moondog

Have you ever seen a PRC VOA invitation (complete with specific instructions and contact numbers)? Any airline employee "refusing to look at it" would be tossed do to negligence. I'm not buying your hypothetical at all.

JVPhoto

I have a U.S. passport and I've found dates to travel (award miles) in May for 4-5 days that I would like to book now. Would it be okay to wait until mid-February to apply for the Visa in NY?

Do they actually take/keep the passport for the 4-5 days listed as the processing time? I am just trying to make sure since I have A LOT of INTNL travel in March and most of April.

johnathome

Yes, you can apply in Feb and typically it does take 4 to 5 days. The NY Consulate does keep your passport for 4 to 5 days to process your visa. Just got mine back this week. There is a rush service which is of course more expensive but you will get your passport back faster. Unless you plan to visit China often, you can always ask for a one-year L (tourist) visa or even six-month visa and apply in January if you are worried about not having your passport.

JPDM

The visa is something that they glue in your passport so they need it.

JVPhoto

Okay, there were so many online services that I found online when googling I wasn't sure what was what until I got to the actual Chinese Embassy page and saw the form and info for instructions at the NYC consulate. I'm not traveling INTNL Feb 10-27 so I'll do it at the beginning of that time and don't need a rush service.

I haven't had to get an actual visa applied since 2004 when I was a student studying abroad in Italy, but I figured it is what it was.

Loren Pechtel

I've never worked through the New York consulate but they've always taken the 4-5 days they say on the numerous visas we have gotten.

jiejie

You better be careful with your timing, as that's going to put you in the Chinese New Year holiday and you can expect the Consulates to close for at least a few days, then have to face a stack of passports to process. If waiting until March/April is not feasible due to your international travel plans, then apply at the end of January or beginning of February so there is plenty of time to get the visa processed and back in your hands well before the Consular officers start to get into holiday mode. I would apply for a 12 month multiple entry visa, even though sometimes NY gets a bit squirrelly about handing them out if you don't have a prior Chinese visa in your passport.

sbjnyc

I live in NY and applied for a single and got a multiple entry visa. Never applied for visa before.

moondog

Jiejie implied that they don't always give 1st time applicants multiple entry visas in NYC, not that it doesn't happen.

jiejie

@moondog picked up precisely what I meant. There isn't a guarantee. 12-month multiple entry visas are supposed to be granted to US applicants at the Embassy or any of the Consulates just for the asking, by special visa treaty. But New York has been notorious over the last few years about making up their own rules as to who gets these, and handing out visas with more restrictive terms. Whether that policy has changed and more in conformance with what the other Chinese missions have been doing, I don't know.

The main issue here is that single entry visas normally have 90 days for the holder to get to a border and activate the visa--which would make getting a visa in early February for a May trip a careful exercise in timing so the visa doesn't go invalid before it can be used. Multiple entry visas go "live" immediately but there is no time limit during the duration (usually 12 months for US applicants in the USA) for one to get to China.

sbjnyc

Well i applied for and was expecting a 90 day single use visa. I booked my trip less than 3 weeks in advance and used a service to get my visa (i selected standard not rush). Took about a week (i dropped off and picked up and didn't use any delivery service). Somehow i was given a multiple entry visa good for a year. I hope to take advantage of it.

If time is an issue id use a service (cost me an extra $50) and if possible drop off and pick up in person. I'd expect to get what you ordered but mistakes can be made and I'd assume any errors would not be in your favor. You may not have the time to correct it. I was really surprised which is why i mentioned it.

moondog

Again, that's (1 year unless you ask for more) what is supposed to happen by default.

theworld

US citizens might be able to get 10 year visas to China soon:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0IU0Q020141110

FLLDL

Saw same report on the BBC. Tourist and business visas will be valid for 10 years.

A huge game changer and will save a lot of hassle, fees and a few passport pages.

JPDM

"Up to 10 years". The 10-year one may not be so common in reality.