144-hour Visa-free Transit in Xiamen
Who are eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit? - List of 53 Countries
American Countries: US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile Oceania Countries: Australia, New Zealand Schengen Agreement Countries: Austria, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland Other European Countries: UK, Ireland, Russia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Monaco Asian Countries: South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar
Areas Allowed to Stay
When using the 144-hour visa-free transit facility in Xiamen, the allowed areas to stay is limited to Xiamen City only, including the outskirts. Passengers are not permitted to visit any other cities in mainland China.
What Is an Eligible Route?
Departure Country A: → Xiamen → The Third Country C
Note: A and C refer to different foreign countries, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
It's the most essential thing to confirm that your route is eligible before departure. You are supposed to enter Xiamen from Country A, stay for not more than 144 hours, and then leave for Country C. During the period, you cannot stop over in any other mainland Chinese cities.
Eg:
Eligible: Singapore - Xiamen - Seoul
NOT Eligible: Singapore - Xiamen - Shanghai -Seoul
Eligible: Singapore - Xiamen - Seoul
NOT Eligible: Singapore - Xiamen - Singapore
How to Apply for 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit?
 |
What Documents Do I Need to Show?
1. Your passport with at least three months left
2. An air or cruise ticket to a third country with confirmed seat and departure date within 144 hours
3. A visa to the third country if required
4. The Arrival Card for Temporary Entry
Note: Visitors had better also prepare hotel bookings in case of immigration check.
What Are the Eligible Transit Ports?
In Xiamen, the eligible ports include Gaoqi International Airport and all international cruise ports, indicating both air and ship passengers have access to the 144-hour visa-free transit scheme.
Contact information of the airport: 0086-592-96363
What Can I Do During the 144 Hours?
Enjoy leisurely time in Gulangyu Island
Gulangyu Island is definitely the most rewarding attraction in Xiamen, however it requires you to have at least two days for the travel. Passengers with long layover are highly recommended to book a tour to Gulangyu Island, a garden on the sea, to fully indulge in the leisurely atmosphere. Shuzhuang Garden, Organ Museum, and Bright Moon Garden are the must-see attractions. On the Sunlight Rock, you can have a bird's view of the whole island with century-old exotic architectures scattered here and there. Artistic bars, cafes, bookstores and restaurants are all good places to spend a leisurely afternoon.
Visit South Putuo Temple & Xiamen University
South Putuo Temple is a prosperous Buddhist temple in China with lots of pious pilgrims. Dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), it remains traditional Chinese architectural style. A whole visit takes about 2 hours, and then you can climb the rear mountain of the temple. It's worth mention that the vegetarian food in the temple is really nice. If time permits, pay a visit to the nearby Xiamen University, which is ranked as one of the most beautiful colleges in China.
Ride along the Island Ring Road
Rent a bike at Hulishan Fortress or Xiamen University and start a cool trip along the Island Ring Road. The fabulous sunshine, golden beaches, gentle seashore breezes, and tall coconut trees will make you fall in love with Xiamen.
Top 10 Things to Do in Xiamen
Recommended Tours
Further Reading on China 144-Hour Visa-Free Policy:144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Liaoning
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Wuhan
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Chengdu
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Kunming
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Qingdao
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Guangdong
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Xi'an
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Chongqing
Reply
0
0ReplyReply00ReplyReplyI am a Norwegian passport holder, and I am considering purchasing a flight ticket from Oslo, Norway to Taipei, Taiwan with a 2 hour and 25 minutes layover / transit in Ximen airport, and I find the info I've found online a bit confusing.
Do you know if I will need a (transit) visa or can I stay up to 24 hours in the airport visa free?
I just want to make sure one hundred percent before I book, all the info I've found is a bit confusing and contradicting. Thank you very much.
00ReplyReplyDay 3: Xiamen to Kinmen and Kinmen to Xiamen
Day 5: Xiamen to Incheon
Eligible to 144 hour TWOV? To stay in Kinmen too short doesn't matter?
