Changing a Group Visa to a Single person Visa

Replies: 5 - Last Post: 01-Mar-2007 21:50 Last Post By: Losang

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marmaduke75

28-Feb-2007 22:33
Posts: 5

Changing a Group Visa to a Single person Visa

Hi there:

Thanks in advance to all the people who have answered my previous questions on this topic in the last 2 weeks.

After contacting a few travel agents in Kathmandu, they all claim they can get me a "a single person group Visa to Tibet", a few have even said I can use this Visa to travel overland to the Hong Kong border and cross into Hong Kong without having to convert my single person group Visa into an individual Visa.

The concensus on this website seems to indicate I will have to convert this Visa (whether I get a single group Visa or a multiple person group Visa). I understand Xining or Golmud is the best place for this and it takes a "few days".

Has anyone recently changed a group Visa into single Chinese visa, in China? If so;

- Where is the best place to do it?
- How many days did it take exactly?
- How much did it cost (in RMB)
- Are passport photos, passport photocopies etc needed?

I have searched this question on the Tibet page for 1/2 an hour (didn't use the search engine, its hopeless), and didn't find anything. If there is another previous post covering this which is relatively recent, let me know!!!!

And please, no more messages with quotes from Chinese government websites about the "official rules", I have been to China 5 times before and one thing I know, it doesn't matter what the rules are, it only matters how the rules are being interpretted on the ground at the time I am traveling (PSB, border etc) in Tibet / China. Fellow travelers are the best source of current information in my experience.

Thanks in advance,

Marmaduke

take5

01-Mar-2007 01:13
Posts: 15

Hi

Relax. The travel agencies are right. If you are travelling alone, you will get a 'group visa' with you as the only member of the group. With this visa you can travel not only to Tibet but beyond. No 'conversion' or whatsoever is needed. Just make sure you won't overstay the visa period.

I am 100% sure of this since I was in the same situation a couple of months before. Back then the mixed reports and advise of travellers and travel agencies alike almost drove me nuts. I eventually took the train from Lhasa to Beijing, and exited China by boat to Korea. I had to leave my 'group visa', which is just a paper, at the Chinese customs. So even though I've travelled through China, there is no trace of it in my passport now.

The only reason you could have for getting a proper Chinese visa is if you intend to stay longer in China then the period as specified on your group visa (which is either two or three weeks I think...).

If you have any questions you can send me a pm.

Enjoy!

Losang

01-Mar-2007 05:10
Posts: 1,526

#1 is right...You won't have any problems traveling on the group visa in your situation. The only problems you may have is if you are not able to secure an "individual" group visa and are forced to travel with someone. If that happens, you will have to exit with that person. Another problem you may have is the length of a group visa. Usually they are only 21 days (in rare situations 28 days) and usually you cannot extend them. That is why a lot of people choose to change their group visa into a regular tourist visa. With a group visa, you will have to visit Tibet and make it out of the country within 21 days.

Need more travel information for Tibet? Check these out…

The Land of Snows

Life on the Tibetan Plateau

larsdewit

01-Mar-2007 19:20
Posts: 45

Losang, do you or somebody else know where you can change your group visa into a regular tourist visa ?
Maybe in Lhasa ?
And what is maximum period ?

I am travelling by bike from Kathmandu to Lhasa, Markam, Dali and further south into Laos...

Thanks in advance !

take5

01-Mar-2007 21:31
Posts: 15

Hoi Lars,

I've heard you can convert your visa in all major cities. Logical options would include both Golmud and Chengdu - both reachable with the supercool new train from Lhasa!

Enjoy

Losang

01-Mar-2007 21:50
Posts: 1,526

Many people have written over the years saying that it is difficult or impossible to change group Chinese visas into standard Chinese tourist visas in places like Chengdu and Kunming. It seems to be that places like Golmud and Xining are the easiest places to do this. Usually the Lhasa PSB will not change a group visa into a standard tourist visa.

I have a multiple entry residence visa for China so this problem doesn't affect me, but I get emails and private messages from plenty of people it does affect.

Need more travel information for Tibet? Check these out…

The Land of Snows

Life on the Tibetan Plateau

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