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

[GoVisas ltd]

All rule are the same as the old rule it is just that you'll automatically get a 2 year visa whether it's for tourist or business or even for family visit and there is no other way to get a single or double entries because that doesn't exist anymore for birth passport holders

[dingobingo]

Anyone know whether the 'friendly' and 'helpful' folks at the Hong Kong Chinese visa office can get access to these? Or is it 100% necessary to do it via London?

I'm thinking, if the visas are automatically 2 year visas now, maybe those issued in the grey area of Hong Kong (I got my first tourist visa there) will also be 2 year visas?

[GoVisas ltd]

If you have a British passport and got a 2 year visa you do not need a visa for Hong Kong. But if you do need a visa for Hong Kong the best way to get a visa from there as people from London do not know the requirements.

[dingobingo]

I was asking if the Chinese visa agencies in HongKong are able to obtain 2 year Chinese visas for British citizens. I contacted one and was told they cannot - I'd have to go back to London to get it. If the 2 year visa is the only visa now given to British citizens this would imply it's no longer possible to get a Chinese visa in Hong Kong.

[dnevets]

realmayo - how much did you pay for yours? Are they really only £85? The agent I usually use to get my visas by post wants to charge £180.

[guest1234]

Dnevets  it is £85 but there is a fee from the visa centre that brings it up to £151 see the below PDF although it still says single , double, multi they give a two year multi as standard to UK passport holders. I got a new one and one for a friend last week at that is what they gave us.

 

If you are using an agent then they will add a bit more to the above price.

 

http://www.visaforchina.org/LON_EN/upload/Attach/mrbj/289577.pdf

 

Regards

 

Phil

[Rebhk]

dingobingo - I can confirm that you cannot currently get the 2 year visa in Hong Kong - only single or double entry (unless you have HKID then you can get 1 year multi-entry, only if you have entered China once previously). I've applied and received 2 double entry visas in the last 3 months in Hong Kong and they are not offering 2 years.

 

I'm returning to the UK to apply for a new China tourist visa in May - has anyone received the 5/10 year visas that were mentioned? Anyone can guess when they will be available?

[onebir]

I notice it can all be done by post:

https://www.visaforchina.org/web/guidance/StepByStep_questions.action?visacenterCode=LON1&request_locale=en_US&site_alias=LON_EN

 

What's to stop someone Fedexing their passport + forms to a friend/relative to post from inside the UK? (Assuming no telltale visa stamps &/ dual citizenship.)

[889]

There's a line on the visa application asking your current physical location.

[onebir]

Which they have no way to check, since you could be in another country (on a different passport) hours after posting the form...

[onebir]

Probably everyone else knows this, but I just realised because you can stay 90 days after each entry, it's possible to time your last entry just before the visa expires, and theoretically (*?) stay in China for 2 years 3 months.

 

*eg if the visa running pattern doesn't cause immigration to get suspicious.

 

I also discovered that the day of entry is counted a 0, not 1:

 

Q: I hold a single-entry visa with duration of stay of 30 days, and enter China on June 12. When is the last day I can stay in China lawfully permitted by the visa?

A: The last day is July 12 as the duration of stay is counted from June 13, the day after entry.

 

https://www.visaforchina.org/SGP_EN/generalinformation/visaknowledge/260895.shtml

[onebir]

Currently a 16 day (10 working day) wait just for an appointment!

[markcarter]

Oh, good to know thanks, since I plan to get mine in a couple of weeks. That's London? Is an appointment necessary?

[Guest realmayo]

The website says appointments are necessary. I suspect that visa agencies place block bookings of appointments and that they would be able to get clients' passports processed even on dates that appear booked up -- but I don't know that for a fact. The 'GoVisas Ltd' poster might be able to say more on this.

 

Also if it was me and I was in a desparate rush, the agencies couldn't help, and the UK centres all showed no appointments, I'd still try turning up in person at the front desk, with documents to prove why I was in a rush (e.g. plane tickets/contract start date etc) and see if they'd make an exception.

[onebir]

I suspect that visa agencies place block bookings of appointments and that they would be able to get clients' passports processed even on dates that appear booked up -- but I don't know that for a fact.

 

I've seen several London visa agents offering 3-4 day service with no mention of appointments, so pretty sure this is correct.

[jake.w]

hi how much for a chinese visa please as it states on government site that it is £85 for 2 year multiple entry visa but the visa serice centre is charging double the price. how do i get the visa for £85 please

[js6426]

Question regarding the 2 year, multiple entry tourist visas - myself and my two sons have British passports (they also hold Cambodian passports), but my wife only has a Cambodian passport.  If I was to get a 2 year multiple entry tourist visa, does anyone know if my wife would be able to get a temporary residency permit/spousal visa for the same period of time?  Currently I am on a student visa, and so obviously that was converted to the residency permit, and following that I was able to do the same for my wife and kids.  But I don't know if that would work with a tourist visa or not.  Anybody have any info on this?

[889]

No specific info on this, but based on my understanding of Chinese visas and permits, you cannot get your non-UK wife a temporary residence permit based on your more favourable tourist visa.

 

At best she may be able to extend her permitted stay under whatever visa she is able to get. But under the law, her total extensions can not exceed her initial period of stay. So if her L visa permits a 30-day stay, she can get one 30-day extension. Of course as with much in China it's possible the actual situation on the ground is more or less flexible.

[js6426]

That's helpful, and unfortunately pretty much the answer I expected!  Thank you!