I am a Canadian citizen going traveling in China. I plan to exit China twice and also depart from there, therefore I will require 3 entries into China.

From what I have read, I can only obtain a 90 day dual entry visa for China as a tourist. There appear to be some visa services who claim they provide multiple entry 180 day visa's, although I am somewhat skeptical about them. I would also prefer to drop my application off at the embassy in person to save any fees if possible.

What are my options for making 3 entries into China? Will I be required to obtain a dual entry visa and then immediately after receiving this apply for a single entry visa as well?

You didn't provide enough data to advise you on specifics. As a Canadian, if you are traveling for leisure on a tourist visa, you have pretty much no chance for a multiple-entry visa.

If the best you can get is a double-entry visa, then you need another single-entry visa for the 3rd entry. What is the itinerary and where are the countries you will be going to in between China stints? Some locations are more feasible than others to get a Chinese visa. How long will you need to be in China that last time--just to catch a plane or more substantial time period?

Tick the box for a 6-month multiple visa on the application. List your itinerary and see if they will issue one to you. They may and they may not. You can get a China visa on the same day so long as you are willing to pay the fees.

Plan is to stop in PEK, head over to North Korea on an organized tour, back to PEK and tour around China and then stop in HKG for a few days on our way back to PEK.

Presumably getting a Chinese visa in HKG is quite easy?

Yes, getting a Chinese visa in HK will be no problem. See the forum's FAQ--Visa info on getting the visa in HK. There may be another option: if you are planning to fly back from HKG-PEK, then leave China PEK->international destination, you can do it without another visa if you schedule no more than 24 hours in transit in PEK (you can leave the airport). The FAQ also has a description of this phenomenon (TWOV) in the Visa section.

As for the first visa, you have a choice to make. You can apply straight out for a double-entry visa, with the certainty that you will either need another visa in HK for a final extended stay in China or a HK-Beijing returning overland...OR commit to a TWOV scheduling. The other option is to do what above poster says, and try for the multiple-entry visa. The main danger with that is that if they refuse to give this (likely), you'll get knocked back to either a single or double-entry. If they give you a double-entry, no problem, just see my 1st paragraph. However, if they decide to only give you a single-entry visa, then you have a big problem, as without the second entry, it will screw up the North Korea trip plans.

You might try calling a China-specialist visa agent in your area of Canada to get their read on recent experiences with the Chinese Embassy/Consulates there--specifically, are they able to get multiple-entry tourist visas for their clients with a great degree of certainty? If so, it might be worth the extra fees to use their services rather than do yourself.

I just got a tourist multiple entry visa in my Canadian passport this past week. The cost is 100 CAD debited out using interac.

I noticed you indicate you are from YVR. If you do end up doing it yourself - I'd recommend arriving at 7:55am for both application drop off (to get your ticket) as well as pick up (to line up). I was out of the office by 9:35am for drop off and 9:11am for pick up a few days later. Considering the windows open at 9am this is good. Bring a magazine - no cellphones/laptops are permitted in the waiting lounge (though it wasn't enforced).

Or you can pay a Travel Service $20.00 and they will wait in line for you and pickup the paperwork for you.

The folks we use is Silkway Travel. Offices in Surrey Place Mall, Metrotown, Richmond Aberdeen Mall and lots of other locations.

Any recent experience with applications for a double entry Visa (in YVR)? I am planning an Aeroplan reward and want to fly to HKG from BKK, travel to Guilin and Xian from HKG (via Shenzen) return, then fly to PEK from HKG and spend a week there before flying on the ICN.

A double entry visa should not be a problem (a matter of ticking the right box on the application); it is multiple entry (i.e. unlimited number of entries) visas that are difficult to get without justification.

You no longer go to the embassy for a visa; you go to a separate, appointed company now. I found that the employees there, as they do not work for the embassy, can give you helpful hints in ensuring that your application goes through without difficulties.