Thread: Visa requirements Australia and Shanghai

Originally Posted by spongebue

It's not so much a visa, but rather an electronic travel authorization that's necessary for Australia. I think it's instant, though.

For China, there are a transit without visa program for US citizens. PVG only allows you 24 hours, but PEK and CTU allow 72 hours starting at 0:01 the day after you arrive. There are other cities like this, but none with flights to US. You do need a confirmed ticket to a third country (so if you fly USA-NRT-China-NRT, it doesn't count) but you could buy a refundable confirmed ticket, nonrev home earlier, and cancel your refundable ticket once you get out. I would research this carefully before acting on it, though.

I remember in training, my instructor said the most common destinations with visa restrictions is the ABC - Australia, Brazil, and China. You have asked about 2 out of the 3

You are right, it isn't a visa so much as an ETA. Mine took more than a day to get confirmed though they never actually sent me confirmation.