Entry and exit questions for a trip to China and Vietnam via Hong Kong

Hi there, I’m planning a three-month trip: my itinerary would be a flight from Paris to Hong Kong, then Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City, and later leaving from Lao Cai to enter China before flying back from Hong Kong.

If I exit the Hong Kong airport upon arrival to find a hotel (since my flight to Vietnam leaves the next morning), will I lose the benefit of the 90-day visa exemption? Especially since I plan to spend 3 days in Hong Kong before my return flight at the end of the trip?

Also, I’d like to know if the inbound flight to Vietnam will be enough to board and get a visa on arrival, or do I need to prove that I’ll exit the country after 45 days? Since I want to visit Sapa and cross into China by land via Lao Cai, do I also need to prove my departure from China, even though I already have a round-trip ticket from Paris to Hong Kong and back for three months?

Hi there,

No visa is needed for Hong Kong with a French passport for stays under 3 months, so the visa for China isn’t related. Then for Vietnam, last year they asked me for my return or onward ticket for the 45-day visa exemption, but the time before that they didn’t ask for anything. To be safe, have an exit ticket—even a bus ticket—just in case. You can enjoy 30 days visa-free in China. A guy from the forum went through Lao Cai like you, and Chinese customs didn’t ask him for anything. I entered by plane, and they asked me for my exit ticket. Just make sure to count the entry and exit days carefully within the 30 days. Then return to Hong Kong without a visa, of course.