STS-134

That's what fully refundable tickets are for.

milepig

This is mostly just a funny observation. I'd make a hotel reservation using my loyalty account, and later realized that only my name was on the reservation and not Mrs. Milepig's as well.

I wrote the hotel to have her added and to send me a new copy with both names, and they promptly did so.

In looking at it I realized that the confirmation number was different and thinking they'd reissued it I went into my account and found only the original one. I'm guessing that they did a dummy reservation sent me the confirmation and then cancelled it, leaving the original intact! Very clever of them! The dummy one even has airport pickup instructions, so if asked I can show that I have transportation arranged!

Exleftseat

Well, that's what I was thinking. Refundable or award booking. I was just
wondering if they hold you to it. Like is the visa only good when I arrive on the flight that I gave them, the same with the hotel? Or is it just a formality and I am free to go whenever, wherever once the visa is stamped in my passport?

jiejie

Once you have the visa, you may then change plans as you see fit--different arrival, exit, internal plans, whatever. Nobody backchecks with what you supplied on the application.

cxfan1960

You can change your travel plan after you have the visa, but no, you are not free to go whenever, wherever you want. There are restrictions on the visa, and I believe some places like Tibet may still require another permit.

Loren Pechtel

I've used www.mychinavisa.com, no problems. I can't address how strict they are about the reservations as we simply list the address of the relatives we will be staying with. We have a long history of going there and have never gotten in trouble, this has been fine with them.

jiejie

Please elaborate on this. I have never found meaningful internal restrictions short of the few military-sensitive areas that the average foreigner wouldn't likely be blundering into anyway. Besides the Tibet Autonomous Region, I figure about 95% of the rest of China's habitable territory is available for foreigners to visit, though some of it is really difficult and expensive to get to. Most people aren't even aware of the 5% restricted. Even your example of Tibet, by my definition one is free to go there as long as you pay for the prearrangements (including the permit) and avoid the Feb-March closure period. In fact, if you want to get into Tibet, you MUST avoid mentioning it on a visa application since said application will likely be turned down--in other words, lie about the true itinerary plan.

I'm interested in the "restrictions on the visa" part also, besides the obvious duration of stay, expiration date, and category for the activity one is pursuing---those items are so self-evident and understood that it's almost overly pedantic to mention them. I'm baffled as to what else you might be talking about.

percysmith

Sorry if this question's been answered elsewhere:

Are there special meaning in barcodes of PRC visas? If there is a sequence of XXX, is there a note against your visa (is this akin to US BP SSSS)?

intheair5

For a US passport holder.

Is there a way to obtain a 10 year multiple entry China visa, without having a roundtrip ticket/travel itinerary?

moondog

Yes. I never bother with this requirement any more, but the path of least resistance is to simply reserve an airplane ticket. Nobody cares if you actually use the ticket.

Loren Pechtel

As a frequent traveler I don't bother and they don't say anything but it might be different for a first-timer.

JPDM

By being invited by a Chinese.

MSPeconomist

If you're a DL PM and have enough miles, you can book a RT award ticket to China, print the itinerary and receipt for your visa application, and then cancel it after getting the visa. This is free as long as you cancel before T-72.

You can similarly make and then cancel refundable reservations at any major chain hotel, such as Starwood that has lots of properties throughout China.

Flyerhandle

I have read the website, and while they generally refer you to the "local consulate" handling your State, I am in Florida, and the consulate is in Houston. I am going to be in New York for a week, and was wondering whether there would be any issue with me personally dropping my documents off there, and then picking it up when it's ready. Do they really care where you apply? The last time I did this a decade ago, I used a courier service, but since I'll be in NY, it just seemed like an easier and quicker route to go.

southsoccer

MyChinavisa's service fee is more than double what Allied Passport & Visa bill, $49 for standard processing.