International Fruit Expo 2023 will be held during September 1-3 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex (Pazhou Complex) in Guangzhou. For the convenience of overseas exhibitors and buyers, we have translated the latest 144-hour visa-free transit policy of Guangdong Province to help you clear customs smoothly during the expo.

Q: What is the 144-hour visa-free transit policy?

A: With the approval of the State Council, the 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners is implemented in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, Guangdong, Yunnan, Chengdu in Sichuan, Xiamen in Fujian, Qingdao in Shandong, Wuhan in Hubei, Shenyang in Liaoning and Dalian. The 144-hour visa-free transit policy is applied to holders of valid international travel documents and 144-hour connecting tickets for travelling to a third country (region) with a fixed date and seat in 53 countries, and the scope of stay of the visa-free persons is limited to the administrative areas previously approved by the State Council.

Q: Which countries are covered by the 144-hour visa-free transit policy?

A: List of countries applicable to the 144-hour visa-free transit policy (53 in total): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.

Q: Can foreigners transiting through Guangdong Province apply for a 144-hour visa-free transit for foreigners?

A: With the approval of the State Council, the 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners will be implemented in the administrative area of Guangdong Province starting from 1 May 2019. Foreigners from 53 countries holding valid international travel documents and 144-hour combined tickets (including air tickets, ferry tickets, train tickets, bus tickets to Hong Kong and Macao) with a determined date and seat to a third country (region) can choose to enter the country from any of the airports in Baiyun of Guangzhou, Bao'an of Shenzhen, or Chaoshan Airport of Jieyang, and leave the country from any of the 32 ports of Guangdong Province approved and agreed to by the State Council, and the area of stay of the transit visa-free stay will be Guangdong Province.

The 32 ports in Guangdong Province include: five airport airports in Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen, Meizhou, Zhanjiang and Jieyang Chaoshan; four railway ports in Guangzhou Tianhe, Dongguan Changping, Foshan and Zhaoqing; eight highway ports in Shenzhen, namely Wenjindu, Shatoujiao, Huanggang, Luohu, Shenzhen Bay, Futian, Zhuhai Gongbei and Hengqin; and a total of 15 ports and harbours, including Guangzhou Harbour, Nansha Harbour, Lianhuashan Harbour, Shekou Wharf, Shenzhen Airport Supporting Terminal, Jiuzhou Harbour, Wanzhai, Wanshan Harbour, Doumen Harbour, Jiangmen Harbour, Heshan Harbour, Foshan Gaoming Harbour, Shunde Passenger Harbour, Zhongshan Harbour, and Dongguan Humen Port.

Q: Can foreigners exit from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) / West Kowloon / Tsing Mau / Liantang / Pazhou Passenger Terminal after applying for the 144 Transit Visa-free Entry?

A:No. Foreigners eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners may choose to enter the country from any of the airports of Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an and Jieyang Chaoshan airports, and exit from any of the 32 ports in Guangdong Province approved and agreed to by the State Council, excluding for the time being the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge/West Kowloon/Qingmao/Liantang/Pazhou Passenger Port exit ports.

Q: Can foreigners applying for 144 visa-free transit entry exit from Zhanjiang Airport / Meizhou Airport / Tianhe East Railway Station / Foshan Railway Station / Zhaoqing Railway Station / Dongguan Changping Railway Station / Guangzhou Port / Gaoming Passenger Port / Lianhuashan Passenger Port / Zhuhai Wanshan Port / Zhuhai Doumen Port / Jiangmen Port / Heshan Port?

A: Foreigners who are eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners can choose to enter the country from any of the airports in Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an and Jieyang Chaoshan airports, and exit the country from any of the 32 ports in Guangdong Province approved by the State Council, and the Zhanjiang Airport / Meizhou Airport / Tianhe East Railway Station / Foshan Railway Station / Zhaoqing Railway Station / Dongguan Changping Railway Station / Guangzhou Port / Gaoming Port Although the above ports are in the catalogue of ports of entry approved by the State Council, they cannot be used for departure because they have been closed or the immigration and customs clearance business has not been resumed, so please choose other ports that meet the requirements for departure.

Q: Can Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents apply for 144-hour visa-free transit?

A: No. Residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are Chinese citizens, and the 144-hour visa-free transit policy applies only to foreigners from the 53 countries announced by the State, and does not apply to residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

Q: Is there a restricted stay area? Can I exceed the restricted stay area if I have an emergency?

A: According to the authorisation of the State Council, the area of stay for foreigners applying for the 144-transit visa-free stay at the airports of Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an and Jieyang Chaoshan airports is within the administrative area of Guangdong Province. If, in case of emergency, it is necessary to go beyond the restricted stay area, the foreigner should apply for a residence permit from the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the public security organ at or above the county level of the place where the foreigner is located. If you exceed the restricted stay area without authorisation, you will be legally liable to be punished for illegal residence and will be affected in your application for future visas and other entry/exit documents for China.

Q: How is the start and end of the stay calculated?

A: From the day following the day of the 144th transit visa-free procedure to the 6th day.

Q: Can I exceed my stay if it's an emergency?

