144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Shanghai for Japanese Citizens of Chinese Descent

Since visa-free entry to China for Japanese citizens of Chinese descent is not yet available, I decided to try using the 144-hour visa-free transit policy to enter Shanghai. Both the entry and exit processes went smoothly. Below are the steps and important points for your reference.

1. Book Your Flights in Advance: You need to purchase round-trip tickets in advance, from Japan to China, and then from China to a third country or region. For example, Tokyo-Shanghai-Seoul-Tokyo or Tokyo-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Tokyo are acceptable. You cannot fly from Tokyo to Shanghai and then return directly to Tokyo.
2. Separate Tickets Are Allowed: It’s not necessary to have connecting flights; you can buy separate tickets. As long as you can provide proof of successfully booked tickets with reserved seats, it’s acceptable.
3. Check-In at the Airport: I flew with Japan Airlines. During check-in, the staff repeatedly confirmed the status of my transit ticket, asked for and recorded the contact information and address of my contact person in Shanghai, and even confirmed the current policy with Pudong Airport online. They issued the boarding pass only after ensuring everything was in order. This process took more than 20 minutes, so if you’re transiting, arrive at the airport at least half an hour earlier than usual.
4. Arrival in Shanghai: Upon arrival in Shanghai, proceed to the special 144-hour visa-free transit lane for foreigners and fill out the blue 144-hour transit registration form (not the general foreigner entry form). When I arrived at 8 PM, I was the only person in the lane, and there was no customs officer at the counter, so they assigned someone on the spot. I was asked only three questions: my birthplace, whether I was visiting family or traveling in Shanghai, and my departure date. Since my return flight was to Seoul, they confirmed my ticket and issued the visa-free permit within 10 minutes. If you have naturalized as a Japanese citizen, you will need to write your original Chinese name on the registration form.
5. Permitted Areas: After entering Shanghai, you can only travel within Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces (see Picture 1).
6. 144-Hour Period Calculation: The 144 hours start from the day after entry, giving you a total of 6 days.
7. Accommodation Registration: Within 24 hours of entry, you need to register your accommodation as a foreigner. This can be done online without visiting the police station. If you stay at a hotel, registration is not required on your part. Simply search for “foreigner accommodation registration” on WeChat. After registering and logging in, upload a photo of your passport, fill in the basic information, and submit. Within about 5 minutes, you’ll receive an email confirming successful registration, and you can also download the online registration form (see Pictures 2 and 3).
8. Departure: Depart within the specified time. No questions were asked during exit. If you change your itinerary, it’s not a problem. For example, if you initially booked a flight to transit through Korea but later change it to transit through Hong Kong due to schedule changes, it’s acceptable as long as the flight does not return directly to Japan.