Visa Situation Goes from Bad to China Bad
Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 6:02 pm By Kyle
We are getting first hand reports on the China visa situation in New York City outside of the consulate there, and the scene isn’t pretty. Our embedded reporter (read: visiting friend) is amongst the crowd, and the horror stories are flowing faster than baijiu at a Chinese reception.
Our visiting friend first tried in vain to get a tourist visa last week, but the efforts were in vain due to a lack of empty pages in the passport. When she came back on Monday of this week, all the regulations had changed, and she was denied again. She was referred to the Chinese consulate’s website for information on the updated required documents list, which of course has not been updated since January.
The list of required documents that are now necessary for the tourist visa, which she gleaned in part from fellow wannabe travelers on their 3rd and 4th attempts, seems to be growing by the day, and is in addition to the regular application. No one seems to know what is going on, and the general consensus is that you are completely at the whim of the attendants’ moods. Here is at least what she ultimately said one could be asked for by the consulate:
- A copy of a hotel reservation made for the day of arrival, or a signed letter of invitation from someone currently in the country
- Copies of your plane ticket. Some have reported that visas are being denied on the basis of wanting to see actual paper tickets, which we haven’t seen since Mao was still alive
- A bank statement with a minimum of US$3,000
- A letter from your employer saying you’ll be on vacation during the time that the airline ticket shows
We wouldn’t believe the list either if we hadn’t just got off the phone with the friend (who arrived at the consulate two hours before opening, and only managed to score 30th in line), but the account seems to align with what’s going through the mainstream media at the moment.
According to the International Herald Tribune, in the absence of an official line from Beijing about recent visa changes, the void is being taken up by rumors, stories and confusion.
We know for sure that multiple entry visas have been suspended until after the Olympics, but the latest twist is that only 30-day single or double-entry visas are being issued, and some expats already in China are being required to return to their home country to get them. That’s right, no more Hong Kong or Macau visa havens.
The article adds that there actually has been one official statement from a Chinese official. Jiang Yu, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, insisted no policy changes have been made, saying, “The Chinese people will welcome foreign friends in a warm, enthusiastic and open-minded way.”
In other words, bring every scrap of paper that they could possibly ask for when applying for the visa, and allow for plenty of time and backup plans. You’re probably going to need them.
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April 26th, 2008 at 3:30 am
[…] Technologist wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptHere is at least what she ultimately said one could be asked for by the consulate:. A copy of a hotel reservation made for the day of arrival, or a signed letter of invitation from someone currently in the country. (more…) […]
April 26th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
[…] visa, while at the same time the Foreign Ministry claims nothing has changed. The lowdown at BizCult: We know for sure that multiple entry visas have been suspended until after the Olympics, but the […]
April 29th, 2008 at 2:13 am
visa requirement: china makes it as hard as like going to the US. maybe a little harder. understandable in views of all the protests in the world.
April 29th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Agree with above poster. From our article in last week’s newsletter:
“What some people fail to realize though is how difficult it is for Chinese citizens to apply for visas to other countries. A Chinese tourist who wishes to visit the United States must do the following
* Buy a prepaid PIN card from China CITIC bank in order to call the US visa scheduling hotline. Cards cost 36RMB for 8 minutes of call time meaning that on occasion if the hotline is experiencing a significant call volume multiple cards may be necessary. The current wait time for appointments is 19 working days meaning a wait of approximately one calendar month.
* Applicants must pay the non-refundable fee of 930RMB – a significant amount of money in Chinese terms.
* On the day of the appointment applicants are fingerprinted and told to wait up to three hours for the interview.
* At the interview applicants are asked to prove that they are not intending immigrants, this is because under U.S. state department regulations all applicants for visas are assumed to be intending immigrants unless they can prove otherwise. Only if the consular officer is convinced that they are not intending to immigrate to the United States will they be granted a visa. In order to prove this they must produce evidence of bank records, employment contract and similar documents. Needless to say this can be considered quite invasive.
Compared to this, China’s new visa regulations can be considered relatively simple and straightforward. While true that China’s new regulations will obstruct business for some foreign nationals, in particular those resident in Hong Kong who need to travel to the Pearl River Delta cities frequently, they will not lead to a major reduction in the amount of business foreigners do in China.”
Until the visa situation changed, one could hardly call it “bad” considering how freely visas were granted to tourists from western countries who would very commonly abuse the restrictions placed on their visas.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Dear Bonchue and Lehman,
Thanks for making some excellent points.
And now it’s time to stir up some trouble a la devil’s advocate.
We’re fairly well versed in U.S. visa troubles, especially since Kim, our researcher from Vietnam, experienced just what you mentioned at the hands of American immigration authorities in Beijing. She recently tried to visit the U.S. as a tourist, but was denied. We are with you on loosening U.S. borders to allow many more visitors, and wish U.S. policies would change.
Strictly speaking about Chinese policies, however, the “China Bad” we hint at really gets to an ongoing problem in China: lack of transparency.
