Anyone familiar with tourist visas to China?

[caden]

There are 6 members of my family traveling to China soon. We'd like to get a group visa but I'm not sure if we qualify because 2 are flying in a day earlier than the rest of us and our departure days are also different (2 people are staying 1 extra day, 2 are staying 3 extra days).

Also is it possible to get a multiple- entry visa with an itinerary that only requires a single entry visa, or do you need an itinerary with multiple entries (or multiple itineraries)?

[GilliC]

I assume you're visiting as tourists? I've never heard of the group visa or seen any reference to it on the embassy websites, so I have no idea about that. Surely, though, if you have some kind of a group visa, the group would need to arrive at immigration together, wouldn't they?

From my experiences with Chinese tourist visas, the number of entries is specified -- I've only heard of people getting a 1-entry or 2-entry visa. However, for a 2-entry visa, the validity range is a single stretch, so you probably don't have to specify the exact date that you will be re-entering. You could always just explain when you apply that you're planning to leave the country at some time during your stay and therefore need a second entry.

However, if you're looking for something more open-ended, I think you'll probably be out of luck. China is notoriously tightfisted about issuing visas. Your best bet is to contact the embassy/consulate directly and explain the situation.

[Deleted]

When we got our tourist visas for China it was good for 1 year after the start date of our trip. The travel agent said that if we went back to China in that year then we wouldn't need to reapply for a visa.

That passport was stolen, so I don't know what type of visa we got. This was also in 2010, so I'm not sure if things have changed.

[caden]

Mar 10, 2014 11:09:36 GMT -5 GilliC said:

I assume you're visiting as tourists? I've never heard of the group visa or seen any reference to it on the embassy websites, so I have no idea about that. Surely, though, if you have some kind of a group visa, the group would need to arrive at immigration together, wouldn't they?

From my experiences with Chinese tourist visas, the number of entries is specified -- I've only heard of people getting a 1-entry or 2-entry visa. However, for a 2-entry visa, the validity range is a single stretch, so you probably don't have to specify the exact date that you will be re-entering. You could always just explain when you apply that you're planning to leave the country at some time during your stay and therefore need a second entry.

However, if you're looking for something more open-ended, I think you'll probably be out of luck. China is notoriously tightfisted about issuing visas. Your best bet is to contact the embassy/consulate directly and explain the situation.

Here's the embassy description of it:
www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t162610.htm

[GilliC]

Mar 10, 2014 12:11:43 GMT -5 caden said:

Mar 10, 2014 11:09:36 GMT -5 GilliC said:

I assume you're visiting as tourists? I've never heard of the group visa or seen any reference to it on the embassy websites, so I have no idea about that. Surely, though, if you have some kind of a group visa, the group would need to arrive at immigration together, wouldn't they?

From my experiences with Chinese tourist visas, the number of entries is specified -- I've only heard of people getting a 1-entry or 2-entry visa. However, for a 2-entry visa, the validity range is a single stretch, so you probably don't have to specify the exact date that you will be re-entering. You could always just explain when you apply that you're planning to leave the country at some time during your stay and therefore need a second entry.

However, if you're looking for something more open-ended, I think you'll probably be out of luck. China is notoriously tightfisted about issuing visas. Your best bet is to contact the embassy/consulate directly and explain the situation.

Here's the embassy description of it:
www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t162610.htm

What is Tourist Group Visa

1. The Tourist Group Visa is the one that issued to a tourist group organized by the travel agency which comprises at least five (5) members who must travel together both in and out of China

2. The Tourist Group Visa is evidenced on the Group Tourist Form instead of on the individual passport.

Is your group being organized by a travel agency? If so, and you are eligible for the group visa, it would be the agency applying on your behalf.

