Can I transit through Chengdu TFU airport visa-free?

Question

I cannot find an official website stating which ports of entry are allowed. The closest one with a full table of ports posted on March 2023 includes Chengdu CTU airport (Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport) but not TFU (Chengdu Tianfu International Airport):

City	Exit ports	Scope of permitted travel
Chengdu (Sichuan province)	Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport	11 cities in Sichuan: Chengdu, Leshan, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ya’an, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou, and Yibin Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

from https://www.china-briefing.com/news/china-resumes-144-hour-visa-free-transit-policy-for-foreigners-who-can-apply/

"Some websites" claim that transit through TFU is allowed, but that could be pre-pandemic information.

I'd fly Sichuan Airlines, but I'm not confident I can trust them to provide accurate information if I ask them. I'd like to see an official statement I can print and show before boarding.

Answer 1

Yes, TFU does have a 144-hour visa-free transit desk.

I flew KIX-TFU with Sichuan Airlines and visited the clearly-labelled transit desk before going through immigration. Make sure you have a printed hotel reservation and onward flight ticket because they might not speak English at all.

References and helpful links for anyone landing here:

• in 2019 Chengdu started offering 144-hour TWOV (transit without visa)
• in 2020 TWOV ceased
• in June 2021 the new TFU airport opened
• on March 15th, 2023, China resumed issuing temporary entry permits
• on March 26th, 2023 the first international flights landed at TFU

That last article from chengdu.gov.cn also mentions (translated):

[…] From March 26, China's civil aviation will start to implement the flight plan for the summer and autumn season of 2023. All international passenger flights originally operated at Shuangliu International Airport were transferred to Tianfu International Airport

[…] a special transit visa-free window will be set up to implement the pre-examination of transit visa-examination, optimize the setting of temporary waiting areas for passengers, and quickly handle 24-hour and 144-hour transit visa-free procedures for eligible foreign passengers

• The related wiki article on which you could find sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_mainland_China#Visa-free_transit
• The "National Immigration Administration" website mentioning 144h TWOV: https://en.nia.gov.cn/n162/n227/c58934/content.html

Answer 2

Yes, TIMATIC states :

Passengers with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 24 hours. They must stay in the international transit area of the airport and have documents required for the next destination.

This TWOV facility does not apply when passengers arrive on a direct flight from USA, Guam or Northern Mariana Isl. AND depart on a direct flight to USA, Guam or Northern Mariana Isl. (JFK - PVG - GUM).

Nationals of Australia transiting through Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) or Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 144 hours, starting from 00:01 on the day following the day of entry. They must:

• arrive at and depart from Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) or Chengdu Tianfu (TFU); and

• have documents required for the next destination; and

• stay in the administrative area of Chengdu, Lesha, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ya'an, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou and Yibin.

  This TWOV facility does not apply when passengers arrive on a direct flight from USA, Guam or Northern Mariana Isl. AND depart on a direct flight to USA, Guam or Northern Mariana Isl. (JFK - PVG - GUM).