Chinese Visa Question

[maddiepaddy]

I am a bit nervous filling out my Chinese Visa Application, and I don't want to screw it up. 

I will be first going to Hong Kong via a connecting flight in Shanghai. Then a few days later I will be flying from Hong Kong to Beijing. Do I just need the one entry visa, since I am just connecting in Shanghai? Or will I have to go through customs upon landing before getting on my second flight, thus really needing a 2 entry visa? Both flights are in PVG terminal 1, if it makes a difference. 

[wanderlustfoodie]

Are you a US citizen? My understanding is that you don't need a visa to China for transit purposes, so you wouldn't need a visa connecting through Shanghai to HK (since you don't need a visa to enter HK). You would show the visa en route from FK to Beijing.

As long as you're just staying in the airport in Shanghai to connect to HK I don't think you need a visa.

[maddiepaddy]

May 2, 2014 13:28:47 GMT -5 wanderlustfoodie said:

Are you a US citizen? My understanding is that you don't need a visa to China for transit purposes, so you wouldn't need a visa connecting through Shanghai to HK (since you don't need a visa to enter HK). You would show the visa en route from FK to Beijing.

As long as you're just staying in the airport in Shanghai to connect to HK I don't think you need a visa.

Yup, I am a US citizen. Yes, I know you're right about not needing a visa for transit. I guess I am mostly worried that somehow they would screw it up and 'use' the one entry from my visa when I'm transferring in Shanghai and then I won't be able to get into Beijing. From what I can tell, I will need to go through customs even though I'm just changing planes in Shanghai.

Maybe I'm being paranoid?

[GilliC]

I just transited Beijing, and there was a completely separate line for entrance immigration and transit clearance. So I doubt they'd get it mixed up.

[GilliC]

As for Customs, we only had to clear exit customs in Beijing. And only because security/customs was shared between transit passengers and those leaving China from Beijing. It was pretty lax, since exit customs is mostly about ensuring that historical artifacts aren't leaving the country.

Coming from outside mainland China, for customs you basically just walk through the "Nothing to Declare" line. So if you don't have an issue with Immigration, you won't have an issue with Customs during your transit connection.

[origami]

May 2, 2014 15:49:56 GMT -5 maddiepaddy said:

May 2, 2014 13:28:47 GMT -5 wanderlustfoodie said:

Are you a US citizen? My understanding is that you don't need a visa to China for transit purposes, so you wouldn't need a visa connecting through Shanghai to HK (since you don't need a visa to enter HK). You would show the visa en route from FK to Beijing.

As long as you're just staying in the airport in Shanghai to connect to HK I don't think you need a visa.

Yup, I am a US citizen. Yes, I know you're right about not needing a visa for transit. I guess I am mostly worried that somehow they would screw it up and 'use' the one entry from my visa when I'm transferring in Shanghai and then I won't be able to get into Beijing. From what I can tell, I will need to go through customs even though I'm just changing planes in Shanghai.

Maybe I'm being paranoid?

I don't blame you for being paranoid because I was so confused by their Visa application. But you're right that you don't need a visa to transit, assuming your layover is short.

www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t84242.htm

That said, you can ask for a multiple entry visa even though your itinerary doesn't require it. I only needed a single entry visa but requested a 1-yr multiple entry one. It was the same price. I explained in one of the sections that I may visit again with my family. They gave it to me. I don't know that you need to explain it but I figured why not.