Job Discussion Forums

audchiang · Joined: 20 Sep 2004 Posts: 33 Location: Shanghai

I know this question has been somewhat addressed before, but here it is in another format.

Can I enter China on a 3-month tourist visa and an open-ended round trip ticket (or ticket for greater than 3 months)?

Can I enter China on the same visa with a one-way ticket? I can find relatively cheap one-way tickets, but am not sure I will be allowed to board the plane.

Will I have problems in China (getting off the plane or out of the airport) in the same two scenarios above?

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

You can enter China on your "open-returned ticket". You might have troubles either boarding your plane or arriving in China with one-way ticket. Be aware that some provinces or cities in China may give you a hassle with that tourist visa if your intentions are to have it converted to a Z visa for work. F visas are rather questionable for work, so please be extreemely careful if you plan on coming for work. Do investigate first, where to go or where not to go with your tourist visa. The forum has got plenty of good and valuable info on that as well as on what schools not to go to. Unfortunately, the schools what to go to (the better ones) are not a frequently mentioned on this forum, so you need to search harder.
Cheers and Beers

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

So, what's so different in your strategy to the strategies we have discussedf here in the past? Using TWO tickets instead of one? Not very imaginative.

Read the answers to previous posters RE Chinese Immigration and whether they ASK YOU TO SHOW PROOF YOU HAVE ONWARD TRANSPORT ARRANGED.

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Roger, I am just trying to be helpful and articulate here. Two ticket? Whatever!
Cheers and Beers

audchiang · Joined: 20 Sep 2004 Posts: 33 Location: Shanghai

So, I take it I can board the plane in the US with my 1-year ticket. It would be with United, which I've read on other posts will hassle you with a one-way ticket.

Will the airport officials in China care that my visa is for 3 months and my tickets is clearly for more time than that, or do they only care that I have a return ticket?

I'm also having a hard time thinking of a good story to come up with about the descrepency in time periods.

amandabarrick · Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 391

Your biggest problem with a one-way ticket is boarding the plane to China. You should contact your airline and ask them what type of visa is required to board a plane to China with a one-way ticket. In the case of United Airlines, after contacting them they told me I wouldn't be allowed to board the plane into China without a ticket out of China within the expiry of my visa. However other airlines such as Asiana don't care if I have a return ticket even with a tourist visa. When going through customs/immigration in China, they have never asked in 3 visits to see my return ticket. There is no hard and fast rule about entering with a one-way ticket, it is up to the airlines as to whether or not they will let you board.
AB

amandabarrick · Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 391

The airport officials in China will only look at your visa and passport, not your return tickets. I have never heard of or seen them look at a passengers tickets.
AB