Ten year tourist and business visa - effective 12 Nov 2014
#121
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LHR GVA HKG TLV PVG JFK
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,963
Well I've had a china visa for 8 years running so I had 1 prior china visa in my new 1 year old passport. I did have to show the HKID and HK visa I was here on (photocopies of both). I got a L visa and they wanted to see flight res and hotel res. They weren't turning Americans away but as everyone knows a lot of this is totally YMMV to whatever the mood the lady dragon behind the counter is feeling. (Avoid counter 9, smallish mean looking girl with big glasses). lol.
So you must have HKID for this route? Landing in HK before a China trip is not good enough?
#123
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: AA, HH, UA, Marriott, SW, Club Carlson, IHG
Posts: 202
I picked up my 10 year visa yesterday. No problemo. Yay!
Dropped off app Nov 13 at the Chicago consulate. Had requested
1yr ME on the form, but asked when dropping the apps off. The lady said they automatically provided the 10 yr ones now, and that proved true.
Dropped off app Nov 13 at the Chicago consulate. Had requested
1yr ME on the form, but asked when dropping the apps off. The lady said they automatically provided the 10 yr ones now, and that proved true.
#124
Ambassador: China
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
#125
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: EWR-SEA-IAD
Programs: UA 1P MM, AS MVP G*, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 977
Now I have heard of cases where people are successful IF they go through a agency to submit but I've also heard of cases where sometimes people are successful in getting a single entry without a HKID directly.
Its all a very YMMV situation but I'm guessing you don't have a very good chance without them.
Oh and don't go expecting same day service. They offer this to no-one. Best is 2 day for Rush and 3 normally. 4 if you use a service.
You also can't use a CC to pay the fees like in the US. So that's 140 points down the toilet.
#126
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,098
Like Sunrise, Forever Bright in Hong Kong is now also advertising "Good news for American passport holder. You may apply 10 years multi entry visa for each entry to stay 60 days. Contact us for details!" So call these places for details. Remember that whatever today’s policy, it may be different in a few weeks.
There’s also a comment somewhat vague on the point on another board: "Just received a 10 year, 60 day per entry, M visa in Hong Kong. Application process took two days and there were no special questions asked or requirements. Just a typical application."
There’s also a comment somewhat vague on the point on another board: "Just received a 10 year, 60 day per entry, M visa in Hong Kong. Application process took two days and there were no special questions asked or requirements. Just a typical application."
Last edited by 889; Nov 21, 2014 at 9:41 pm
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,423
Glad to see these being issued so quickly. Bummer for me that I literally missed this by a few weeks. Literally applied 10/31.
At least I got a 2 year...
At least I got a 2 year...
#128
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: HHonors Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, OZ*G, AA Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 1,874
Same here- I applied a couple days before the new policy took effect, but I'm now stuck with a 2-entry half-year visa. Granted, it was partially because I decided to apply in person at YVR for same-day service rather than deal with a visa agent or fly to the nearest consulate in the US. Hope this new visa generosity sticks around until my visa expires.
#129
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SF, CA, US
Programs: AA Plat Pro, UA MM Gold, HHonors Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Plat, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 1,236
I'm in Athens now, flying to China in a few days. I got my passport renewed in Sept. and a Chinese Visa a few days ago in SF. I just noticed the visa expiration is in 2024, and I was about to post in the visa thread thinking this was a mistake. Shows how clued in I was to the visa changes. I applied for a 1 yr multi-entry on the application. The 10yr visa I received allows 60 days/entry and expires a couple of months after my passport. Strangely, I distinctly remember hearing someone else at the consulate when I was picking up my visa complain that he applied for a 2yr multi-entry and didn't get one, and the consular officer explaining that w/o evidence of Chinese relative, 2yr visa won't be issued. So perhaps 10yr visa is not being handed out as default? I had several 1yr visas in my old passport.
#131
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Strangely, I distinctly remember hearing someone else at the consulate when I was picking up my visa complain that he applied for a 2yr multi-entry and didn't get one, and the consular officer explaining that w/o evidence of Chinese relative, 2yr visa won't be issued. So perhaps 10yr visa is not being handed out as default? I had several 1yr visas in my old passport.
#132
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,098
Also might have been a Canadian or other non-US applicant.
I did come across one agency that said they would handle 10-year applications only from native-born Americans and naturalized former Chinese citizens. That is, they wouldn’t handle applications from naturalized Americans not born in China. Not clear if this reflected official policy or if it was just the agency’s own odd policy.
I did come across one agency that said they would handle 10-year applications only from native-born Americans and naturalized former Chinese citizens. That is, they wouldn’t handle applications from naturalized Americans not born in China. Not clear if this reflected official policy or if it was just the agency’s own odd policy.
#133
Ambassador: China
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
they exclude naturalized Americans not born in China.
#134
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: China
Posts: 817
My colleague received his 10-year, multiple-entry, 60 day business (M) visa from the NY Consulate last week. Only difference with previous applications was that the original invitation letter was required, whereas before a scan was sufficient.
#135
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: New England
Programs: UA 1K / HH Diamond
Posts: 239
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)
Just got 10-year/90-day M from NYC without even asking for it.
P.S. My invite letter was a copy without any issue.
Just got 10-year/90-day M from NYC without even asking for it.
P.S. My invite letter was a copy without any issue.