The new visa run: Qingdao

[roddy]

Anyone having trouble getting hold of a decent length visa at the moment may want to know about the seaside city of Qingdao, where things seem to be . . . lenientish. Six month F visas are being issued if you go via an agent - those in Shanghai (don't know) and Beijing (Leeo) are arranging visa runs where they send your details through to Qingdao ahead of you, you nip down (or up) to show your face, and you walk away with a brand new six month F visa. May also be worth contacting a local agency - pretty sure that will work out cheaper.

Here's how it worked in my case (yes, I think I said somewhere that I was avoiding agency F-visas. I failed).

Turn up to the above mentioned agency in Beijing. Beijing-processed visas are 4000+ and run only till mid September. Qingdao ones total 2700, +4/500 train costs, and you get a full six months. Ok, hand over 1000Y 'service fee deposit' or something. (strongly recommend you look at the possibility of skipping the Beijing connection, I didn't even think of it till too late)

Few days later, overnight train down to Qingdao. Head to the recommended hotel where they know exactly what all these foreigners asking for the 60Y rooms are after - the registration slip. The room does actually exist if you want to shower and change, but I suspect they might be a little surprised if you actually sleep there (I wouldn't recommend it, although at 60Y you can't argue. Better than Chongqing Mansions would be the best praise I could manage).

9.30 turn up at the visa place. Agency guy is 45 minutes late, and is one of those grunt-point guys who's spent so much time dealing with random foreigners he can't speak any language at all. Hand over passport, registration slip, photograph. Get photographed onto the computer.

Visas are meant to be ready before 12, but 'the printer's broken'. Cafe two doors down, not great, but comfy enough for a wait. Back at 2. Passport comes back with visa at 2.20, hide in corner to pay rest of cash. Visa agent refuses point blank to give any contact details - no way he's risking the referrals, I think. As I'm leaving poor Uzbekistan bloke is being told his visa is 'still processing' and two Philippine women are looking nervous. Taxi to train station, miss the 14:52, wait for the 17:17. Home by midnight.

Next day update details at the local police station - no questions asked.

Edited May 11, 2009 at 05:56 AM by roddy

[flameproof]

Will that visa have the "max 30 days stay" restriction?

[roddy]

No, it's a straight six months, zero entry (ie will be effectively cancelled if you leave the country). Might be possible to get entries, I didn't ask.

[westmeadboy]

Is that the same whether you already have a tourist or business visa? And does it depend how long the existing visa already is or how long you've already been in the country?

[roddy]

Quite possibly - not sure if the agency fees vary, but I think changing a visa (ie L>F) and extending a visa (F>F) are different items on the PSB's tariff. There's actually a great big list of all the different costs on the wall at Qingdao's 出入境管理处. How long you've been in the country or how long you've got on your current visa are irrelevant, I think. Although bear in mind the new visa will 'overwrite' any existing time on your previous visa, so it makes sense to leave it till it's almost run out if you want to stretch out your time in China as far as possible.

And bear in mind extending or changing a Qingdao visa in the future may require a trip to Qingdao - not sure about that.

[westmeadboy]

If its possible to go F->F then doesnt that mean you could forever (visa rules changes permitting) perpetually get one 6 month extension after another?

Or does the new F visa have something on it that distinguishes it from a non-extension F visa?

[flameproof]

I thought all F visas need to expire by end September coz of the "invited guests only" party? Does that apply to yours?

[cui ruide]

I have an F-visa through october through work...I've not been notified it will change?

[roddy]

Westmeadboy:I think you're meant to leave the country at least once a year - not sure I've ever seen that written down though. So yes, you could keep chaining F-visas, but you might need to combine that with trips out of China.

Flameproof: the clue is in the words "six months"

Cui Ruide: No problem, if you've already got a visa past September there's no need to worry.

[westmeadboy]

So yes, you could keep chaining F-visas, but you might need to combine that with trips out of China.

Which would mean you would need a 1-entry extension rather than a 0-entry.

Tangent Alert - is the ferry from Qingdao to Seoul still running these days?

[hidden12345]

So places like Traveler's in Beijing aren't issuing 1yr F visa extensions anymore? Is this because of 国庆? Please clarify for those of us less informed. Thanks

[roddy]

No. I'm not sure when 1 year F's were last available in Beijing, but I suspect it was some time ago. As for why, the Oct.1 celebrations are being bandied around, but I think it makes more sense to see it as a general tightening and enforcement of visa rules. There's no guarantee there'll be any relaxation later this year.

