Hong Kong Visa Run

[doumeizhen]

大家好！

I have to head to Hong Kong this week to switch my student visa to a work visa, and was wondering, how long does it take? Can I get it the same day, or do I need to stay overnight?

What were your experiences going down there?

[geek_frappa]

From my experience is paperwork is done much more quickly if you know someone who actually processes the paperwork or if you pay a premium. The shortest time for conversion for me was about 2 days.

Be careful when you hand your passport to someone. Make sure you will get it back.

[Crivens200]

If it's conversion to a simple F visa you could get it done same day - I've done so in the past, using Japanese Travel Agency in Kowloon. It had to be in by 12 I think and it came back after 6. Seem to remember I had to pay a premium though.

[WoAiJolinTsai]

Go to the airport... they have alot of places that will do it same day.

[gato]

Does anyone have any experience with these visa services in Beijing? They claim to be able to provide L-to-F and X-to-F visa conversion within Beijing, so you don't need to go to HK for it.

http://www.btmbeijing.com/subjects/classifieds/visa_services

provide satisfactory services for you as below:

1) L visa to 3/6/12-months F visa (0/1/2/M entry)

2) F visa to 3/6/12-months F visa (0/1/2/M entry)

3) Z visa to 3/6/12-months F visa (0/1/2/M entry)

4) X visa to 3/6/12-months F visa (0/1/2/M entry)

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/classifieds/services/visa/

[roddy]

Work visa is a Z, not F / business visa. I don't know if the usual agencies handle Z visas - certainly 99% of their business will be F visas. The majority of what is written about getting Chinese visas in Hong Kong is on business or tourist visas, and is only borderline relevant.

Anyway, assuming you have the necessary paperwork there's no need to use an agency. You can just go to the China Visa Office in Hong Kong

5th Floor, Lower Block, China Resource Building Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel: 852 2827 1811

I can't see a website for this place, but in general Chinese embassies (which this isn't as it's not technically outside of China) will do a same day turnaround for a fee - however, getting there early enough to get that same day turnaround might be problematic if you are coming from Beijing.

I'd phone ahead though and check a couple of things - any issues when applying for a work visa outside of your home country, and do they require the health forms which are sometimes required for Z visas.

Have you looked at doing this in Beijing? I think it's possible, but am not 100% sure.

If you don't have the necessary paperwork an agency should be able to help you, but I'd be inclined to go the F visa route to avoid needing a residence permit once you are back in Beijng.

[terryswift]

in february i went to hong kong to do exactly what the o.p. is planning to do- switch my x (student) visa to the z (work) visa. i work for a university in beijing, and they have very good contacts to handle most any visa issues locally, except as it turned out, changing the x to z.

i flew to hk, got to the embassy in the morning, paid extra for the rush service, and picked up my visa that afternoon. it was very easy. theres a write-up on thatsbj.com describing step-by-step how to do it. my co-worker was doing the same, but flew into shenzhen and took a train into hk to save money, which he said was also easy enough.

the health forms werent necessary until returning to bj- then i needed them to apply for the new resident permit.