Tourist Visa For China

[fvw53]

Regulations for holders of non Thai passports have recently become more strict.and that the foreign passport holders have to apply in person.(travel agents can no longer handle their visa application)

Do some members have experience with this and do they know what kind of documentation or evidence is required to apply for a tourist visa?

I have Non Imm visa to stay one year in Thailand with multiple entry

Any experience with standing in line for many hours (I am 72 years old)

I am at 5 hours drive from the Chinese Embassy and do not want to be sent back

[Lynmark]

From my recent experience (5 visits) it has become more troublesome in the last few months, not sure if by regulation or just the embassy. I would love to hear from others too, in case it was the offical or just me just having a bad day.

If you drive to the embassy, there is good parking at the Fortune Town - IT Mall nearby, or park elsewhere and use the subway to Phra Ram 9.

As before, you wait in long line outside, then take a number inside. Whether you arrive early or later seems to make no difference to overall time, expect about 2 hours or more. If youre early you will join a long queue outside on the dirty narrow street in the heat/rain. If you come later you get inside sooner but the number will be much higher, but if you're lucky you get a seat. Bring along a good book to read, be warned that the numbers called can go up quicky without warning (people give up?). Theres plenty of time (also writing table, glue etc) there to fill in your application in the waiting room, forms available on the right as you enter, but its good to prepare the information beforehand.There are good toilets adjacent to the waiting room (BYO paper) and a drinking water dispenser. Theres also a special, but equally long, queue for travel agent runners.

Recently they added yet another long queue to stand in just for a lady to look over the applications and documents before going to the official window. I'd suggest bring a portable seat if youre elderly.

As before the embassy reqires (as per A4 poster on waiting room wall):

"

1. Air ticket

2. Hotel reservation

"

I'm still not sure if this is AND or OR, but theres seems little logic on the whole visa process so it probably doesnt matter anyway. A lady at the counter once told me the more the better. I've done it with just a hotel reservation, as getting an Air Ticket makes no sense for anyone crossing at land border such as Mohan/Boten. Air ticket seems better but then the cheap ones are very hard to change if you have a problem or delay or change your plans.

What seems to have changed is that they only issue single entry and not double entry visas (multiple entry.. forget it). They may also ask for some evidence of employment like a letter or business card. They may also ask for an day by day itinerary, OK if youre on an organised tour but a nuisance for independant travellers. As you might know, there may add other requirements depending on your passport, places you've visited or are visiting, political issues, tensions over sovereignty in the pacific, the weather etc.

If you dont have what they ask, they may accept the application and ask you to bring it when you pick up the visa, but I would avoid this as it adds more uncertainty to the process. Otherwise you simply pay at the leftmost counter and pick up the passport and visa, and this process is remarkably quick. As you might know, remember to keep the visa pickup slip safe, and that the embassy takes many holidays.

I only had a 30 day visit to Thailand, not a long stay visa, so I dont know if its any easier if you present a long term visa or residence permit.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Lynmark

[nonthaburial]

Lynmark, a tip for you. Over the last three years I was a regular at the Chinese Consulate in Bangkok, nothing was ever the same for each visit. Different regulations and requiments etc. Not to mention the long lines and waits

My passport was beginning to fill up with Chinese visas and applying got harder not easier. I then decided that for future applications I would spend two days relaxing in HK and aply there. This I did and never had any hassles and even got multi entry visas.

Visas are issued by any ChinaTravel Service and they have offices all over HK.

[Lynmark]

Totally agree, I have indeed got Chinese Visas in Hong Kong (China Resources Bldg) on earlier trips, its conveniently located and the process seems easier there then elsewhere.

I'd also recommend it for the OP who would otherwise face 2 return 5 hour trips to Bangkok, Also flights to HK are generally much cheaper than the mainland.

The problem with HK for myself and perhaps others is that I have been to HK so many times i find little to do there that i have not already done, and the shopping there seems just as expensive as Bangkok or elsewhere. You cannot go to Macao or elsewhere while you wait. HK is also not practical for those entering by land from Laos/Vietnam, or for those using chinese airlines or taking a direct flight to places like Kunming.

[impulse]

I'd suggest some diligence before committing to an HK trip to get a visa. Because of this year's events, the rules and enforcement of those rules are probably going to be pretty unpredictable. I'm remembering back to the Olympic Visa Debacle of 2008 when hundreds of tourists were holed up in all the normally "easy visa" spots because the rules seemed to change daily. I handled my visa issues that year in Seoul, but kept an eye on all the blogs in case that became impossible.

To this year's power transition, add the controversies in the South China sea, the irritating WTO trade skirmishes with the EU and USA, the recent diplomatic incident related to the now famous dissident, the recent turmoil with some high ranking officials, etc, etc.. Visas could be a little touchy for the next few months.

I'm not saying HK isn't a good idea- it usually is. But that's a long way to go to be disappointed or (more likely) to get the same visa you could have gotten in BKK. I'd suggest checking some of the HK visa blogs before buying the ticket.

