UK Chinese Visa Application Service Center

[fanglu]

I'm wondering if anyone has used the Chinese Visa Application Center (www.visaforchina.org.uk), which is the company the Chinese embassy in London has seemingly outsourced visa processing to, and how it compares to the previous system of applying directly at the consulate. From what I can tell the difference is its more expensive, but the opening hours are longer and they take posted applications. Anyone have any comments?

[anonymoose]

Yes, I have used it postally. It is more expensive, but as far as I know, it is also more hassle now doing it in person (ie. having to book a time in advance) etc.

The whole visa thing is just a money-making scam, and this is just part of it. But since it's not something you can do anything about anyway, you might as well go for the option with minimum hassle. I have had no problem doing it by post.

[xianhua]

I have no complaints having used the service earlier in the year.

In previous years, we’d only used agencies for postal applications anyway as their charges worked out cheaper than the cost of travelling to London. The new service must have hit those agencies hard.

The service fee seems to apply whether you apply by post or in person (I may have missed something), so if your transport costs to get the Visa centre are more than a tenner*, then consider applying by post.

* cost for Special delivery both ways.

[zhutou]

Quick question (since they ignore my emails!), if I were to submit the application on a Friday under the 'normal service speed' I would be due to collect 4 days later I believe the site says.

Would this result in collection being on the Wednesday (Friday = 1 day) or Thursday?

Thanks

[fanglu]

I was just curious because they're starting up a similar centre in Sydney and since I'll be working there I was wondering how people had reacted to effectively a doubling of the fee in return for more convenience.

The Sydney centre hasn't opened yet (so far we've just been 'watching' at the consulate) but I expect there'll be some interesting reactions once it does.

[adrianlondon]

I live in central London so could walk to the embassy to queue and apply for / collect my visa. This compulsory "service centre" annoys me, as it's just a money making scheme as far as I'm concerned. Of course, if you don't live in London or Manchester then it's probably worth it for the postal service.

I'll be getting my China visa next week in HK. The same day service at Foreverbright (must be a reference to their awful web page) is less than the total cost of getting it in the UK now.

Of course, if I wasn't going to HK first I wouldn't make the detour just for this. My flight to HK is via Beijing and I was also worried that transiting in Beijing airport with a valid China visa (for my stop over on the way back) could result in some jobsworth stamping it as I transit.

Oh yeah, I remember also emailing the Service Centre about something a while back and getting no reply.

[James Johnston]

I also had no reply to an email enquiry. Doesn't seem very good customer service for the fee they are charging. Why bother offering email enquiries if they are (mostly) ignored?

[roddy]

I've always had prompt responses from www.5starchinesevisa.co.uk - not sure how they compare on price. Given the number of visas they (I presume) handle they've probably got a pretty good chance of being able to answer questions. Don't know how the price difference stacks up.

[adrianlondon]

They appear to charge an additonal £25 on top of the service centre fee which is itself on top of the actual cost of the visa.

Their website says their price only includes their charges and the cost of the visa, so either they're able to bypass the service centre, or they haven't updated their website in a while.

[Neil_H]

I used this place in 2006.

http://www.chinesevisadirect.co.uk/

Their charge was an additional £10 on top of the visa price and included recorded delivery.

Much cheaper than going to London and I only live 60 miles from London!

[adrianlondon]

They now charge £100 and I'm not sure what any agency can offer over the compulsory service centre which also accepts postal applications.

Unless you're in London with no appointment. In that case I'm not sure if the service centre will accept an application, so going to an agency may help.