2535

#2511, rather than keep the agents details secret (which isnt really necessary), it would be better to post them here then they would be there for others to see in the future. I mean do you really want to keep getting emails though no one knows what your email address is.

2536

enroutesiglo:

Try 1) mywtrip.com (google for ASD Travel San Diego) or 2) myviapassport.com (google for Expres Travel Services) - they are in San Diego California.

Good luck.

2537

Good to see you figured out I had the wrong post #.

2538

Hello Lonely planet.

Me and my friend are travelling through asia and ending our stay in Beijing therefor being unable to apply from home (Denmark). We now tried Phnom Penh which said we couldnt apply due to our plane ticket being from Ho Chi Minh city and not Cambodia i guess. Luang prabang apparently cant either now and tells us to go to Vientiane to do it. We have booked plane tickets and hotel stay, we have bank statement, plane out of China, what we are going to do and more.

We are also going to travel through Vietnam passing through Hanoi and Ho chi minh but it would be nice to have it all ready before we get there and not having to be stressed out because of our plane taking off.

Anyone have some advice for us about what to do in Vientiane to obtain a visa would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

2539

Try using a travel agency instead of applying on your own. For certain this will be the only way to get a Chinese visa in Vietnam. Otherwise your only other option is a detour to Hong Kong.

Ruth

2540

#2538, you got refused in Cambodia because you most likely only had a tourist visa.

2541

Thanks for this, im needing this soon also :- )

---

Mahjong

2542

Just for anyone who was thinking of getting a china visa in the philipinnes as a tourist I was rejected in about 10 seconds so I wouldnt recommend wasting your time. I waited 3 hours and the lady at the desk told me that I needed a letter of invitation and that I have to apply from my home country . I had all the documents needed including hotel reservations but she still said that wasnt enough.

2543

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions for anyone with experience of applying for a tourist visa in the UK with an invitation letter. (Sorry this post is so long!)

I am a US passport holder resident in the UK. Due to poor planning (last time I went to China the visa process wasn't nearly this complicated) I only have one shot at getting my tourist visa next week before my departure flight (i.e. if I'm refused, I won't have enough time to re-apply).

I have an invitation letter from my British (re: non-Chinese) friend who is currently working in China. On the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) website it says that invitation letters must be issued from permanent residents of China - my friend is a non-permanent resident on a work perit, thus in theory her invitation letter won't work. However, having read elsewhere online, I phoned CVASC they said that non-Chinese residents on work permits can issue invitation letters. As I only have had this confirmed verbally, and I only have one chance to apply, I am nervous about using the invitation letter in case it's rejected.

My questions:
1. Has anyone successfully applied for a Chinese tourist visa from the UK using an invtation letter from a non-permanent Chinese resident? (i.e. someone living in China on a work permit)

2. When using an invitation letter, do you also need to provide roundtrip flight confirmations? (CVASC's website doesn't say this is necessary, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced differently.) This is an issue in my case, as I am flying into and out of different cities in China, even though my friend's inviation letter says I am staying with her the entire time (she did this to avoid the complication of me having to book fake hotel reservations in my departure city, where I will also be staying with non-Chinese friends)....

...or should I just forget the invitation letter and book fake hotel reservations in both cities, and use these confirmations + roundtrip flight confirmations?

3. Can anyone recommend a reputable Chinese visa agency in London? I am debating whether it is worth the (hefty) cost of using an agency, just to make sure I don't have any problems (my flights are non-refundable).

4. Can anyone confirm if the below list is comprehensive when applying from the UK with an invitation letter?

List of application documents required:
• US passport
• 1 recent passport photo
• Photocopy of my passport information page
• Photocopy of my previous Chinese tourist visa
• Photocopy of my UK work permit
• Invitation letter from friend living in China
• Copy of friend's Chinese Residence Permit
• Copy of friend's UK passport information page
• Form V.2011A (Visa application)
• Form V.2011B (Supplementary visa application for non-UK passport holders)
• Customer declaration

Many, many thanks!

2544

...just an idea for people who are having trouble getting visas in other countries as US passport holders, have you considered using DHL/FedEx to do it through a US agency? Could easily be done within a week. Just mentioning this as I confirmed with a few of them lately that they do this (and you won't need an invitation letter.)

2545

Hey enroutesiglo, i read a few posts back saying that mychinavisa told you that getting a 1 year multiple entry wasn't possible as of August 2012...My sister got a 1 year multiple entry visa in October 2012. From mychinavisa.com........

2546

Hey all,

I just wanted to post an update after my visa application in Hong Kong, for others looking to apply there (specifically Forever Bright). I was looking to get the longest possible tourist (L) visa, multiple entry, on a US visa. I had gotten a student visa a few years ago, so thought I might have a good chance of getting a long stay. I took with me an invitation letter + ID/passport/residence permit of the friend I am visiting, my bank statement, and a couple copies of the application.

They didn't take the invitation letter and all of that. They just had me fill in a new form and give them one passport-sized picture and they told me that the best visa that I would get might be a three-month multiple entry visa. I ended up with a visa that is good for 2 entries, and a 30-day stay for each entry. So, essentially two months with a trip to HK in between.

I'm not sure if others would have better luck taking their application directly to the consulate, but I would say that the agency fee wasn't really worth the visa that I have now.

2547

Lstalt

Thanks for the feedback. How much did you have to pay? Applying at the visa Office would cost HK$1100 (4 working days service). See http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/fwxx/wgrqz/t279937.htm

2548

To all but especially everbrite (Ruth): You can get Chinese visas in Hanoi, Vietnam if you whinge in Chinese, are persistent and kick up enough fuss, plus have a bunch of previous visas from wherever. I got one last year circa October/November.

I got 3 months single entry with the same technique in Bangkok, Thailand a couple of months ago, but my impression was that was really damn lucky and not the norm.

Remember you can extend twice for a month each time, so that's effectively five months single entry with some mucking about and extra fees.

2549

Yes, reports are that Hanoi is a possibility, especially if you use an agency. While I suppose that speaking Chinese is helpful most travelers on this forum don't so I'm not sure how useful the advise will be. Thanks..

Ruth