I'd also be interested in hearing of anyone's experience with the Chinese consulate in Songkhla, and whether there are any travel agencies that can help guide the process.

Edited May 26, 2012 by impulse

[Lynmark]

Update and note:

-- from my most recent experience, and also from another thread (see quote below):

Currently, the Chinese embassy is only giving the number of days you request on the application form and not the 30 days stay, for each entry, as they did before. In addition, they may ask for an itinerary or something similar to cover the number of days that you request.

As far as I know, you can still get a visa extension at the local PSB office in China and it shouldn't be a problem for the first extension. Nonetheless, it should be done a few days before the expiry, and should have a backup plan in case of problems.

Maybe they will relax a little now that 4 June has passed...hopefully

Thanks all... Finished the visa process and processing time for standard service is 4 working days

The consulate is just past fortune town on the corner of Ratchada soi 3

You should go early as the only hand out queue tickets until 10am (this is what I was told)

I would recommend filling out all application form(s) before showing up as they are quite long

Also if you are US citizen, you need 2 Sets of everything and the fee is much higher (1000 thb for Thai and 4650 for US citizen)

Also Thai nationals can use a visa agent to handle whole process and they do not need to go personally, but if foreign national, you must go on person, so no need to hire an agent to help (if you were considering it)

There is also an Extra form needing to be filled is you are a foreign national applying for visa while in Thailand

Also they wanted copies of my work permit and a letter from my employer advising salary, length of time with the company & permission for vacation

They also needed info on my Thai visa and proof that visa would not expire while I was in China and that I could legally return to Thailand

They also requested copies of plane ticket / itinerary and hotel reservation

I submitted all required info and received a single entry visa valid for a stay of 7 days in China

[Jaykiss]

Just went to apply for the visa today. As friday was a holiday, today being monday was full of people. I was told by the guard that people come to queue as early as 6 in the morning while the consulate opens at 9:00. Well i reached at 9:00. Had filled up the form (visa application + supplementary form) beforehand by downloading from their website.

I am a Thai Resident Permit holder since the last 13 years. Own 49% stake in a registered ltd. part. Have a salary + workpermit of the same place since 13 years.

I took with me:

Copy of Passport, Copy of White Book (PR), Copy of Red Book (Tangdao), Copy of Workpermit, Company Registeration, House Registeration (Thabiyan baan), Invitation letter from a company in China, Hotel Bookings, Flight Bookings, Bank Book Copies (3 months) plus originals of all the above <--Well i thought that was more than enough!!

Anyways, Went in the number being called was 34, i got a 162. Meanwhile I had to queue up for getting my documents checked before being called according to my number. Had to stand in the long queue until my number came. Handed over the documents to the thai/chinese lady sitting on the desk. She said everything is fine. Returned to me my work-permit copy, thabiyan baan copy, PR copy; she said not required. Also told me to keep back my PR and Workpermit as it wont be necessary to show the originals. Fine; so I waited until my number was called. It was approximately 12:30 p.m. now. Went up to the window; handed over the documents.

The lady at the desk said,

Why are two things ticked in the purpose of visit? I had ticked both tourism and business. (Ref. # 2.1 Major purpose(s) of your visit(s) to China). As much English I know I made out that we could tick more than one reason as I was actually going to one city for business and the other for tourism purpose.

Told her fine..just change it either one that will be easier to apply for as long as i get a visa for enough days as per my flight bookings. She changed it to tourism. Returned back to me the letter of invitation from my business counterpart in China. Now, she said the company registeration was in Thai, I had to translate it to english and get it certified. I told her i have a work permit (which the woman checking the documents said i didnt require to show) and its written in english along with thai. She took the work permit copy from me. She said its not enough. Get a letter from your company stating that you work there. For Gods sake, you have my work permit, company registeration; its my own business; above all i hold a permanent residence!! After much argument; she said we will grant you a ten day visa as long as you bring the letter when you come to pick your passport. Phew. (All this for a dam_n 10 day tourist visa for a Thai Resident Permit holder; and I thought in Thailand..a P.R. was equivalent to Citizenship)

Btw, for Thais if you apply in person, you just need your passport copy hotel reservations and flight reservations)

It amazed me that when i got my documents checked from one officer (not to mention standing in a queue for over an hour) she told me different things and at the counter i was told different things. Well i guess thats China for you!

Anyways, To aviod dissapointment;

Documents required if you are a Thai Resident Permit Holder:

Copy of Passport

Copy of White Book (PR)

Copy of Red Book (Tangdao)

Copy of Workpermit

Letter confirming your employment from employer or your own company.

Company Registeration (Nangsue rab rong borisat) (If its not translated in english dont bother 2 take it)

House Registeration (Thabiyan baan) (not necessary)

Invitation letter from a company in China

Hotel Bookings

Flight Bookings

Bank Book Copies (3 months)

CheerS!!