I need to do a visa run and faced with some choices. Wondering how long it takes to process a tourist visa in Bangkok, Macau, Singapore or Japan. Other posts have mentioned that Manila takes a week and the “rush” job in Hong Kong.
I cant find this info on the TECO of the countries listed above.
http://www.boca.gov.tw/lp.asp?CtNode=125&CtUnit=72&BaseDSD=18&mp=2&xq_xCat=1
Click on the relevant country/city and you’ll get some details.
Been to visit those sites BUT the do not give any idea of how long it takes to process a visa application. Just where to go and when they are open.
Back to the original question, does anyone have experience at these offices of how long a 2 month visitor visa takes to process?
I’ve only done it in HK, it’s done the same day if you pay extra, otherwise you’ll have to wait until the next day and I don’t think most places are any different, since as long as they approve your application, it’s not a long process.
Has anyone had experience with the Bangkok office recently? Hong Kong has always been effortless but I could use a change of scenery.
Its awesome as its not busy, its in a big open area surronded by hotels and the tramline thing that goes all over the city.
They are friendly and process right there and then.
So much better than HK too, plus the hotels,food and nightlife is better and cheaper so i always made a little holiday of it.
I just did it in HK : leave your passport between 9 and 11 am, and get it starting 16.00. (I actually got it at 15.30 and could even get an earlier flight)
price of the visa + 50% for the rush application.
for visitor visa it was 400 + 200 HK$
Yeah, Hong Kong and Macau both have same day service for an extra fee.
Hong Kong always told me come back at 4pm, a few times when I got there they told me they needed some extra documentation so I had to rush back to my hotel and print some stuff out from my laptop and rush back before they closed - best to get there early as sometimes Hong Kong office can be very busy. Macau was very easy (and much more friendly than the hong kong office), very quiet and I got my visa at 12:30pm, but they were very quiet at the time - so was the whole of Macau for that matter. Macau wanted cash in either Macau or Hong Kong Dollar at the time I submitted my application.
Why do you do visa runs where you are employed and working here? You should have an ARC yes?
I got my 60-day visitor visa on the same day (3 hour wait) at the TECO in Los Angeles for no extra charge. We told them that because we lived a few hours away having to come back another day to pick it up was going to be a hassle, and the clerk just told us to hang around and get some lunch at Korea town and pick up our passports at the end of the day.
The clerk told us that the minute she stamped the approval seal on the app the visa was approved, so it really was just the matter of keying in everything and running it through the printer
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Sooo I get to do my visa run this Thursday in HK, but still have no clue on a CHEAP (really dirt cheap if possible) place to stay… I have only known since Monday that I needed to go, so this is all last minute stuff… any one have some suggestions? 
agoda.co.uk if you can book online. They’re based in Thailand or something, but I’ve booked hotels through them a few times and it’s worked out pretty good.
Last time in HK I stayed at the Rambler Oasis Hotel, it’s close-ish to the airport, but really noisy if you face the harbour side, as it’s work going on 24h a day. But the price was ok, although it’s a bit far from the MTR and I never figured out how the shuttle buses ran…
letting you know on Monday that you have to go on the Thursday before the weekend of CNY?Your employers really are a class act 
Good luck to you, you are going to need it. Everywhere is going to either be fully booked or super expensive, even if you can find something.
well, I’m hoping for some info on a hostel or something like that… but I guess I will just be going in blind… 
There are some cheap ass nasty hotels near Mong Kok MTR station, well, nothing is really cheap in HK when it comes to hotel so…
There’s also a YMCA near there
The Anne Black - YWCA
http://hotel.ywca.org.hk/eng/AnneBlack/anne_location.htm
5 Man Fuk Road
Kowloon, Hong Kong
It’s a walk to the mtr but clean and quiet. Grocery store around the corner. Avoid restaurant and eat breakfast at the breakfast shop at entrance to mtr.
Bah! Chungking Mansions, obviously. It has to be done at least once. It’s a rite of passage sort of thing. Certainly cheap.
Edit: A cheap place on Man Fuk Road? What’s the catch? Snicker!!!
And damn that stooooooopid Nazi auto pinyiniser to hell. it’s C.H.U.N.G.K.I.N.G. Mansions, not bloody Chongqing.
HG
Funny.
Other than the absolute worst french toast I have ever experienced in my life, it’s fine.
Yup. If it’s cheap you want in HK, then Chung
k
ing Mansions is the place to look. Or else a park bench somewhere…