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Is there anywhere online where written confirmation can be found from an official source of some sort that a Chinese visa on an old British passport can be used in conjunction with a new British passport to enter the country?

The Chinese embassy in the UK states that the visa won't be valid:

http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/visa/qzxz/t1021775.htm

The Chinese visa application service in the UK website does not touch on the issue as far as I can tell (a visit to their London office also displays no information regarding this and based on previous experience I don't trust the receptionists to give a knowledgable answer):

http://www.visaforchina.org/LON_EN/

This previous question says that it should be okay, but it is the website for the US embassy so can I be sure it applies to UK passport holders?

Will my Chinese visa still be valid if I renew my passport?

Should I be able to get confirmation either from my airline (I couldn't find anything on their website) or Timatic?

Maybe I'm worrying too much but I've not really been satisfied by any source saying it's fine yet, especially given that the UK embassy advice hasn't changed.

UPDATE: I can confirm as Timatic states that there is no problem to use a visa in an old passport when you have both the old and new passport (with the proviso that no details such as gender or name can have changed between passports).

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  • I'd be happy to accept a Chinese language source for this answer.
    – zhanmusi
    Aug 7, 2017 at 19:30
  • How did you get on? I'm travelling in May with new passport and visa in expired passport
    – Padraig Ó Maolagáin
    Mar 6, 2019 at 16:58
  • @PadraigÓMaolagáin Hello Padraig. I had no problem at all; they let me through after just a quick look over both passports.
    – zhanmusi
    Mar 7, 2019 at 9:31

1 Answer 1

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If you are flying there, then you're looking at the wrong place. Better to check Timatic, which is the source the airline will check. If it says you can't use the visa in the old passport, you will not be allowed to board even if you bring a signed statement from the Ambassador.

However Timatic says you can:

National United Kingdom (GB)
Embarkation United Kingdom (GB)
Destination China (People's Rep.) (CN)

  • Valid visas or resident permits in expired passports are accepted if holding a new valid passport of the same nationality. The personal information on both passports must be the same.
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  • Thanks! Just to be totally clear, is my embarkation point still UK even if I change plane at an intermediate destination? (in this case Vienna but other UK citizens may change in Paris, Amsterdam, Geneva or maybe other cities). This would be a 2 part flight booked with the same company and without leaving the intermediate airport.
    – zhanmusi
    Aug 7, 2017 at 21:42
  • @JamesHill Those are transit points. The embarkation is where you begin the journey.
    – Michael Hampton
    Aug 17, 2018 at 12:46

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