Refused Chinese Visa

[Soyabean]

I've been refused a Chinese visa due to some medication I'm on (I told them about it but I shouldn't have) but apparently I can get one in HK? I fly out on monday and I have a train booked to Shanghai on tuesday afternoon. However, should I tell them I have been refused before but I have come off the medication? Or should I just tick "no" to all the boxes? Do they have an international record of these things? If I'm refused again I will be stuck in HK for 3 weeks :o Please help!

Emma

[Mouseneb]

I'm kind of curious about what medication would cause a refused visa! If you don't feel comfortable sharing though, I understand.

[Soyabean]

I'm kind of curious about what medication would cause a refused visa! If you don't feel comfortable sharing though, I understand.

Fluoxetine. I applied by post too because I couldn't afford to go to Manchester or London to apply in person, which I don't think helped. I didn't think it would be a problem - and I had a doctors note - as I figured lots of people on anti-depressants must travel, but apparently it is.

[gato]

That's strange. Lots of people use Fluoxetine (Prozac).

[fanglu]

You don't get refused for being on a medication, rather for having a disease that the Chinese have decided they don't want people bringing in.

Do they have an international record of these things?

It depends. Were you actually officially refused? Or did they just not give you a visa? (These are two different things believe it or not) Check the last couple of pages in your passport. Is there a stamp that says (in Chinese) London or wherever you applied with no English writing? If it does you have been refused officially and the chances of you getting a visa in HK are nil. If not, you should be ok if you don't declare your illness.

Edit: To avoid confusion, I'm not saying I support China banning the entry of people with mental illness (or aids or anything else for that matter), its just the way it is. Mind you, the only way they know is if you tell them.

[Erbse]

In todays world where everything gets recorded on computers you should be more distrustful to authorities. I wouldn't indicate any medication to them.

[Soyabean]

You don't get refused for being on a medication, rather for having a disease that the Chinese have decided they don't want people bringing in.

It depends. Were you actually officially refused? Or did they just not give you a visa? (These are two different things believe it or not) Check the last couple of pages in your passport. Is there a stamp that says (in Chinese) London or wherever you applied with no English writing? If it does you have been refused officially and the chances of you getting a visa in HK are nil. If not, you should be ok if you don't declare your illness.

Edit: To avoid confusion, I'm not saying I support China banning the entry of people with mental illness (or aids or anything else for that matter), its just the way it is. Mind you, the only way they know is if you tell them.

No I have no record of even having applied for a visa on my passport. When I phoned the visa authority, the woman whom I spoke to told me that she couldn't find a record of why I didn't have a visa and that her "colleague has just said" that I was refused because of the depression and I should re-apply when I have "recovered" .

Do you think this gives me a better chance of getting a visa in HK? Should I tick "no" to having been refused a visa? And should I get a doctor's note saying I am medically sound to travel? Would I be better applying through an agency or directly through the CTS?

Thankyou so much for your help everyone! You don't know how much I appreciate it! :wub:

[natra]

Woah. I am really sorry to hear that you were rejected for that reason. It is frustrating the way everything in China is done at the last minute. If something goes wrong then all of your plans may be completely ruined.

I am in a similar situation at the moment. If I find out that I have not received my scholarship for my MA program in China, then I will have to find a job and try again for grad school in either China or the US next year. However, they have been so slow about notifying me of my acceptance, that I may not be able to get a job teaching English if I don't find out I have been rejected in the next week.

Good luck with re-applying. I hope it all works out for you!

[anonymoose]

If you're wanting to go to Shanghai, and not anywhere else, then I guess this isn't of much use, but if you do end up being refused entry, you can always try to get over to Taiwan instead. Depending on where you are from, you could get in without a visa, although the last time I was there, there was a limit of 14 days stay.

[adrianlondon]

You'll get it in HK. You'd get it in the UK too if you had time to reapply. Because, of course, you've fully recovered now (otherwise you'd still be too depressed after having your visa application rejected the first time ;)

By the way, did you have to pay anything? Did they take the "visa processing fee"?

[fanglu]

When I phoned the visa authority, the woman whom I spoke to told me that she couldn't find a record of why I didn't have a visa and that her "colleague has just said" that I was refused because of the depression and I should re-apply when I have "recovered"

They were doing you a favour. Officially you weren't refused, most likely they never even submitted your application to the consulate. If you had actually been refused it would have made it much harder in future.

Next time you apply tick no to everything (illness, previously refused application etc). Also do not mention any of it to anyone at the consulate/agency. You'll be fine.

[Soyabean]

Thankyou so much everyone for your help and support! You have all given me good news and I'm very hopeful about getting into China in HK. If not, I will definately have a look at Taiwan.

Woah. I am really sorry to hear that you were rejected for that reason. It is frustrating the way everything in China is done at the last minute. If something goes wrong then all of your plans may be completely ruined.

I am in a similar situation at the moment. If I find out that I have not received my scholarship for my MA program in China, then I will have to find a job and try again for grad school in either China or the US next year. However, they have been so slow about notifying me of my acceptance, that I may not be able to get a job teaching English if I don't find out I have been rejected in the next week.

Good luck with re-applying. I hope it all works out for you!

It is very fustrating, especially when they don't even tell you what's happening! I wish you luck with things, and hopefully you won't have to do any re-applying

You'll get it in HK. You'd get it in the UK too if you had time to reapply. Because, of course, you've fully recovered now (otherwise you'd still be too depressed after having your visa application rejected the first time ;)

By the way, did you have to pay anything? Did they take the "visa processing fee"?