00ReplyIncheon - Xiamen - Kinmen
Although arriving by air and departing by ship is eligible, the problem is how to obtain a ticket for a ship between Xiamen and Kinmen ahead of your travel! It used to be possible through one website that is down now for roughly 8 months or even more. In reality, you need this ticket or at least some kind of an e-confirmation for this Xiamen to Kinmen route before your departure from Incehon because without it, they cannot allow you to board the plane.
Your return journey:
Kinmen - Xiamen - Incheon can be done without any problem because you will book your ship ticket for Kinmen - Xiamen route on the spot and you will also have a flight ticket Xiamen - Incheon in your hand at the moment of your check-in for a ship in Kinmen.
You can try to contact Klook agency and ask them if the can procure you a ticket or an e-confirmation for Xiamen - Kinmen ship ticket, so that you have a proof of your transit intention at your check-in in Incheon.
If this fails, you will have to find an alternative option like:
Incheon - Taipei - Kinmen by plane
and after that to your original route
Kinmen - Xiamen - Incheon
At the time being I really cannot see and other feasible option beside the mentioned one, especially if Klook has no ability to make a reservation for a ticket from Xiamen to Kinmen.
ReplyI am coming from Thailand to Xiamen for one day and then my flight is from Xiamen to Denmark but not with a direct route. It is with a connection in Beijing for around 2 hours between Xiamen and Denmark.
Am i not allowed to enter Xiamen after coming from Thailand, just because of my connection flight in Beijing? If it was a direct route from Xiamen to Copenhagen I was eligible, but not when having a connection flight in Beijing. Is that correctly understood? Or does connection flights not count, becuase i do not leave the airport in Beijing?
00ReplyThailand - Xiamen - Beijing - Denmark
Is eligible for 24 hour visa free transit and you should calculate your entire transit time, from your first scheduled landing, in your case in Xiamen, until your final scheduled departure, in your case from Beijing. So, you can stay in China for exactly 24 hours and not a minute more than that. Otherwise, you will need a visa to travel on this itinerary.
When traveling on 24 hour visa free transit, you never know whether you will be allowed to exit the airport or to be precise whether you will be granted a temporary entry permit to be allowed to exit the airport. In reality, you can almost count as certain that you will be granted a temporary entry permit upon your landing in Xiamen because your next flight segment is formally a domestic one. So, you will approach 24 hour visa free transit upon your landing in Xiamen where you will apply for a temporary entry permit. After you have been granted a permit, you will exit the airport and after a short stay in Xiamen, you will continue with a flight to Beijing and then to Copenhagen.
So, the main detail you have to take care about is that your itinerary is not longer than 24 hours even just for a minute. By the way, visa free transit rules take into consideration every single stop regardless of its nature. Also, two stops always limit you to 24 hours.
00ReplyMy concern is that i have gotten information today elsewhere saying I am not allowed to go to fly to Beijing even if i am within 24 hours. For this I would need visa. Can you confirm or deny this for sure? I will not even need to enter Xiamen anyway anymore, i will only stay in the airports to simplify matters.
00Reply00Reply00Reply00ReplySo this will work if i booked the full itinerary Bangkok - Xiamen - Beijing - Copenhagen.
Does it change anything that i don't have the travel on the same initerary? Bangkok to Xiamen is a ticket for itself, and then i have to 'join' my original initerary once i arrive in Xiamen.
I cannot address how thankful I am for you providing this service! I found it so confusing everywhere else.
00ReplyYou are advised to arrive at the airport a bit before than you would be usually done it. The reason is simple. You never know what quality and how well trained will the airport staff be in Bangkok, although they have proved to be quite efficient regarding visa free transit in China. So, if you encounter less trained person at the counter, it will take you some time until everything is resolved. You should be just patient and just kindly point them to Timatic where they will realize that you are perfectly allowed to perform your journey. This is valid for both, Thai Airways and XiamenAir.
Just be relaxed and again, arrive at the airport an hour before your original plan. You will be grateful. In reality, I would be the happiest if you will write here, after your successful travel, that this hour could have been spent better than at the airport :) Everything will be just fine.
00Reply00ReplyNice to read your feedback!