Checked LA consulate website. They have a new form now that goes up to only 1 year. San Francisco has the old form on their website. I have to re-new my visa (previous was 2 year) so I will see if LA will go for 2 years for $100. I can't see how they would effectively lower the previous $150 for 2 year to $100. I figure they raised single entry from $50 to $100 then dropped
2 year from $150 to $100 for 1 year. Will see.

Actually, I said I wanted 5 years, hoping for at least 2, and they gave me 1. This was the SF consulate.

1) Oh. I visit China frequently on academic exchange.

2) I have few friends inside PRC Consulate in NY. ;)

Well, it is actually clear.

Any US passport holder whose birth place is China can be issued a 2-year M tourist visa according to website of PRC Consulate in NYC.

Can you please provide link? I've looked at the websites of Chinese Embassy/Consulates in Washington, NY and Houston, and I have not come upon this visa type or information. All I've read is that Chinese-American can get a 2-year "L" visa.

Copied directly from PRC Consulate in NY webpage

"5、美籍华人，如其美国护照上出生地为“中国”，且护照有效期在两年以上，可申请两年多次有效的探亲、旅 游签证。"

Translation: Any Chinese-American whose US passport (valid for at least 2 years) showing CHINA as birth place, can apply for 2 year L multiple entry visa.

http://www.nyconsulate.prchina.org/c...z/t42228.htm#1

Thanks! I forgot to check the Chinese language page. The lists and description on the two versions are a bit different.

Probably because virtually everyone that that rule is applicable to will be reading the Chinese page.

There are a few exceptions, though--she's not going to be doing the looking up and I'm going to be reading the English page, not the one with the bird tracks.

to answer my own question, went smoothly for myself (having arrived 2 months before i went to register) without any questions even; but a colleague who came 2 weeks after arrival got a warning (printed out thing about the 24hrs limit etc and had to sign it) at another police office, and according to the rules the fine can be anywhere between 50 and 500 yuan.

Followup--the travel agent we normally get Chinese visas from says that there's no chance that she would get a 2-year visa. Her birthplace is the city she will be flying to--Shanghai.

In the past we have only had single-entry tourist visas although we have gone through quite a few of them.

My current US passport, which has a multiple-entry Chinese L visa good till September 2008, will expire also in September 2008. I am deciding whether to renew it now or to continue using it for three more trips to China before April 2008.

So my question is should I renew my passport now, can I use the valid multiple-entry Chinese visa on the canceled passport with my new passport? Thank you for your advice.

yes, no problem at all

Is this for real? $100 for Chinese visa plus additional fees? I had planned a day or two in Beijing but hardly seems worth it for the additional $300. Was told by TA of $25 airfare from HKG to PEK on CX. Thought is was really good but probably related to the visa cost. Any "transit visas" in PEK? I would be going on to NRT via PEK.

Yes it is, only because the US charges 810RMB for Chinese nationals for a US visa to be issued :rolleyes:

Same goes when going to Brazil $115 for a visa.

China is playing tit for tat. Never mind that US visas actually involve a lot of work screening out those liable to overstay the visa whereas the reverse situation is a non-issue.