Traveling in China for more than 30 days

Travel Taiwan Travel
1

Hi!

Is it hard to get a 60 day trourist (L) visa for China? I see its also possible to extend your visa by 30 days once you are in China. Are they very anal about this, or can it be done easily? Has anyone here done it?

And on a related note, how strict are they about proof of finance, and hotel booking when you apply for a visa? I’m thinking of applying in HK, since I want to stay there a couple of days anyway, though I’ll see if my travel agent wants to help me tomorrow…

Thanks
Neilen

2

I didn’t have to provide any proof of finance or hotel bookings at all the last time I went.
However - more than 30 days in China in summer? I hope you like it hot, because otherwise you won’t be able to stand it. I can think of fewer places I’d less rather be in summer than China.

3

Hell no, I’ll be going in September. Apparantly that happens to be a nice time, or so my guide book says!

Anyway, thanks for the info

Cheers
Neilen[/quote]

4

I think if you’re willing to pay, a travel agent here can get you one. Certainly the six-month business visa (F?) is easy to get here and it allows a stay of six months (it’s valid for multiple trips within six months and you can stay the whole six months if you want).

5

I extended my visa from a thirty day to an additional thirty within a couple of days of arriving just last month. I only needed an extra three days but their visas are 30 days at a time.

No problems. Went to the police station, paid some money, presented my air tickets & passport and voila!

One caveat: This was in Beijing. I’ve heard that is the easiest place to get things done.

6

Hi!

Thanks, this is great news. I reckon I’ll be in Bejing when I need to extend it anyway, so no worries then… Otherwise Shanghai. I doubt they’ll be much more difficult than Beijing there?

7

Any Americans getting Chinese visas lately? There was a report a couple of months ago that we had to have interviews–in America, no third parties like travel agents–as retaliation for the U.S. making Chinese submit to fingerprinting. So, is that really how it is now?

8

I’m afraid that is the case. I have just confirmed with a local travel agent in Taiwan that they can no longer apply for visas for Americans. The only option is to fly to Hong Kong and apply in person there.

My question is, assuming all one’s papers and airtickets are in order, is this a fairly guaranteed thing? If I set up a 2 week trip to China, I need to be very sure that during the half-day stop over in Hong Kong I’ll be able to get my visa.

Does anyone have recent experiences they can share on this?