TeddyTuffy

Hi,

Another one of THESE threads again. Almost 2 years ago now I applied for a Chinese visa and declared a criminal record I had for assault, I handed in my police record and everything. I wrote my best mitigating circumstances and hoped for the best. My visa got rejected, as you would expect. Now two years later I really want to visit China and take in the sights, food and culture, I know I will probably get my visa rejected if I applied again and declared my criminal record. After reading forums of people in similar situations I'm considering just ticked the "no" box. However I have once been rejected and provided them with a copy of my police certificate. If I apply now and tick no, would they be able to see my previous application refusal? Or perhaps check their system for all information pertaining to me and see the criminal record or any documents i provided on my last application? I remember them taking my fingerprints on my previous application, which could be linked to any info they have on me? Or do the visa checkers just check over the application, grant visa and move on to the next?

Any information in regards to this would be greatly appreciated!

travelinmanS

You’re not getting a Chinese tourist visa approved for at least the next year anyhow. When they do open up again check the “no” box and see what happens. Maybe you’ll get lucky, maybe you won’t. 5 years ago this is likely no problem but their big data/big brother systems are increasingly sophisticated and getting better by the day.

YariGuy

Also you didn't say what country you're from. It doesn't look like you're from Singapore or Japan, but those countries have visa-free entry into China.

Even if not, some ports have visa-free entry, like Hainan Island and (back in the day) Shenzhen. So while you won't be able to go to the Great Wall, if those programs resume, you can enter (some parts of) China without being mendacious.

Or, there is a 3-day (or more?) transfer without visa program. I'm not up on the details of where you can go, but again, when those programs are reinstated that may get you what you want without having to dissemble.

TeddyTuffy

Hi,

I'm from the UK. Yea I know there is some way like a transit visa and stuff but I really want to travel around Forbidden palace, terracotta army, great wall. I'm considering just ticking no and see what happens, when the visa centres open up that is.

Any other advice welcome, someone who had similar experience or know some inside intel on how they store and use your information.

plunet

From my experience, China never deletes information that might be useful later. An acquaintance who was publicly involved in some anti-China protests in the 80s who then wanted to visit China as a genuine tourist in the late 90s found that their visa was denied even before the days of significant computerisation without them disclosing anything. They tried a few times subsequently to get a visa, even different categories, including from different countries, and they were always rejected. Nowadays with more computers and China employing big data techniques, I would not be hopeful that China would "forget" your previous submission.

I seem to remember the visa application form also asks you to declare whether you have previously applied for a China visa, so if you were going to try again and deny a previous conviction, you would have to accidentally answer the question about the previous visa application wrong as well, both not a good idea.

moondog

TWOV is on pause now, but I assume it will return to its past glory by Q4 2021 or Q1 2022. With 6 days, you could definitely get a decent taste of Beijing. You could potentially work in Xi'an if you did a second TWOV stop (Shanghai would be easier though because there are more flights between here and Europe).

garykung

For starter - would you mind telling the detail of your criminal record? Countries may give people with prior criminal record a chance after they have been rehabilitated, i.e. after years of conviction. Without the information, it is difficult to tell. So it is strongly recommended not to apply for any visa until further time.

Also - unlike others' suggestions, please don't answer no on your crime. A criminal record may land you temporarily inadmissible. But it is certain better than visa fraud, which would be permanently inadmissible. Regardless the technology advancement of MFA and/or MPS, you previously reported yes, you should expect that China still has a record of it.

MSPeconomist

Was China doing any record checks for TWOV? Are there any potentially problematic questions on the entry forms?

moondog

The following article is 4 years old (when TWOV in Beijing was limited to 3 days), but I'm including it here because it specifically mentions the background check:

https://loyaltylobby.com/2017/04/15/...over-24-hours/

There aren't any questions on the (likely outdated) entry form pictured in the article that pertain to breaking laws in places other than China.

garykung

I believe the bigger problem is MFA/MPS already has the record. Whether the question would be asked would no longer be relevant.

moondog

I would still take the TWOV gamble if I were him, and plan on possibly spending his vacation in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc in the event border control notices his former rejection and denies him 144 hours.

lin821

OP didn't specify his nationality nor the nature of his/her previous criminal history. So only generic discussion is possible.
(underline mine)

In such case, OP should plan on spending his vacation in other countries that would open border to regular visitors during COVID-19 pandemic first. As far as I know, Taiwan isn't one of them. Secondly, with or without visa-exempt entry to Taiwan, OP's criminal record could still be an issue before approving any of his/her application to enter.

moondog

By the time China offers TWOV again, I'm guessing that Japan, Korea, and Taiwan will also be open for business. While it might be too late for the OP to change his story with the PRC, there is no reason Taiwan needs to know about his assault incident from several years back.

YariGuy

I still think TWOV is the best route, especially if it's 6 days and OP can do it multiple times (using say, HK for Southern China and Seoul or heck, Ulan Bator for Beijing)