Tangent Alert - is the ferry from Qingdao to Seoul still running these days?

New thread button, left hand side. After you've Googled.

[Baggerking]

I also am using the Visa Services in Qingdao, and have recommended to many people in the city I live in.

I use the guy at www.myvisaok.com. He's a champ, but alas, he is a business man to the bone. My phone conversations with him last a couple of minutes at max. You do not be late with this guy. Overall, the entire experience felt remarkably like some of the weed runs I would go on with friends back in the States... except for instead of waiting in a stranger's home it was a police station... and instead of watching my friends get high it was getting a VISA... small differences I guess...

Many people who live in the same city as me have had similar problems with my VISA, and I have referred them to him. He seems to like the business.

If you are in Qingdao, I recommend picking up a copy of Redstar. It's free at any of the bars or the SOFITEL building. It's probably one of the better free magazines I've read in my life, although I am not really an expert at reading free magazines... website at www.myredstar.com

[onebir]

And bear in mind extending or changing a Qingdao visa in the future may require a trip to Qingdao - not sure about that.

It looks like that might be a wise precaution:

My current F-visa was due to expire on May 20 [2008]. When I tried to get a new 6 month F-visa, not only did my application get rejected, but they put a new 10 day "visa" of unknown type in my passport that said I had ten days to leave the country! By the time I was made aware of this, I only had six days left, thanks to the ineptitude of the visa service people.

I lost about four weeks from the visa that expired on May 20. No one had any solid answers for me, but they did say all the applicants whose previous visas were issued from Qingdao got the boot. No, I never went to Qingdao, but that's where the previous visa service company sent my passport, back in November.

From Dave's ESL cafe

This was pre-Olympics, and there is some discussion in the thread about whether the fact it was a Qingdao F visa was relevant, or whether all Fs were treated this way. Probably worth asking the Qingdao connection...

[wannabeafreak]

I have a 6 month L visa. What's the difference between L and F visa you are talking about?

[onebir]

I have a 6 month L visa. What's the difference between L and F visa you are talking about?

L is a tourist visa (lyyou-旅游), F is a visiting on business (fangwen 访问, I think）but not allowed to work visa.

Getting a kosher F requires an letter from a company inviting you to China. Unless you have relatives in China (etc?), it's difficult to get an L visa allowing a long uninterrupted stay. So many people prefer F visas, and irregular channels for getting them meet this demand. eg the places in Qingdao, previously many agents in HK, etc.

If you have an L visa & it didn't come from agents in Qingdao, I don't think anything in this thread is relevant to you. Actually, because documentation requirements for Ls are lower, even if it did come from Qingdao, I very much doubt it's relevant to you.

[Fergus_1]

I am 4 weeks through a 90 day L visa issued in Hong Kong and am wondering if I should attempt to go down to Qingdao early and try to obtain an F visa there or will that avenue-Qingdao-be restricted or stopped entirely during the lead up to Oct 1 CCP anniversary? Thanks for any info you might have

Fergus

[roddy]

You could get in touch with the agencies and see what they are predicting, but there's no way of knowing for sure what'll be happening when your visa runs out in late August.

[Fergus_1]

Hi Roddy.

Was just looking at this lonelyplanet thread...I guess this is someone maybe only touting for business below, but will ask in case they have inside knowledge of what's to come?

http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2009/06/28/the-policy-extenstion-f-visa-will-be-strciter-and-strciter

osted Jun 28, 2009 9:10am by xiezhulin0001

xiezhulin0001

Joined: Apr 2nd, 2009

Posts: 67

i heard that extendtion f visa for one year was closed again, just lasted serveral days .and for 6 months woulg become much harder. it is better to get it at once ,i think . ifyou need it.

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IVY

Ivy

msn:xie.jing2009@hotmail.com

15810520861 010-58156222(ext129)

I got this back from BeijingLeeo though I had not specically asked him about getting an F visa at Qingdao

From: Beijing LEEOKevin (bjleeo@hotmail.com)

Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 5:15:28 AM

To:

Hello,

You can extend your tourist L visa for another 30 days. At present, it is impossible to convert L visas to F visas.

Normally speaking, L visas can be extended twice, 30 days for each time.

Regards,

Kevin LU

Beijing LEEO Consulting Service

----------------------------

Better Service, Easier Life!

http://www.cn-visa.com

Edited June 29, 2009 at 03:35 PM by Fergus_1
extra info

[roddy]

Leeo's one of the more established agencies, as good to ask them as anyone. There's also a link up top to the (or one of the) agencies in Qingdao.