Jun 4, 2013, 2:02 pm
Last edit by: mnbp
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Visa Information for the People's Republic of China (PRC, Mainland China)
Important: China's visa terms and conditions changed effective 12 Nov 2014 as far as duration, and 1 July 2013 for requirements and procedures. Do not rely on information posted prior to that date.
Note new FT thread regarding up to ten year visa duration: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...ov-2014-a.html
The PRC allows certain foreigners to transit China without a visa if they will be exiting the country within 24, 72 or 144 hours provided various other conditions are met. Please see the separate China 24, 72, and 144 hour Transit Without Visa ("TWOV") rules master thread and Wikipost for detailed rules and discussion.
The best source of current visa and travel document requirements is IATA'S TIMATIC, as that is what the airlines rely upon to determine whether they will permit you to fly. Star Alliance provides a free, easy-to-use TIMATIC tool to help you identify your exact requirements based on nationality, residency and specific itinerary. The SkyTeam alliance website contains a link which also allows you free use of TIMATIC, including good printouts of the information.
Note that posts made prior to 1 July 2013 have been archived, but are still available for reference at China Visa / Visas Master Thread (ARCHIVED). The old FAQ: Visa-Free Transit / TWOV thread is also closed but available for reference.
China Forum Ambassadors: moondog----------anacapamalibu----------jiejie----------mnredfox
(lower right wiki corner).Visa Information for the People's Republic of China (PRC, Mainland China)
Main source: Visa Page - Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America (external website)
Important: China's visa terms and conditions changed effective 12 Nov 2014 as far as duration, and 1 July 2013 for requirements and procedures. Do not rely on information posted prior to that date.
Note new FT thread regarding up to ten year visa duration: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...ov-2014-a.html
The PRC allows certain foreigners to transit China without a visa if they will be exiting the country within 24, 72 or 144 hours provided various other conditions are met. Please see the separate China 24, 72, and 144 hour Transit Without Visa ("TWOV") rules master thread and Wikipost for detailed rules and discussion.
The best source of current visa and travel document requirements is IATA'S TIMATIC, as that is what the airlines rely upon to determine whether they will permit you to fly. Star Alliance provides a free, easy-to-use TIMATIC tool to help you identify your exact requirements based on nationality, residency and specific itinerary. The SkyTeam alliance website contains a link which also allows you free use of TIMATIC, including good printouts of the information.
Note that posts made prior to 1 July 2013 have been archived, but are still available for reference at China Visa / Visas Master Thread (ARCHIVED). The old FAQ: Visa-Free Transit / TWOV thread is also closed but available for reference.
China Forum Ambassadors: moondog----------anacapamalibu----------jiejie----------mnredfox
China Visa / Visas Master Thread (all you need to know)
Feb 19, 2019, 9:11 pm
#1846
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,805
A disturbing post on Caravanistan yesterday indicating that Turkish (or Iranian) stamps are now a bar to getting a tourist visa in Hong Kong, at least in the case of the Polish and Spanish posters.
https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewt...=2222&start=10
https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewt...=2222&start=10
Just to clarify this is getting a Manland China visa in HK, not problems getting a visa to HK for the handful of countries who had to.
Feb 19, 2019, 10:36 pm
#1848
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,805
Mar 25, 2019, 10:14 am
#1849
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8
I'm traveling to Hong Kong in September and would like to make a day visit to Shenzen via train. I'm planning on applying for a visa at the Houston consulate in person once I renew my passport (expires in August). Is the round-trip flight itinerary to/from Hong Kong enough for the visa or does the flight itinerary have to be for a flight to/from mainland China?
It looks like from previous posts the HKG flights should be enough and put a comment mentioning taking ground transportation across to Shenzen. Anyone have recent experiences with this?
Thanks!
It looks like from previous posts the HKG flights should be enough and put a comment mentioning taking ground transportation across to Shenzen. Anyone have recent experiences with this?
Thanks!
Last edited by ddpg; Mar 25, 2019 at 10:23 am
Mar 26, 2019, 11:35 pm
#1852
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,053
"Working for a magazine" could be an issue, regardless of what type of visa you apply for. Do you have any other companies you can list as your employer; even "self employed" might bump up your chances of success. If I were in your shoes, I would go for an L (tourist) visa, but feel free to PM me if you want to shoot for an M (business) visa. From a functional perspective M isn't much better than L. J2 applications are heavily scrutinized.
Mar 27, 2019, 12:18 am
#1853
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,098
It's not like he's sneaking around interviewing dissidents.
He sounds like a business journalist attending a trade fair.
