Visa issues (Help me!)

[reardoc007]

Hi all,

I’m having a bit of a nightmare obtaining a tourist visa.

In summary, I am going over to China for 4 months from April and I have informally managed to organise a homestay arrangement with a family in Beijing. I put the maximum 90 days on my application (with the hope of getting it renewed whilst in China or doing a visa run to HK). The embassy has now asked me to provide details of my flights and also accommodation booked. The issue being that:

a) per my flight tickets, the time between entering and leaving is greater than the length of visa requested, and

b) I’m having trouble getting a written letter from the Chinese family confirming my stay

Now, I have a number of options available to me, but I’m not sure which to go with:

1) Hold out for the written letter and send along with flight details (don’t know how long this will take and they could reject my application in the meantime)

2) Book some accommodation for a few weeks in Beijing and send along with flight tickets (although I imagine they will want proof of accommodation for the remainder of the stay)

3) Formally withdraw my application and reapply when I arrive in Hong Kong in April through an agency

4) Other ideas welcome!!!

I really should have put more research into this before applying. I would REALLY appreciate any input anyone can provide on this.

Thanks!

[abcdefg]

First, what country are you applying from? Some of these things vary by nationality. Second, are you applying for a one-year visa with multiple entries of 90 days each?

1. Send them your round trip flight reservation. Don't worry about the date of return travel on it. They typically do not care.

2. Book a hotel for a couple days (not weeks) and send them that. They typically do not require an accounting for the entire time you will spend in China.

3. Forget about the written letter from your homestay family. You will probably never get it.

4. Make your application as simple as possible.

You will probably get other replies, so wait a while before you act. I have less experience about homestays here than some other members.

[reardoc007]

Thanks for your reply!

I am applying from the UK and it is the basic single entry tourist visa.

Your suggestion sounds good, and it pretty much what I was intending to do anyway. I'd hold out this weekend to see if I get anything back from my homestay familty and if not, I'll book a hotel in Beijing for a few days. I am still worried about my hotel reservtion only covering a small proportion of my stay, however I don't really have any choice on the matter.

It would be an absolute nightmare if it fell through at this stage, considering the money I've already pumped into this trip. So fingers cross it all works out.

[luozhen]

Did they actually ask for details, or tell you to fill in the box? You can make reservations when you get to China...... It is highly bureaucratic, if they didn't specifically ask for details, they may just need the box filled to process it. I ran into this before.

[reardoc007]

They called me and asked me to send in details of flights and accommodation if I wanted to stay for 90 days. I then told them that they can reduce the number of days to 60 if it is a problem, and they then replied that I will need to send in the details regardless of the number of days.

[Lu]

I can't imagine not having a hotel yet for your entire stay will be a problem. Plenty of backpackeres must have done this before.

If there is no need for you to actually stay in the hotel, I think you can cancel the reservation after getting the visa. Saves a little money.

[yialanliu]

Part of what's going on is you are randomly being picked on.

For instance, I've seen people send in bank statements of 100USD per day they wanted the visa, so 9000 USD for a 90 day visa.

The rules aren't set, but if they want more information, your forced to get it.

[xiaoxiaocao]

One of our more recent UK students was told by the agency who handled his application that the China Consulate randomly picks one out of 10 applications for either denial or extra diligence. It seems like you, unfortunately, may be this 1 in 10.

I would follow the above advice, use hostelbookers and make a short term booking. You'll only lose a few pounds when cancelling it. Otherwise go through a visa agent.

[haotailecongmeiguo]

One of our more recent UK students was told by the agency who handled his application that the China Consulate randomly picks one out of 10 applications for either denial or extra diligence

This is good to know. I don't know if it applies to the Consulate in the States. Crossing Fingers!

I am wondering if anyone had started with a Traveler's Visa and had their school help them change after classes start. (I will be in China 3 months before classes start.) My school is BLCU. Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks for all of your input!

[icebear]

I am wondering if anyone had started with a Traveler's Visa and had their school help them change after classes start. (I will be in China 3 months before classes start.) My school is BLCU. Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks for all of your input!

I have a Japanese friend that was on a L visa last summer (actually, for a year prior - son of a Z-visa'ed worker in Beijing) who just took a train down to Hong Kong for his X visa conversion - that indeed is roughly my plan this summer - relax/settle in/travel on a L during July and August before converting in HK to a X for classes in the fall.

[yialanliu]

No idea for BLCU but PKU did visa changes from L to F/X at orientation when you registered to get your healthcare and other stuff. However, everyone who ws there had been notified that PKU will do this for them, so you had to apply ahead of time. The rest of the people had to arrive with the F/X.

[roddy]

Stick a post in one of the BLCU topics and you may well get an answer from someone who's actually been there.

Icebear, where are you going to be studying?

[icebear]

Icebear, where are you going to be studying?

I'm applying to non-degree Chinese programs at PKU, Tsinghua, and Renmin. Assuming I'm accepted (or better yet, get the CSC), my decision will still be uncertain for the next few months as I wait on one outside option (although I'll definitely be in China from July onward...).

I think my friend that did the X visa conversion last summer was attending a masters program at PKU.