised by a Chinese Tour Company starting in Shanghai you will be entitled to the 15 day free visa which is provided by the Tour Company who organise the excursions.

 

CIBT in their Visa Pack go on to say for the 144 hour visa free rule is for one port only in China:-

 

“Guests who transit in Shanghai or Beijing for up to 144 hours may be eligible for visa free transit stay. To be eligible, travellers must be entering China only once (either Shanghai or Beijing) on their way to a third destination and confirm in advance with their airline they will be travelling without a visa”.

 

“Guests entering China on board an ocean cruise ship may not require a visa for up to 15 days provided Shanghai is the first seaport of call in China. Guests with individual shore excursions and overland travel in China during the cruise are not eligible for this exemption. Guests must be arriving and departing China on board the same ship and must not visit other countries in between the Chinese seaports of call. Guests must go ashore in Shanghai prior to arriving in other Chinese seaports on their itinerary. Hong Kong is generally not considered a Chinese seaport”.

 

Visas for a World Cruise or part of one are a minefield.   So good luck.

 

Georgina1

 

Hi Geogina1, many thanks for your reply. Reading this I don't think we need a visa as we are intending using Cunard excursions in Shanghai and Beijing

[Suesue22]

1 hour ago, Pear Carr said:

Hi Suesue22

I emailed the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection direct with regard to the 15 day visa exemption policy and this is their response.

 

“Thank you for your message.

 

Starting from October 1st, 2016, foreign tour groups (consisting of 2 members or over), when organized and received by travel agencies legally registered in Mainland China, shall be exempted from the requirement of Chinese visas when entering the country as a whole from cruise ports in Shanghai and entitled to not more than 15 days (calculated from the next day upon arrival) of stay in China. The domestic areas which said foreign tour groups are allowed to visit include Beijing Municipality and cruise port cities and administrative regions of surrounding cities within Shanghai Municipality, Liaoning Province, Hebei Province, Tianjin Municipality, Shandong Province, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan Province.

 

Please refer to the above policy description.

 

If you don’t meet the requirements of above 15-day visa-exemption policy for foreign tour groups entering Shanghai by cruise, you will have to produce a Chinese visa to the immigration authority when disembarking from the cruise during its call at Shanghai. However, if you choose to remain aboard the cruise during the cruise’s call at Shanghai, you will not be required to produce a Chinese visa.”

 

We have joined forces with Georgina1 and have a trip booked with China Highlights for both Shanghai and Beijing and have been assured that they will attend to all requirements provided we dock in Shanghai as our first port of call and take a tour with them.  Given the cost of the Visas independently we are willing to take a chance that we will dock at some point over the planned 2 day visit to Shanghai.  Happy to share details of the tours booked with China Highlights if you or anyone else is interested in joining us.

Hi Pear, thank you for your reply. Yes please, we would be interested in your tours with China Highlights.

[Pear Carr]

Hi Suesue22 if Interested in either trip I would advise you to contact Alisa Liu 

alisa@chinahighlight.com for further details and ask about availability with David and Ann’s tour group(s).

[Pear Carr]

BTW Suesue22 have you considered joining the roll call as might offer some useful information. There are different dates and a bit confusing for those on various segments of the world cruise but we join the ship on 19.2.19 and disembark like you on 11.3.19 and have joined the 10th January Roll Call.

[Georgina1]

19 hours ago, Suesue22 said:

Hi Geogina1, many thanks for your reply. Reading this I don't think we need a visa as we are intending using Cunard excursions in Shanghai and Beijing

 

Hi SueSue22,

 

Pear Carr is right and backs up my post #2 above, the excursions have to be organised by a Travel Agent legally registered in China.

 

To echo Pear Carrs statement re joining a Roll Call, the link below will take you to the Roll Call for the QM2 Far East Voyage:-

 

 

You will find information that is relevant to your queries and indeed full details (content and prices) for the Shanghai and Beijing excursions.   Included somewhere in one of my posts in the above Roll Call is my EMail address, if you wish to contact me or Pear Carr who has already given you her Email address for further information.   

 

There are other Roll Calls listed under QM2 (under Cunard Roll Calls on this site) and you may find it advantageous to dip in and out to find other information relevant to your leg (s) of the Voyage.   There are some really good posts and tips across all the Roll Calls from a lot of experienced travellers.

 

Good luck and good reading!

 

Best wishes,

 

Georgina1

 

 

 

[Suesue22]

On ‎12‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 11:46 AM, Georgina1 said:

.

