Beijing and Tianjin Visa free for 144 hours

There are news articles all over the internet about alien abductions and aliens visiting from other planets.

Do you believe them?

That's why you look at the credibility of the source, not just blithely lump everything in the same bucket.

Or do you just not believe anything you read online? In which case, what's the point?

Good on Royal Caribbean. I've been reading the same articles. I have an Australian passport and we are one of the countries included in the 144 hour free visa entry.. Like other posters I am scared Holland America won't let us on the ship in Yokahama without a visa. I called HAL in Australia and was told I must have a Visa for China.We are going from a port in Japan prior to Shanghai where we stay overnight then our next port is back in Japan. We have no other ports in China.Do you think the cruise lines take some time to catch up with the latest requirements? I'd rather pay for a HAL shore excursion in Shanghai than an expensive stamp in my passport if it is not required.

Good on Royal Caribbean. I've been reading the same articles. I have an Australian passport and we are one of the countries included in the 144 hour free visa entry.. Like other posters I am scared Holland America won't let us on the ship in Yokahama without a visa. I called HAL in Australia and was told I must have a Visa for China.We are going from a port in Japan prior to Shanghai where we stay overnight then our next port is back in Japan. We have no other ports in China.Do you think the cruise lines take some time to catch up with the latest requirements? I'd rather pay for a HAL shore excursion in Shanghai than an expensive stamp in my passport if it is not required.

The way it is explained to us you would not qualify. The only countries that matter are the one directly before entering China and the one directly after the visit. Since your stops before and after are Japan you would not qualify. The link below looks to be the same situation where the passengers were refused boarding because they flew in from Japan to Shanghai and the first port stop was Okinawa which is once again Japan, I think China wrote it this way to ensure business travelers get visa but in some cases it restricts tourists too.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2579575

Thanks PCWalton1. It makes sense. A visa it is for me.;)

This is what I posted on our cruise roll call

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=54973531&postcount=281

Hi Bill can you help me out here please, i cant make heads or tails of this from Australia, nor get a proper answer from embassy's in Australia or China.

My itinerary is this: Depart Australia for Singapore. Stay in Singapore 3 days until we board Ovation, disembark in Tianjin, stay in Beijing for 3 days, fly back to Singapore for two days then home to Australia.

In your understanding do we qualify for the free visa or not?? So frustrating...... Many thanks

Hi Bill can you help me out here please, i cant make heads or tails of this from Australia, nor get a proper answer from embassy's in Australia or China.

My itinerary is this: Depart Australia for Singapore. Stay in Singapore 3 days until we board Ovation, disembark in Tianjin, stay in Beijing for 3 days, fly back to Singapore for two days then home to Australia.

In your understanding do we qualify for the free visa or not?? So frustrating...... Many thanks

Please don't consider me the expert as my answer is just from what I have pieced together on here and the internet. Our understanding is the port/stop just prior to arrival in China and the one just after departing China must be different. Since you are arriving in Tianjin on Ovation from Korea then flying to Singapore you should be ok.

I just worry that someone at the Tianjin port (or when you board Ovation in Singapore) might interpret it wrong and say that you started in Singapore on the cruise and you are flying back to Singapore.

Ours is more clear cut as we fly to Seattle after so even if they try to say the start was Singapore the stop after is the USA .

Sorry I can't be more helpful

Please don't consider me the expert as my answer is just from what I have pieced together on here and the internet. Our understanding is the port/stop just prior to arrival in China and the one just after departing China must be different. Since you are arriving in Tianjin on Ovation from Korea then flying to Singapore you should be ok.

I just worry that someone at the Tianjin port (or when you board Ovation in Singapore) might interpret it wrong and say that you started in Singapore on the cruise and you are flying back to Singapore.

 

Ours is more clear cut as we fly to Seattle after so even if they try to say the start was Singapore the stop after is the USA .

Sorry I can't be more helpful

Thank you Bill so much for helping me to understand, i shall attempt to contact Royal again as you did and see if i can get something in writing to assist me if there are any complications. I contacted another person on trip advisor who is very good with this sort of thing in China and he also echoed your understanding stating that our initial entry point prior to Tianjin was Sth Korea - Tianjin/Beijing with our onward country being Singapore 3 days later. Very much appreciated your help on this, thankyou!!

Another article highlighting the need to ensure your transportation is aware of the 144 hour visa exemption.

https://thepointsguy.com/2018/02/how-to-connect-in-china-without-a-visa/?utm_source=TPG+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=9a46c2348b-TPG_Daily_News_MC&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2b0b8ee2b7-9a46c2348b-44179801

So my question is, if our cruise is starting in Beijing, and we're only in China (Beijing 2 nights and Dalian 2 nights), do you think I'll need a visa?

We're on a 35 night cruise from Beijing to Sydney. It would be great if I could avoid the whole visa mess.

So my question is, if our cruise is starting in Beijing, and we're only in China (Beijing 2 nights and Dalian 2 nights), do you think I'll need a visa?

 

We're on a 35 night cruise from Beijing to Sydney. It would be great if I could avoid the whole visa mess.

Yes. There are no visa free arrangements for Dalian.

Hi Bill, thanks so much for the valuable information on this thread.

I'm curious how the whole TWOV experience went. We are considering a 7 day closed-loop cruise out of Shanghai, visiting 3 ports in Japan only. Our itinerary (US - Shanghai for 3 days - board ship - Japan 3 ports - disembark ship in Shanghai - straight home to US) satisfies TWOV but more curious on how familiar the various airline, immigration, and (importantly) RCI agents were with the rules.

Thanks!