What is the 144-Hour Visa-Exemption Transit Policy?

Where and how can I get the 144-Hour Temporary Entry Permit?

Let's check it out!

To support the construction of Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Center and sanctioned by the State Council, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang is to adopt a 144-hour visa-exemption transit policy towards certain countries at certain domestic ports of entry from January 30, 2016.

Which countries are covered in the policy? 

Currently, there are 53 countries and they are：

1. European member countries of Schengen Visa Scheme (25)
Austria, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco

2. Other European countries (14)

Russia, the U.K., Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Belarus

3. American countries (6)

United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile

4. Oceania countries (2)

Australia, New Zealand

5. Asian countries (6)

Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar

Which ports of entry are involved in the policy? 

An eligible passenger can transfer (entry or exit) via any of the following ports and stay within the administrative precincts of Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province for 144 hours. 

The ports including：

There are several dedicated lanes for applying the 144-Hour Temporary Entry Permit.

What do I need to show to the immigration officer?

1. Your own valid international travel document （valid for no less than 3 months）

2. Your air / vessel / train ticket to a third country (region) with confirmed date and seat within 144 hours upon arrival

3. Arrival / Departure cards (for temporary entry foreigners) filled out in detail.

You should be ready to answer questions raised by immigration officers. 

Once confirmed by immigration officers, you will get this! And there you go.

Reminders

1. According to the 144-Hour Visa-Exemption Transit Policy, the destination of those international passengers applying for Temporary Entry Permit should be a third country (region).

2. During the stopover, passengers may travel in the administrative precincts of Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province, but they are not allowed to travel beyond these areas.

3. After confirming the qualification for 144-hour visa-exemption transit, the immigration inspection station will issue the foreign passenger a temporary entry permit. Then from 00:00 of the next day upon his / her arrival in China, he / she can stay in the administrative precincts of Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province without a Chinese visa for 144 hours. 

4. Passengers applying for the 144-Hour Temporary Entry Permit are supposed to make hotel reservations beforehand and provide the specific booking information. If the accommodation is at a private residence, the detailed address and means of contact must be provided.

5. A foreign passenger who enters China under the policy should exit China within the approved duration of stay. If, due to force majeure or some other reasons, such a passenger needs to stay longer than 144 hours in the above three administrative precincts, or travel beyond the restricted administrative precincts, he should apply for relevant stay permit to the corresponding provincial or municipal exit and entry administrative bureaus. 

6. If the immigration inspection station, when conducting departure procedures, discovers that the passenger has stayed beyond the approved duration of stay, he / she shall be subject to punitive measures according to relevant regulations stipulated in the Exit and Entry Administration Law of P.R.C. and that'll have a negative effect on your next application.

Online Application for 144-Hour Visa-Exemption Transit at Ports of Entry in Shanghai

To facilitate transit application and speed up customs clearance, the Exit-Entry Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau and Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection jointly developed an electronic application system for 144-hour visa-free transit, which was officially put into use on Nov. 1, 2018.

Advance Application Platform

Steps:

Overseas: apply online→ get the QR code→ arrive in the port and use the self-service terminal→ scan the QR code or international travel documents→ print the entry card→ enter after inspection

Shanghai: reach the port and use the self-service terminal→ scan the QR code or international travel documents→ print the entry card→ enter after inspection

Address for Online Application

Online Application for 144-Hour Visa-Exemption Transit at Ports of Entry in Shanghai https://gaj.sh.gov.cn/crj/144zy.jsp

Process of Online Application

1. Select a language, register/log in for the first time.

2. Tap on “New Application” to apply for your latest visa-free transit

(Tap on the “Operation Manual” to download the User Guide for the Advance Application Platform)

3. Fill in the information and submit the application

4. Application Approved!

5. Tap on the screen of the Self-Service Application Terminal → select a language → select Advance Application → confirm the application information → print → get the Temporary Entry Card for Foreigners

If you haven’t applied online in advance, you can apply on the self-service application terminal on the spot.

Tap on the screen of the Self-Service Application Terminal → select a language → select On-the-Spot Application → confirm the application information → print → get the Temporary Entry Card for Foreigners

Matters Need Attention

1. Completion of the online advance application for 144-hour visa-free transit does not mean that a temporary entry permit for visa-free transit has been obtained. The applicant still needs to submit the application to the border inspection department at the port, and can obtain the permit only after examination and approval.

2. The applicant should determine in advance the connecting ticket to a third country or region within 144 hours, the accommodation address in China and other matters, and fill in the relevant information in the electronic application system as required.

3. The electronic application system currently only accepts 144-hour visa-free transit applications. Applicants for 24-hour visa-free transit still need to fill in the Temporary Entry Card for Foreigners manually after arriving in the port and then submit the application.