Hi SueSue22,

 

As long as you are on excursions organised by a Chinese Tour Company starting in Shanghai you will be entitled to the 15 day free visa which is provided by the Tour Company who organise the excursions.

 

CIBT in their Visa Pack go on to say for the 144 hour visa free rule is for one port only in China:-

 

“Guests who transit in Shanghai or Beijing for up to 144 hours may be eligible for visa free transit stay. To be eligible, travellers must be entering China only once (either Shanghai or Beijing) on their way to a third destination and confirm in advance with their airline they will be travelling without a visa”.

 

“Guests entering China on board an ocean cruise ship may not require a visa for up to 15 days provided Shanghai is the first seaport of call in China. Guests with individual shore excursions and overland travel in China during the cruise are not eligible for this exemption. Guests must be arriving and departing China on board the same ship and must not visit other countries in between the Chinese seaports of call. Guests must go ashore in Shanghai prior to arriving in other Chinese seaports on their itinerary. Hong Kong is generally not considered a Chinese seaport”.

 

Visas for a World Cruise or part of one are a minefield.   So good luck.

 

Georgina1

 

Thanks you for your reply. I think we are covered under the 144 hour rule. I have had several replies and one of the group suggested that you have organised private tours of Shanghai and Beijing. We are interested in finding out details. I have a couple of email addresses to follow up. Sue

 

[Suesue22]

On ‎12‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 4:54 PM, Pear Carr said:

 Hi Suesue22

I emailed the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection direct with regard to the 15 day visa exemption policy and this is their response.

 

“Thank you for your message.

 

Starting from October 1st, 2016, foreign tour groups (consisting of 2 members or over), when organized and received by travel agencies legally registered in Mainland China, shall be exempted from the requirement of Chinese visas when entering the country as a whole from cruise ports in Shanghai and entitled to not more than 15 days (calculated from the next day upon arrival) of stay in China. The domestic areas which said foreign tour groups are allowed to visit include Beijing Municipality and cruise port cities and administrative regions of surrounding cities within Shanghai Municipality, Liaoning Province, Hebei Province, Tianjin Municipality, Shandong Province, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan Province.

 

Please refer to the above policy description.

 

If you don’t meet the requirements of above 15-day visa-exemption policy for foreign tour groups entering Shanghai by cruise, you will have to produce a Chinese visa to the immigration authority when disembarking from the cruise during its call at Shanghai. However, if you choose to remain aboard the cruise during the cruise’s call at Shanghai, you will not be required to produce a Chinese visa.”

 

We have joined forces with Georgina1 and have a trip booked with China Highlights for both Shanghai and Beijing and have been assured that they will attend to all requirements provided we dock in Shanghai as our first port of call and take a tour with them.  Given the cost of the Visas independently we are willing to take a chance that we will dock at some point over the planned 2 day visit to Shanghai.  Happy to share details of the tours booked with China Highlights if you or anyone else is interested in joining us.

Hi Pear, thank you for your reply. We are interested in looking at the details of your trips with China Highlights. I tried to contact someone from there, but the email was bounced back. I will try again. Sue

[Georgina1]

3 hours ago, Suesue22 said:

Hi Pear, thank you for your reply. We are interested in looking at the details of your trips with China Highlights. I tried to contact someone from there, but the email was bounced back. I will try again. Sue

Hi SueSue22,

 

Pear Carr is away at the moment.   If you want to contact me at dvh1945@protonmail.com Re the trips in Shanghai and Beijing with ChinaHighlights I can help.  

 

My post # 9 above replying to your post will point you to our Roll Call which may help you.   Details of the Beijing excursion organised by myself can be found at the following link, prices have changed as the number have increased but gives you more information of the excursion.

 

https://www.chinahighlights.com/community/tourManager/letter/2017/11/DavidHolmes-Trip-Proposal-LS171108018-2.html?vtrim=2425508

 

The Shanghai excursion outline organised by Pear Carr is as follows:-

 

Day & Date	Place & Transport	Accommodation	Today's Activities	Meals
01.  Fri 22-Feb-2019	Arrive in Shanghai	Sunrise On The Bund **** (Standard Room)	Yuyuan Garden, The Bund, Shanghai Old Street, Popular Local Restaurant(Lunch)	L
02.  Sat 23-Feb-2019	Depart Shanghai		Zhujiajiao Boat Ride, Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, Zhujiajiao Guqiao Renjia(Lunch)	B,L

From memory the price is approx £230 per person based on 4, so it may change slightly.   However this may depend on the exchange rate of the day.

The Beijing excursion will be closing shortly due to time restraints, so if you can let me know either way.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Georgina1

Edited December 9, 2018 by Georgina1
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