cycling to China VISA!!!!

[david lam]

Hi.

This will sound weird and far from believable, but I plan to cycle to China next year (via Europe) getting into the country via the Pakistani border. I will then cycle to the place of study I'll choose later (probably Beijing depending on my lung capacity) and plan to stay there to study possibly for as long as a year.

Sounds far-fetched???? Well, I'm just in the planning stages and I want to know how possible things are. Could somebody tell me if it's possible to renew your visa twice (thus allowing me a good 3 months to get to Beijing) and then apply for a student visa for a year without leaving the country????

The point of this exercise is that I DON'T FLY (I'm raising money to combat climate change) so if anybody could relieve me of my fear of visa run hell I'd be most grateful.

Thankyou.

[shanghaikai]

That should be an adventure. Not sure where you are but visit your local Chinese consulate or embassy (wherever you'll be applying for your visa) and explain to them your plan. You could apply for a longer tourist visa or at the very least (hopefully) get better instructions on where and when you should renew your visa once you're in the country.

I imagine you don't want to be trapped in the countryside with some bullshit PSB who can't figure out the bureaucracy of getting a foreigner the right visa to continue his trek through their country.

[md1101]

hi david,

i can't help you with the visa but i expect it shouldn't be that much of a problem.

i just wanted to say. GOOD LUCK on your journey! sounds like a hell of an adventure.

[mr.stinky]

can't offer any advice, but i can reassure you that it is possible. ran across a young

woman a couple months ago at a bike shop here. she had cycled from her home in

eastern europe on a recumbent to beijing for studies, and was on the return trip home.

[adrianlondon]

If it were me (and I half wish it was; it sounds like a cool trip) I'd ask at the embassy if they could give you a 6-month F-visa based on documentation from the charity you're doing the cycling for.

Try to get hold of greenpeace in Beijing (a friend worked for them) as they're doing quite a lot at the moment. Maybe they can help you.

绿色和平中国分部北京联络处

北京朝阳区朝外大街吉庆里蓝筹名座E座2区19层（邮编 100020）

电话: （86）10 65546931

传真: （86）10 65546932

Unit 2, 19/F, Block E, Lanchou Famous Building, Jiqingli,

Chaowai Street,

Chaoyang District,

Beijing 100020,

[BrandeX]

On www.visarite.com it states:

Effective August 01, 2007, Chinese Visa policy for US passport holders has been simplified. Most applicant will be qualified for 12 months multiple entry, if the passport has at least 15 months validity left.

You can enter China unlimited times on this visa.

Valid immediately once issued, expires after 12 months

Allowed duration of stay is normally 120 days after you enter.

So that gives you a year to get there, and then 4 months before you have to renew. Obviously you stated you are from Europe and not the US, but perhaps if you check into it the same type may be available, or perhaps even easier to obtain/cheaper than this quote for US citizens.

[adrianlondon]

I don't think that website is telling the truth. Anyone with a US passport recently been offered a 12-month no-questions-asked multi-entry visa?

Anyway, the website goes on to say

you can now normally stay 90 -120 days for each entry

[BrandeX]

Anyone with a US passport recently been offered a 12-month no-questions-asked multi-entry visa?

This was who I used, and how I applied it. I will try to remember to let you know here when my passport comes back. It is at the embassy now.

[aeon]

I can't offer advice, but I know that it's do-able as I met a Brit in Beijing who'd cycled across Europe, Russia and Mongolia to get there.

[johnd]

If you don't already know, Alastair Humphreys cycled all the way around the world. I enjoyed reading his blogs when he was doing it - now it looks like he has written a book. Maybe you can get some more inspiration from his website. Good luck to you!

[roddy]

If it were me (and I half wish it was; it sounds like a cool trip) I'd ask at the embassy if they could give you a 6-month F-visa based on documentation from the charity you're doing the cycling for.

I wouldn't. Embassies baulk at giving visas to people who so much as list Tibet on their itinerary, I doubt any kind of campaigning would be looked on favorably. By all means show them an itinerary and explain what you're planning though, just don't mention the political aspect.

[anonymoose]

Also, check regulations about importing bicycles into China because, as far as I remember, there are some restrictions.

[mr.stinky]

here's a couple interesting websites i have bookmarked for an eventual tour...

http://www.arizonahandbook.com/Yunnan5.htm

http://downtheroad.org/Asia/

[Rincewind]

Cycling to china does sound like a good trip for a fit person. Give a bit of consideration to your route though. There are several danger spots between Europe and China that you should try to avoid. I would have thought the Pakistan/China border would have been one of them. Kashmir seems to run hot and cold. I'd also not want to go to near to Afghanistan. Has anyone been there recently who can comment on the situation.

How about skirting the Mountains down through India and enter china in the South? I've always wanted to travel up the Ganges river to the source, you'd be going the other way down hill to the sea. Try to find someone who has gone by land and get as much information about the route as you can. There was a transport firm near where I worked that sent three trucks to china each month. They took the Russia/Kazakhstan route. But that was back in 1997 and the politics in the area have changed a bit since then.

[david lam]

Thanks guys! I never expected such a huge response! I'm also a little confused due to the conflicting nature of the advice, but I'll look into all of that.

David.

[BrandeX]

Quote:

I don't think that website is telling the truth. Anyone with a US passport recently been offered a 12-month no-questions-asked multi-entry visa?

Quote:

This was who I used, and how I applied it. I will try to remember to let you know here when my passport comes back. It is at the embassy now.

Just to report back in regarding this issue, since my passport arrived today from the visa service. Yes, it is true, I was just issued a 12 month no questions-asked multiple entry L visa "valid for 120 days per entry" as it is printed on the visa sticker. The "per entry" wording seems odd, like it is reusable but w/e.

Again to the OP, this is part of the flat fee/reciprocity for visas with China-USA, and your experience in obtaining a multi entry visa good for up to 4 months may be different.

[Rincewind]

Just to report back in regarding this issue, since my passport arrived today from the visa service. Yes, it is true, I was just issued a 12 month no questions-asked multiple entry L visa "valid for 120 days per entry" as it is printed on the visa sticker. The "per entry" wording seems odd, like it is reusable but w/e.

The per entry means you can go to china, stay for 120 days, leave china then come back in and stay for another 120 days. You can keep doing this up to the 12 month limit and the limit of the number of entries on the visa (if any). Every time you come back in you get another 120 days.

[BrandeX]

Ok thanks, I was kind of thinking that was the case. That will be handy I guess since I will be in Guangzhou, if I do not end up getting some other kind of visa before the year is up.