No they didn't charge me anything. Do you think this means I won't be on their records? I'm sure I received it back in less than 4 days as well

They were doing you a favour. Officially you weren't refused, most likely they never even submitted your application to the consulate. If you had actually been refused it would have made it much harder in future.

Next time you apply tick no to everything (illness, previously refused application etc). Also do not mention any of it to anyone at the consulate/agency. You'll be fine.

Will this work? They won't be able to find out I was refused before?

Also, should I take my pills to China without telling the Chinese? Or is this too risky? I never thought it would be so much hassle because I was just applying for a tourist visa I can cope fine without them though.

Another thing, for my contact on the visa form in China, should I put the name and address of one of the hostels I'm staying in? I also have a non-Chinese friend living in Beijing, should I put her contact details instead?

Once again I am so grateful for everyone's advice!! I could hug you all a thousand times over :wub:

[volga_volga]

Will this work? They won't be able to find out I was refused before?

Once again, you weren't "refused" (and don't use this word any more, even accidentally) B) . If anyone asks, you can tell them that you tried to apply, but your application wasn't "complete to the Chinese embassy's satisfaction", and so you weren't able to get the visa that time. It sounds very close to the truth, yet still acceptable 'sanitised' version of the events back home that you can present. That's my advice.

Don't tell lies, but no need to tell the whole truth either )))))

[Soyabean]

Haha, of course B) Thanks so much for your advice and wish me luck!!!

[roddy]

Ridiculous reason to refuse you the visa, hope you have better luck in Hong Kong. Let us know how you get on.

[volga_volga]

Another thing, for my contact on the visa form in China, should I put the name and address of one of the hostels I'm staying in? I also have a non-Chinese friend living in Beijing, should I put her contact details instead?

Next question, make your itinerary as 'foreign traveller first time in China' - stereotypical as possible. Embassy people like to see a familiar story that is also internally consistent. Eg put the most obvious destinations on your list (Beijng, Shanghai, Xian) and two or three hostels (can't remember if they ask you for more than one address). This way they won't have to ask you additional questions (because you will be a straightforward case), and you won't have a chance to unwillingly tell them something they'd like to check/doubt. Mentioning a foreign friend only makes your story more complicated and is not very common case of a 'tourist' travel - you will just attract more questions.

Having said all of that, I've never heard of anyone being rejected the L-Tourist visa to China (1 or 2 entries) when applying in HK. Most 'battles' in the consulate grounds in Hong Kong happen when the applicant needs a multi-entry (F) visa. So, no worries. As long as you put a straightforward case and keep your mouth shut during the visa interview ;) you'll be fine.

[adrianlondon]

No they didn't charge me anything. Do you think this means I won't be on their records?

Yes. There will be no record. In any future applications pretend that one never happened. You've never applied before. Repeat after me ...

If the agency refused to even submit your application then it's like it got lost in the post, you forgot to post it, or you filled out the form and threw it away for a laugh. Don't worry about it any more.

[Soyabean]

Ridiculous reason to refuse you the visa, hope you have better luck in Hong Kong. Let us know how you get on.

That's what I thought! Thanks and I certainly will keep you all informed

[jbradfor]

Please do.

China's attitude towards mental health issues at best can be described as "behind the times", but is improving. I was reading an article that interviewed a psychiatrist in China, and he said 10 years ago he wouldn't tell his friends / neighbors what he did, as they would then avoid him. The "thinking" went that since he interacted with "crazy people", he would catch their "diseases", which he would then pass on the them... Now, he says, he can tell people what he does.

[Soyabean]

That's terrible. I'm not "crazy", nor do I have a "disease". I'm glad I'm not the only one to think that being refused a visa because of depression is ridiculous. And now I'm unsure about whether or not to take my medication with me

I'm glad to hear attitudes are changing in China though. As Chinese lifestyles become more western I wouldn't be suprised if depression was on the increase amongst chinese citizens as it is in the UK.

Next question, make your itinerary as 'foreign traveller first time in China' - stereotypical as possible. Embassy people like to see a familiar story that is also internally consistent. Eg put the most obvious destinations on your list (Beijng, Shanghai, Xian) and two or three hostels (can't remember if they ask you for more than one address). This way they won't have to ask you additional questions (because you will be a straightforward case), and you won't have a chance to unwillingly tell them something they'd like to check/doubt. Mentioning a foreign friend only makes your story more complicated and is not very common case of a 'tourist' travel - you will just attract more questions.

Having said all of that, I've never heard of anyone being rejected the L-Tourist visa to China (1 or 2 entries) when applying in HK. Most 'battles' in the consulate grounds in Hong Kong happen when the applicant needs a multi-entry (F) visa. So, no worries. As long as you put a straightforward case and keep your mouth shut during the visa interview ;) you'll be fine.

Thanks for the advice. I would've thought that putting a friend as a contact in China would have made it more likely for me to get a visa - I never thought putting a hostel would make me appear more "safe".

Yes. There will be no record. In any future applications pretend that one never happened. You've never applied before. Repeat after me ...

If the agency refused to even submit your application then it's like it got lost in the post, you forgot to post it, or you filled out the form and threw it away for a laugh. Don't worry about it any more.

I feel so much more confident now! And I definately won't be mentioning any previous application (sh) I can actually start looking forward to my trip

Thanks again to everyone!! :wub: