Hi all ! I keep hearing about US citizens (as well as other countries with "commercial ties" to China) getting visas on arrival in Sanya. My plan would be to fly from Hong Kong, for which I do not need a visa.

Does anyone have any experience with this ? I'd like to have evidence in-hand well before booking and checking in to avoid any problems

thanks all !

Since no one else has replied, I'll bite. I've heard conflicting info about this for some time, and since it doesn't really apply to me or anyone I know (all of us have proper papers), I am at a loss for the emperical evidence that you --justifiably-- request.

Anyway, based on my research, I've come across two different scenarios:

SCENARIO 1
-persons traveling in sanctioned groups of 6 or more people may be issued visas on arrival

SCENARIO 2
-persons traveling in sanctioned groups of 6 or more people do not require visas (including visas on arrival) at all, AND
-persons from applicable countries are permitted to apply for visas on arrival

My gut tells me that "scenario 2" probably (with 80% certainty) reflects the true situation... so you'd be fine.

But, I would certainly ask some of the travel agencies in HK for their opinions because: 1) I don't know of any FTers that have attempted it; and 2) speaking from 2 experiences, boarding a plane --or worse-- arriving in country without the required documents is a real drag.

Sanya used to allow citizens from 21 countries apply for visa on-arrival at the airport (not sure whether or not they have to be in an approved tour group). However, that list was cut down to 20 nations with US was no longer included due to a March 2004 diplomatic dispute between China and the US over the US fingerprinting foreign visitors and adjusted some of its policies on the processing of US visa applications of Chinese nationals. As a result, the Chinese government instructed all entry & exit authorities that on-arrival visa application no longer available to US citizens effective from April 1, 2004.

Regards.

Moondog,
thanks for your comments; I asked an agent in Hong Kong who told me I needed a visa just to be safe (and offered to get me one in 4 hours for $175) and a couple of agents in Sanya who insist that I don't. And, one also told me that the airlines know nothing about this, only the arrival airport officials in Sanya So, not sure how exciting checkin would be Agreed - neither the scenario of being denied boarding in HKIA nor being deported from Sanya (I guess you can't be deported if you don't get onto sovereign soil !) sounds palatable after paying for the tickets and hotel (even tho using PC 5K Point Breaks !)

ForeverCCA, what you say makes sense to me, as I believe it was the same thing that happened with transit visas - US citizens now require them except in PVG .......

thanks again; I guess we'll just go to Okinawa and save 20K UA miles