How to get a Shenzhen visa on arrival when visiting from Hong Kong
If you're making a quick side-trip from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, you'll need a visa to cross over the border at China – but this doesn't have to be a Chinese visa, as the country also issues special Shenzhen visas which are available on arrival at the border checkpoint.
These single-entry visas are good for just one visit, although you can stay up to five days – and your excursions are limited to the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, which includes greater Shenzhen and Shekou and the surrounding countryside, but not Guangzhou or the greater Guangdong region.
The Shenzhen visa costs ¥168 ($34) for Australian passport holders and residents of most other countries, but some two dozen countries pay a higher fee – this includes ¥304 (£35) for Great Britain and ¥956 (US$150) for the USA. Both cash and credit cards are accepted for payment.
Here's how to get your Shenzhen visa on arrival at the Hong Kong - Shenzhen border crossing of Lo Wu, which is where most travellers come across by train from Hong Kong.
Read more: How to travel by train from Hong Kong to Shenzhen
We’ll proceed on the basis that you’ve passed through Hong Kong immigration, crossed the footbridge over the Sham Chun River and are headed for the Chinese immigration checkpoint.
Go all the way to the Chinese immigration gates – there’ll be a duty free shop on your right – and watch for the Port Visa sign on the left.
If you don’t see it, veer to the left side of the immigration checkpoint and double back – you should see a set of escalators which will take you upstairs to the visa office.
Grab a visa application from the desk outside the office (and make sure you have a pen handy, maybe bring one from your hotel)...
... then walk into the office, take a queue ticket from the machine at right, then sit down and fill out your form.
If you’re just visiting for the day, in the section of the form asking for your address in Shenzhen it’s sufficient to write ‘Shenzhen’.
(Don’t stand at the counter to fill out the form and then take a ticket – you’ll just spend extra time sitting around waiting for your number to be called.)
Now begins a step-by-step process which can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on the crowd, and which sees you bobbing up and down again as your application progresses through the system.
The first step is that your ticket number will appear above one of the Application windows.
Hand over your visa application form, passport and queue ticket. The customs officer will take your photo and hand back the scrub of the queue ticket.
Sit back down again and wait for your number to appear in the next window along.
Head to that window with your ticket and your ¥168 in hand; you’ll be handed back the ticket stub and sent back to your seat.
Now it’s just waiting for your number to appear atop the Collection window at the far right.
This stage appears to take the longest, but when it’s done you’ll have your passport with a Shenzhen visa.
Head downstairs to the Chinese immigration checkpoint, grab an arrivals slip from the desks at far right (you can write ‘Shenzhen’ for your address if staying just for the day, and if you came by train from Hong Kong write ‘MTR’ as the flight number.
Again, this is when it’s handy to have your own pen, because you can join the queue and and fill out the form while standing in line.
Once you’re through customs, head for the ‘Nothing to declare’ lane and place your passport, opened at the photo page, into the e-Channel gate, then go through the security checkpoint.
If you’re short on local currency there’s a row of ATM machines to the left.
After the relative quiet of the immigration ares you’ll walk out into a maelstrom of noise and people and touts – welcome to Shenzhen!
Walk straight ahead for entry to the Shenzhen metro subway, or turn right for the Luohu Commercial City shopping plaza.
When you’re returning from Shenzhen, note that foreigners should proceed to level 2 of the immigration building, while Chinese nationals head to level 3. Again, don’t follow the signs to the e-Channels, as those are only for Hong Kong and Chinese nationals.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 105
This seems like a lot of waiting especially if you're only making a day trip.
04 May 2011
Total posts 10
Each time we've been up there, we try to get there very early just as it is opening, usually you don't have to wait long. Weekends are very busy.
Cathay Pacific - The Marco Polo Club
20 Jul 2017
Total posts 1
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Thanks for the update, Roberto. That's very interesting, as previously you had to bring a passport-style photo with you, then they moved to taking the photo at the application counter.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Actually very little waiting at the visa office, I was done inside of 15 minutes, but a bit more waiting at the checkpoint (I travelled on a Saturday, arriving at Shenzhen late morning).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
Doesn't take long at all. Don't forget to sign up for echannel at HKIA if you can, adds to the savings.
05 Sep 2017
Total posts 11
Mid week the wait is ok, weekends or holiday times not so good.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 105
When i get off the train either in Shenzen or Guangzhou i make a bee line for immigration. A few minute wait to get a visa could mean a much longer wait to get through immigration with more pax arriving every few minutes.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Mar 2018
Total posts 1
Last time I was in Hong Kong I tried to get this Visa and was denied because my passport was too new, they told me that if the passport is too new they will need your old passport to check.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 May 2011
Total posts 362
😂😂😂 funniest thing I’ve read all week
28 Oct 2015
Total posts 7
Minor corrections: don't write MRT, write MTR. MRT is in Singapore and you didn't take that train!
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Hi Peskey – that's correct, only at this Lo Wu crossing can one get the 'on arrival' visa. As for payment, during my visit I was told that credit cards were acceptable, although I'd always suggest carrying Yuan anyway as you're going to be spending in Shenzhen so you may as well be prepared.
14 Aug 2014
Total posts 17
Lo Wu isn't the only place where you can get the Visa On Arrival for Shenzhen, as Peskey said, you can get it at Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay as well. The other two crossings are even faster than Lo Wu with usually no line at all - been in and out in less than 5 minutes many times.
14 Aug 2014
Total posts 17
And not to mention some of the cheapest 5 star hotels in the world in the Futian area, which is a 10 minute cab ride from the Lok Ma Chau crossing.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
17 Mar 2016
Total posts 42
04 May 2011
Total posts 10
As JeCCo87 says Shenzhen has a lot to offer. We've been to Windows of the World a couple of times. One advice take a roll of toilet paper with you to SZ as there is usually none available.
13 Sep 2013
Total posts 116
David,
09 Jul 2016
Total posts 30
What if I want to apply from Sydney before flying to HK?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
27 Nov 2014
Total posts 51
You can't - only available from the visa office at the border.
08 Sep 2018
Total posts 7
I found out the hard way. I did not see this page before leaving. Chinese visa in Australia is a minimum of a month period and cost over $100 if you go to their office. I'm from Adelaide and cost $130 because it was by post. I even paid for the envelopes :-(
08 Mar 2018
Total posts 1
Thanks for posting this article. I would like to ask if anyone knows if this visa is also available for French citizen? I didn’t see clearly the list of countries authorized. Thanks for your reply.
12 Mar 2018
Total posts 1
Hello, does anyone know if the passport has to be valid over certain period like 6 months?
06 Jun 2017
Total posts 28
Not a new thing. My wife and I have been doing this for years when visiting family in HongKong. Sad to say that the family has moved from HKG now.
04 May 2018
Total posts 2
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 May 2018
Total posts 1
New additional procedures from 1 May:
04 May 2018
Total posts 2
Thank you for the update on the visa process Mike
28 Jan 2019
Total posts 1
If you already have a China Visa, they will not issue a Shenzhen visa to you. That is because you can't have two concurrent visas. For example, if you already have a single-entry (full) China Visa (e.g. you are on your way elsewhere in China after a Hong Kong stop over), but want to spend an unplanned side-trip to Shenzhen: you can't get a Shenzhen-only Visa for it, and they will insist you use the China Visa first.
So either plan ahead and get a (full) multi-entry China visa in the first place (that's the best option); cancel your unexpected Shenzhen side-trip; or use up the visa and have to apply for another China Visa in Hong Kong before continuing your (second) journey into China (which is probably not practical or not possible, depending on your situation).
28 Jul 2011
Total posts 5
Does anyone know if you can now get the Shenzhen Visa from the new High-Speed rail station in West Kowloon?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Reports indicate you cannot - this is available only on the slower route mentioned above. For the new high-speed train from West Kowloon you already need to have the necessary visa.
11 Dec 2019
Total posts 1
I am travelling on a New Zealand passport. Can anyone tell me if Hong Kong immigration would issue me a new 3 month visa for Hong Kong when I come back into Hong Kong after just going to Shenzen for the day.
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