5 Year Chinese Visa

[yankee99]

Searching for a chines visa service i fund this. http://www.vegatravelbangkok.com/china-visa-95.html

"ountry : China Visa

Visa Type: One Month Visa - Single Entry
Required Documents: 2 Photos, 2 Forms

American Passport: 7,200 B (5 working days)

All Nationalities: 4,900 B (5 working days)
All Nationalities: 5,400 B (4 working days)

5 year multiple visa ( Only for American citizenship)
Fee: 15000 baht (4 working days)

Required Documents: Passport / two photos / Bank Statement / Company Employment Letter

NOTE: THE EMBASSY RIGHT TO REFUSAL OF ANY NATIONALITY AND ANY CONDITION FOR ENTRY VISA. THE REFUSAL OR DALAY WILL NOT RESIBLE FROM TRAVEL AGENT."

Anybody familiar with this as i never knew a 5 year existed?

[Tomtomtom69]

I thought it was 10 years for Americans now. You can certainly get a 10-year Chinese tourist visa in the States due to a recent bilateral agreement passed between the Chinese and American governments, but will the Embassy in Bangkok issue you one? Last time I enquired about getting a 1-year or even 6-month business visa (then again I'm not American but that doesn't seem to make a big difference), the answer was that an official government invitation was required. Generally only a single or double entry 30 day visa (for double entry you might get 2 x 30 days) is what they'll give you.

Anyway, if this visa service is able to provide you with this service for a 5 or even 10 year visa (with 3-6 months stay at a time), give it a shot and call them or go in and see them. They will be able to tell you what they can do for you.

[yankee99]

Last year I got a 1 year multi entry business visa from a agent in Texas. I also heard foreigners have problems getting visas outside their home countries. I'll call in the morning as a 5 year would be great.

[granuaile]

I thought it was 10 years for Americans now. You can certainly get a 10-year Chinese tourist visa in the States due to a recent bilateral agreement passed between the Chinese and American governments, but will the Embassy in Bangkok issue you one? Last time I enquired about getting a 1-year or even 6-month business visa (then again I'm not American but that doesn't seem to make a big difference), the answer was that an official government invitation was required. Generally only a single or double entry 30 day visa (for double entry you might get 2 x 30 days) is what they'll give you.

Anyway, if this visa service is able to provide you with this service for a 5 or even 10 year visa (with 3-6 months stay at a time), give it a shot and call them or go in and see them. They will be able to tell you what they can do for you.

As I understand it Americans can now get a 10-year multiple entry visa though like you I am not sure can get here in Bangkok. I am planning to ask maybe when my friend visits from China next month for a few weeks, ask her and another friend to go with me to the Chinese embassy... I don't plan to get one anytime soon but maybe in 2016, when I will be back in USA... But i think the price is only about 160 USD so 15,000 seems very high for something that is uncertain...

Wonder if anyone has tried to get the 10-year visa here?

[yankee99]

I thought it was 10 years for Americans now. You can certainly get a 10-year Chinese tourist visa in the States due to a recent bilateral agreement passed between the Chinese and American governments, but will the Embassy in Bangkok issue you one? Last time I enquired about getting a 1-year or even 6-month business visa (then again I'm not American but that doesn't seem to make a big difference), the answer was that an official government invitation was required. Generally only a single or double entry 30 day visa (for double entry you might get 2 x 30 days) is what they'll give you.

Anyway, if this visa service is able to provide you with this service for a 5 or even 10 year visa (with 3-6 months stay at a time), give it a shot and call them or go in and see them. They will be able to tell you what they can do for you.

As I understand it Americans can now get a 10-year multiple entry visa though like you I am not sure can get here in Bangkok. I am planning to ask maybe when my friend visits from China next month for a few weeks, ask her and another friend to go with me to the Chinese embassy... I don't plan to get one anytime soon but maybe in 2016, when I will be back in USA... But i think the price is only about 160 USD so 15,000 seems very high for something that is uncertain...

Wonder if anyone has tried to get the 10-year visa here?

15,000 may be high but if i send my passport to houston it'll be almost $400/13,300baht. Wasting 2 days 5 hours each traveling to bkk and waiting at the embassy makes it really a bargain to me.

