markluke

FYI - first time requesting a China business multiple-entry visa, no travel history to China. Asked for 1 year ME (as was current), received 10 year ME visa on 11/14. NY Consulate. I'm very pleased as this will save me a lot of hassle going forward.

Scifience

In practice, plenty of people use L or M visas for attending conferences, short courses, and anything else that doesn't involve paid work in China. I've never heard of anyone getting in anything even vaguely resembling trouble for this, and I would be absolutely shocked if anything has changed with respect to this.

jiejie

Agree, up to a point. I wouldn't have any problem suggesting that somebody who is going to be attending a short academic conference or similar do it on an M business visa now (instead of the correct F visa). But if one was going to be part of a presentation panel, keynote speaker, or something not so anonymous, then I'd say get the right visa for that which is F.

I am a little surprised that they don't have this longer-term option for the F category, to be issued on a case-by-case basis depending on the situation such as repetitive visit academic types. But maybe that option will be offered a bit later.

I am unfortunately in a bad-timing situation for getting one of the longer term L/M visas. My current passport expires in 13.5 months (early January 2016) and my information is same as Bear presented upthread: not eligible since not enough passport validity left. So I'm going to just stick with the tried-and-true 12 month multiple with 90 day stay and then see what's what at end of 2015 when a new passport gets issued.

Ready2Go

Unless all of the researchers attending the conference do their research as a hobby, it makes sense to me.

TENYKS

I wonder how they view mileage runs for visa purposes.

HGHUA

Lol, try explaining that concept to the visa office.

moondog

Some things are best left unsaid.

889

What if Joe Biden decides to visit Dharamsala? What if Taiwan gets a new order of fighter jets? Etc.

On the one hand, I’m cautiously optimistic the ten-year visa will be here to stay. On the other, I’m not going to place too big a bet on that optimism. Even the conservative US-China Chamber of Commerce says, "As international relations can change quickly without advanced notice, we urge you to take advantage of this new policy and apply for your China visa at your earliest convenience."

So myself I’ll try to get a new visa within the next several months.

I hear Dharamsala's most pleasant in the Fall.

anacapamalibu

How to.

http://efficientasianman.boardingare...n-to-shanghai/

One night in Shanghai.
China visa for mileage run.

seaskybound

1. Any experince on 10 year visa outside USA/HK (especially London china consulate)
2. I have been using my other nationality PP for my very extensive china travels (because cheaper visas till now), will they accept that as evidence of prior China travel?

HGHUA

Well when I've gotten new passports they want a copy of the most recent visa and copy of old passport page, so you could try. But then again its YMMV.

On a side note: today I pickup my passport! Yeah! Just 7 hours till they open

Ready2Go

Yes, but it's less clear how they'd deal with a zero-night mileage run as the initial basis for a visa, isn't it? They require evidence of a hotel reservation - query whether they'd accept the explanation "I don't need one; not spending the night."

HGHUA

Confirmed! Walking out of the HK embassy now, 1100 hkd poorer but with a genuine 10 year visa! Yippee!

I'm so happy not to have to see the inside of another Chinese visa office for the next decade that I'm running to Shenzhen right now for no good reason other than to try out my new toy. Lol

moondog

This subtopic isn't useful because none of us would be stupid enough to go that route.

anacapamalibu

It's a long journey, best to enjoy at least a short stay in the middle kingdom.