Overview for overseas visitors

The Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone, located adjacent to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, is a dedicated commercial zone designed to facilitate cross-border activities such as meetings, conferences, exhibitions, training, and short business visits.

Eligible overseas visitors holding a valid invitation may enter the zone without obtaining a Chinese visa in advance. Upon arrival at the Pudong airport, they may proceed directly to the zone without undergoing standard entry procedures for the Chinese mainland.

The Eastern Hub IBCZ, with a planned area of about 0.88 square kilometers, is located west of the Pudong airport and north of Shanghai East Railway Station.

FAQs for overseas visitors

1. What should I prepare before traveling to the Eastern Hub IBCZ?

Before you travel, make sure the following steps are completed:

Confirm your host organization in China.

Your host organization must register and complete verification on the corporate portal of the Shanghai Eastern Hub IBCZ Integrated Information Management and Service Platform.

It must then submit an invitation filing application on your behalf at least 48 hours in advance. The application includes your personal details, the purpose of your visit, and other required documents. Once approved, an invitation filing certificate (your approved invitation document) will be issued.

Prepare your valid travel document.

Use the same valid international travel document, typically your passport, throughout the process. Make sure it remains valid for your trip, and do not switch to a new passport after the filing has been submitted.

Confirm your itinerary in advance.

Allow enough time for the airport transfer and inspection procedures.

2. How long is the certificate valid, and how long can I stay in the zone?

The certificate is valid for one entry only and becomes invalid once you leave the zone.

You may enter the zone from one month before the event's start date until the end date specified in the filing.

Once you have entered the zone, you may stay for up to 30 days per visit.

If you need more time, you or your host organization must apply for an extension with the immigration authorities at least 24 hours before your approved stay expires. The total extension period may not exceed 30 additional days, which means the maximum total stay in the zone is 60 days.

3. How do I get and use the certificate?

Log in to the personal portal of the integrated platform using the email address provided in your application.

In the "My Certificates" section, you can download the certificate in PDF format. Your host organization in China may also download it and send it directly to you.

When you travel, present:

• your certificate
• the same passport used for the filing

You will need these documents at flight check-in and again when entering the zone.

Note: The certificate is personal, non-transferable, and valid for one entry only.

4. I do not have a Chinese visa. Can I still check in for my flight?

Yes. With a valid certificate, you may check in for an international or regional flight to Shanghai Pudong International Airport without a Chinese visa.

This policy has already been included in the IATA travel information system, and the Timatic verification system has been updated accordingly.

5. What should I do after landing at the Pudong airport?

Upon arrival, you do not need to complete regular entry procedures for the Chinese mainland or collect your checked baggage at the airport.

Follow the bilingual "International Business Cooperation Zone" signs in Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 to the designated Eastern Hub IBCZ waiting lounge.

The shuttle service:

• runs every 30 minutes
• operates 24 hours a day
• is complimentary

You may board the shuttle by presenting your certificate.

Once you arrive at the international-side entry area of the zone, present your passport and certificate for inspection and then enter the zone.

After entering, you may collect your checked baggage on the ground floor. It will be transferred separately by the airport operator.

6. What should I know about baggage and personal items when entering or leaving the zone?

When entering the zone, the baggage and personal items you bring should be for reasonable personal use. Customs will mainly conduct security screening and animal and plant quarantine checks. You do not need to go through complicated inbound declaration procedures.

If you leave the zone and depart for another country or region, you must truthfully declare the baggage and items you are carrying. Customs will inspect them in accordance with the rules for outbound passenger baggage. If any items are eligible for departure tax refund, you must declare them to customs and complete the required verification procedures.

If you plan to go from the zone into other parts of the Chinese mainland, including other parts of Shanghai, customs will inspect your baggage and personal items under the rules for inbound passenger baggage, and you must complete the required customs procedures.

7. What can I do in the Eastern Hub IBCZ?

During your stay, you may:

• attend conferences, forums, exhibitions, training programs, and business matching events
• use meeting rooms, negotiation rooms, executive lounges, and other business facilities
• access on-site services for visa, immigration, customs, and related procedures
• stay at the on-site hotel and use dining and leisure facilities.

