The same applies for middle names, ticket needs to match passport exactly including middle names to use the e-channel to exit.
Not an issue if using e-channel to enter.

Many thanks for this. In fact, my passport name is FIRST MIDDLE LAST, while my ctrip profile name is LAST/FIRST MI. I will fix this to LAST/FIRST MIDDLE, and report back wrt exits.

My name is too many characters to use for exit (by 2 characters) so I have not been able to use the e-gate in Shanghai. I've spoken with the airline (MU mostly) and the agents at the e-gate and they both say there is nothing to be done. I am pretty sure there is a specific format used by all airlines because my boarding passes with JAL. CX, UA, AA, etc. all format my name the same way, with two characters cut-off so its pretty unlikely that side of the process will change. It's also unlikely the government will relax the requirements to base e-channel usage on passport only with no need to match the full name. Basically this is me whining about something I cannot change.

It's kind of a pain but sometimes if you go to the e-gate and get rejected, the agent will direct you to jump the queue at the manned checkpoint. I suppose I will have to try to exclude my middle name upon renewal of my passport, if that is allowable. .

The e-gate worked for me on exit once in PEK, but it was probably manual over-ride by the agent.

I arrived at PVG T2 yesterday and since the new fingerprint scanning procedures were introduced April 28th, I'm no longer able to use e-channel for entry. I was told by an officer that foreigners registered to use the e-channel will need to complete the fingerprint procedures at level 2 followed by manned passport control a total of 3 entries before being able to use e-channel again.

They already have our fingerprints...plus blood tests, chest x-rays, and ultrasounds.

As mentioned in the fingerprinting thread, this is the complete opposite of my experience at PVG T2 yesterday. I asked the guy if I had to do the fingerprint scanning since I had e channel and he said to just go ahead to the e channel and I didn't need to do the fingerprinting. The e channel worked fine. It seems like they are just winging it with these rules. If they made me get the fingerprints I'd still try and use the e channel even if the guy at the fingerprint scanners tells you not to. The 3 entries thing sounds like a made up rule to me.

Perhaps the officers on duty when I was there were not aware of the procedures for foreigners registered for e-channel. I was stopped upstairs at the fingerprint scanning machines and told to scan despite telling them i had e-channel registration and again at the entrance to the e-channel lanes despite again telling them i was registered.

In any case will try again next time around.

I went through PVG again today. No problem with not doing the fingerprints. I told the guy at the fingerprint entrance I had the e channel and he told me to just go downstairs. In practice, at least a PVG, it seems pretty easy to avoid the fingerprinting if you have e channel access. E channel worked fine for me again and nobody questioned me. If only I could get it to work on the way out of China...but that's a different issue.

This actually have to do with how Chinese Immigration is organized. Unlike most countries, Chinese Immigration is not centralized. The personnel are mostly local employees.

Even the infrastructure is based on a single directive, the application is not. This is why each POE kind of has its own design and rules.

A residence permit is required. Does your wife have one?

Actually, the rules are the same. It is simply the difference on how they are enforced. FWIW - per my observation, as soon as your information is entered into the MPS system by any PSB, you should be able to use the eChannel regardless of the POEs in question.

But the problem is visa is at the national level and is not issued by MPS, but MFA instead, which is similar to the U.S. (State Department issues visa, but CBP controls the immigration). Of course - no PSB will take care of that for you.

Also - don't forget one of the major issue - Chinese is the official language. So when you communicate in English, PSBs have all the excuses not to understand (it is also one of the reasons why rules against foreigners are lax than Chinese).

For my latest flight I tried combining my first and middle names on my ticket & boarding pass as one single name (LAST/FIRSTMIDDLE rather than LAST/FIRST MIDDLE), and was able to successfully use the e-channel to exit the country this time. Perhaps a workaround for those having middle names, or I just got lucky this time.

If anyone is having problems still using the eChannel leaving China as a result of the boarding pass name check, the magic words seem to be "mingzi tai chang le" (名字太长了). This has worked for me now both at T3 (last month) and T2 (today) where the assistants seem aware of the problem and can manually override the "computer says no" message. You may need to stress also that you are registered (注册了 - zhu ce le) for the eChannel.

