PRC has the most powerful bureacracy on the planet, and bureacrats like to flex their arbitrary power. I think we have to expect that the PRC visa situation will change back and forth. Consider this article travelpod.com/travel-blog-en … 75580.html Unfortunately its undated, and maybe things have changed somehow now that the Olympics (but not the special olympics) are over.
The travel agent I talked to here (maybe I need to change agents) now reveals that this is what they offer. Of course some of this conflicts with the information above.
This Taiwan agent only deals with
(A) single entry business visa—processed in HK
3 month single entry 6500 NT: provide passport, authorization, photo, 3 weeks (excluding holidays) plus proof of employment and business card, 8-12 days
(B) multiple entry tourist visa (1 or 2 years)—processed in US and therefore takes longer
1 year multiple entry 9500 NT, passport, authorization, photo, 3 weeks (excluding holidays)
2 year multiple entry 13500 NT
(in other words this agent doesn’t do single entry tourist visa)
What I don’t get … why do they issue a single entry business visa … and a multiple entry tourist visa … aren’t many of the business people going more often to China for business and therefor would need a multiple entry visa? But the way it goes in Taiwan I suppose the Chinese have the same logic … or non, or common sense … or non …
I decided that for me the answer is to just pay an English speaking travel agent to handle everything. An agent that has actually obtained visas for Americans recently. The PRC bureaucrats are just too arbitrary for me to fool around with changing visas, lines, documentation. Also the travel agent will generate the flight itinerary and hotel reservations needed for the visa. I’m not actually staying in hotels, so its worth paying them the money to deal with this. I could ask my PRC friends for their paperwork, but its complicated, and I don’t want to implicate any of them so they lose a kidney later after PRC takes over ROC and finds all my (and your) subversive posts on Forumosa…
I think it’s a limit by the agent as he said “This Taiwan agent only deals with”. You can have multiple entry business visas, I have one and even got it just before the Olympics (issued in Hong Kong).
Edit: just figured double-entry, which is what I got, is not considered multiple-entry! Sorry-lah.
Ok, short question on that topic again, did several of this visa runs before the olympics kicked in and it all was good with one day stop-over.
Now I just got an emergency call from the Austrian company I freeelanced for and they need somebody to solve few things for them in Nanjing again. I don’t have a China visa at the moment, had several multiple entry business visas for almost 3 years altogether but I will have to go next week to China.
Is there any chance to get a multiple entry business visa in HK now on the same day or at least within 24 hours? Or at least a single entry one?
Ok, seems the whole mess is still there even after the whole Olympic party is over.
Need to go to China on the 12th of December, well beeing in Nanjing on the 13th in the mornging (can’t leave before 12th). So thought I could get the visa on same day as before the Olympic mess. Nope, still just can get a single or double entry business visa till the NEXT day at 2pm (if I reach the office before 10am on the first day).
Also just able to get either single or double entry business visa. That way I have to spend almost more time in HK waiting than the visit in China will take.
Do they have a kind of agreement with the HK tourism office to increase overnight stays or so? :fume:
I’m wondering if there is anyone with recent experience of traveling to China as a tourist?
I’ll be in Hong Kong for two weeks in late January, but want to cross the border to Shenzen. I have no intention of staying in a hotel, as I will be staying with a friend, but don’t want to bother them with paperwork. Is it still required to have the hotel reservations when applying for a visa in Hong Kong?
Assuming that it can’t easily be done from Taiwan for a small fee, I’m willing to wait 1 or 2 days in HK for my visa.
Things used to be so easy… Show up in HK, hand over the passport, pick it up the next day and enter China. Done.
I applied for a visa at HK airport on Thursday (haven’t picked it up yet) and they did ask me for the name of the hotel in HK “in case there is a problem”. They did NOT ask for any proof of reservation. But then again, I haven’t got the visa yet…
[quote=“Ah Q”]Assuming that it can’t easily be done from Taiwan for a small fee, I’m willing to wait 1 or 2 days in HK for my visa.