A: If, in case of emergency, you need to exceed the period of stay, you should apply for a permit to stop staying to the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the public security organ at or above the county level where you are located; if you overstay without a permit, you will be subject to the corresponding legal responsibility and will be punished according to the penalty of illegal residence, and it will also affect the application for visas for entry and exit documents for the future.

Q: How exactly do I apply (to what department, where, what materials need to be presented, the form of the materials, and other specific processing guidelines)? What needs to be reviewed during the application process and how long does it take?

A: When you arrive at Guangzhou Baiyun (Shenzhen Bao'an, Jieyang Chaoshan) Airport, you can apply for 144-hour visa-free transit by presenting your valid and authentic entry and exit documents, a confirmed date and seat within 144 hours, and an interline ticket (air ticket, ferry ticket, train ticket, bus ticket to Hong Kong and Macao) for a trip to a third country (region), and then the border control authorities will issue a 144-hour temporary entry permit for transit and allow you to enter the country after reviewing and examining the case without any abnormality.

Q: Are there restrictions on origins and destinations?

A: The 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners applies to transit to a third country or region, i.e., the country or region from which the entry is made and the country or region to which the exit is made must be different countries or regions.

Q: Where can I find the provisions of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy?

A: On the official webpage of the National Migration Authority.

Q: Can this policy be used for "Hong Kong-Guangzhou-Macao-Guangzhou-Hong Kong" journeys? Is there a limit on the number of trips?

A: Foreigners who meet the conditions of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy can apply to the border control authorities for 144-hour visa-free transit by presenting their authentic and valid immigration documents and a combined ticket with a definite time and seat for travelling to the Macao Special Administrative Region within the 144-hour period when they take an aircraft from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to enter Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. When entering Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport by air from the Macao Special Administrative Region, you can also apply for a 144-hour visa-free transit at the border control authorities by presenting your authentic and valid immigration documents and a combined ticket with a definite time and seat for travelling to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region within 144 hours. Although there is no limitation on the number of times, each application has to be examined and cleared by the border control authorities before a 144-hour temporary entry permit for transit can be issued.

Q: Can I apply for a 144-hour visa-free transit for foreigners travelling on a business aircraft without an interline ticket?

A: Foreigners from 53 countries who are eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit policy can apply to the border control authorities for the 144-hour visa-free transit on the basis of their valid entry and exit documents, and written certificates issued by the business aircraft companies stating the passenger's identity information, flight number, route itinerary, date of entry and exit, and other information.

Q:Can foreign crew members entering or leaving the country as travellers apply for 144-hour visa-free transit?

A: Foreign crew members whose nationalities are from the 53 countries specified in the 144-hour visa-free transit policy may apply to the border control authorities for a 144-hour visa-free transit on the basis of their valid entry/exit documents, interline tickets and other documents.

Q: What is the difference between the 144-hour visa-free transit for foreigners and the "144-hour facilitation measures", or the "144-hour facilitation measures" for foreigners travelling to the Pearl River Delta?

A: Firstly, the eligible people are different. The 144-hour visa-free transit for foreigners is limited to persons from 53 countries, who can apply individually. "The 144-hour facilitation measures are applicable to foreigners from countries with which China has diplomatic relations, except for foreign journalists, who must apply in a group, with at least two (or more) persons in the group.

Secondly, the application place and accepting organ are different. Foreigners 144-hour visa-free transit in Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Baoan, Jieyang Chaoshan Airport to apply to the border control authorities when entering the country. The "144-hour facilitation measures" are applied for in Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Region from legally registered travel agencies in Hong Kong and Macao.

Thirdly, the application conditions are different. Foreigners are required to provide their real and valid passports for 144-hour visa-free transit, as well as tickets for travelling to a third country or region with a definite time and seat within 144 hours. "144-hour facilitation measures" is my real and valid passport can be.

Fourth, the port of entry and exit requirements are different. Foreigners 144 hours visa-free transit is limited to Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Baoan, Jieyang Chaoshan Airport entry, exit from the State Council approved 32 ports in Guangdong Province. The "144-hour facilitation measures" are limited to entry and exit at ports open to foreigners in the Pearl River Delta region (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou) and Shantou. Shantou City enters and exits from Jieyang Chaoshan Airport.

Fifth, the duration of stay is different. The 144-hour visa-free transit for foreigners counts from the next day of processing to the 6th day. The "144-hour facilitation measure" is from the date of entry to the 6th day of exit.

Sixth, the stay area is different. Foreigners 144-hour visa-free transit stay area for the administrative region of Guangdong Province. "144-hour facilitation measures" to apply for travel to the Pearl River Delta region, is limited to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and other administrative areas under the jurisdiction of the nine cities; apply for travel to Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou, Shantou and other administrative areas.

Seventh, others. For travellers who are both eligible for 144-hour visa-free transit for foreigners and hold valid visas to China, the border control authorities give priority to foreigners who are exempted from visa-free transit for 144 hours to go through the border control procedures; if the travellers' stay in China needs to be longer than 144 hours, the border control authorities will go through the border control procedures in accordance with their valid visas to China; for the "144-Hour Facilitation Measures For the "144-hour facilitation measures" group entry travellers, if they have already obtained Chinese visas, the border control authorities will give priority to their valid Chinese visas for border control and inspection procedures.

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