The Hong Kong Visa Topic

[ChTTay]

Sounds good, make sure to post back. I got my student visa in Hong Kong in 2013.

What do you mean student visas are "the best type of visa"? Of course for studying, it's best to be on the right visa. Is that all you mean?

"It's not a work to student visa switch"

In case anyone else reads, you don't "switch" visas as such. You leave China (by going to HK) and cancel your existing work residence permit (or it expires). Then you apply again from scratch for a new student X visa.

[somethingfunny]

She didn't elaborate on what she meant, but the meaning I understood from it was that, as long as you have all the correct paperwork, its the visa type least likely to be refused. But that's just my interpretation of a one sentence comment by a visa lady in a university.

[muyongshi]

Has anyone ever tried to to go in early to pick up their visa? Like if you turn it in at 2, could you possibly pick it up at 10? Or are they pretty strict with the time on the paper?

[muyongshi]

My Z Visa Application Experience

I arrived at visa center at 2:10 in the afternoon. Was out of there by 3 despite the lines that were almost as long as the border crossing lines. I had filled everything out a head of time and made all copies before arriving.

On pickup, I arrived at 1:10 and there was already 20 people in line for applications. The pickup line was a lot shorter.

Date of application:

June 30, 2015

Nationality:

United States

Visa applied for:

Z

Consulate or Agency:

No agency, I flew solo on this one.

Documents required:

Passport

Copy of passport

Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit (specifically mentioning HK; they kept the original)

Alien Employment License and copy (they kept the copy and gave me the original)

Entry slip to HK and copy of it (they stapled the original to my passport, probably so they wouldn't be responsible for losing it).

Cost / Service:

1100 for visa + 300 for rush service

Reason for application:

Employment

Previous Visa History:

In this passport, a couple L's and an M.

Previous passport, X and L's mainly

Problems:

The only surprise was that the website listed July 2nd as a public holiday but the website is out of date (holidays listed are from 2012) so I had to cancel my flight and buy a new one because I was expecting to pick it up the 1st.

Suggestions/comments:

Check out HK public holidays before going. And don't trust their website for that info.

Also, I had to make a copy of the HK entry slip...there are a few copy places on Flemming. Cost me one HK dollar.

Obviously always come prepared- I had other documents including ji gou dai ma and business license but they weren't even requested. I think technically the invitation letter and employment license are all that is necessary.

I downloaded and printed out the application form before I even went. They do hand them out to those in line as well, about 10-15min before the doors open, but pretty sure not after.

Also, they are pretty strict with the pickup times. But I was in and out in under 10 minutes (it helps that I was first in line).

Lastly, as a previous poster noted about Filipino (anecdotal rather than objective), the man in front of me had a Philippine passport and was denied his work visa and told to apply in his home country.

[Chi-nian]

@muyongshi - I'm glad it all worked out for you

 

Back in the end of June, I had to make a decision whether to risk a trip to HK or send my docs back to Canada to apply for a Z visa for myself and S1 visas for my wife and two children.

I chose the Canada route, but now I think I have a problem or two. I've sent away the applications, but they haven't been submitted yet. I have time to make changes if necessary.

 

On the application form, it asks whether you've ever been granted a Chinese visa before. Does the short term visitor visa to HK count?

 

On my family's application forms, it asks who the 'Inviter' is. Our applications are all being submitted at the same time; my Z and their S1s.
Would my application be processed first and then theirs? Therefore, I would be their 'inviter'
If not, wouldn't my employer be their 'inviter'?

 

I can't wait for this whole process to be over!!!!

 

Thanks

[muyongshi]

To Hk? No, it does not. Only visas to the mainland.

When I did an M visa in the states a while ago, they processed my families and mine at the same time. So, the company should be the inviter and should mention their names on the invitation.

[muyongshi]

Are you in Canada or in China right now? Or somewhere else?

[Chi-nian]

I'm in Taiwan - I'm submitting the applications through a visa company in Vancouver.

 

I will check, but what if their names are not on the invitation?

[muyongshi]

They may just give them tourist visas anyway.

[MiaNicole]

Hi guys, I have a question about receiving X1 visas while in Hong Kong.

 

The JW202 form for my X1 visa is taking longer to arrive from China than expected, and my flight out of the US to Hong Kong is booked for July 27th because myself and a couple friends will be traveling around Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand before I move to Shanghai to study for the year.

 

Because it does not look like I'll have time to send my passport to my consulate in the US, I'm looking at possibly taking my documents abroad and applying while in Hong Kong. Does this seem doable? We will only be in HK for 3 days, so would it be better to wait and do it in Thailand, where we'll be staying for around a week?

 

I just want to see if anyone has some advice or previous experience with receiving X1 visas at the consulate in Hong Kong. A lot of the information I found on this thread was for Z visas, so I'm not sure how different the regulations are.

 

I'm also considering applying for a tourist visa while in Hong Kong and then converting it to an X1 after I'm already in mainland China, so any thoughts on that would be appreciated as well.

 

Thanks!

[somethingfunny]

Went in to Forever Bright Travel today to get my student visa.  I decided to use an agency because of all the talk about regulations requiring you to apply for student visa's in your home country and felt that they'd be able to tell me straight up what my chances were, and possibly smooth out any problems.

 

The first problem I had was that the university issued the invitation letter back in April when I applied (and was accepted) and the student visa rules say that you should apply for your visa within 3 months of the issue date of the letter.  This was annoying as my JW201 was only issued a few weeks ago.  But after pointing this problem out, the person behind the counter just carried on with everything and didn't mention it again.

