China Multiple Entry - are they at it again?

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by campas12:
    i got one through one of teh travel agents in town- cost 1500 for a 6 mo multi entry. i've never gotten a china visa before either...
    hkid with ROA, usa passport...
    I just came back from the visa office and no problems...the lady didn't ask any questions after seeing I was applying for a one year multi-entry visa. She just asked to see my hkid card and asked for a copy of it, then everything is done!

    Besides, it only costs HK$600 for a one year multi-entry visa(would've been $400 for a 6 month one). But I did have to queue up for 30 minutes...

    We'll be going to Shenzhen for lunch & dinner next weekend for sure

  2. #12

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    Mar 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by OZTOHK:
    I just came back from the visa office and no problems...the lady didn't ask any questions after seeing I was applying for a one year multi-entry visa. She just asked to see my hkid card and asked for a copy of it, then everything is done!

    Besides, it only costs HK$600 for a one year multi-entry visa(would've been $400 for a 6 month one). But I did have to queue up for 30 minutes...

    We'll be going to Shenzhen for lunch & dinner next weekend for sure
    That was my experience as well. Often I found that travel agents (specifically with my corporate agent) will try to milk you for more $$$ by saying that the most they can do is double entry. That way they have continued business as the fees they charge you are almost twice as much as what you pay at the visa office. The only inconvenience is time spent in the queue.

  3. #13

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    Oct 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by climber07:
    That was my experience as well. Often I found that travel agents (specifically with my corporate agent) will try to milk you for more $$$ by saying that the most they can do is double entry. That way they have continued business as the fees they charge you are almost twice as much as what you pay at the visa office. The only inconvenience is time spent in the queue.
    agree with that totally. cousin recently got a single entry visa into china. cost directly with visa office would have been HK$400 (british passport), however agent charged him HK$890.

  4. #14

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    Aug 2006
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    I thought that the cost for a single entry visa for British passport holders was HK$450 at the visa office in Wanchai.

    I also thought that a Shenzhen visa at the border was 160 Rmb (for most nationalities, British and some others pay more).


  5. #15

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    Mar 2008
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    nyc
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    call me a man of leisure...but yes. i do realize i'm paying a fee to have the agents courier pick up/drop off and take care of the paperwork for me =)


  6. #16

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    Jul 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by drumbrake:
    I thought that the cost for a single entry visa for British passport holders was HK$450 at the visa office in Wanchai.

    I also thought that a Shenzhen visa at the border was 160 Rmb (for most nationalities, British and some others pay more).
    You are right. And if my memory serves me right British passport holders pay 450 RMB at the border. Because that can only be paid in RMB, there is an (one) exchange booth next to the visa office in Luo Hu. And as you would expect from a monopolist, the exchange rates are not very good.

  7. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by drumbrake:
    I thought that the cost for a single entry visa for British passport holders was HK$450 at the visa office in Wanchai.

    I also thought that a Shenzhen visa at the border was 160 Rmb (for most nationalities, British and some others pay more).
    woops, yes its HK$450 if done in HK. Full price list here:

    Processing time and visa fees (Hong Kong dollars in cash only)

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    281
    Quote Originally Posted by OZTOHK:
    the lady didn't ask any questions after seeing I was applying for a one year multi-entry visa. She just asked to see my hkid card and asked for a copy of it, then everything is done!

    :
    Did you have to show (or did she check for) previous visas to China? I had my work permit endorsed on my EU passport when it was renewed to avoid the excessive visa charges - but the passport is blank except for the HK work permit! Wondering if they would refuse the multiple on that basis...

  9. #19

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    Aug 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by Konijntje:
    Did you have to show (or did she check for) previous visas to China? I had my work permit endorsed on my EU passport when it was renewed to avoid the excessive visa charges - but the passport is blank except for the HK work permit! Wondering if they would refuse the multiple on that basis...
    To get longer multi-entry visas (one year for example), you usually need to show an old Chinese visa. However, it can be in an old passport; just take it with your new passport when you apply for the visa.

  10. #20

    Join Date
    May 2005
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    Quote Originally Posted by Konijntje:
    Did you have to show (or did she check for) previous visas to China? I had my work permit endorsed on my EU passport when it was renewed to avoid the excessive visa charges - but the passport is blank except for the HK work permit! Wondering if they would refuse the multiple on that basis...
    I applied for a 1 year multi-entry visa on Wednesday morning, for my newly-issued (in December) UK passport, which is mostly empty other than my HK visa. I did check the box on the form for "I've had a China visa before", but when I went to submit the application, the woman asked me where the previous visa(s) was. I said it was in my old passport, and she said that since I couldn't show it they might only give me a 6-month visa.

    If they do, I'll be pretty pissed-off, since I was given a 1 year visa last year, nothing in any of the notes on the website suggested that I should show proof of previous visas, and it would suggest that their record-keeping is virtually non-existent. I do have a new passport - and passport number - but I have the same name, the same DOB, the same HKID card (and number, of course) and if they can't find proof that they issued me a visa last year, it's a pretty poor show.

    Will report back on Monday after collection...

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