FAQ

Common Questions

How many days you can stay in Shenzhen with the 5 day Shenzhen visa?

The day you enter is day 0, and you need to leave on day 5. So when you enter on a Monday you need to leave on a Saturday.

Can everybody get the 5 day Shenzhen visa?

No, this nationals can NOT get the 5 days Shenzhen visa: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Sudan, Turkey, UAE, Yemen.

Can I use a new passport?

Yes (again). Since July 2018 the _must-have-China-stamp_ changed again. You currently do not need to have any China visa stamp in your passport. If you have an old passport with a China stamp in it I suggest you bring it anyway just in case. No! Since June 2017 there is a new regulation, you can get the 5-Day-Shenzhen-Visa only if you have been in China before. Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan does not count. Transit visa or a old 5-Day-Shenzhen-Visa is accepted. If you have a China stamp in an old passport – bring it! That will be accepted.

Does everybody actually need a visa?

No, people from following countries can enter China without visa, or get a visa free of charge:
Since many years: Brunei, Japan, Singapore
From late 2023/early 2024: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland
Free visa: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Maledives, Micronesia

What happen if entry gets refused?

If entry gets refused you have return to Hong Kong. In the past you were given a fine too, but it seems now that refusal is free. You can’t simply walk back. You need to wait to your passport (can be 30 Minutes) and escorted to the Hong Kong side. In Hong Kong you will go through a more details customs check. That’s about it.

How about Australians?

There was some confusion in 2016 about Australians. The end of October 2016 information from the counter in Luohu was that Australians **can** get the 5-day-Shenzhen visa. But one couple was refused on Oct 11th 2016. Asking again on Nov. 8th 2016 reply was _Australians no problem!_ At this point it looks like Australians can again get the 5 Day Shenzhen Visa. This can of course change tomorrow again.

How about Americans? (USA passport holders)

Since late 2017 Americans (USA passport holders) can get the 5-Day-Shenzhen-Visa! But the cost is a steep RMB 971 – that is roughly about US$ 140.

How about Philippine nationals which were in China before?

There are some comments in the web from Philippine nationals that got the 5-day-Shenzhen visa because they had an old China visa in their passport. This might have been changed now and currently they can not get the 5-day-Shenzhen visa at the border.

Are the visa office opening times are the same as the border?

No. Example, Lowu/Luohu is open from 06:00 to 00:00, but the visa office is only open from 09:00 to 17:00

How many entries can I have?

You can have only one entry. After you leave mainland China you need to get a new one.

Do I need a passport picture?

Yes, you can bring one, or use the free machine next to the visa office.

How can I pay the visa fee?

It’s strongly suggested to pay the (in most cases) RMB 168 (about US$ 25) in cash.

Is it legal to bring local currency to China?

You can bring up to RMB 20,000 or US$ 5,000 (or the equivalent in other currencies).

How long does it take to get the visa?

Usually a few Minutes, depending how many people are there. Usually there are just a few. On busy days it can take hours.

Can I go to Guangzhou?

This visa is not for Guangzhou, it is for wider Shenzhen City area. That includes Nanshan (南山), Shekou (蛇口), Baoan (宝安), Baoan Airport, Longgang (龙岗) etc.

Where are the borders to the rest of China?

There are no borders anymore around Shenzhen. There used to be control points on various roads in to Shenzhen, but that procedure stopped around 2000.

Can I leave through other exits than Luohu/Lowu?

You can leave through any border exit to Hong Kong, plus you can leave from Baoan/Shenzhen Airport on an international flight. You can not leave the Shenzhen Airport with flight to another destination in China, even for transit.

I like to fly from Shenzhen direct to Thailand, can I use the 5 day visa for that?

This is no problem, as long as the flight is direct out of mainland China.

Can I fly to Shenzhen and get the 5 day visa at the Shenzhen Airport?

No, the 5 day Shenzhen visa is not available at the Shenzhen airport. You must hold a full China visa. If you have no China visa you will not be allowed to board the plane.

Can I get the 5 day visa in advance?

No, this is not possible. They are for immediate use.

I have a double entry full China visa in my passport and like to use it for later, can I get the 5 day Shenzhen visa and save the full China visa for later?

This is not possible. You can not get any China visa if you have already a valid China visa. You must use one of the double entries.

Where can I get official information about the 5-Day-Shenzhen-Visa?

Nowhere. There is no official information online about the 5-Day-Shenzhen-Visa - or other special zone visas (namely Zhuhai), not in English, not in Chinese