URGENT: Getting a Chinese visa in SE Asia for British Citizen

[Georgina Harry]

I am in desperate need of help/advice on obtaining a Chinese visa in South East Asia. I depart in less than 15days to travel around Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. I will be arriving into China on 26th July 2012 via airplane from Ho Chi Minh City. Whilst I am in China I will be on an 8day tour with STA Travel (was a present from a relative) and then staying on for an extra 4 days in Beijing. My flight home from China departs 8th August. All of my flights in and out of China are booked, and all my accommodation is booked – with a fully written itinerary.

Because I am leaving the UK in March and not arriving into China until the end of July, I am unable to get my visa in the UK. I have googled getting a visa whilst in SE Asia and everywhere is saying it is almost impossible as I will not be resident of that country.

If anyone can tell me any first hand experiences or help me in any way shape or form that would be amazing. I thought getting a visa into China would be easier with everything booked up, even in a different country to my country of residence, obviously not.

If I cannot get my visa in SE Asia I will have to try to cancel all my hotels, flights and my tour, which I do not want to do

[GaryM]

When I have applied for a Chinese Visa in the UK it has always arrived within 15 days, and that has been without use of the express service. There are also offices in London and Manchester where they have an over the counter service. I don't see any alternative but to apply, and do it quickly. There is a section in the Visa application for comments, explain your situation and pay for the express service.

[roddy]

That's not the issue. You need to use a visa within three months of its being issued, and he's going to be out of the UK for that period. (edit: See next page for explanation of why this is not necessarily true)

I'll wager you'll get a tourist visa in SEA no problem. Worst case scenario, which won't happen, is a side trip to Hong Kong.

[GaryM]

I'll get my coat....

[yialanliu]

Have you visited China before?

If so ,get an L relative visiting visa(since you have Chinese relatives I am assuming) and coupled with prior visas you should be able to get 1 year multiple 90 days.

[roddy]

Gary, take your coat off. Yialanliu needs it.

OP has specifically described a 12 day stay and there's no indication of Chinese relatives. He needs a 30 day tourist visa. End of.

[大肚男]

Remember that you also need to send your passport to the embassy to get a visa. So, while the visa application is processing you will not be able to leave that country.

[Takeshi]

British people can get two passports if they "prove they have a need for it". It's probably possible to get them if you have proof you are planning an around the world trip or something.

But if you only have 15 days before departure it might be difficult.

[anonymoose]

As Roddy mentioned, you should not apply for the visa more than 3 months before your planned entry into China, since Chinese visas usually only have a 3-month validity. On the other hand, if you are planning to stay in a hotel in Vietnam, then I would suggest trying to get the Chinese visa before you get to Vietnam, as Vietnamese hotels keep your passport during your stay, and thus getting a visa (which is likely to take more than a day) would be a hassle.

[Guest realmayo]

Do we know for sure that the three-month rule can't be waived if you show them travel itineries, tickets etc?

[roddy]

Never heard of that happening, and frankly it wouldn't be worth the hassle of trying given that it's easy to get a Chinese tourist visa in SEA. Here, for example. Sure, if he needed a one year visa, or a work visa, or something, it might be more complicated. But our OP is only staying in China for twelve days and has flights and accommodation booked - a 30 days tourist visa is hardly going to be an issue, and it'll probably even be cheaper than getting it in London.

To be honest for a question like this you're better off on the travel forums such as the Lonely Planet's Thorntree or VirtualTourist - that's where all the backpackers doing the SEA > China circuit are, and that's where the most up to date info will be.

[Sam Reeves]

I have seen counters in Beijing airport arrivals that will give you a Chinese visa upon arrival. They are there.

How much it costs I don't know. But probably more than you would usually pay.

It is doable... technically speaking.... however, the issue is if the ground staff will let you on a plane to China in the first place without a visa. Usually they don't. And by the way they always thumb through my passport looking for my Chinese visa (and every other visa to entertain themselves) I would make a strong guess they are trained to do this. All ground staff do this.

Bearing in mind most of the Chinese ground staff rarely speak English, and the fact you probably don't speak Chinese, persuading them it's allowed may be a bridge too far. They probably don't know it's possible.

The counters are there, and I've always wondered about them.

Although you've already booked your flights you may have no other choice but to go to the mainland via Hong Kong and do a one day visa thing there.

I have to say, I find it hard to believe the Chinese embassies in other south east Asian countries don't do visas for for non-nationals in those countries. But if many people are saying that's true, then maybe it is.... however I've found many of the travel agents in some countries can get done what the embassy's don't technically do. Thailand for example has a ridiculous amount of tourists going through them... I honestly don't believe for a second that a Chinese visa for the mainland can't be obtained there... (at least through a travel agency)

Having said that, Chinese laws aren't exactly logical at the best of time...

[roddy]

One year multiple entry passports for a two week stay . . . acquiring a second passport . . . visas on arrival at an airport you can't get to without a visa . . anyone else got any bright ideas? Getting fired out of a cannon over the Burmese border? A Bangkok-Beijing tunnel? Taking Chinese citizenship?

[Guest realmayo]

If he's Irish couldn't he join the PLA?

[anonymoose]

Marry a Chinese girl and get a spouse visa.

[Sam Reeves]

He could smuggle himself in through the port of Shanghai in a container I suppose. It would be a nice change from the usual Chinese in containers going to the UK, although most simply become students instead these days, much more comfortable.

[Sam Reeves]

He could also hang-glide from the North Korean border mountains into mainland China.

There's a slight problem with getting into North Korea in the first place, but no plan is perfect.

[jbradfor]

USD 5 millon worth of direct foreign inverment in China?

To the OP: in case Roddy's sarcasm isn't clear, getting the visa in SE Asia shouldn't be an issue, no need for any of these "advanced" scenarios. But you might want to read up on how others have done it so you're prepared.

Marry a Chinese girl and get a spouse visa.

Georgina Harry

[yialanliu]

Woops, I misread present from relatives and thought it meant he was visiting relatives.

My non crazy suggestion:

1) Apply with itinerary and see what happens

If failed:

2) Apply in SEA

If failed:

3) Apply in Hong Kong

4) If all else fails, enjoy your 2 weeks in UK instead of PRC

[roddy]

1) Apply with itinerary and see what happens

If you read this topic you'll see why this isn't possible.