UK citizens to get 2-year (tourist) visa for 85GBP

[markcarter]

It appears this article is saying from next week UK citizens will be able to get 2-year Chinese visas (even as a tourist) for 85 pounds sterling. If true, this would be very helpful to many people. I would like to know duration per stay, though.

 

Anyone else know more about this?

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35243763

[Guest realmayo]

Excellent! I was hoping this would be the case -- as the article says, it reciprocates what was put in place for Chinese visitors to the UK after Xi's visit last year. Excellent timing too, I need to get a visa in the next few weeks.

[Guest realmayo]

The only official announcement I can see is from the UK side and doesn't add much:

 

Increasing numbers of British citizens are visiting China and will now benefit from these same arrangements, with the Chinese reducing their two-year visitor visa fee to the equivalent of £85 (an additional service fee will still be charged) and, for the first time, matching the UK’s offer of a 10-year visitor visa.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-home-office-launches-new-two-year-chinese-visa-pilot

[roddy]

I think generally they tend not to publicize these things, just quietly hand them out where they deem it appropriate. 

[Guest realmayo]

From Chinese embassy http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/visa/notice/t1330627.htm

 

As of Monday, 11 January 2016, in line with the reciprocal visa arrangement between China and the UK, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the UK will issue two-year multi-entry visas to eligible British nationals who intend to go to China for commercial/trade activities, as a tourist and to visit family members/relatives. Five-year and ten-year visas will be issued to eligible British nationals.

[markcarter]

Hmm, as expected it looks like no chance getting one of those outside of the UK. Would be good to know the days-per-entry limit.

[GoVisa Ltd]

For those that are curious about the new 2 year multiple entry visa I would say that based on the number of visas we've processed at our agency many of our customers were issued 2 year visas with 90 days each stay. However, this is currently only issued to British passport holders. If you are holding a non British passport then you will most likely be issued either a single or double entry visa with 30 days each stay.

[markcarter]

@govisa-ltd are those 2-year visas the same type (code?)? Or does it depend on whether applying for business or tourist visa?  Are there any options for British passport holders outside the UK?

[GoVisa]

Hi Markcarter,

 

Whether its tourist or business you'll still get 2 years visa with 90 days each stay. As far as we know applying outside UK may have different rules for British passport holders holders.

[Guest realmayo]

Yep I was told that officially today: standard visa for UK passport holders applying in the UK is two years, simple as that.

[Guest realmayo]

... and as the proud new owner of a shiny two-year 90-day-stay multiple entry tourist visa, I can report that at the London visa office at least they were handing these things out as standard, even to people who'd just applied for say 30 days single ... "here is your two-year visa, it's the same price as the other visas so you might as well have a two-year one" was the repeated line from behind all the counters.

[markcarter]

Cool - thanks for reporting back. Any special documents required - flight tickets, accommodation, reference from China etc?

[Guest realmayo]

I did the whole list, tickets, accommodation, itinerary, previous visas, the same as used to be required: this was to cover the length of my planned two-month stay. I think they are less stringent now: they still want to see a return flight and basic itinerary and perhaps a hotel booking for the first few nights, but they may no longer need proof of accommodation booked for the entire length of the visit any more. But the process is basically the same as before, assuming you're planning a visit of less than 90 days then you provide the information for that -- the difference is that now you should end up with a two-year visa instead. If you apply in person, I've always found the people there extremely good at saying if there are any additional hoops you might need to jump through to get what you need.

[markcarter]

Hmm, for me (seeing as I'm in the UK maybe once every 3 years, I wouldn't be using the visa for the first 6 months anyway, so any flights/accommodation thing is rather tricky.  I'll contact them nearer the time I'm in the UK.

[GoVisa]

all the requirement stay the same. So if you are applying for tourist visa then you just need to provide flight and accommodation or if you know someone from China then you can just provide a invitation letter. If you going for business then you just need to provide a invitation letter from the company you going to in China.

 

The only difference is that British passport holders will automatically get a 2 year visa whether it business or tourist and the prices has gone up.

 

But for non UK passport holder, their requirement remain as the old rule where they will have to apply either single or double entries.

[GoVisa]

Hi Markcarter,

 

To get a 2 year visa for business. All you need to do is just get a invitation letter from the company you are visiting in China.

[roddy]

So has anyone got one of these yet?

[GoVisas ltd]

A lot of UK citizens has got 2 year visa now. It is because they can only get 2 year visa there is no other ways around it to get a single entries no more

[Guest realmayo]

Me! see #11!

 

or did you mean a business one?

[anonymoose]

How do you get(/qualify for) the 10-year one?