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10 Year China Visas for US passport holders?

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  1. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by HKNewbie7007:
    Just had a friend rejected with a US passport for a tourist visa. They told him he needed the flight record and hotel reservation.

    I think I"m on my 6th China visa (3 of them L - Tourist ones) and have never once had to produce those documents. The last one I applied for was in September 2013 though and expired a year later.

    Has anyone gotten through without producing those docs, on a tourist visa?
    Book with travel agent and get the flight Itineary and hotel pre-booking documents but dont actually pay anything, tell travel agent you need it for visa application before you can book the flights. once you get the visa just cancel the booking with agent. lie if you have to saying you didnt get visa so pls cancel booking
    Last edited by wtbhotia; 05-02-2015 at 04:12 PM.
    shri likes this.

  2. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by HKNewbie7007:
    Just had a friend rejected with a US passport for a tourist visa. They told him he needed the flight record and hotel reservation.

    I think I"m on my 6th China visa (3 of them L - Tourist ones) and have never once had to produce those documents. The last one I applied for was in September 2013 though and expired a year later.

    Has anyone gotten through without producing those docs, on a tourist visa?
    Never been asked for those, but I have been asked for a hotel name where I will be staying.

    Did you friend have an HKID?

  3. #23

    Ok, he tried again and his application was accepted. He booked a hotel in SZ with no flight of course. I guess we'll see if it's 10 years upon pickup but at least they accepted it!!

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  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    First attempt, failed. Will try again next week. Honestly, this system of giving privileges to agencies and thereby people who pay more really makes me mad....you could really get some great videos of people losing it at the China Services building....
    Quote Originally Posted by HKNewbie7007:
    Just had a friend rejected with a US passport for a tourist visa. They told him he needed the flight record and hotel reservation.

    I think I"m on my 6th China visa (3 of them L - Tourist ones) and have never once had to produce those documents. The last one I applied for was in September 2013 though and expired a year later.

    Has anyone gotten through without producing those docs, on a tourist visa?
    I failed because I didn't have a flight/hotel booking. If their "travel agency" would have been open, I would have paid to get some sort of ticket to Shenzhen and back just so I could have submitted the docs. Agencies DON'T require proof that you're going to travel to China. Hence my comment. And a lot of website guides don't clearly state this. I'm going with a group, so I won't even be booking it myself or have access to the tickets. Very frustrating.

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    I failed because I didn't have a flight/hotel booking. If their "travel agency" would have been open, I would have paid to get some sort of ticket to Shenzhen and back just so I could have submitted the docs. Agencies DON'T require proof that you're going to travel to China. Hence my comment. And a lot of website guides don't clearly state this. I'm going with a group, so I won't even be booking it myself or have access to the tickets. Very frustrating.
    Not that I am an expert on obtaining a China Visa but I have done this a lot for my family and many friends.

    1. I am a HKID holder - not PR.
    2. US Passport
    3. When I fill in where I am going I just put down random places in Shenzhen - Lo Wu Commercial Centre, Dafan Artists Village, Zhuhai Furniture area. Basic places that one can reach in one day without having to stay overnight. When the application changed a bit, I had to take the time to find the addresses of these places and make sure I entered them.
    4. I put down random dates
    Each time I've been successful.

    The Wanchai office is your best option as you pay no agency fee. Flat $1100 for the visa and while you will have to wait I have found that arriving about 11:30 am on any day is a good bet as they lock the door at noon. They process everyone before actually closing for lunch and then reopen at 2. I also found that 9:30 on a Friday is very fast as well - I was in and out in 15 minutes.

    Note: if you are on a tourist visa in HK, it will be harder. That is why it is better to apply from the US. Friends from the US just did this and received their 10 year visas prior to arriving in Hong Kong.

    Hope this helps.
    wtbhotia, Elegiaque and mingming like this.

  6. #26

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    Flights and accommodation bookings are listed as requirements on the Visa Office site (look under L Visa):

    Visa categories and the requirements of supporting documents

    These might not be required though, especially for the longer term multiple entry visas (although as I only get one every 3 years, my experience is not that valid).

    It is very easy to make bookings for a hotel and a flight booking, all with no charge, using an online agency such as elong or ctrip.

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  7. #27

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    Jan 2005
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    Hi attkrt, thanks for sharing your experience. Could you share tips on the photo requirements?

    Also if any authorized letter is needed if the applicant cannot submit the application form in-person?

    Last edited by mingming; 07-02-2015 at 02:36 PM.

  8. #28

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    Feb 2012
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    Can anyone explain why there are two different websites:
    Visa to China (it looks nicer and has the V.2013 form)
    Visa Application Form (has the V.2011 form)

    Is the V.2013 form the right one now? (This one: http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/fwxx/w...5560368697.pdf ) I'd like my wife to be able to submit the right application for me and if there is a different form that will waste a lot of her time and mine going back and forth getting my signature and filling out a new form.

    For having her submit my application for me can I just write a simple thing saying please let my wife (state her name) submit my Chinese visa application on my behalf (state my name) and then sign it? I don't see an authorization form, can someone provide a link to one if there is special authorization form that's required?


  9. #29

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    Chinese official websites are not usually created with the user in mind. I would assume that 2013 refers to the year, and that is the one I would use. However, I have completed an application form before, and then had to complete an identical one when I arrived at the Visa Office. I think they left the old one online when they last updated it. Probably there is a 2008 version lurking somewhere on the website as well. If you are really concerned, pay extra and use an agent.

    Re submitting on behalf of someone else, there is this: Important Reminders for Your Visa Application

    2. Applicants should be physically in HK. Applicants may submit applications in person or entrust other individuals or travel agencies to do so. Applicants have to write an authorized letter enclosed with copies of photo IDs when they entrust other individuals or travel agencies to submit the applications.
    Last edited by drumbrake; 07-02-2015 at 07:43 PM.

  10. #30

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    Oct 2012
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    Quote Originally Posted by drumbrake:

    It is very easy to make bookings for a hotel and a flight booking, all with no charge, using an online agency such as elong or ctrip.
    What do you mean? There's a way to make a ctrip booking without paying? I think I'd like to do something like this to take as a backup next week.

    When I get home later I'll try to post a picture with the travel proof requirements that they stapled to my application this week.

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