I called back and asked about 10 years and she wasnt clear "5 or 10 years" almost like when you apply for a usa visa some get 6 months some get 10 years.

[granuaile]

15,000 may be high but if i send my passport to houston it'll be almost $400/13,300baht. Wasting 2 days 5 hours each traveling to bkk and waiting at the embassy makes it really a bargain to me.

I called back and asked about 10 years and she wasnt clear "5 or 10 years" almost like when you apply for a usa visa some get 6 months some get 10 years.

Keep us informed.

I can see why it would be worthwhile for you. The embassy is about 3.5 miles from me, I sometimes pass it during walks and I can catch a bus or subway there - if I were outside Bangkok I would consider it too. Even 5 years multiple-entry would be good... but 10 better....

[Tomtomtom69]

It's 10 years for US citizens, that is sure. Whatever information is contained on the embassy website in Thailand is out of date.

The only concern, that I have mentioned before, is whether US citizens can get a 10-year or even a 1-year visa in Thailand. Even if they are resident here that may not be possible and they would have to get it in the US.

[Tomtomtom69]

Last year I got a 1 year multi entry business visa from a agent in Texas. I also heard foreigners have problems getting visas outside their home countries. I'll call in the morning as a 5 year would be great.

I've applied for Chinese visas in the region, including here in Bangkok this year and over the last couple of years. Visa types varied from L (tourist) including 30 days and 1 year multi entry L with 60 day entries per time to business 30 days and 1 year with a 90 day stay on each entry to work (Z). Study visas in the past were always converted from an L or extended from a previous student visa in country.

Applying in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phnom Penh I always gotten a 30 day L, M (previously F) or Z visa. The latter consists of only one length of validity anyway, it's stamped 000 days, but in reality you have 30 days to convert it to a so-called residence permit for work, inside the country, which is usually valid from 6-12 months at a time, possibly longer depending on bilateral agreements now, but typically no longer than a year at a time. Student visas obtained abroad work the same way, 30 days to convert once in China but now Americans can get 5 year student visas i.e. 5 year extensions inside the country and not just 1 year ones like in the past.

Australians now receive similar privileges as part of the entry into force of the recent Australia-China FTA but I'm not sure of the exact details, would need to look them up.

In general, there is no problem for most nationalities to apply for a Chinese visa abroad, but only if you apply back home will you receive the most generous privileges with minimal paperwork.

For example, Australian citizens can easily get a 1-year multi entry business or tourist visa with only 1 invitation letter and that's it if applying in Australia. No further questions asked, no other documents needed. However, if applying in Thailand, more documents may be needed and anything more than a single or double entry visa, with 30 days validity for each entry will be hard to get. Even if the website of the Chinese embassy Bangkok claims to offer a 1-year visa for non-Thai citizens, I suspect that in reality no one (not even Thais) can actually apply for a 1-year visa in Bangkok. The Chinese embassy is quite consistent when it comes to the documents required for applying for a visa, and both Thais and third party foreigners generally require the same documents in my experience and are eligible to receive the same visas.

[yankee99]

I've sent the paperwork and money. I'll update next week with my results.

[Tomtomtom69]

I've sent the paperwork and money. I'll update next week with my results.

Cool. However, generally speaking you will know what you will receive at the time you lodge your application. The Chinese never surprise you and refuse you by taking your application, making you wait and charging you for it.

If you are refused you are refused at the time of application, without charge since you only pay for your visa after you receive it.

That's a very fair system is you ask me.

So you should already know what you are getting based on what the consular officer told you he/she can grant you - however, I suspect you went through an agent as you outlined in your OP meaning that they will only update you once they come back from the embassy with the results of what happened.

If you apply in person the procedure is what I've just described above.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Tomtomtom69

[yankee99]

Just wanted to update this thread. I received my 10 year china visa. Only had to pay my money and go to the post office. I would recommend this company "vega travel" as its hassle free but you do have to pay for the service. In my case it was well worth it,

[granuaile]

Just wanted to update this thread. I received my 10 year china visa. Only had to pay my money and go to the post office. I would recommend this company "vega travel" as its hassle free but you do have to pay for the service. In my case it was well worth it,

Thank you for the update, it's certainly good news that the Chinese embassy here is following the terms of the agreement on this. Again many thanks