During much of 2008, everything Chinese visa-wise, at all locations, was off-kilter due to Olympics, so I tend to not try to extrapolate data from that era and apply it to current conditions.

As to "mad-house" well of course SF and NY will be worst due to sheer volume and size of overseas Chinese communities trying to get visas. With LA probably a close 3rd. But what's more important is what's being given out right now. Mad houses and queue-cutting can be avoided by simply not going oneself, and turning things over to an agent. Or get in the queue yourself and shove back while holding your place--it is good practice prior to visiting the PRC.

Hello all,

Does anyone know of a reputable agency which would help a French citizen and green card holder get a tourist visa for China? I've seen many references in this thread to 'issues' encountered by French citizens and I'm having a hard time finding a company that will help. There is no Chinese consulate where I live or I'd do the procedure myself.

Contact www.mychinavisa.com by email and lay out your situation. It should be possible to apply in the USA, since you have a green card. Ask about any special additional requirements for French citizens-which may be the same as if you'd apply in France--and also what type/length/stay duration they think they might be able to get.

Just a quick questions regarding HOW one can go about getting a multi entry visa with 60/90 day stays on an L visa. My friend wants to come in the summer, do some traveling, and doesn't want to apply for an in-country extension as (from my experience) that cancels the visa. He's already got flights booked, and also plans on coming back in the wintertime.

I can arrange some paperwork for him, but I'm not convinced they will give him the year visa with longer entry regardless of what I do....

Assuming your friend is a US citizen applying in the US, this shouldn't be terribly difficult; merely requesting 60 or 90 days on the application should do it when applying through one of the more cooperative consulates (Houston/Chicago). My first L visa came back as a multiple-entry with 60 days duration without even requesting it, and several of these later, I most recently nabbed a 2-year, 120-day L.

What passport does your friend hold and where will he be applying? If USA applying in the USA, he just checks the box in 2.2 for "Multiple Entries valid for 12 months" and in box 2.4 for longest duration of stay, put down "60" or "90." Some Consulates in the USA (especially NYC) won't give out 12-month multiples unless there is a previous Chinese visa in the passport. He may be able to up his chances to nearly 100% by using an specialist Chinese visa
agent as intermediary.

Aussie passport holders and sometimes Canadian passport holders applying in their countries can get multiple-entry visas, particularly if they have previous Chinese visa in passport. But maybe not reliably for 12 months or for durations longer than 30 or 60 days. If friend is ethnic Chinese, he might be able to get longer time/longer durations for the L on the basis of "family visit" rather than tourism, but he'd need an "inviter" (family member) in that visa appl box. All other countries for standard tourists, 12 month multiple L's are nearly impossible to come by. 6 or 12 month multiple F's may be more doable, with proper invitation letters.

Seems easy enough..I remember when I first wanted a China visa a long time ago having a lot of trouble at the NYC consulate getting what I wanted.....since it's already a lot of $$ might as well pay for the specialist.

If your friend is located near a PRC consulate other than NYC, he might as well just go in person.

What if visas were granted in a recently replaced passport? I was recently refused additional pages (I had three batches added previously) and had no choice but to get a new passport. :( Will this present problems in NYC if petitioning for a 12 month multi-entry?

In an unrelated querry: My wife carries a Thai passport and I'm finding conflicting info on transiting through PEK or PVG. Some information says Thai nationals can transit for <24 hours with no restrictions (so long as there is an onward ticket) and others indicate that transit is allowed without allowance for leaving the airport.

I'm setting up our songkran travels now and would like to get this sorted before making moves on flights.

Answer to last question first. Her Thai passport is no problem. She gets 24 hours TWOV (Transit Without Visa) privileges at any Chinese airport including PEK and PVG (Thais do not currently get 48 hour privileges at the latter.) She just needs to have the confirmed onward international ticket. Currently Chinese procedures require all intl incoming passengers to go through immigration--though usually there are specially marked desks for International Transit/Transfer passengers to queue at. Have confirmed onward itinerary (and boarding pass if you already have) ready to show Immy officer. After the TWOV special stamp is placed in the passport, you can go back through security and to airside, or can go to the nonsecure side of terminal, or (if time permits) leave the airport. This applies to Thais or anybody on TWOV.

First question: You said the visa was "recently" put in the previous passport--was it a 12-month multi-entry visa and was it done in NYC? What's the expiration? Answers may change my opinion on what you should try to do.

Thank you, that gives additional leeway to our possible flight schedules.

Recently is subjective. In Sept 2008 I received a 6 month 2 entry granted in Asia. In March 2009 the NYC consulate gave me a 1 year multi-entry. In June 2010 another 6 month 2 entry was given at an Asian consulate.

I'm currently using a 'new' passport due to lack of pages in the, now canceled, visa containing one (which wouldn't have expired until 2014 :( ... not that there's much relevance in that).

Even if your most recent visas are in the same passport you are using to apply, the consulates still like you to submit photocopies of those visas, so methinks new/old passport is a non issue.

Ah, I misread your question. I thought that you had a VALID Chinese visa in the previous passport, but what you had were previous but expired visas. Actually, that makes it easier. 2008-2010 counts as "recent". You should fill out the application part on previous visits to China with a Yes. As moondog says, photocopy the old visas and the old information page (with your pic, name and passport number) and take along if they want to see them. If you can deal with a temporary parting, taking the now-cancelled previous passport containing those visas is even better so they can examine themselves, even if it's just at the counter. This might be enough for the NYC Consulate to give you the 12-month multi-entry. But nobody here can give you any guarantees with that bunch. You can try another Consulate or the DC Embassy, and/or use a visa agent.

Thanks to both of you.

Was planning to do bring photocopies or the old passport to begin with.

The most recent one expired in December, but yes, all expired.


Wasn't asking for a guarantee, but only to clarify the scenario. Appreciate the info.

As for the specific consulate, NYC is the easiest for me unless I'm spending more than weekend in SF. I'll take my chances in the Big Apple and will bring the canceled passport to make things potentially easier.

There's a report today that the Chinese are making it more difficult for Canadians to get visas. Can anyone confirm, and is there any change in their USA policies?

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I've just noticed that in Canada regulations for tourist visas seem to have been tightened up considerably since the middle of December. All visa applications require an invitation letter, or, failing that (as most of those not on tours will indeed have no such thing), proof of air ticket booking and hotel reservation, details of itinerary, etc. The application form is also now longer and asking more questions, including details of other travel overseas in the past, details of other family members whether they are travelling or not, etc.

Of course, there's a long tradition of having such regulations to hand but not generally enforcing them, although finding them handy to justify denial of visa when the true reasons are political. But a quick glance at the many visa agencies (most of whom have addresses next door to the consulate, of course) shows that they have incorporated these regulations on their own pages, too, which suggests they are being enforced.

Nor is it any longer possible just to show up and make a visa application. Instead an appointment must be made on-line using an incompetently programmed web form.

Three questions:

1. Are other nationals seeing the same approaches being introduced?

2. Hong Kong has long been the easiest place to acquire visas. Is there a squeeze on there, too?

3. The purpose appears to be to deter independent travellers with flexible itineraries in favour of groups with fixed ones. Would anyone care to speculate why this is happening now? Unrest in Sichuan? Yet another games/expo/global beanfeast?

Peter N-H