8. Is there accommodation in the zone?

Yes. The zone includes an on-site business hotel, the Radisson Hotel Shanghai Eastern Hub. Operated by Jin Jiang International, the hotel offers 445 guest rooms and suites.

Visitors holding a valid certificate may book through the integrated platform or contact the hotel directly by phone at +86-21-5050-4888 ext. 6801.

9. If I stay inside the zone and return home directly afterward, can I still experience Shanghai?

Yes. Even without leaving the zone, you can still get a taste of Shanghai. The zone offers local food, Shanghai-themed gifts, cultural retail, bookstores, and lifestyle spaces inspired by both modern and traditional Shanghai.

10. What should I do if I feel unwell while I am in the zone?

If you feel unwell while in the zone, you may go to the medical service point on the northwest side of the E1 Conference Center.

The medical service point is operated by Pudong Hospital and provides basic medical care and emergency support.

Pay attention to the operating hours of the medical service point. Outside those hours, or in case of sudden illness:

• call 120 or the zone's emergency assistance number immediately
• contact on-site staff, security personnel, or the service desk for help.

They will assist you and activate the medical response process as needed.

11. Are international payment methods accepted in the zone?

Yes. The Eastern Hub IBCZ accepts major international bank cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and JCB. It also supports mobile payment services such as Alipay and WeChat Pay.

12. Can I exchange cash in the zone?

Yes. The zone has a dedicated currency exchange service point as well as multi-currency ATMs. Exchange services are available for 18 major currencies, including the US dollar and Japanese yen.

13. Can I invite business partners from the Chinese mainland to meet me in the zone?

Yes. Your host organization in China may apply for an entry pass for your business partners from the Chinese mainland through the corporate portal of the integrated platform at least 24 hours in advance.

Once the application has been completed and the pass has been issued, your business partners may enter the zone after inspection by presenting their valid ID documents and access pass.

14. What if I want to travel from the zone to other parts of Shanghai or elsewhere in the Chinese mainland, but I do not have a Chinese visa?

In that case, you may apply for a port visa directly inside the zone. You do not need to obtain a Chinese visa overseas in advance.

A Port Visa Service Counter is located on the first floor of the Joint Inspection Building, where you may submit the required application materials.

A port visa issued in the zone carries the same entry validity as a regular Chinese visa issued by a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad. It is not restricted to use within the zone.

Once your port visa is approved, you may legally continue your trip to other parts of Shanghai or other provinces and cities in the Chinese mainland, in accordance with the visa validity period.

15. How do I leave the zone and continue to my next destination?

That depends on where you are going next.

A. If you are returning home or traveling onward to another country or region

If you entered the zone from the Pudong airport and have not left it, you may depart directly from the zone via the same airport.

1) If you are flying with China Eastern Airlines or Shanghai Airlines:

Go to the check-in hall on the second floor of the Joint Inspection Building and complete the check-in and baggage drop at least 1 hour and 50 minutes before the scheduled departure. After customs, immigration, and security inspection, you will proceed to the departure shuttle point and take the free shuttle bus to your boarding gate at the airport terminal.

2) If you are flying with another airline:

You must make a check-in reservation through the personal portal of the integrated platform at least 24 hours in advance, providing your flight details and preferred processing time.

You should then arrive at the check-in hall on the second floor of the Joint Inspection Building to complete check-in and baggage drop:

• at least 3 hours and 10 minutes before departure for Terminal 1 flights
• at least 3 hours and 40 minutes before departure for Terminal 2 flights

You must complete customs, immigration, and security inspection no later than 1 hour and 40 minutes before scheduled departure.

B. If you want to continue to Shanghai or elsewhere in the Chinese mainland

If you are eligible for a relevant visa-free policy or already hold a valid Chinese visa, you may leave the zone through the designated exit channel and continue your trip into the Chinese mainland.

If you are not eligible for visa-free entry and do not hold a valid Chinese visa, you must first apply for a port visa in the zone and complete the required customs procedures for your baggage and personal items before leaving for the Chinese mainland.

16. Is internet access available in the zone? Can I buy a SIM card?

Yes. The zone provides full-coverage internet access for both business and everyday use.

It also has telecommunications service outlets where you may purchase SIM cards and data packages suitable for domestic and international use, depending on your travel needs.

 

Source: Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone Authority