Hi Arthasiebel
Greeting from Peggy, Top China Travel.
Thanks for your enquiry, and I will offer you the answers one by one in the following:
1) First what does Visa Free Mean?
Visa-free policy in China:
The new 72-hour visa free stay policy which will be effected since Jan 1st 2013 allow people who need to transit in China a more convenient way to have a short exploration of specified cities.
a. Who can apply for a 72-hour visa-free stay in?
► Hold a visa to the third country (third country is not China): That means, for example, your international ticket should be USA to Beijing (on Oct 21), and then Beijing to Thailand or any other country but could not be USA (on Oct 23).
► A connecting air ticket of leaving above authorized airports to the thrid country (thrid country is not China) within 72 hours: That means, for example, if you plan to have a visa-free tour in Beijing, your flight should arrival Beijing Capital Airport. Because only Capital Airport can issue visa-free permit in Beijing.
b. Things must knows:
► You must have the confirmed airport leaving ticket before arrival, or you will be rejected to apply the visa-free right: That means, for example, you have already bought the Oct 23 airfare from Beijing to Thailand before you arrival Beijing.
► The 72-hours visa free time is valid since you finish the visa-free procedure but not the arriving time of your plane to above cities
► One visa-free permit only valid in one city, that means Beijing visa-free permit could ensure a visa-free policy in Beijing only, no applied in rest places in China
c. Where can I get the transit stay permits?
You need to register at the police station with your visas within 24 hours of your arrival at the authorized airports, the only entry-exit applicable for the policy. And the 72 hours will be calculated starting from the moment you get the transit stay permit.
In total, that means if you want to have a visa free tour in Beijing,
Firstly, you need to book international flights (both arrival and departure flight) before you arrival Beijing
Secondly, the international flights could not USA-Beijing-USA, it should be USA-Beijing-Another Country
Thirdly, if you meet above conditions and get a visa-free permit in Beijing Capital Airport on Oct 21st 8:00 a.m., you can stay in Beijing before Oct 24th 8:00 a.m.
2) How long we would be walking on the wall before we could exit. Are there places to sit if needed on the great wall? Will we be escorted on the Great Wall?
The walking time on the Great Wall will be 1 - 1.5 hrs according to your physical situation.You can sit on the Great Wall in any moment and have a rest by sitting on the stairs on the wall directly. If you book a Great Wall tour with us, we can offer you all the neccessary service for your Great Wall sightseeing including transferring from hotel to Great Wall as well as transferring from the Great Wall back to the hotel, tour guide & driver serve for you in the whole tour (they will serve for you since pick you from the hotel, to Great Wall sightseeing, and then finish their service when transfer you back to the hotel), meal arrangement if you need.
3) We would be visiting October 21,22,23,2015. What time should we schedule our return flight on the 23rd? What airport?
The visa free policy is not available if your flight is a return flight. And in Beijing, only Capital Airport allow visa-free travelers to arrival and departure.
Thanks for your time to read this mail. If you have any question, don't hesitate to let me know in any moment.
Feel free to contact with us in any moment by mail if you have any question on China tour service.
Have a nice day!
Peggy
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