Guangzhou to join 72-hour visa-free policy
Guangzhou will be the latest Chinese city to adopt the 72-hour visa-free policy for transit air passengers.
Following similar schemes in Beijing and Shanghai, visitors from 45 countries will soon be able to stay in Guangzhou for three days without applying for a prior visa, if they have an onward air ticket. The move has been hailed by China Southern Airlines, which is currently promoting its ‘Canton Route’ services, connecting Australia to Europe via Guangzhou.
“The policy will allow Australians travelling on the Canton Route to break their journey in Guangzhou for up to three days to enjoy all that the vibrant city has to offer,” the airline said in a statement.
The new 72-hour visa policy is set to come into force later this year, and only applies to transit passengers who hold tickets to a third destination, from Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport. It is not applicable for round-trip tickets (e.g. Bangkok-Guangzhou-Bangkok).
Countries included in the scheme include Australia, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, UAE, UK and USA.