China visa application refused at Manchester

[包安迪]

I recently made an application for an X2 China visa at Manchester, but it was refused. The reason for the refusal was a barely visible mark on the photograph, this in spite of the fact that I have two previous China visas in the same passport, one of which was issued at Manchester. The mark is very difficult to make out from the holograms and other patterns in the passport lamination and I'm fairly certain it has been there all along, though I hadn't noticed it before it was pointed out. Certainly there is no sign of damage anywhere on the page.

The day of my appointment to visit the consulate, it was closed owing to flooding (of which the consulate hadn't the courtesy to inform me in advance). Consequently I was directed to a nearby visa agent by a member of staff who was standing outside the building. The visa agent checked my application documents and took £175 visa fee plus £20 agent fee. The passport with visa was scheduled to be delivered back to me 12 days later.

I called the agent five days later and was informed that there was "a serious problem". The agent explained the issue with the photograph and mentioned that they had recently started getting an unusually high number of refusals on similar grounds. He supposed that it might be associated with some new stricter policy but said that they were powerless to protest.

Fortunately I didn't have to pay the visa fee, and the agent refunded £10 of his fee and sent my documents back by recorded mail.

As I was travelling to China via Malaysia, I went to the China visa centre in Kuala Lumpur and applied for the exact same visa there. It was issued within 4 working days and cost RM188.30, around £36.

[zhouhaochen]

Interesting that they let you apply for the X2 visa in Malaysia as a British citizen. Often they require people to apply in their home country. Did you apply via an agency there or directly at the consulate?

[onebir]

 

The agent explained the issue with the photograph and mentioned that they had recently started getting an unusually high number of refusals on similar grounds

1) Then the agent should be checking...

2) Possible concerns/paranoia over fake passports?

[Guest]

 

 

Interesting that they let you apply for the X2 visa in Malaysia as a British citizen. Often they require people to apply in their home country. Did you apply via an agency there or directly at the consulate?

 

Although it's official policy, they tend to be more lax about it in some areas - I'm unsure why. I have a theory that it's because some countries have a lot of foreigners 'stopping over' to get their visas processed en route to China, so they simply process them regardless to make things smoother. I've had two visas for China (X2 and L visa) processed in Melbourne (CVASC), this year and last year respectively.

 

In regards to a Z visa, they're stricter when it comes to getting the precursor documents (working permit and letter of invitation). I spent three months in Australia and tried to sort out my Z visa there - the Chinese authorities refused to send my LOI without proof that I was an Australian resident (non-tourist, working holiday visa or permanent residence proof). It's a real thorn in one's side, so to speak. If you've got those though, then the visa itself might be fine - give your targeted CVASC/consulate a bell and see what their verdict is.