However, since you are not traveling together into China, I don't think you would be eligible. Especially since it states that the visa is evidenced by a Group Tourist Form rather than in individual passports. That would mean that you would all need to be present collectively when the form was presented to the immigration authorities. If you're arriving on different dates, that really isn't an option. ...Unless some of you want to try to spend the night outside the immigration border at the airport arrivals area until the rest of the group arrives. (I doubt the Chinese authorities would be very okay with that though.)

[caden]

Ah. Ok thanks. Figures we have to complicate things.

[Deleted]

Yea, I agree with Gilli that it doesn't sound like you are eligible for the group visa.

When I got my first visa in 2011 for our house hunting trip I was given a multiple entry that was good for a full year even though my itinerary did not require it. Since then, however, standards on visas have gotten stricter and I don't believe that my friend who visited China last year was given a multi-entry. You can certainly try requesting a multi-entry or double entry, but I have doubts you will get it without an itinerary that supports it or any further connection in China such as family here. Good luck.

[travelingturtle]

I went with a group and the group got a group visa. I was leaving on a different date, so I had my own visa. I preferred it because at the time (who knows if it's different now) I got the actual visa in my passport. The rest of the group didn't get anything in their passport except for a stamp.

[caden]

Mar 11, 2014 0:26:43 GMT -5 @juliash said:

Yea, I agree with Gilli that it doesn't sound like you are eligible for the group visa.

When I got my first visa in 2011 for our house hunting trip I was given a multiple entry that was good for a full year even though my itinerary did not require it. Since then, however, standards on visas have gotten stricter and I don't believe that my friend who visited China last year was given a multi-entry. You can certainly try requesting a multi-entry or double entry, but I have doubts you will get it without an itinerary that supports it or any further connection in China such as family here. Good luck.

DH & I are moving to korea this summer and hope to travel there again. I'm hoping they will hook us up so we don't have to deal with this while living there.

[GilliC]

Mar 11, 2014 5:37:20 GMT -5 caden said:

Mar 11, 2014 0:26:43 GMT -5 @juliash said:

Yea, I agree with Gilli that it doesn't sound like you are eligible for the group visa.

When I got my first visa in 2011 for our house hunting trip I was given a multiple entry that was good for a full year even though my itinerary did not require it. Since then, however, standards on visas have gotten stricter and I don't believe that my friend who visited China last year was given a multi-entry. You can certainly try requesting a multi-entry or double entry, but I have doubts you will get it without an itinerary that supports it or any further connection in China such as family here. Good luck.

DH & I are moving to korea this summer and hope to travel there again. I'm hoping they will hook us up so we don't have to deal with this while living there.

Living in Seoul, it should be pretty easy to get additional China tourist visas. You'll be convenient for visiting the embassy, and since the countries are so close geographically, there's quite a bit of tourist traffic back and forth. That typically means a more stream-lined application process.

[caden]

Mar 11, 2014 6:05:43 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Mar 11, 2014 5:37:20 GMT -5 caden said:

DH & I are moving to korea this summer and hope to travel there again. I'm hoping they will hook us up so we don't have to deal with this while living there.

Living in Seoul, it should be pretty easy to get additional China tourist visas. You'll be convenient for visiting the embassy, and since the countries are so close geographically, there's quite a bit of tourist traffic back and forth. That typically means a more stream-lined application process.

do you know if it still costs the same for an American overseas?

[GilliC]

Mar 11, 2014 6:22:17 GMT -5 caden said:

Mar 11, 2014 6:05:43 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Living in Seoul, it should be pretty easy to get additional China tourist visas. You'll be convenient for visiting the embassy, and since the countries are so close geographically, there's quite a bit of tourist traffic back and forth. That typically means a more stream-lined application process.

do you know if it still costs the same for an American overseas?

No idea. The link to the visa fees seems to be broken:
www.chinaemb.or.kr/kor/lshyw/lsk_qz/lsk_qz_sj/

ETA - It looks like the Chinese authorities made some changes fairly recently, so you would need to apply via an authorized agency in Seoul rather than directly with the embassy. I would ask around for information on one of the Korea-specific forums.