Current China Entry policy
#1381
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,355
Please accept my apologies for missing this and subsequent posts on the same subtopic.
Like many others back in 2010, I used to work on business visas. The RP became an important requirement about 5 years ago. The first one is honestly a serious PITA (e.g. you need to get all sorts of documents notarized; I even went to DC to pull this off at the State Department and the PRC consulate). Paying Vincent his $750 is well worth it in this case because he provides a complete plan of attack.
Renewals only cost around $500. It's still worth using Vincent for this IMO because his 关系 is quite good. You do need to go to Pudong at least once in person, but his staff will meet you there. He does require that you work for a real company.
ETA: During the visa days, I always did the drill myself at consulates. This plan of attack no longer works, as noted.
Like many others back in 2010, I used to work on business visas. The RP became an important requirement about 5 years ago. The first one is honestly a serious PITA (e.g. you need to get all sorts of documents notarized; I even went to DC to pull this off at the State Department and the PRC consulate). Paying Vincent his $750 is well worth it in this case because he provides a complete plan of attack.
Renewals only cost around $500. It's still worth using Vincent for this IMO because his 关系 is quite good. You do need to go to Pudong at least once in person, but his staff will meet you there. He does require that you work for a real company.
ETA: During the visa days, I always did the drill myself at consulates. This plan of attack no longer works, as noted.
The statement: "Any determined individual can score an RP; this won't cost more than $750" is inaccurate then, yes?
#1382
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,039
I want to say that Vincent can fetch RPs for anyone (ETA: with a college degree), but you'd need to call or message him to confirm your specific details. Feel free to PM me if you want his info.
Last edited by moondog; Feb 20, 2022 at 12:16 am
#1383
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,227
I’m 100% sure a $750 RP for someone outside of China, using some sort of fake job to get the RP is impossible. If someone is in China it might be possible but this sort of stuff is going away.
#1384
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,355
delete
Last edited by narvik; Feb 20, 2022 at 7:29 am
#1385
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,801
Upthread discussion on RP is consistent with a general trend we experienced dealing with China from Hong Kong - in our cases, getting cross border drivers licence, or turning 来料加工 into more formal onshore enterprises. We agree there is definite regulatory improvements accomplished, but of course, they didn’t completely cut out agents and corruption either.
Not all the regulation is fit for purpose. E.g. when they tightened import duty enforcement for inbound online purchases, they didn't create a carve-out or handling mechanism for return merchandise authorisations (i.e. return of their outbound online purchases on Aliexpress) https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/e...5321057/page-2
Last edited by percysmith; Feb 20, 2022 at 3:13 am
#1386
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,039
The benefit of being in China didn't occur to me, but this is a good point. Even those companies that used to own sub-companies that employed people required an existing visa in order to play ball. I believe the current system is a Z (work) visa that is valid for one month and you need to convert it to an RP. F, L, and X visas haven't been issued since Covid arrived. That having been said, if you have a job offer from McKinsey or similar, they will get you over here.
#1388
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,227
Was planning to go to Sanya later this week. Now because of ONE covid case they have stopped all flights to Beijing and have a new rule that everyone who is entering the airport needs to have 2 tests one within 48 hours and one within 24 hours in order to be allowed to leave Sanya on a flight. This stuff is getting old real quick.
#1389
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
#1390
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,039
In hindsight, I was pretty inefficient during my first RP application ~7 years ago (e.g. the criminal background check didn't need to be the FBI report that takes 60 days to generate; my courthouse in Florida or my PSB in Shanghai both could have fulfilled the same requirement quickly). Vincent and his colleague actually did help me with my initial RP; it's my fault for not asking them for advice on how to streamline that part of the process.
While I realize that travelinmanS is dubious, I remain convinced that anyone who is sponsored by a legit Chinese company can still pull off the process.
The differences between now and 7 years ago are: 1. Xi; 2. Covid; and 3. certain job categories are now frowned upon. These are obvious hurdles, but the bureaucracy continues to chug along on its own.
In closing, I've probably mentioned this upthread, but there is no way in hell I would advise any of you to go it alone. Basically, contact an agent or two, run your plan buy them, get feedback (i.e. will this work?), and then decide whether or not you want to take the plunge.
#1391
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Marriott Titanium (Lifetime Gold), Caesars Diamond
Posts: 1,402
Also flights from Europe to China are being cancelled because they can’t fly over Russian airspace
#1392
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
#1394
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000