Yes, there'll be more-than-ordinary hassle getting the visa, but I don't think he has much choice. China is pretty clear that it expects foreign journalists heading to China on short-term assignments to travel on a J2 visa. Cutting corners on something like this just to save a bit of time and hassle would be a foolish risk these days, I think.
He sounds like a business journalist attending a trade fair.
Yes, there'll be more-than-ordinary hassle getting the visa, but I don't think he has much choice. China is pretty clear that it expects foreign journalists heading to China on short-term assignments to travel on a J2 visa. Cutting corners on something like this just to save a bit of time and hassle would be a foolish risk these days, I think.
Mar 27, 2019, 3:31 am
#1854
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 144
"Working for a magazine" could be an issue, regardless of what type of visa you apply for. Do you have any other companies you can list as your employer; even "self employed" might bump up your chances of success. If I were in your shoes, I would go for an L (tourist) visa, but feel free to PM me if you want to shoot for an M (business) visa. From a functional perspective M isn't much better than L. J2 applications are heavily scrutinized.
Mar 27, 2019, 3:34 am
#1855
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 144
It's not like he's sneaking around interviewing dissidents.
He sounds like a business journalist attending a trade fair.
Yes, there'll be more-than-ordinary hassle getting the visa, but I don't think he has much choice. China is pretty clear that it expects foreign journalists heading to China on short-term assignments to travel on a J2 visa. Cutting corners on something like this just to save a bit of time and hassle would be a foolish risk these days, I think.
He sounds like a business journalist attending a trade fair.
Yes, there'll be more-than-ordinary hassle getting the visa, but I don't think he has much choice. China is pretty clear that it expects foreign journalists heading to China on short-term assignments to travel on a J2 visa. Cutting corners on something like this just to save a bit of time and hassle would be a foolish risk these days, I think.
I thought about the tourist visa but I didn't wanna lie on the application. It might be obvious on the form that I'm a journalist and that I might attend the fair.
I do have a letter from a company in China to show that I will be attending the show as their guest.
Do I need to do anything for J2? I saw that the application says something like
Applicants should contact the press office of the Chinese Embassy/Consulate General in advance and complete relevant formalities.
Thank you!
Mar 29, 2019, 1:07 pm
#1857
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 733
My previous 2-year Chinese visa and Canadian passport expired so I've had to go through the process again.
Used express service at visa office and they returned passport with visa within 48 hours. Interestingly, Chinese visas are now in a new format and include photo on the visa itself. If I knew this, I would have taken a better photo! Oh well...
For reasons nobody could explain to me, I was issued a 9 year visa. On the form I wrote 120 months and the visa application center agent crossed it out and wrote 108 months. I was expecting it would be 10 years less 3 or 6 months, but less 12 months seems a bit short. Not a huge deal but will require either not traveling to China in my last year of passport validity or renewing a year in advance.
Used express service at visa office and they returned passport with visa within 48 hours. Interestingly, Chinese visas are now in a new format and include photo on the visa itself. If I knew this, I would have taken a better photo! Oh well...
For reasons nobody could explain to me, I was issued a 9 year visa. On the form I wrote 120 months and the visa application center agent crossed it out and wrote 108 months. I was expecting it would be 10 years less 3 or 6 months, but less 12 months seems a bit short. Not a huge deal but will require either not traveling to China in my last year of passport validity or renewing a year in advance.
Mar 29, 2019, 2:12 pm
#1858
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 144
Back from the consulate, they asked for an Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit in order to get the J2. I guess the invitation from the Chinese company was not enough.
Has anyone dealt with that?
Has anyone dealt with that?
Last edited by blue2007; Mar 29, 2019 at 2:27 pm
Mar 29, 2019, 6:44 pm
#1859
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,053
I sent you a PM on this, but for the sake of the rest of the community, I'm thinking L or M are the best way forward for you. The motor show isn't a hot button topic.
Mar 29, 2019, 7:26 pm
#1860
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,098
For the sake of his own peace of mind, I think getting the J2 visa is the right approach. He should contact the trade show organiser for help. Or the press attache at the consulate, per the instructions.
Point is, he may well get in as tourist this time, but he'll never be able to rest easy when he tries to get a visa or enter China in the future. The motor show may not be a hot button item, but that's also the point: it's a minor event not worth possibly damaging his reputational assessment in China.
Point is, he may well get in as tourist this time, but he'll never be able to rest easy when he tries to get a visa or enter China in the future. The motor show may not be a hot button item, but that's also the point: it's a minor event not worth possibly damaging his reputational assessment in China.