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Many travel agents are alraedy losing business and I think it's most likely true given the gradual closing down of f-class visa time in China. Forever Bright told me in an email that Oct 17th was the date when everything would return to normal.
The best way, as far as I can see, for laowais in China will be to get an L-visa from Hong Kong at the beginnig of June and extend it twice in China giving a total of 60-90 days in the country between Hong Kong trips. Magic Cheng at visainchina.com, suggests this is the most viable route for longtermers in China and his website is one of the best updated on the web.
Six month and 3 month multi-entry visa are available through visainchina.com, but only with the right paperwork as some more established fellows on this forum have already attested. However the paperwork, includes an Chinese invitation letter, company registration documents etc.... and as Magic says, the length of time you get all depends on the amount of capital the company in China has!
Lisa at China visa extension (dot) com can get a '2.5' month visa extension until the end of June for 2300 and nothing beyond that as she herself claims. She's already losing business and told me that F visas were only being processed in Beijing as the Qingdao offices et al were currently closed.
So if you've got the paperwork, your man. If you want to extend until the end of June without paperwork until June end, the girl to talk to. Or if neither suit, pop over to Hong Kong, grab an L-visa from foreverbright and extend twice in China, at least until after the Olympic Games.
Steve
1) There have actually been TWO changes in Chinese policy in the last few weeks, one on March 5 and one on March 28. A lot of internet information (including website information) is still playing catchup on the March 5 regulations and haven't yet fully updated to the latest situation. There is also some anecdotal evidence that some Chinese Consulates abroad haven't fully absorbed the latest memo (or due to bilateral agreement with China, have issuing regulations which can override the latest policy) and are giving out longer term multiple-entry tourist visas (but usually still with 30 or 60 day per duration-of-stay). So, the most reliable information comes from anybody who has had a business or tourist visa issued on or after Monday April 1.
2) The situation mentioned by responder #1 is highly relevant (despite what #3 says), as the F visa for short-term student status is the SAME visa as the F "business" visa. Hoover, please do let us know how you came out in the end. So far there hasn't been a lot of anecdotal evidence one way or another on whether short-term student applicants, including organized summer program applicants (who CAN'T leave every 30 days) are being held to the same standard. Hoover, please also let us know whether or not you submitted official paperwork from any institution in China, with your application, attesting to your study program.
"from now to oct/2008, only can get the single or double china visa, every time only stay 30days; the single is $480hkd,the double is $550hkd."
Anyone knows where in Hong Kong can we get our China visas cheaper?
I don't know what the new prices are at the visa office, I'd expect HK$400-450 for a single entry for Canadians. The benefit of using an agency is that it is less queuing and less hassle.
Erroneous.
You're making the mistake, jiejie, of assuming that because it is the same letter designation that it is the same visa. It's not. Business visas and short term student visas both get the letter F, taken from the pinyin spellig fo the Chinese word "Fangwen."
However, the requirements for a business visa and a short term student visa are completely different. It's very easy to get a short term student visa because the school or unniversity will supply the applicant with the necessart forms and letters to apply for the visa. The new visa policy doesn't apply to short term student visas, only to business visas.
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15
From the travel agents I have spoken with, all have expressed the opinion that F-class visa extensions after July 1st will not be issued until after the Olympics. The attempt is basically to control the vast influx of foreigners China will recieve during the Games and prevent longer stays than Beijing can control.Many travel agents are alraedy losing business and I think it's most likely true given the gradual closing down of f-class visa time in China. Forever Bright told me in an email that Oct 17th was the date when everything would return to normal.
The best way, as far as I can see, for laowais in China will be to get an L-visa from Hong Kong at the beginnig of June and extend it twice in China giving a total of 60-90 days in the country between Hong Kong trips. Magic Cheng at visainchina.com, suggests this is the most viable route for longtermers in China and his website is one of the best updated on the web.
Six month and 3 month multi-entry visa are available through visainchina.com, but only with the right paperwork as some more established fellows on this forum have already attested. However the paperwork, includes an Chinese invitation letter, company registration documents etc.... and as Magic says, the length of time you get all depends on the amount of capital the company in China has!
Lisa at China visa extension (dot) com can get a '2.5' month visa extension until the end of June for 2300 and nothing beyond that as she herself claims. She's already losing business and told me that F visas were only being processed in Beijing as the Qingdao offices et al were currently closed.
So if you've got the paperwork, your man. If you want to extend until the end of June without paperwork until June end, the girl to talk to. Or if neither suit, pop over to Hong Kong, grab an L-visa from foreverbright and extend twice in China, at least until after the Olympic Games.
Steve
16
It appears I have read several accounts of people who were refused multiple-entry visa by travel agents in Hong Kong, but so far I think I haven't seen anyone who tried applying for this multiple-entry type at the Office in Wan Chai? Also, I would like to know what the situation is like at the consulate in London as I might decide to make a trip there, pay a higher price and get the multiple-entry visa there if it's still available. No update so far on their website really..so I might take a chance.18
wjs you got lucky on your timing. Two weeks later and you'd probably be looking at 30 days each entry instead of 90. To clarify a couple of things on this thread so far:1) There have actually been TWO changes in Chinese policy in the last few weeks, one on March 5 and one on March 28. A lot of internet information (including website information) is still playing catchup on the March 5 regulations and haven't yet fully updated to the latest situation. There is also some anecdotal evidence that some Chinese Consulates abroad haven't fully absorbed the latest memo (or due to bilateral agreement with China, have issuing regulations which can override the latest policy) and are giving out longer term multiple-entry tourist visas (but usually still with 30 or 60 day per duration-of-stay). So, the most reliable information comes from anybody who has had a business or tourist visa issued on or after Monday April 1.
2) The situation mentioned by responder #1 is highly relevant (despite what #3 says), as the F visa for short-term student status is the SAME visa as the F "business" visa. Hoover, please do let us know how you came out in the end. So far there hasn't been a lot of anecdotal evidence one way or another on whether short-term student applicants, including organized summer program applicants (who CAN'T leave every 30 days) are being held to the same standard. Hoover, please also let us know whether or not you submitted official paperwork from any institution in China, with your application, attesting to your study program.
19
The email (below) I received from FBT in Kowloon just a few minutes ago ...... seems they've increased the cost of a China visa from $200HKD."from now to oct/2008, only can get the single or double china visa, every time only stay 30days; the single is $480hkd,the double is $550hkd."
Anyone knows where in Hong Kong can we get our China visas cheaper?
23
Not really a consulate - it's the Foreign Affairs Ministry, but here is the linkI don't know what the new prices are at the visa office, I'd expect HK$400-450 for a single entry for Canadians. The benefit of using an agency is that it is less queuing and less hassle.
25
#18, The situation mentioned by responder #1 is highly relevant (despite what #3 says), as the F visa for short-term student status is the SAME visa as the F "business" visa.Erroneous.
You're making the mistake, jiejie, of assuming that because it is the same letter designation that it is the same visa. It's not. Business visas and short term student visas both get the letter F, taken from the pinyin spellig fo the Chinese word "Fangwen."
However, the requirements for a business visa and a short term student visa are completely different. It's very easy to get a short term student visa because the school or unniversity will supply the applicant with the necessart forms and letters to apply for the visa. The new visa policy doesn't apply to short term student visas, only to business visas.