 

The second problem I had was that the name on my invitation letter and JW201 did not match the name in my passport (they left out my middle name) which was met with the, complete with 'scripted' feeling, "because your name does not match, we cannot guarantee, only try and you have to pay $200 extra".  Initially, it's like Jeez, thats annoying but then the girl in the queue behind me, exact same problem, exact same line.  So I'm hoping rather than a stump up $200 extra, cross your fingers and start praying scenario, it's a more, the guy at the passport office can reject it on this technicality so makes himself a nice $150 extra every time it comes up, and we're going to charge you an extra $50 for the pleasure.

 

Anyway, I'll still keep my fingers crossed until I actually have the visa in my passport and my passport in my hand.

 

Also, I wish people would just get over middle names.  Some people have them some people don't.  Those that do, sometimes use them, sometimes don't.  Honestly, probably the only reason it's in my passport is that when I applied for it I was worried I'd get rejected if I didn't include it.  I don't know much about forgery but it seems like a pretty weak reason to reject an application when everything else checks out.  Whose going to make a fake passport and be like "First name? Check. Last name? Check. Unique Passport ID number? Check.  Now I just need to make-up an interesting middle name and then I'm done!"

[ChTTay]

 

don't know much about forgery but it seems like a pretty weak reason to reject an application when everything else checks out.  Whose going to make a fake passport and be like "First name? Check. Last name? Check. Unique Passport ID number? Check.  Now I just need to make-up an interesting middle name and then I'm done!"

 

It's the same deal with bank transfers. My Dad sent me some money but didn't include my middle name. The money got sent back. I'm fairly sure my bank in Beijing doesn't have anyone else with my name and, even if they did, all the other bank details were correct.

 

Ah well, good feedback anyway.

[roddy]

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had that problem applying in person, rather than via an agency. I kind of suspect it's a made-up charge.

[somethingfunny]

My thoughts exactly Roddy, but they've kind of got you over a barrel.  Especially listening to the level of knowledge of the other foreigners they had in their office - they could have charged anything they want.  Someone else was also applying for a student visa and had no idea of how it worked.  They wanted to get their student visa here in Hong Kong, go into china for a few days, then fly back home, then come back to China.  I almost (almost!) felt sorry for the lady trying to explain to her how this wouldn't be possible.

 

Usually I would do this kind of thing in person at the visa office but on this occasion I'm willing to pay a little extra for (relative) peace of mind.

 

I'll report back on whether or not my application is successful.

[roddy]

I certainly don't recall ('course, the old memory ain't want it used to be) any cases of applications being rejected for a middle name discrepancy - either for work or study visas, or direct or via agency. Anyway, good luck!

[somethingfunny]

Went into Forever Bright today and picked up my passport, complete with visa.  Absolutely no problems at all it would seem.

 

So, to summarise:

 

Date of application:
July 30th, 2015

Nationality:
United Kingdom

Visa applied for: 
X1

Consulate or Agency:
FBT, Hong Kong.

Documents required:
Passport

JW201

Invitation Letter

Hong Kong Entrance slip thing

Passport sized photograph

Cost / Service:
560 rmb for normal service, the next day rush service is around 300 more I think.

Plus 200 rmb extra for incorrect name on documentation (see below)

Reason for application:

Study

Previous Visa History:
4 years worth of residents permits on a work visa issued in 2011

Problems:
My acceptance letter was older than the supposed 3 month limit, but this didn't seem to be too much of a problem in the end.

I had to pay an extra 200 because my letter and JW201 didnt have the middle name I have in my passport.  Someone is making money here, either at the agency or at the visa office, but most likely, at both.  

Suggestions/comments:

Make sure all your documentation is correct so they don't have an excuse to charge you extra!

[AimzLockz]

Hi all,

Really happy to have found this forum - there seems to be so much information buzzing around!

I wonder if anybody could help to break down some of the very convoluted visa requirements for my poor brain for me?

Me and my husband are looking to move to Hong Kong to work. We are both from the UK; he is a senior IT project manager with over 10 years experience, and I am an EFL teacher to foreign students. I have been trying to do some of my own research, but I'm still quite confused as to what process to go through. I understand that the Hong Kong government operates a 'Quality Migrant Admission' scheme, where we can apply without formerly having work on arrival. We do meet the points for this scheme (just!), but I thought that we would have more of a chance if we get work before hand (from England).

Is it possible to get work before hand in your country of residence, and then apply for a visa? What are the restrictions on this? Or, must you get the visa before the work? Also, I can see that if you go down the getting work route, they will need the place of employment to apply for one too. Will we need to send all of the applications together, or can we just send our application and then find work?

Sorry for all the questions - it's all quite confusing!!

Thank you,

Aimee

[ChTTay]

You might want to consider posting this in a separate topic. Most of the information here is about visas for mainland China... In Hong Kong.

Sorry I can't be more help

[vellocet]

I recently went to HK after my residence permit expired, exiting China on the day it expired.  I entered HK and went to http://www.chinavisa.com.hk/ for a 60 day tourist visa (10 year duration, USA passport).  I paid 2700 yuan and received my visa without any trouble.  I had heard that if I got my residence permit extended in China for 15/30 days (varies) then I couldn't get it done in HK, I would have to go back to my home country and get it done there. 

[889]

Sunrise is very reliable, but like other HK agencies it is charging a scandalous fee for those ten-year visas available to Americans.

 

The visa office is just around the corner from Sunrise and you can get the ten-year visa there for about HK$1100, waiting four business days for it. (Express service is extra.)

 

Before heading to an agency, I'd strongly suggest just heading to the visa office and handing in your application. If the clerk takes it, you'll get your visa. If there's a problem, then walk around the building to Sunrise.

 

Yes, the visa office clerks have had a reputation for sometimes being difficult, but there seems to be a better mood in the office now.