【简讯】北京、上海机场口岸于2013年1月1日起对过境前往第三国（地区）并订妥联程机票的45国公民实行72小时过境免签政策。免签期间活动范围限于北京、上海市行政区域内。

[News in Brief]: The measure of 72-hour Transit Visa Exemption for Foreign Nationals for citizens from 45 countries destined for a third country (region) with booked connecting flight goes into force as of 1^st January 2013 at the ports of entry of the airports in Shanghai and Beijing. During the visa exemption period, the passenger is allowed to move around within the administration precincts of Beijing and Shanghai municipality.

【简讯】广州白云机场口岸于2013年8月1日起对过境前往第三国（地区）并订妥联程机票的45国公民实行72小时过境免签政策，免签期间活动范围限于广东省行政区域内。

[News in Brief]: The measure of 72-hour Transit Visa Exemption for Foreign Nationals for citizens from 45 countries destined for a third country (region) with booked connecting flight goes into force as of 1^st August 2013 at the port of entry of the Baiyun Airport of Guangzhou. During the visa exemption period, the passenger is allowed to move around within the administration precincts of Guangdong province.

1、 符合哪些条件的外国人可以申请在北京、上海、广州机场口岸72小时免签过境？

What requirements foreign nationals have to meet to apply for the 72-hour transit visa exemption at ports of entry in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou?

    答：需要具备3个条件：（1）属于72小时过境免签范围的45个国家公民；（2）持有本人有效国际旅行证件和72小时内已确定日期及座位的前往第三国（地区）联程机票；（3）自北京首都机场或者自上海浦东、虹桥机场或者广州白云机场过境前往第三国（地区）。

       Answer: There are 3 requirements: 1) Citizens from the 45 countries under the 72-hour Transit Visa Exemption Program; 2) Foreign nationals with valid international traveling documents and air ticket for a connecting flight with confirmed date of flight and seat for a third country (region) traveling within 72 hours; 3) Transit passengers from the Capital Airport of Beijing or Pudong or Hongqiao Airports of Shanghai or Baiyun Airport of Guangzhou for a third country (region).

2、 哪些国家旅客可以申请72小时免签过境？

Travelers from what countries may apply for the 72-hour transit visa exemption?

答：45个国家旅客可以申请72小时免签过境，分别是：（1）欧洲申根签证协议国家共24个：奥地利、比利时、捷克、丹麦、爱沙尼亚、芬兰、法国、德国、希腊、匈牙利、冰岛、意大利、拉脱维亚、立陶宛、卢森堡、马耳他、荷兰、波兰、葡萄牙、斯洛伐克、斯洛文尼亚、西班牙、瑞典、瑞士。（2）欧洲其他国家共7个：俄罗斯、英国、爱尔兰、塞浦路斯、保加利亚、罗马尼亚、乌克兰。（3）美洲国家共6个：美国、加拿大、巴西、墨西哥、阿根廷、智利。（4）大洋洲国家共2个：澳大利亚、新西兰。（5）亚洲国家共6个：韩国、日本、新加坡、文莱、阿联酋、卡塔尔。

   Answer: Travelers from the 45 countries may apply for the 72-hour transit visa exemption, which are: 1) 24 Schengen countries in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherland, Poland, Portugal, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. 2) 7 other European countries: Russia, Great Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine. 6 American countries: The United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile. 4) 2 Oceanian countries: Australia and New Zealand. 5) 6 Asian countries: Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

3、 符合72小时过境免签条件的外国人，如何申请过境？

How can a foreign national that meets the requirements for the 72-hour transit visa exemption apply for it?

    答：符合72小时过境免签条件的外国人应当向载运其抵达北京、上海或者广州的航空公司提出，由航空公司或者旅客本人向北京或上海机场边检机关申报，边检机关经审核符合过境免签条件的，允许其临时入境。

       Answer: A foreign national that meets the requirements may submit his/her request to the airline company that carries him/her to Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou and the airline company or the passenger him/herself shall make the application to the border control authorities of the airports that shall grant a temporary entry of a passenger meeting the requirements for transit visa exemption upon verification.

4、 如果入境时没有买好出境的机票，计划先入境后再买72小时内离境前往第三国的机票，是否可申请72小时过境免签？

Can a traveler apply for the 72-hour transit visa exemption when no exit air ticket is bought at the time of entry but he or she plans to purchase the air ticket for a third country leaving within 72 hours after entry?

答：根据规定，符合72小时过境免签国家的外国人申请72小时过境免签时，必须持有已确定日期及座位的联程机票，即在其入境前必须已买好出境时的机票。因此对未订妥72小时联程机票的外国人，不适用此项便利政策。

Answer: According to the requirements, a foreign national applying for the 72-hour transit visa exemption must hold the air ticket for a connecting flight with confirmed date of flight and seat, i.e., the exit air ticket is already in place before entry. Therefore, this facilitation measure does not apply to a foreign national that does not have a confirmed air ticket for a connecting flight leaving within 72 hours.

5、 从某一国家（地区）来北京、上海或者广州，已订妥确定日期和座位的72小时内返回其来自国（地区）的机票，是否可以适用此政策？

Does this measure apply to a foreign national coming to Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou from a certain country (region) with a confirmed air ticket for flying back to the same country (region) where he or she comes from within 72 hours with confirmed date of flight and seat?

