420

First visa extension, UK passport holders, Shangri-la/Zhongdian

Our guest house wasn't able to give us a hotel registration slip (lu guan zhu su deng ji) so we thought we'd try our luck at the PSB anyway. While looking for the PSB we were directed into the police station - near the Dawa/Changzheng junction at the edge of old town - and had a friendly English speaking policeman register us and print out the required slip. He then directed us down Changzheng road about 300m, just over the next junction, to the PSB office.

The chap there spoke excellent English, asked us where we were planning to travel, and how long we wanted. We said 30 days. We filled in the form, attached our passport photo, and he took our passports and accommodation registration slip. Five hours later, at 3.30pm, we came back, paid 160rmb each and collected our passports. 30 days added to the end of our current visa.

I wrote down the opening hours of the office but during the frothing excitement of getting a new visa I seem to have lost it. Something like Mon - Fri 9.00 - 5.00 with an hour off for lunch in the middle of the day.

We asked about getting more than 30 days but were told this was not possible.

Shangri la's reputation for easy visa extension seems justified.

421

Renewed my visa in Shanghai last week. Really straight forward process taking about an hour. Australian passport, first extension.

Supplied 2 photos (1 for the application and 1 to attach to my receipt to act as my temporary passport - you can keep this one when you collect your passport), showed my pink hotel registration form and then provided a photocopy to give them (photocopy room in the office, ¥0.5/page) and a completed visa application form available there.

I was asked for a contact number but didn't know my hostel's number and they didn't like my Oz mobile number so I gave them a "friends" local Chinese mobile number.

No proof of funds required.

I applied on my second last day and was given 32 days on top of my expiry date. Not sure how they worked that out but I wasn't complaining.

Returned 1 week later. Paid my ¥160 and collected my passport in less than 10 minutes.

Shanghai PSB office is at 1500 Minsheng Rd., Pudong. 5 minutes walk from Shanghai Science & Technology Museum metro stop on line 2.

422

#414
Ruth, you asked us to report back on our attempt to renew in Chengdu. I'm afraid we can't as our plans changed a bit over the last few weeks and we're actually back in the UK for a few weeks so will be applying for a new visa here before returning to China in late January.

Further to our comments on renewing in Hami (#413) the helpful English-speaking member of staff looked fairly pregnant so I'm not sure whether her departure in a few months time will have any impact on the ease of getting a visa renewal - she seemed to be the key person and her colleagues would ask you to come back another day if she wasn't available.

423

Recent information for Leshan:

It is true that you will get your extension within one day. We (two persons holding a German passport) came to the Goverment Affairs Service Centre (Fenghuang road 548, bus number 2 passes there, enter the building and turn right, take the stairs to the 3rd floor and there turn left) in the early afternoon and we were told to pick up the visa next day after 4pm. But we didn't get additional 30 days! Our old visa would have expired the 16th of December. We applied for the extension on the 11th having the potential addition in mind. However, our extension is only valid until the 9th of January. The same happened to two couples we met in the office (one couple both German, one couple German and Mexican).
So, keep this in mind when you think about extending your visa in Leshan. As it is done within one day you may want to do it at the end of your old visa!

And here is a suggestion for a cheap and good hotel in Leshan:

Xing Fa Hotel ( http://leshan.lotour.com/hotel/03083017// )
Jiading South Road 105

Ask for a room in the 7th floor. We took a single room for 80 RMB per night. These rooms don't have a window but they are clean, have 24h hot water, and free internet access (wire!). They also offer doubles for 100 RMB with window.
And if you get up early don't miss the free breakfast (from 8 to 9 am)!

My last advice for Leshan is regarding the Giant Buddha:

if you don't want to walk to the entrance you can take bus number 13, which stops directly in front of the East Gate. If you are holding any students card you may try to pay the cheaper entrance fee (50 RMB). I succeeded with an International Students Card. My friend tried it with her driving license but failed.

Safe travels,

Cheers

424

Increasingly this is the case everywhere. You get 30 days from the day you apply for the extension, not 30 additional days. In fact, it is not really an extension but a new visa.

Ruth

425

Sorry for cross-posting - I put this on the China visa sticky thread earlier today without realising there was a separate thread for visa extensions.

We crossed into China a couple of weeks ago on a 60 day L visa from the consulate in Chiang Mai. We're cycling north and I was hoping to be able to extend our visas another two times (30 days each). Just wondering if anyone knows whether this is possible or is the maximum limit of 90 days that I have seen mentioned usually strictly enforced?

Thanks for any help,

Julian

426

Extensions are not automatic. And you won't get an additional 30 days. You will get a new visa which will be for 30 days from the day you apply which should be about 5 days prior to the expiration of your current visa.

There is no 90 day maximum but second extensions sometimes aren't automatic. Given that you are cycling, you should be able to convince folks that you need the full second thirty days to get out of the country.

