Hello everyone

Thanks in advance for helping.

Does one know how long it takes to get a tourist visa (I'm a French citizen in Thailand at the moment) if I apply for it at the Chinese Embassy in BKK? Is it a same day service? Or a 24 hours service? Longer? Do you know what documents I need to apply? How long is the visa for? 30 days?

Thank you so much.

ptitprince.

PS

Is BKK the best place to apply and have fast service? What about Songkhla or Chiang Mai? thank you.

PS

I'd like to add a couple of questions: anyone how long it takes if I go through the emergency service, and how much it is? And what are the chances of success for this way to apply for the visa? I have heard of the same-day rush service. Is it easy to get? Anyone knows the price of it? Thank you.

One more thing: I have seen that to apply for a tourist visa, one must have a return ticket; but what if the visa got denied? What are the chances to have a visa denied (I am French). Thank you.

French people are said to have more problems obtaining Chinese visas than other nationalities, but even so Bangkok should be able to issue you a visa, valid for 30 days with 2 entries at most with the following conditions:

No express service (please correct me if I'm wrong) 4 day service only for French nationals.

Onward or return tickets or hotel bookings not needed if presenting a letter of invitation from a Chinese resident (local or expat), but the details of how you will arrive and where you will stay should be mentioned in the letter.

For rush service the fastest is now next day for an additional 800 Baht if you're eligible. Australians are, US citizens are but Swiss aren't and as mentioned, most likely neither are French citizens.

Chiang Mai is said to be a bit easier than Bangkok to apply for a Chinese visa. No idea about Songkhla but probably similar.

BTW there now also appears to be a Chinese consular office in Khon Kaen you could try.