Flying to Xiamen was never a plan but you will not know how incredible is the world if not flying above, to have this kind of view I have faced few dramas prior to take off
Taking Xiamen Airlines because it was the cheapest flight available to visit Canada during the high season in both side (Indonesia and Canada) and with last minute planning there is no other cheaper options. I am sure I can transit in China based on the information from http://id.china-embassy.org/indo/lsqw/qz/t341122.htm : "Visa tidak diperlukan untuk warga negara asing (termasuk Indonesia), yang mempunyai tiket tujuan final dan telah memesan penerbangan pesawat langsung melewati China, dan akan singgah di China tidak lebih dari 24 jam tanpa meninggalkan bandara" translated Visa is not needed for foreigner (including Indonesian), who has confirmed ticket to final destination, and will transit in China no more than 24 hours without leaving the airport, guess leaving the airport is very subjective for transit in Xiamen.
Drama begins in Xiamen Airlines check in counter in Singapore (taking aside hassle of entering Singapore for single name passport like me), where the airlines is sure either Indonesian should have visa to transit in Xiamen or Xiamen is not included in China airports that allow free visa for transit less than 24 hours, because in Xiamen, you will be needed to pass the immigration and taking your 2nd leg boarding pass in check in area, lucky for ranselahok that travel with me, he has unused multiple china visa due to his cancellation trip to GZ. After a few arguments, where I am also very sure I can have free visa for less than 24 hours transit, even actually I was worried to the max haha, I guess because the airline think if there is anything wrong, my friend can get out and get the boarding pass for me, they let me take the flight, but I have to sign indemnity form, where the airlines is not responsible if I got deported due to this.
Along the way, I was thinking hard on how to argue in Xiamen immigration lol, I surely didn't want to get deported on my first trip to Canada, maybe that was the reason I think the economy seat of Xiamen airlines is not comfortable at all. Arriving in Xiamen, the escalator only get you to immigration officers, there is no other way you can run to or board your next flight without passing the immigration officers *sweating*. Special note: you will need to fill in transit card (instead of arrival card), please get it with the flight attendants.
My heart was beating so fast when approaching immigration officer
Me : "转机, 两个小时" (translated: transfer for 2 hours) *showing my next flight schedule*
Immigration Officer (IO) : *taking the passport and ask for transit list from other*, guess from the list she can't find my name after comparing to my ticket and put aside the list"
Me : "我能帮你找? "(translated: can I help to search) *trying to be helping as well as try to hide my nervous*
IO : *turn over the list and ask other to bring over the big chop (guess that is for the transit visa)*
then the other officer that take care the line would like to close the door as I was the last person, I was pretty sure there were people behind me before. he asked if he can close, IO: 关吧，过了 (translated close, passed already)
But that was not ending before she chopped on that, since after using magnifying to see my 1st pages, she also checked every single pages of my passport, lucky it was full one. Before chopping, she asked the other, the other ask the supervisor in the office , if Indonesia including in the list of countries that can get less than 24 hours free visa *sigh*, I was lucky that the supervisor said just chop it and finally I got it
Do you really need visa to transit in Xiamen? None of us know it as I might get it because of the mercy of immigration officer, ranselahok might get it because of me facing same situations (he was asked by officer next window if he want to use his China visa or get this temporary entry permit). Most likely we need visa as it was questioned again on our way back. Best knowing, email embassy of China before flying so can have paper proof, the news that floating around internet might not help when come to this kind of situation. Nevertheless, it was great experience as quoted by John Keat, "nothing ever becomes real until it's experienced"
