HKtraveller

I didn't know I have to enjoy my HK resident status in order to get a China visa

percysmith

I wonder is CTS still also OK for non-residents?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...w-69.html#1035
CTS's own page on Visas has been wiped out (in both Chinese and English) http://www.ctshk.com/english/useful/chinesevisa.htm - worrying

My parents like taking the grandchildren (Australian citizens without Chinese citizenship nor HK ROA) to the PRC to Changlong and golf - wedges a clean day during their trips to HK that my SIL can't take them to do something else.

SIL (either consciously trying to block this or just simply slack) refuses to apply for visas properly in Sydney Visa Centre. I used to bridge the gap by having parent's messenger retrieve the passports from SIL's TKO home, deliver them to TST CTS and return the passport to SIL.

But if non-residents are not allowed to apply for China Visa here, this no-fuss method will no longer work. SIL has to apply for the children in Syd, and she won't. Parents have had their last China trip with grandchildren then.

percysmith

I just noticed one of our visitor consultants from SG looking at the Shenzhen MTR page.

I asked him whether he's already got visa, he said he does not.

What's best way to get visa now? Obviously he's non-resident.

nacho

Last October I went to Mongkok CTS to get my return permit and I saw the 'visas for foreigners' section was still there. I seriously doubt that they have stopped that since it's a $ machine.

When I was crossing the border last Dec., a guy asked Mr. Nacho if he needs a visa to China so I assume that you can get their passport done by the border if HK option is not possible.

Why don't you give them a call to find out?

I guess getting a Chinese visa in SYD is expensive? Mr. Nacho's and the kids' option for getting a Chinese visa here is to do it at the Copenhagen office (You can't do it directly at the embassy anymore because they outsourced it to an agency). Going there will cost us HKD 500 + single visa for each person is HKG 800. Just to get visa for everyone is a grand total of HKG 3700.

You can get it in Hong Kong for like 200 per person, which is a huge saving.

percysmith

My niece and nephew went up last December, my concern is the 1 July changes to visa rules this year put an end to non-resident applications.



No more SZ short stop visas from border office on or after 1 April 2013.


Getting CTS to answer the phone is twice as worse as getting through to a Cantonese Asia Miles operator with a AM non-MPO number at 11AM on a HK weekday.

I usually have to go visit their office over lunch.

P.S. I tried calling up the Alpha House branch - I've only managed to call through once in my life. Calling up the MK Sai Yee Street office (the branch you got your HRP from, but only the CTS general queries phone line is given http://www.ctshk.com/english/aboutus...hkgmac.htm?013 ) and pressing "8" for travel document applications yields "please visit our website w-w-w-dot-c-t-s-h-k-dot-com". Not very helpful since they nuked the China Visa webpage on ctshk.com (in all three of En/TC/SC pages)



I doubt SIL knows that (cos messenger will get cost of visas back from parents but parents won't bring it up with SIL), but if she did, she'd be further less arsed to get the visas at Sydney!

percysmith

There's actually two pieces of conflicting advice in anacapamalibu's post (which is probably reposted from http://fejiangmen.ning.com/page/1750079:Page:3565 - this link is far more redeable)

"2. Nationalities that cannot apply for visas in Hong Kong or Macau

As long as your country is not on the following list, you are still eligible to apply fro a China visa in Hong Kong or Macau. If you are on this list, you have to go back to your home country to apply for a visa"

"11. Businesspeople calling for visa clarification

Businesspeople are calling for further clarification of visa requirements for visiting the mainland after the central government confirmed that all travelers must apply for a visa from the country they live in. The Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents was last night unable to explain why the ministry's advice conflicted with a letter it issued to travel agents last week stating that only nationals from 33 countries could no longer apply for a mainland visa within Hong Kong, unless they were identity-card holders."

The US consulate has confirmed the latter statement http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_prcvisa.html - not sure if using CTS will get around it

nacho

Oh no, no more Shenzhen visa! That's sad. I wonder if there is still visa to China available at the border - last time Mr. Nacho needed a Shenzhen visa but he was asked by a visa guy asking if he needs a visa for whole China. Since we didn't need to go anywhere but Shenzhen we went for the cheaper option instead.

Please let me know if anyone knows if I still can get China Visas for my kids at CTS Hong Kong.

Steve M

... and it no doubt is still there. They still issue visas for foreigners in Hong Kong, as long as you have Hong Kong residency. Not everyone that has Hong Kong residency is a Chinese citizen, after all.

percysmith

Obvious but I believe they must be a mere fraction of the previous traffic.

percysmith

Another pain if I cannot acquire visas from CTSHK anymore.

China had the hotel itin + flight ticket requirement since Aug 2012. But CTS HK didn't require them when I did my niece and nephew's last applications in Dec 2012.

I wouldn't normally have them. My parents will take the children to Dongguan on a privately-chartered cross border private car, play golf at Dongguan for a day and then come back. There may be a hotel stay but my parents simply call in for a room.


Well to think of it my parents are members of the golf club and I may be able to get the club to issue an invite for the children. Still an added PITA to have the letter issued then posted to Aus.

percysmith

Also thinking about the case if my mates come over. They don't play at parent's golf club.

What's best then? I can generate cancellable hotel bookings at the drop of a hat. What's the best flight itinerary
I heard of Ctrip but they still have RMB200 cancellation fee - can I make do with a fully cancellable fare on CXfrom Syd to some destination in PRC transit HKG?
If yes, will my friends get into trouble if they showed up at Luowu instead?

Steve M

Perhaps confirmation of your flights to Hong Kong, plus an explanation that you plan to cross the land border into Shenzhen, would be sufficient.

percysmith

http://fejiangmen.ning.com/page/1750079:Page:3565

"16. Traveling overland, you still need a flight ticket to get a visa

Ruth, of the LP Thorntree forum states, "Currently the issuing of visas requires proof of transport into and out of the country which effectively makes overland travel impossible unless you purchase fully refundable tickets through a travel agency." Several travelers have reported purchasing, then canceling, tickets as an easy work-around (to be pursued at your own risk, of course). A quick and easy way to go is Ctrip.com, which charges 200 RMB to cancel online flight bookings. If you want to book a flight from Hong Kong with Ctrip, you need to phone the 24 hour, English-speaking call service at: 86-021-34064880 Ext. 6."

percysmith

Maybe I've been calling the wrong number.

I've called 2315 7171 per http://www.ctshk.com/aboutus/branch_hkgmac.htm?11 for Alpha House, no one picks up as usual.

But when I called 2317 7188 per the ning.com page, I got put straight through to the "Visa Section". It used to be the number for Alpha House.

Anyway, my nephew's case:
"Hi, I applied for a L visa with CTS for my nephew last year. Are these still being issued here?"
"What passport is he holding?"
"Australian"
"Where was he born?"
"Australia"
"Has he been issued a Chinese Visa in Australia before"
"Not in Australia but by CTS here"
"He can no longer obtain a L visa here"

YMMV, I won't place too much reliance on a CTSHK answer. But that's what I've ben told.

MSPeconomist

The USA consultate link is dated July 2011 and seriously out of date. For example, it is wrong on TWOV and doesn't mention the new 72 hour rule from January 2013. It also claims that TWOV means that one cannot leave the airport, which is incorrect.