I forgot to come here and comment when I left Hongqiao last time, about 3 weeks ago. It seems they have put in some fix for the exact name match issue and I can now use the exit as well as entry. This is great news and will give me even more certainty about arriving at PVG 1:10 before all my flights now!

I attempted to post a longish reply to this thread two minutes ago, but FT managed to lose it, so here is a short reply.

1. If you have an RP or similar, echannel is a MUST HAVE
2. I pulled off Shenzhen Bay (end to end) in under 6 minutes last week
3. Those of us with B RPs need to reapply every year
4. A RPs are valid for 3 or 5 years, but in Shanghai, you need to pay Y10k per month in taxes in order to qualify (few other cities seem to have this requirement)

I am getting my Chinese work visa renewed in the same passport that I have registered for e-Channel two years ago, do I have to re-apply again or it is business as usual for me to access e-Channel?Any recent experience to share?Len

You need to submit a new application. Hopefully, they will work out this bug within the next year.

What is your work/residence permit grade? I showed my visa guy the supposedly official rules (e.g. number of years in China, HSK score, caliber of university), and he told me that Shanghai only cares about 10k per month in taxes; this, alone, guarantees 3 years. Since I am paid mostly from HK, this is a problem.

China e channel for foreigners
 

I've mentioned echannel in the main visa thread, but I think it deserves its own thread so I'm starting this one.

Basically, echannel makes entering and exiting China insanely fast/easy, though it doesn't help with the customs line at PVG.

I'm curious about the current and future eligibility requirements.

The eligibility requirements are a little vague, and in a constant state of flux (mostly for the better because echannel saves us time, and the Chinese government money).

At present, I know that an RP with 6 months or more remaining qualifies, and that Z + Q2 visas qualify.

But, I have a lot of friends who live, but don't work, here on M visas. They don't have RPs, and need to leave every 60 or 90 days. However, they either own houses or have long term leases. I'm wondering about their prospects for echannel.

Q2 qualifies?!? Okay how do I sign up for this? Can I do this on arrival at PEK? I doubt CGO has the facilities to process applications for foreigners.

My understanding is that qualification is based on your residence permit, not the visa itself. I actually don't think I have a visa any more -- just an RP.

I believe you can score an RP with your Q2, but I'm honestly not sure because the rules aren't especially transparent.

My guess is that M and L visas will eventually qualify. Problem is that that the machines aren't capable of dealing with "days/stay" at this point in time.

The bottom line is that I don't know, so I started this thread in order to seek data points / discussion from you guys.

My understanding is that a Q1 is a single entry visa that gets converted into an RP after you arrive in China and apply. Q1 is not intended to be used except to enter China once, and the intention is that the holder will apply for an RP once there. Q2 is not intended to ever be converted into an RP and I don't even know how you would do that, nor would I want to. My Q2 is valid for 10 years. Everything I've read says that if you want an RP, you get a Q1 first, if you go the Q visa route.

A 5 year RP (now sort of standard) is much better than a 10 year visa IMO because, in addition to echannel, you don't need to count days and do random visa runs.

If only it was true. I have A level work permit, I am married with a Chinese for 7 years, kids together, 13 years in China, and last year I got the first 2 year temporary RP. 5 year RP is still out of reach to me - I just don't know what the rules are or what I am doing wrong to get that.

Anyway, I used the echannel with (temporary) RP one year, but haven't reapplied since my kids where born, as I really seldom travel outside of China without them these days.

Colleagues with a one year M have been successful to apply, but as usual in China, it seems to depend on the location. In PVG it was no problem he said, at HK-SZ they told him not possible (2 years ago)

And I would like to add a few questions:

1) If you apply in e.g. PVG, will it work properly at HK-SZ border or PEK airport? Are there any exceptions? In the earlier days there were even problems to enter at SHA, when applied in PVG before.

2) I don't know what it is, but my (German laminated page) passport doesn't seem to work on the entry slip printers, but other countries passport holders had no problems. Is that a format issue, or are there other reasons?

