Update: Visa from Hong Kong - no more F or multible visa!

[flameproof]

There seem to be some noteworthy developments about visas for China. According to JTA in Hong Kong (a visa service I used frequently) the latest information is:

Currently they do not issue any F-Visa at all.

Currently they issue only L-Visa with single or double entry up to maximum 6 month.

I spoke to them, obviously their website is not updated: http://www.jta.biz/chinavisa/china_visa.htm

My advise for people that plan to visit Hong Kong to get a visa: call them (or your visa agent of choice) and ask them what they can do for you right now.

[sandeehoo]

What's an L visa? Can we study on an L visa like we did with an F visa?

If Hong Kong won't issue one, will other neighbouring countries issue it?

[roddy]

If you are coming to study, you should have an invitation letter from your school and you can therefore get your visa directly from the Chinese visa office in Hong Kong. There's no need to go through an agent, which is what the OP is referring to.

Hong Kong agents are used by people who a) don't have the supporting documentation - ie an invitation letter - for the visa they want; B) don't realize they can get their visa directly from the visa office; or c) find it easier to use an agent for some reason.

Although the whole visa tightening process is a hassle for a lot of people, as far as I can see anyone who is operating within the rules of the visa regulations isn't having any trouble.

An L visa is a tourist visa. Might be ok for very short term study.

Thanks for the heads-up, Flameproof.

[flameproof]

L Visa = Tourist visa. There are plenty of discussions here:

http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=28

It looks like many visa holders will have to to track to Hong Kong, or other places to buy a visa on a monthly basis. Should be no problem for those on a healthy expat package. But for others........

[havana]

I just got back from Hong Kong with a 3-month, multientry F visa from Shoestring Travel without an invitation letter/other paperwork. The 6-month F visa I wanted was not an option I was told.

This is after the immigration office in Wan Chai told me the best they could do was either a 15 or 30-day L visa - single entry!

[flameproof]

When was that? Seems that L visa regulation just started (today?).

[flameproof]

There is a front page article in todays Sunday Morning Post (Hong Kong) about the visa squeeze. Not too much news, and certainly no good news. What was new for was that even regular business visitors and HK residents (with passports) can't get any multiple visa anymore.

Article is attached.

[flameproof]

The HK visa squeeze was topic in todays BackChat radio (and call in) program on Hong Kong RHTK 3.

mms://202.177.192.108/rthk/radio3/20080408/2008040809.asf

It ends at 10:00, not sure how fast it will be ready for download. It should be available for download some time this morning. File size is usually around 10Mb and the program is 1 hour.

PS: yesterdays URL was wrong, should be correct now.

[sandeehoo]

Hey Havana and everyone,

It seems like Hong Kong won't issue 6 month multi-entry F visas anymore until end of Games.

What about a 6 month single-entry F visa with all supporting documentation e.g uni invitation letter. I'm currently studying in Beijing with this visa but want to extend my studies for another semester and was thinking of going to Hong Kong to do this. I thought if i had all the necessary invitation letters/documents from my Tsinghua Uni then it would be a piece of cake for me to get a 6 month single-entry F visa in Hong Kong before my current visa runs out around July but this thread is making me worry.

Any advice anyone?!

[flameproof]

@sandeehoo

Your chances are very, very slim to get more the 30 days in HK. It's either 30 days single entry, or double entry, still max 30 days for each stay. Max validity 3 month.

[roddy]

I wouldn't be so negative - he's got the supporting documentation, doesn't need to go through an agent (note that all reports so far, including those so far, seem to be from agents), and he's only looking for a single entry visa.

Sandeehoo - I'd speak to your school and see what they say. Tell them what you are hearing, and ask if they can phone the PSB in Beijing, the visa office in Hong Kong, and take it from there.

[flameproof]

I wouldn't be so negative - he's got the supporting documentation, doesn't need to go through an agent (note that all reports so far, including those so far, seem to be from agents),

It's better to be a little on the pessimistic side rather then spending much money for your HK trip and find out you can't get much here.

The facts as it stands today:

Agent can only issue L visa with a max. stay of 30 days with 1 or 2 entries

The Visa office is not able to comment. You can't call them. Either line is busy, or they hang up. But since all business associations in HK complain too I presume that even with perfect supporting documents you will still not get a longer visa in HK.

I hope I am wrong, but for now be careful and presume that can only get as written above.

[onebir]

"Although the whole visa tightening process is a hassle for a lot of people, as far as I can see anyone who is operating within the rules of the visa regulations isn't having any trouble. "

Fair enough were it not for the Chinese habit of making regulations that aren't enforced for years - or are easily circumvented, as I've been doing - and then all of a sudden enforcing them for no particular reason. (WTF have the olympics got to do with F visas???).

And you also make the assumption that the visa regulations are well thought out. In fact there's no category for someone like me, who wants to live in China but has no real need for (/interest in doing) a job here. Many other countries in Asia offer retirement visas. Admittedly I'm too young to benefit from them, but at least they've considered that some people might like to live there without being economically active.

[cdn_in_bj]

In fact there's no category for someone like me, who wants to live in China but has no real need for (/interest in doing) a job here. Many other countries in Asia offer retirement visas. Admittedly I'm too young to benefit from them, but at least they've considered that some people might like to live there without being economically active[/b'].

(emphasis mine)

Contrary to what you imply, those rich (relatively speaking) western retirees are a boost to the local economies of those countries. And the application process for most, if not all, retirement visas require an initial investment/savings in the host country and/or proof of pension/income. The gov't here obviously feels that they would not benefit as much from these types of foreign residents.

[adrianlondon]

I don't think China does anything difficult with its visa process not already done by other countries. It's just that China is so big, and Beijing so far from any borders, that it's a real hassle to leave/re-enter to get a new visa ;)

[gougou]

I've seen new regulation pasted on several web pages (e.g. here), all without sources. Has anybody heard anything about this? If accurate, this would be a huge change from current policy.

[BrandeX]

In fact there's no category for someone like me, who wants to live in China but has no real need for (/interest in doing) a job here.

That falls under "L".

[onebir]

"Contrary to what you imply, those rich (relatively speaking) western retirees are a boost to the local economies of those countries."

I didn't imply that - economically inactive doesn't mean you don't spend money, it just means you're not working to earn it.

"That falls under "L"."

Ok, well if I'm a tourist, it's going to be a rush getting to see everything there is to see in China in a month...

[hidden12345]

Anyone have any insights on how this will affect obtaining X visas? (ie. whether those too will be limited to durations of only 30 days before a mandatory exit/re-entry)

Also, how will these new policies affect obtaining a 1yr. residency permit?

thanks---

(I always knew the Olympics were gonna be a major pain in the ass. They should have never left Greece)

[smalldog]

Some interesting related news... Chinese who lose their passports overseas will have to wait until after the Olympics to get a replacement. The date of September 22nd might also be a good guess as to when visa policy returns to normal.

http://www.chinaembassy.org.sg/chn/lsqw/t424946.htm