In an effort to expand tourism and making it easier for foreigners to enter China, the country now allows a 144-hour visa-free transit in China. China’s visa-free transit policy allows people from 54 countries worldwide to enter without a visa. So you get six days of travel in this diverse country without the hassle of applying for a “real” visa. Since most of the major tourist hubs are included in this transit policy, you get the chance to visit Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’An, or Chengdu for a limited time en route to a third (!) country.
My experience with China’S transit visa
I recently spent five days in Beijing and at the Great Wall on my way to South Korea. This means that I went from Germany to China on a direct flight because any connection in China would be considered a transit already. I almost booked a flight via Shenzen but luckily realized that this is not possible using the 144-hour visa policy. It being a transit, this also means that you have to go to a third country. You can’t fly to China from a country and go back to it after your mini holiday. It also means that you can’t leave the Chinese district you flew into and that you have to leave from the same port of entry. So PEK Beijing International Airport in my case, but I wasn’t going to take a boat to South Korea anyway, so this one is easy.
Germany and some other select countries get special treatment in that we receive 30 days of visa-free entry and can move around freely in the country without region-specific restrictions. This also means that, in theory, you could go on holiday in China and fly back to your home airport.
Tips for Visa-Free travel in China
When you want to take advantage of China’s visa-free transit rules, I recommend that you bring a printout of those rules for your nationality to the airport. Especially if you’re departing from a country other than your issued passport, the check-in staff might not be aware that you don’t need a visa. You don’t want to be denied boarding because of China’s 144-hour transit rule.
Digital nomad essentials for life on the road
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Flights
I normally book my flights via Skyscanner or Kiwi. These search engines for flights show all the best connections and even include budget airlines for transfer hacks that can save you even more money.
Hotels
I normally use a good mixture of booking.com and Agoda to get the best deals. I like booking for its user-friendly interface. But for Asia, I’ve found that Agoda has a wider selection of hotels.
If you’re on a budget, Hostelworld will be your best bet because they focus on dormitory-style accommodation.
Tours
GetYourGuide is perfect for locally guided tours or if tickets are already booked. I saw the famous Last Supper painting by Leonardo Da Vinci with them in Milan and had a very smooth experience.
Klook is a great option to book bus tickets in South Korea. This can be such a hassle, especially if you want to book before you actually get to the country. Klook allows you to book a bus ticket online for pickup at the station. You can also reserve SIM card packages with them an arrange airport pickup, with is super convenient because it’s already paid for.