China Visa / Visas Master Thread (all you need to know - ARCHIVED)
 

I was wondering if anyone could tell me whether or not it is worthwhile using a visa service to obtain a Chinese visa or is it easy enough to get a visa oneself at the embassy. Obtaining a Chinese visa seems quite simple compared with obtaining a Russian visa, however I am unsure about the line inquiring about an inviting party when I am simply going for tourism. Is this similar to a Russian visa where one must have a letter from an authorized agency? Are visas to China ever declined or not? Thanks

In comparison with Russian visas Chinese ones are a doddle. Roll up at the consulate, fill in the form, hand in said form along with passport and photo.

For a tourist visa there are no documents in terms of hotel reservations, plane tickets needed at all.

Then go back 3 days later to pick it up. When I last did it I didn't even have to pay until collection.

An agency will take the legwork out of things, but is far from essential.

I don't know what is essential in your eyes, but with my agency I can get the visa in 1 day without extra cost. The only problem is that this only works for non US citiziens. So whenever someone asks a visa question, post your natinoality, otherwise a proper answer to time and cost is not possible.

....physical location is also a helpful data point.

Most of the US-based agencies listed on Google charge $35-50 (well, this was the price range last time I checked) plus postage. So, if the the costs (direct + opportunity) of going to a consulate and standing in line are greater than this (i.e. almost always), then agencies are worth while.

This question was so relevant as I am going to China in April. We were offered the services of an agency for the visa but they do charge $50 and since we love the city anyway, we are doing it ourselves.

First off, I believe that you get them at the Chinese Consulate, not the Chinese Embassy. They are very easy to get -- we usually get them at least once a year. You can download the visa form from any Chinese consulate's internet site. It's in English and Chinese, so it's easy to fill out. Make sure you have your pictures and the visa fee in cash -- the Consulates don't takes checks. Drop everything off (along with your passport) at the Chinese Consulate. You'll be given a receipt. Return in about three days and your passport, with visa inside, will be ready.

Nothing to it.

you should get a 2-year visa; same price as 1-year

most consulates offer a mailback service for $5 plus postage (you provide SASE).

While they may not take checks, the Consulate in L.A. took my Visa card for the visa fee! There is some irony there, which I am still trying to locate. :)

Anyhow, lots better than paying cash. And, they don't want the money until the visa is ready. Guess they figure you are going to come back and get your passport.

Asa to the mailback service, I do not believe this is offered to U.S. Citizens. I brought a SASE when I applied for my visa a few months ago and was told they couldn't mail it to me. I had to return in 4 days.

I always use a visa service, but I do this in Hong Kong, where the service charges are not so exorbitant. Another consideration in my situation is that the visa rules constantly change, so in addition to opening longer hours than the PRC Consulate, I get advised of rule changes and such, without the attitude. Also because certain approvals are at the discretion of the issuing officer, the agency can help me get the better deal.

For example, I have a one-year multiple-entry visa. But because the PRC doesn’t issue multiple-entry tourist visas (L visa), I have to apply for a business visa (F visa) to get multiple-entry. The agency proofreads my application, and corrects the form for me. If something is filled out incorrectly, this saves me one time through the queue, so because this saves me time, I consider this to be a valuable service. Last year they asked me whether I wanted a 6-month visa or a 12-month visa. Well, hedging myself, I asked if they would really give me 12 months. So the guy answers back, usually I need 2 prior F visas to be issued a 12-month F visa, but there’s one officer at the consulate who approves 12-month visas with only 1 prior F visa. So for information like this, the agency’s fee is really worth it. I ended up with the 12-month visa, because the agency knew how to handle things at the consulate, whereas I probably would have screwed things up myself.

they do in the US. several years back, i had a 1-year L. i believe 2-year L is now on offer. however, imo, it is worth it to invest the extra effort and get F.

The formal requirements for a multiple entry L at the San Francisco consulate are:
US$100 for 6 months validity; US$150 for 12 months.

What I'd really like would be a 2 year F and the magic words to get it from the Wanchai visa office in HK with minimum huffing and puffing.

In Beijing and Shanghai, I often bump into guys that work for visa agencies whose natural inclination is to pitch people like myself. As soon as I tell them that I do the 2-year F thing, their initial reaction is one of frustration, but then, without fail, they tell me that I'm doomed because I surely only have 30 days per stay .... and, before I can rebut, that an unlimited 1-year visa for y2500 would be a better option. The truth is that my current stay limit is 120 days and my cost is $150 (i.e. half their asking price, which I believe doesn't afford a whole lot of profit margin in the first place).

During the course of my travels, I've encountered people with 5-year visas issued in HK, but I've never had anything more than 1-year offered to me in the PRC or HK.

So, in the absence of further data, my conclusion is that the US is one of the better places in the world to pick up a Chinese visa.

I just checked the SF PRC Consulate's web site, which says...

Use of the adverb “now” suggests this is a recent change in policy. This confirms my earlier remark that the visa rules keep changing. Don’t be surprised if the rules are different again next year.

I dunno...I think “better” is relative. The only extra documentation I’ve ever been asked to supply in HK is my business card. I’ve never been asked to submit a letter, contract, etc for an F visa going through this agency. I’ll gladly forgo a 2nd year on the visa in exchange for more privacy from the government, not to mention sitting in traffic driving down to Geary in SF or the Wilshire vicinity in LA doesn’t exactly fit my perception of “better” either.

Keep in mind that the best Pastrami sandwich in the World is not too far from the L.A. Chinese Visa office, at Langer's Deli on Wilshire. Maybe not the best area, but that hot Pastrami! :cool:

I've used the mailback service with the SF Consulate, but only if I mail (well, fedex) it to them. They won't mail it to me if I bring it in.

The only issue for me at the SF outlet is that the lines at times can be ridiculous, 40 minutes or so, and that combined with having to get over there means that the cost of fedex back and forth is definitely worth it.