Ruth

427

There are no 90 day maximums. I've twice visited China before on 3-month single-entry visas, and both times managed to get 30 day extensions (ie. roughly 120 days in China each time). On one occasion when I extended a 3-month visa, the PSB told me that was it, and I couldn't extend it twice. On the other occasion (in a different location) they seemed as though they would have given me a second extension if I'd gone back and asked for one. With a 60 day visa, you should be able to get two 30-day extensions, but it will certainly help if you go to friendly PSB's.

428

thanks ruth and giora for your replies. good to hear.

429

I'm wanting to extend my double-entry 90 day visa in Lijiang. In LP 2011 it says it's a speedy place to do it. I have 10 days left on my visa. I have almost come to the end of my first entry and haven't used (or maybe won't even use) my second entry.

The simple answer would be for me to leave the country (probably via Laos because it's closer) but it will probably cost me more to travel to Laos and come back in again than to just get the extension now. I only need around another 20-30 days extra.
I assume by getting the extension it will invalidate the use of my second entry.

If I do the extension, will this have any effect on me applying for a new Chinese visa in the summer when applying from Hong Kong?

430

"If I do the extension, will this have any effect on me applying for a new Chinese visa in the summer when applying from Hong Kong?"

No, shouldn't make any difference at all (I've received several Chinese visas in Hong Kong before, and plenty of extensions).

Somebody very recently reported getting a visa extension in Lijiang that was efficient and quick. Dali is also a good place for visa extensions, and I've personally extended a 90-day visa there before. If you don't need your second entry, then extending your visa in Lijiang (or Dali) will involve much less hassle than going to Laos.

431

I was extending my L visa in Leshan back in November 2012, during the 'sensitive period' (Party Congress) and it went very smooth, took me a couple of minutes to go through the whole application process. It was Friday afternoon, hence I was forced to wait till Monday morning to collect the visa. (PSB is closed on weekends)

It's absolutely fine to hang around without your passport while waiting for a new visa, just make sure you've got the photocopies of your details and visa pages. You can do such photocopies in the PSB, just ask the assistant. Keep your receipt from the PSB too.

Hence if every single day matters for you, wait with extension till the last day of your current visa. In such case you will get the most from your extension.

I made a quick guide, including the directions and photos of Leshan PSB for all those wishing to get their visas there (and not willing to pay for the taxi!):

http://www.jauntytom.com/leshan-visa-extension-and-the-giant-buddha/

Hope you'll find it useful!

One more thing: if you need to take a photo of yourself, the photo booth is located in the basement of the building, don't waste your time looking on the "main" ground floor (like I did)! Get on the stairway and walk downstairs till u reach the tiny back exit. The easy-to-miss photo booth is on your right. 25RMB for 6 photos, as far as I remember.

And based on the current reports from the fellow travelers I met in Chengdu (that's where I'm based now), nothing has changed in Leshan since then - quick and smooth extension procedure.

432

Appreciate some help re my following questions:

1) I get a free 15 day visa upon entry to China. If I were to extend this, will the extension be for another 15 days or for 30 days or are there various other options?

2) I read that Dali is a good place to get extension. Is this still the case now?

I am planning to arrive in Kunming 10 March.

Thanks for the help

433

I'd really appreciate some thoughts on my particular visa problem from those with more knowledge than me!

I booked my flights 33 days apart and have been given a 30 day visa - despite the Chinese visa agency in London assuring me that they would give me the whole period. I have now been advised that my best bet is to extend it in China. The problem I have is in the timing. I am spending the first 5-7 days in Beijing, then going on to X'ian - possibly stopping off at Pingyao. I then fly to Kunming to join a trek for 16 days for the last part of my trip. It's obviously not an option to renew my visa 5 days before it runs out and it runs out on the last day of my trek (3 days before I return to England)
If I try to extend my visa at the beginning of my trip and, as I read on here, it is simply a new 30 day visa and will not cover the last 3 days!
The solution would be if I could renew it on the same day in Chengde (I could do a 2 day trip at the end of my Beijing stay) or in X'ian. But I don't know if that is possible or if they would say that it is too early to extend it.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! I leave for China in 2 weeks.

434

Phs - years ago I traveled with someone who got 25 days on arrival and I'm pretty sure that his extension was for 30 days. I would suggest that you contact the nearest Chinese consulate and ask about getting a visa in advance of arrival as it might be easier than trying to get an extension while traveling.

You indicate that you arrive in Kunming on 10 March, is that when you arrive in China? Where were you planning to travel and how long we're you hoping to stay in China?

Bronzecity - You don't have to extend your visa at the beginning. You just need to extend it after day three to get an additional 30 days. While many PSBs may say it is too early, I would show them that you are trekking for 2+ weeks and can't do it then. Neither Beijing nor Xian are considered good places to get an extension. I'm not sure about Chengde specifically. Search through this thread. In general smaller cities are easier than larger cities and take less time.

Ruth