Visa Changes - what you going to do?

[chrix]

so any news regarding visas for people who want to do some self-study? Was thinking of spending some time next year in China immersing myself in a Chinese language environment while working on some research papers (that don't have anything to do with China)... Would that still work? Maybe I could could come up with some kind of China-related research, which would also be a nice for my CV I guess, but I'm not sure if that wouldn't complicate matters. Any suggestions welcome.

[roddy]

Could we avoid this becoming a general visa query / reassurance topic - a number of recent posts would be better served by some searching and reading - here, thebeijinger.com, the lonelyplanet's thorntree has a loooooooong Chinese visa sticky - and then if necessary the writing of an informed, specific question.

[westmeadboy]

In response to Roddy's post #36... I assume its OK to post here...

Thanks for the tip Roddy. Just picked up my double entry tourist visa (90 days per stay) in Chiang Mai.

When I went to apply, the guy in front of me in the queue asked for the longest stay double entry visa and he was told only 60 days. So I filled out the form without asking any questions ;) and wrote 2x90 for the stay duration and wrote down a huge number of chinese cities I planned to visit. When I handed over the form I was told that 60 days is normally the longest but sensing a certain amount of flexibility in her tone, I did a bit of pleading...

To get the 90 day stay, it seems important that you have been to china before (not sure how many times and not sure if the old visits from before your current passport count) and also it "helps" if you can put the name/address of a "friend" in china.

My application was accepted but they could not say which duration I would get because that was something someone else (higher up) would decide.

Cost 1650Baht - applied Monday picked up Thursday.

[adrianlondon]

Thirty quid, for a 2 x 3 month visa. Fantastic. It's almost worth flying to Chiang Mai to get the visa.

[westmeadboy]

Thirty quid, for a 2 x 3 month visa. Fantastic. It's almost worth flying to Chiang Mai to get the visa.

Yeah, that's exactly what I did - extra travel costs to/from Bangkok about £40 with Air Asia. Otherwise, I would have just got my 1-month visa in Delhi and used an agency in China to extend which would have been risky and expensive.

Oh, forgot to mention about the flights...

The flights from Chiang Mai to Kunming and Jinhong are only available in high season (November to April I think). Thai Airways are the only airline doing that route. Travel agent told me that the fare is normally about 6,000Baht (one way), 10,000Baht (return).

[heifeng]

talk about monsters, there seems to be a 2 yr visa too, but my consulate said they don't issue them...even though this other website has been pretty recently updated: 2008年9月19日

Update from my post in 11/08: 1 year later, the Chinese consulate issued me the 2 year Multiple entry (60 day) L visa this time when I went in to renew my visa...yeah.

Goes to show you it never hurts to keep asking and that sometimes the person at the window makes all the difference. It's worth noting that the consulate DOES look to see if you have previous L visas in your passport (and probably the entry and exit stamps as well). Last year I didn't have any L visas in my passport, but this time I did have to copy that previous L visa page in my passport as well as the other documents I brought along (they did not appear interested in my previous residence permit or F visa and didn't request copies of them) ....

Phew, I'm set for visas until almost 2012...or until I move back

Edited November 19, 2009 at 02:32 AM by heifeng

[Menino80]

Does anyone know how easy it is to switch from a student 'x' visa to a 'z'? My plan is to study in teh fall then look for work. I have no problem doing a visa run to HK or Seoul.

[heidi w]

congrad heifeng ! but it still costs u time and fees to go out and get back in chinese boarder every 2 mths rite~?!~~ aaiiii.... i am about to step into this sort of life now~~ don't know how well i am going to cope with it.