How is it that a China foreign ministry spokeswoman can claim no visa policy changes have been made when, in fact, they have? Reportedly, multiple entry F visas are not being granted in Hong Kong, although formerly they were. New documentation for tourist visas are being required in New York without any official mention of the requirement.
U.S. policies are strict. And Kim certainly didn’t know what the interview process for a U.S. visa would entail completely, as she was taken aback by some of the questions asked. But she knew there would be an interview. She knew how much it would cost for a visa. Somewhere, these things were written down and enforced as outlined.
China can never be a United States, and it shouldn’t be. There’s a proud history, culture and nation here that should follow its own path. That path should be clearer, however, for those who wish to travel it - for both foreign and domestic parties.
April 29th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Like many permanent Hong Kong residents who travel frequently to China (in my case at least 3 days a week to Shenzhen), I now have to jump through hoops to see if, maybe, I can get a multiple entry visa. So I booked a flight to Vietnam and spent a week looking at factories there. In 5 hours door to door, I can be in a factory in a place where labour is one third cheaper and then I can head into Saigon in 45 mins for a great meal and enjoy a cultured and laid back environment. There are great beaches, authentic Western food, superb local cuisine and sophisticated big-city women. There is a better quality manufacturing to outweigh the poorer infrastructure and longer delivery times. I have to choose the projects carefully but I will definitely make electronics there. This is as a direct result of the visa situation. China is now drunk on it’s own glory after an unprecedented economic boom and so unelected government officials are making appallingly bad economic decisions. You can screw tourists but if you try to screw business people, they will take their investment elsewhere. 10,000 Taiwan and Korean factories allegedly shut down before Chinese New Year. The government is increasing the costs of business to force producers of low end products to move inland. They moved to Vietnam and Indonesia instead. Hong Kong expats who have been dealing with China for up to 15 years are stunned at this visa situation. I mean really STUNNED. Considering that 99.99999% of us only ever BUY from China and considering the amount of money we have invested in the local economy (albeit for selfish capitalistic reasons) we expect to be treated FAIRLY. We feel like we are being slapped in the face. The most valuable asset we have to offer is not our investment dollars, it is our know-how. When I go to Vietnam I don’t just bring cash. I set up production lines and teach Vietnamese entrepreneurs how to compete with China, not the US or Europe. The Chinese government has show me that I MUST have a Plan B. Not very smart.
April 30th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
[…] Visa Situation Goes from Bad to China Bad […]
May 3rd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Having just picked up a z visa in New York, I can say that everything listed in this post is correct about getting the L visa. Lotta angry people there the week after the regulations change.
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I don’t have $3,000 in my account! What should I do? I’m just a college student. Oh no. I’m scared because I already bought my plane ticket, but I am afraid I can’t get a tourist visa or work visa.
Right now, I’m trying to find a teaching job at a company that will issue me a work permit. Any thoughts?
May 5th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Hi Broke_As_A_Joke,
Love the name, but sorry it’s true.
A couple things might help.
Shaan was kind enough to verify what we have reported about the New York situation. But our experience suggests that Chinese visa issuers aren’t all alike. What’s going on in New York could be different from what’s going on in Washington D.C. or Los Angeles. Hell, even what’s going on in Visa Issuer Window #2 in New York could be slightly different from what’s going on in Visa Issuer Window #3. Maybe Wang is having a good day at #3 and he’ll let you slide. After all, at least at the time of publication of this story, these new “rules” weren’t published. Showing up at a consulate or embassy and trying can’t hurt.
Then again, do your parents have US$3,000 they could loan you for a day? You might just need to show a record of the amount in your account and then you can give the cash back.
There are a lot of teaching jobs in China. But to get my Z (employee) visa for a government magazine job back in 2006, it took months of back-and-forth between that group and myself to seal the deal with visa in hand. If you do go the teaching route, just be prepared to change your flight date and bunker down for something even more potentially frustrating than the visa issue - applying for a job with a Chinese organization.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Having some personal experience with the issue, I can say that many teaching recruiting companies suggest (and probably still do) that you get a tourist visa to start with from the U.S. When you get to China, they will help you switch it to a working visa. I would also recommend that you get a teaching job lined up before you leave the U.S. for two reasons: First, although there are jobs aplenty, that 30-day visa could run out before you know it. Also, many companies offer flight reimbursements as a perk of finishing a contract, but if they recruit you within China, you may have a harder time getting your hands on that money.
May 5th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
[…] “Visa Situation Goes from Bad to China Bad,“ […]
June 1st, 2008 at 8:27 am
If you wish to teach in China you will need.
A four year degree to teach college.
now teaching kids is easier most require no degree.
Now don’t go and use a company to help you like (Star or Tianshuo language school), you may get cheated working like slaves…Directly contact colleges. At least English First Language school is lesser of the evils.Check http://www.Davidcrompton.co.uk to get more info about teaching in China.
I’m teaching at a college in the North,Jilin Province. but I dealt with the college directly no middle person, so i did not get cheated.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
who care?still have vietnam,cabodia, just we find out more beter and sheap product then china