Student visa sticker

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  1. #1

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    Student visa sticker

    Hi there,
    Like many I need to get out of HK, stick my (student) visa in my passport and come back to activate it.

    Is it possible just to go to the border of Shenzhen and leave HK.
    Turn around and go back to the HK border (without entering Shenzhen) and activate my visa?

    Mostly I wanna do this because lack of time.


  2. #2

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    Nope because HK will not let you back in as you will have had to receive an exit stamp in your passport then enter china get a stamp then get a china exit visa then reenter HK. The sticker can be placed in the passport once you get the exit visa. Without entry/exit proof to China you never technically left Hong Kong.

    You are not the first to consider such a thing.

    Why did you not ask immigration just to allow you to start the student visa immediately when they issued it to you. This way you do not need to leave HK, this is not unheard off.


  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alby:
    Why did you not ask immigration just to allow you to start the student visa immediately when they issued it to you. This way you do not need to leave HK, this is not unheard off.
    My university gave me my visa and then I went straight to the immigration office. There they told me they can not 'start the student visa' (she never really told me a reason why not) and that I need to leave HK and come back.

    Thanks for the other info, but 1 more thing. If I leave HK to e.g. EU country I also don't have a entry/exit proof that I was there.
    OK, no one will fly up and down in 24hr, but still.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mette:
    My university gave me my visa and then I went straight to the immigration office. There they told me they can not 'start the student visa' (she never really told me a reason why not) and that I need to leave HK and come back.

    Thanks for the other info, but 1 more thing. If I leave HK to e.g. EU country I also don't have a entry/exit proof that I was there.
    OK, no one will fly up and down in 24hr, but still.
    Bc immigration know that the EU will not give a stamp but immigration officials know what to expect from China immigration - they are looking for the stamps.

    Options are
    1. get a China Visa and go over the boarder properly (in & out but with all stamps on passport same day)
    2. go to Macau for a EU passport no visa necessary (in & out / back & forth same day)

    Both 1 & 2 options are cheaper and less time consuming than traveling back to the EU.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alby:
    Bc immigration know that the EU will not give a stamp but immigration officials know what to expect from China immigration - they are looking for the stamps.

    Options are
    1. get a China Visa and go over the boarder properly (in & out but with all stamps on passport same day)
    2. go to Macau for a EU passport no visa necessary (in & out / back & forth same day)

    Both 1 & 2 options are cheaper and less time consuming than traveling back to the EU.
    It should be enough to leave at Luo Hu and come back without having been in China

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by hktraveller:
    It should be enough to leave at Luo Hu and come back without having been in China
    There is no place to turn around. You need to go through the whole building (With the exit only in Shenzhen side). As soon as you enter Shenzhen though you can take the escalator up to the upper floor and go straight back through immigration. (This time the only exit is Hong Kong)

    The only way to avoid this is to get denied entry to China in which case you will be "escorted" back to Hong Kong. Since EU passport holders can get visas on the border and EU countries citizens have a lot of trust from China I see no reason you could get denied unless 1) No money for visa or 2) You go apeshit at the immigration counter.

    It's pretty embarrassing to get escorted back. May I suggest a quick round trip with either Macau or Shenzhen?

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by hktraveller:
    It should be enough to leave at Luo Hu and come back without having been in China
    You don't need to leave the building but you do need a visa to go through the building.

    As HKChigger has stated EU passport holders can get a visa at the boarder.
    Last edited by Alby; 22-02-2009 at 07:47 PM.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by HKChigger:
    There is no place to turn around. You need to go through the whole building (With the exit only in Shenzhen side). As soon as you enter Shenzhen though you can take the escalator up to the upper floor and go straight back through immigration. (This time the only exit is Hong Kong)

    The only way to avoid this is to get denied entry to China in which case you will be "escorted" back to Hong Kong. Since EU passport holders can get visas on the border and EU countries citizens have a lot of trust from China I see no reason you could get denied unless 1) No money for visa or 2) You go apeshit at the immigration counter.

    It's pretty embarrassing to get escorted back. May I suggest a quick round trip with either Macau or Shenzhen?
    This is absolutely true. I went true immigration and could not turn around or anything, only go into China (Shenzhen). So I asked the immigration officer from Hong Kong if it was possible to activated my student visa without going into China. She said that because the 'change of regulation' in June 2008 or something I couldn't get a visa for China at the border? So she suggested to me that she would cancel my exit stamp and that I should go to the China embassy in HK to get a visa.

    I don't think she knew you can just buy a 1-5 day visa for Shenzhen. So that's what I did. Cost me HKD 198,- (RMB 160,-) and had a lovely day in Shenzhen .
    Last edited by Mette; 22-02-2009 at 07:51 PM.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mette:
    This is absolutely true. I went true immigration and could not turn around or anything, only go into China (Shenzhen). So I asked the immigration officer from Hong Kong if it was possible to activated my student visa without going into China. She said that because the 'change of regulation' in June 2008 or something I couldn't get a visa for China at the border? So she suggested to me that she would cancel my exit stamp and that I should go to the China embassy in HK to get a visa.

    I don't think she knew you can just buy a 1-5 day visa for Shenzhen. So that's what I did. Cost me HKD 198,- (RMB 160,-) and had a lovely day in Shenzhen .
    EXCELLENT Happy to learn that all worked out well for you!

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by HKChigger:
    There is no place to turn around. You need to go through the whole building (With the exit only in Shenzhen side). As soon as you enter Shenzhen though you can take the escalator up to the upper floor and go straight back through immigration. (This time the only exit is Hong Kong)

    The only way to avoid this is to get denied entry to China in which case you will be "escorted" back to Hong Kong. Since EU passport holders can get visas on the border and EU countries citizens have a lot of trust from China I see no reason you could get denied unless 1) No money for visa or 2) You go apeshit at the immigration counter.

    It's pretty embarrassing to get escorted back. May I suggest a quick round trip with either Macau or Shenzhen?
    Sorry, I didn't know that. I once returned, but before leaving HK.