889

Another possible problem: you need to get an extension on your stay, since extensions also usually require the sponsor's support.

There was also some rumour about possible annual limits on cumulative stay under an M visa, but that was very much a rumour and may just have been a confused report.

moondog

I've never gotten an extension on days/stay (due to a fear that the exit visa would cancel the main visa; this is something I've always been curious about), but I have gotten 30/60 day exit visas on expiring visas of several varieties; no special documents were ever requested.

JPDM

Yes I read about it in a Bloomberg article. It would make sense that they would want to prevent people from living there nearly full time on a tourist visa but I don't think that it actually happened.

Shimon

hahaha they don't ever look at the arrival card any more. You can squiggle on the card and they'll accept it. They are more concerned about their internal computer records of your arrival.

jiejie

Not sure how your point is relevant. It takes no more time to put a check in the "correct" box as it does to make a squiggle. Maybe the Chinese are indeed getting more slipshod about traditional methods such as paper arrival cards, but as long as they hand them out and it's easy to play along, best to just do so. No need to create potential friction points when it's so simple to avoid. You never know when your number will come up and you'll get a stickler for the forms, or somebody with a Supervisor looking over the shoulder.

lax2010

In addition to the home country requirement, is there also a home region requirement within the country. For example, trying to apply for visa at the Los Angeles consulate for family living back East in some remote suburban city that is hard to reach the Chinese Consulates, will I be allowed to apply on their behalf?

moondog

In my experience, if you can list your address as theirs, it should work, but others will counter me on this. (The official answer is "no" BTW; you're banking on the fact that the consulate people don't care.).

lax2010

Thanks for the official answer. That is what I was looking for even though it is not the answer I want to hear!

Borrowing mailing address won't work as they (Chinese Consulate in LA) also asked for my spouse's driver license to prove her residency when I was applying at the Consulate on her behalf. YMMV.

moondog

I have received visas from every single PRC consulate in the US, and have never provided a DL. I just make sure to give them really nice applications every time.

lax2010

I am going to guess that you apply in person with an address "local" to the Consulate.

In my case last month at the LA Chinese Consulate, my spouse was not present at the Consulate to submit the application in person and I was asked to come back with a photo copy of her DL. That was my personal story and YMMV.

889

Here are two visa agencies, both of which state the LA consulate wants to see a driver's license:

http://www.mychinavisa.com/tourist.php
http://www.travelvisapro.com/visa/china

HGHUA

Never been asked for a DL or proof of address and I've applied for the last 9 years.

lax2010

Did you ever apply at the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles in the past 9 years? Did you apply in person?

It makes a difference where you submit your application and whether you apply in-person.

Duke787

Haven't read much of the thread so not sure if this is relevant but here's a datapoint on the 10 year tourist visa and I figured it might be of use to some.

Traveling on a group trip in a couple days to China. Visa form was filled out (and only had space to request 1 year visa) and presumably sent to consulate (visa processing and logistics were handled by the tour company we simply provided them with passport and filled out visa request form and they handled the rest).

My passport expires in 2017 so I did not expect to get a 10 year Visa based on what the tour company had told me (that they weren't giving them to people with passports that expired in 2017 or sooner).

However when I got my passport back I found that in fact I did receive a 10 year visa with a stapled note that said that in order to use the visa once I get my new passport in 2017, I'm required to have the old (my current) passport, otherwise I'll need to get a new visa in order to go to China on the new passport.

FWIW, I'm a US citizen and this is on a US passport.

anacapamalibu

Also, does that mean they required your DL, when you were standing at the window?