3) The slip is not compulsory. How do you prove, e.g. check-in at hotels, your last entry? In some areas in China, this is still required. (I never really cared, I had enough stamps always.)

4) I made the experience, when you get a new visa, you need to reapply. Is that correct? Any other experiences?

Again, I'm speaking based on my own experience, rather than knowledge of official policy, but here are a few more thoughts:

1. I wanted a 5 year RP last year, and I didn't qualify
-cities/provinces all had their own scoring systems, and I came up a little short of A

2. This year, I received one easily because the new rule --which I believe is nationwide-- is that you get 5 years as long as you have 2 previous RPs and no criminal record
-I asked two different visa agents about this before applying, and they both gave me the same answer

3. I've yet to encounter a border checkpoint where echannel did not work

I have RPs since 2007, incl. same city since 2014 - and yet in Nov 2019 I only got two years. PP is valid until 2026, so that's also not it.

I suggest you find a good agent in your Chinese city when it comes time to renew, and simply state that you want 5 years. Here in Shanghai, the criminal background check is now the only difference between 1 and 5 year RPs, according to my agent.

My agent only deals with Shanghai RPs. The other agent I was considering apparently does all of China. I can provide his Wechat if you add me to Wechat. I am moondogsh

I can't see ever spending > 120 continuous days in China though. I doubt I'd even make it to the 60 day threshold without going back home at least once. Typical travel pattern is 1-2 weeks a year over there. Even staying for a full month would be a major change in travel patterns.

This is maybe a little bit off topic, but where can you actually enroll in e-channel? I live in Chengdu and when I asked someone the last time I was leaving CTU I was told only Chinese passports can use the e-channel, which obviously isn't true. However, there is no need to enroll in anything for Chinese people to be able to use the e-channel, so do only certain airports have the capability to enroll foreigners?

I tried to look around a bit but I didn't want to look too lost/suspicious in an immigration area.

I believe you can enroll at most ports of entry when you are arriving, but not departing. I enrolled at PVG by asking one of the officials, and filling out a simple form. I only had to do this drill one time.

STS-134 While you might not want or need to stay for more than 60/90/120 days, echannel seemingly requires an RP that is valid for 6 months or more.

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I don't have much knowledge about the actual rules (just personal experience and blogs posted by people who are also unsure), and this is the reason I started this thread.

Then that seems to contradict your initial statement that Q2 visas are eligible. AFAIK, you can't get a RP with a Q2, and even if you did, the Q2 would get canceled as soon as you got the RP.

I don't know much about Q visas, but if only Q1 is good for this, then why not get Q1?

1. I would effectively be stuck in China while the RP is processing, which as far as I know, takes at least 3 weeks if you're lucky, and typically as long as 6 weeks. Remember, Q1 is only good for one entry, so if I were to leave while the RP is processing, I'd have to stand in line at the consulate and get another visa.

2. It's easier for me to renew a Q2 visa once every 10 years than it is for me to renew a RP every 5 years. I'm not sure how long it actually takes to renew a RP but I suspect I may end up in the same scenario as (1). And I definitely cannot renew a RP at the consulate.

My guy can renew RPs in 3 days; he charges an extra Y500 for this. He bills the same surcharge to expedite new RP processing, but I found this to be meaningless because the preamble required a solid 10 days.

3 weeks is only time they reserve for the first time, plus another 3 weeks in case they want to check even more. Usually give it back to you after 7 working day. 7 working day AFAIK also the standard processing time for RP extension.

Except for the first time, also express services are heard off, but not guaranteed (see moondog's replies). Mostly agents with relations can get the documents on top of the pile ...

You can certainly get an RP with a Q2 in Shanghai. You're right that the Q2 visa will be cancelled once you receive your RP (just like a Q1 visa would be). Q1 (and other visas like it, such as the S1) is basically a scam made up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that they can impose some form of oversight over the Ministry of Public Security (who actually runs the border control as well as the entry-exit bureaus in China). Of course the MPS don't give a toss so they'll happily accept a Q2/S2.

Interesting. But isn't the Q1 canceled as soon as you enter China? Q1 is single entry only, and would be invalidated as soon as you pass through immigration.