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Travelling to China from Taiwan

Getting a visa

Transit without visa (TWOV)

Getting a visa

There are two possibilities for you to obtain a visa for China:

  1. Obtain the visa at the Hong Kong International Airport

In this case, you will have to present the following documents:

  • Your passport
  • A picture (identity/passport form)
  • A copy of the travel itinerary
  • A proof of the hotel reservation in China for your entire stay
  • The visa fee, to be payable in cash (HKD)

The issuance of the visa normally takes 2 working days.

For more information, please consult the following websites:

  1. Obtain the visa through a local travel agency (in Taiwan)

It is also possible to obtain the visa through a local travel agency (in Taiwan), for instance:

  • STtVisa (勝達國際旅行社) – price of approximately 4900 NTD
  • Liontravel (雄獅旅遊)  – price of approximately 4100 NTD

You will have to bring the following documents:

  • A copy of the Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) (valid for at least 6 months) - if you do not have an ARC, you will not be able to request a visa
  • Your passport (valid for at least 6 months)
  • 2 pictures (identity/passport form)
  • A copy of the travel itinerary
  • A proof of the hotel reservation in China for the entire stay
  • If you are a student : a copy of your student card and a proof of your registration at the university

The procedure takes up to 10 working days – sometimes even longer if it is a first time application.

Transit without visa program (TWOV)

China’s transit without visa (TWOV) program allow a traveler arriving at certain ports of entry to be admitted to China and stay within a specified geographic area for 72 or 144 hours visa-free before continuing their journey to a third country or region (incl. Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan).

144h

  • Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang
    • Designated ports: Shanghai Pudong Airport and Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Wusong Passenger Transport Center, Shanghai rail ports, Nanjing Lukou Airport and Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport.
    • Specified geographic area: Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province.
  • Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei
    • Designated ports: Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station, Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port, Zhengding International Airport, Qinhuangdao Port
    • Passengers are allowed to enter and exit from any of these ports and move around the three places.
  • Liaoning Province: Zhoushuizi International Airport, Taoxian International Airport
  • Chengdu: Shuangliu International Airport
  • Xiamen: Gaoqi International Airport and sea ports
  • Wuhan: Tianhe International Airport
  • Kunming: Changshui International Airport
  • Qingdao: Liuting International Airport and sea ports
  • Guangdong (to be implemented soon)
    • Passengers will be allowed to enter via Guangzhou Airport, Shenzhen Airport, or Jieyang Airport, and travel within Guangdong Province.

72h

  • The following cities allow visitors to enter with the transit without visa programme:
    • Chongqing, Harbin, Xi'an, Guilin, Changsha
    • Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang, Dalian, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xiamen, Qingdao, Kunming - extended to 144-hour Visa-free Transit (see above)
    • Guangzhou – to be extented to 144-hour Visa-free Transit.
  • Specified geographical areas for cities with the 72-hour free entry policy only:
    • Passengers transiting in Guangzhou, or Changsha are allowed to travel in the whole province.
    • Passengers transiting in Chongqing, Harbin, or Guilin cannot leave the transit city.
    • Passengers transiting in Xi'an Xianyang Airport are permitted to travel in Xi'an and Xianyang.
  • Specified geographical areas for cities where the 72 hours scheme has been extended to 144-hour transit without visa (TWOV):
    • Passengers transiting in Shanghai, Zhejiang, or Jiangsu can move around the three places. With the implementation of the 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy, they can actually stay for as long as 144 hours.
    • Passengers transiting in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei can also move around the three places freely for 144 hours.
    • Passengers stopping over in Dalian or Shenyang can travel in the whole of Liaoning Province.
    • Passengers transiting in Chengdu, Kunming, Wuhan or Xiamen cannot leave the transit city.
    • Passengers transiting in Qingdao are allowed to move freely within the whole Shandong Province for 144 hours.

6 Steps to Apply for Visa-Free Transit

  • Inform the carrier when boarding
  • Fill an Arrival/Departure Card
  • Apply for the 72/144-hour visa-free stay permit upon arrival
  • Claim the luggage
  • Go through the customs
  • Leave the airport

Documents needed

  • Passport valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry
  • Onward ticket to a “third country or region” (not the originating country and not in Mainland China) with a confirmed date and seat within the time limit. The arriving and departing tickets may be on different airlines.
  • Visa to a Third Country (if applicable)
  • Fully Completed Arrival/Departure Card

How to count the layover time?

  • Beijing, Guilin, Harbin, Kunming and Shenyang aiports usually count the hours between the scheduled arrival and scheduled departure.
  • Other cities counts from 00:00 of the day following passengers’ arrival.