Things used to be so easy… Show up in HK, hand over the passport, pick it up the next day and enter China. Done.
[/quote]
I could have picked up the visa the next day. At least they said I could.
Alternatively, if you have a Taiwan ARC ask your local Taiwan travel agency whether they can help you with the visa for China, that worked for me three weeks ago. It takes 7 working days though. Cost me 1800 NT, if I remember correctly. Hm, but that visa was not for tourism, but business. You may need the name, address and telephone number of your business contact in China for that.
Oh, and I have a German passport, things maybe different for other people. Again, I recommend to ask you travel agent.
As the original OP, I now find I need an update for future plans.
Anyone have any new experience since Olympics or recently? Can a US passport holder traveling from Taiwan to PRC pick up a visa at the airport same day? I did it when I wrote the original post.
Unless something has changed within the last two weeks (or US Americans get better service), then I am almost certain that you cannot pick up your visa same day.
just an update for anyone stumbling upon this thread:
i received my visa to china today (US citizen in Taiwan). it is class ‘L’, 1-yr multiple entry, 60 days at a time. cost me NT9,000(!) and 8 full working days of processing time.
i had to provide:
passport
work certificate (chinese)
company name in english & chinese
copy of arc
business card
name/address of where i’m staying in china
photo
invitation letter, email (this was provided, but maybe not necessary. my friends mom needed one so he gave me one too)
sorry – i am located in taipei. i used a travel agent…gave them everything i listed previously, and they took care of everything for me. it looks like the visa was issued from LA, so i dunno what’s up with that.
would you like the email or phone of the travel agent?
Can anybody recommend a specific, reputable & not horribly expensive travel agent in central Taipei who can arrange the 30-day visitor visa w/whatever their rules are now?
As I understand, US passport holders in Taiwan can only get the 30-day single-entry visitor visa unless going on business w/invitation letters, etc.
Second, are hotel reservations really required??
Hoping to travel to several cities & will be on overnight trains at times, staying in hostels & whatever I can find when I get there. Have never been to mainland - is that even feasible? Better to make arrangements up front??
Planning to enter from HK/Shenzhen & leave from Beijing.
I’m a US citizen with a Taiwan ARC (through marriage). I MAY need to travel to Beijing on business. Money is not as much of an issue as time. Even though I MIGHT not have to go, if I DO need to go, I’ll need to go quickly. Since it can take so much time to process a Chinese visa, I either need to get started on this tomorrow, even if I don’t ever end up using it, or risk waiting and if things move forward go to Hong Kong.
My travel agent in Taipei states that she can get me a business visa in 4 to 6 business days:
6 days for 6600 TWD
5 days for 7300 TWD
4 days for 7800 TWD
I need to give them:
passport
copy of ARC
business cards
employment verification
re-entry permit (because my ARC is not the “new kind” with the bar code, WTF?!)
It was the last item that sent me to these forums for a reality check. I’ve now read a whole lot of posts from several threads and am still unsure the best way to approach this. I’m still waiting to here from here where in Taichung (where I’m located) I need to go to get a re-entry visa.
Also, my agent will be out of the office for much of this week and I’m not sure I trust others in her office. Since I"m in Taichung, I’m thinking of trying out WHOSE travel. Has anyone used WHOSE travel for Chinese business visas?
As for the Hong Kong option, I’d appreciate hearing from any U.S. citizens who recently got a business visa in Hong Kong. Can you get it same/next day? What paper work do you need?
Lastly, I have my own company, registered in Taipei with a service agreement with a U.S. based company. Basically, I would be going to Beijing to supervise work done by subcontractors of the US company. It is interesting that my travel agent isn’t asking for a letter of invitation from any Chinese company. As for the “employment verification”, I’m waiting to hear back from the travel agent about whether just provide corporate paperwork showing me a co-owner, or whether I have my wife (the majority shareholder) write a verification on company letterhead. The latter seems like it would be easier and more “expected” by the Chinese visa officials.
