Originally Posted by
hfly
Yaatri, you really do not know much about China or what you are speaking about do you? Until quite recently normal Chinese people could not travel anywhere as tourists. They could not just buy a ticket and then get a visa. Those that travelled generally had to do so for business, as part of "official groups", students, family invitations, etc. The government simply did not allow them. Over the last 10 years or so, Chinese citizens have been able to travel abroad as tourists to approved destinations. Generally those travelling for these purposes do so through travel agencies and it is a requirement that they pay a deposit to the agency for their visa, hence my comment that theay are accustomed to this.
My comments were quite general and should not be restricted to just Chinese travelers. Threads complaining high visa fees charged by "other" countries routinely come up on FT with the following two truths.
1. They are almost always started by American, or sometimes, U.K. FTers.
2. The complaint is never about their own countries as, often they have no idea how much citizens of other countries have to pay to get a visa to the U.S. or the U.K.
For that reason and that others, including yourself, had already increased the scope of the thread to include countries (for example, the U.S.) other than those mentioned in the OP, viz, China and the U.K., I don't see why talking about experiences based on visa transactions between he U.S. and other countries is invalid but talking about the U.S. is not?
If it's OK to include visa transactions between the U.S. and other countries, then how much or how little I know about China is not very relevant when we are discussing rationale for visa fees and how people are treated during the applotication process or at arrival. I admit that I have not traveled to China as frequently as many, including yourself, have. But when we did, our entire was more pleasant than that dealing with the U.S. consular and even passport services, not to mention the entry procedures on arrival.
Going back to your comment about being used to it, I suppose we can all get used to fees that other countries charge us for the services we wish them to perform for us. I don't see why the fees we (our country) charge others are more justified than fess that other countries charge us. @:-)