Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
Not in my experience, with a mix of visas, 24 and 144 hour TWOVs, scattered over multiple passports, they are more likely to ring your hotel to check you have a reservation. But if you are a UK national you should get a China visa in three to four days. If handed in tomorrow, it should be available on Tuesday, so long as you do in person in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. It's just a form filling exercise and entry tax, as far as I can tell.
They almost never have appointments at the China Visa Centre; they're notoriously s..tty with people, too, and I dislike their attitude.
I've previously had J2 visas is the issue I have with China mainland. It seems that no other type will be awarded. But with my new blank passport I may have a workaround with a 144hr TWOV, as there's no paperwork in the document.