Shenzhen "pass permit"?

[Josh-J]

I'm going to be flying from Shanghai to Shenzhen (going to Hong Kong) in a few weeks time, then from Shenzhen to Beijing a few days later. So I'll leave china and re-enter to get back to Shenzhen. Obviously I'll have a visa allowing for this, but I recently found on this site something saying about a "pass permit":

As Shenzhen is the only city so far in mainland China that requires pass permit when arriving, please remember to obtain a pass permit before arrival or bring your passport with you when arrival.

I'm not doing anything to do with this company, I was just looking for a map showing the Hualian building where the airport bus goes to/from. But I haven't been able to find anything out about this "pass permit" - does it just mean a visa, or are there other arrangements as well? I'm might just be being paranoid, but I don't want to get stuck somewhere because I don't have the appropriate documents - I need reassurance

Thanks for any information you can give.

EDIT:

I just found here this bit of info:

Foreign tourist groups from Hong Kong for a 72-hour visit to the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone are exempt from entry visas.

However I'm obviously not going to be visiting just Shenzhen, but moving from there to the rest of china. Presumably this is OK if I have my normal tourist visa, but I'm still not sure. Also that website says that "Passports must be valid for at least six months before you travel to China." Well, I only got my UK passport recently (ie. less than 6 months ago), but I was under the impression (from the various chinese embassy/consulate websites) that it would have to be valid for a FURTHER 6 months from when you apply for the visa, which makes more sense. So I don't know how much to rely on this site now...

[johnd]

If you have a foreign passport with a Chinese visa, you don't need any extra documents to enter Shenzhen. Just be aware, that if you are going from the Mainland to HK and back again, you need a double or multiple entry visa, or residence permit.

I'm sure it must mean "valid for a FURTHER 6 months".

[Josh-J]

Ok thanks for the help. I plan on getting a double entry visa - Enter by flying to Beijing, then eventually exit at Shenzhen, then enter again at Shenzhen and finally leave from Beijing again. I just didn't want to get stuck at the border for hours trying to get some document that I didn't know about, and miss my plane

I hope I can find my way from the 华联大厦 airport bus-stop to the border

[BFC_Peter]

Having made this trip several times in recent months and many times over the past couple of years I can confirm what johnd says.

I suspect the advice you are referring to is a little dated - I understand that are other restrictions applying to Shenzhen but these have been relaxed somewhat recently (- you do pass through at least one checkpoint where vehicles slow down and an army person keeping an eye on each lane of traffic).

Foreigners used to have to show their passports but I never have done, although I've been told to always carry it with me.

[Josh-J]

Alright, in that case I suppose I can book my flights etc. now

[flameproof]

>As Shenzhen is the only city so far in mainland China that requires pass permit when arriving

I think it refers to that only PRC people on official business or SZ residents were allowed to enter SZ. Anyway, the Bao An Airport is NOT in the SEZ. There are still checkpoints when you enter/leave SZ. But you checked only very very rarely. As a foreigner probably never.

>Foreign tourist groups from Hong Kong for a 72-hour visit to the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone are exempt from entry visas.

Not true. Everybody needs a visa. You can apply at the Lowu border (an ONLY there) for a 5 day SZ Visa for HK$150 (NOT for US passports!!!)

[Josh-J]

Hmm well I have a UK passport. Does anyone know if I can get in with that? I presume that this Shenzhen "visa" is seperate from a normal chinese visa then? Does that mean I need it even if I have a normal mainland tourist visa?

By the way, I intend to go through LoWu.. but now I'm concerned that I won't be able to get through there. After all, I imagine there's little difference between US and UK passport-holders if US passports aren't enough.

Also, I've booked my flights now...

Also, this Lonely Planet guide I bought here in the UK says "Getting to or from Shenzhen is a breeze." Seems to be alot of conflicting information around?

Hmm well if the airport is outside the SEZ, what happens when I go from the airport into Shenzhen...

the horrors of self-planning

[flameproof]

OK, it's a bit confusing.

1. the SZ visa is a sort of 'sub visa'. If you have a China visa you can enter SZ, but with ther SZ visa you can not leave the SZ SEZ (in theory, in practice I did that a few times. As long as stay not longer then the 5 days given or leave china from outside the SZ SEZ there should be no problem. Just don't get caught outside the SEZ).

Josh-J

What you mean by "get in"?

1. Into SZ from China - no problem

2. Into HK from China - no problem

3. Into HK from SZ SEZ - no problem

4. Into China or SZ SEZ - you need a new China visa (unless you hold a multible entry China visa)

I don't know if this falls under advertizing, but a VERY good place to get longer China visas in HK is JTA in TST East:

http://www.jta.biz/chinavisa/china_visa.htm

[johnd]

The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone "border" is only for Chinese citizens, and barely enforced at that. It has no effect on you if you have a mainland visa. Just keep your passport with you.

You may be getting confused with a 3-day pass that allows visitors to enter SZ from HK, without requiring a mainland visa. I don't have any direct experience with the 3-day pass, but I think you can apply for it at the border and will not be permitted to go beyond the SEZ. Anyway, this will not apply to you since you will have a mainland visa.

[Josh-J]

Thanks I had nightmare visions of flying into Shenzhen airport and then not being able to actually get into Shenzhen or something. Either that or having to go round through Guangzhou or something just to get back to the airport again. Nothing wrong with being paranoid