答：根据规定，72小时过境免签政策是针对在北京、上海或者广州过境前往第三国或地区的规定国家外国人。比如，从美国纽约过境北京返回美国洛杉矶，不能适用此项政策。

Answer: According to the requirements, the 72-hour transit visa exemption measure is for a foreign national passing through Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou for a third country or region. Therefore this measure does not apply to a passenger traveling from New York, USA, and stopping over at Beijing on his/her way to Los Angeles, USA.

6、 外国人办理72小时过境免签手续入境后，是否可以离开北京、上海或者广州前往中国其他城市？外国人办理72小时过境免签手续入境后因特殊原因无法在72小时内及时离境，该怎么办？

Can a foreign national leave Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou for another Chinese city after getting the 72-hour transit visa exemption? What should be done in case a foreign national who has the 72-hour transit visa exemption cannot leave China within 72 hours due to some special reason after entry?

答：在北京、上海机场办理72小时过境免签手续的外国人不得离开北京或上海行政区域。在广州机场办理72小时过境免签手续的外国人可以离开广州市，但不得超出广东省行政区域。遇有特殊事由需要离开的，应依法向北京市、上海市或者广东省公安机关出入境管理部门申请办理签证。

Answer: A foreign national obtaining the 72-hour transit visa exemption at the airports of Beijing or Shanghai may not leave the administrative precincts of Beijing or Shanghai. A foreign national obtaining the 72-hour transit visa exemption at the airport of Guangzhou may leave the city of Guangzhou but not travel beyond the administrative precincts of Guangdong province. In case of need to leave the precinct for some special reason, the passenger must apply for a visa to the exit-entry administration department of the municipal public security authorities of Beijing, Shanghai or the province of Guangdong as required by the law.

办理72小时过境免签手续的外国人应在准予停留期内及时离境。遇有特殊事由需超过72小时停留的，应依法向北京市、上海市或者广东省公安机关出入境管理部门申请办理相应签证后再出境。

A foreign national having the 72-hour transit visa exemption should leave China within the permitted time. In case of special need to stay longer than 72 hours, the passenger should apply for the relevant visa to the exit-entry administration department of the municipal public security authorities of Beijing, Shanghai or the province of Guangdong before leaving China as required by the law.

如果未按规定办理签证手续，发现地公安机关出入境管理部门或边防检查站将按照外国人在华非法居留依法进行处理。当事人再次通过航空公司申请72小时免签过境时，边检机关有权拒绝其申请。

In case a foreign national fails to apply for the required visa, he or she shall be dealt with in accordance with the law for illegal residence in China by the exit-entry administration department of the public security authorities or border control station of the location where such an act is found. The border control authorities are entitled to deny his or her application for the 72-hour transit visa exemption via an airline company the next time because of such a breach.

7、 外国人在北京首都机场办理72小时过境免签手续入境后，可否申请从上海空港口岸或者广州白云机场出境？

In case a foreign national has entered China with the 72-hour transit visa exemption issued by the Capital Airport of Beijing, can he or she apply to leave China from an airport in Shanghai or at the Baiyun Airport of Guangzhou?

答：办理72小时过境免签手续的外国人不得离开准予其停留的城市。自北京首都机场口岸申请办理72小时过境免签手续的外国人，应当在准予停留期内自北京首都机场离境，不得从上海空港口岸或者广州白云机场出境。

Answer: A foreign national with the 72-hour transit visa exemption is not allowed to leave the city where the stopover is permitted. Therefore, a foreign national obtaining the 72-hour transit visa exemption at the Capital Airport of Beijing shall leave China from the same airport in Beijing within the permitted time of stay and may not leave China from an airport in Shanghai or the Baiyun Airport of Guangzhou.

8、 可否乘火车从北京西客站入境再于72小时内乘飞机出境？

Can a passenger enter China at the Beijing West Train Station and then leave by air within 72 hours?

答：目前此项政策仅在北京、上海和广州空港口岸实施，即在北京享受72小时过境免签政策仅限从北京首都机场办理过境手续。

Answer: This measure is currently available only at the airports of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, which means the 72-hour transit visa exemption in Beijing is only applicable to a passenger obtaining it at the Beijing Capital Airport.

9、 如果我对此项政策还有疑问，我该如何咨询？

In case I have more questions concerning this measure, how can I ask for an answer?

答：您向北京、上海或广州口岸边检机关咨询，或者在公安部网站警事咨询栏目留言。北京边检总站咨询电话010-56095400，上海边检总站咨询电话：021-51105100，广州边检总站咨询电话：020-32090088。公安部网址：www.mps.gov.cn。

Answer: You may make an inquiry with the border control authorities of the ports of entry in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou or leave a message under the column of Asking Questions to the Police on the website of the Ministry of Public Security. Contact phone of the Beijing General Station of Immigration Inspection: 010-56095400; Contact phone of the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection: 021-51105100; Contact phone of the Guangzhou General Station of Immigration Inspection: 020-32090088. Website of the Ministry of Public Security: www.mps.gov.cn.

10、      上海市对部分外国人过境48小时免签证政策是否继续适用？

Will the 48-hour transit visa exemption by the Shanghai municipality for certain foreign nationals continue to apply?

答：自上海实施72小时过境免签政策之日起，上海市对部分外国人过境48小时免签证政策废止。

Answer: The 48-hour transit visa exemption for certain foreign nationals by the Shanghai municipality ceases to apply as from the date of the 72-hour transit visa exemption coming into effect in Shanghai.