Visa application for China made in Bangkok

[midas]

 I wondered if any forum members have recently experienced applying for a Visa for China while living in Thailand?

According to my travel agent it seems China has introduced a new policy that you can only get a visa for China in Thailand if you have permanent residence here?  If you don't have residence you have to return to your home country to make the application.

 

I have read the following guidelines regarding applying for a visa to enter China if the application is made in Bangkok and the travel agent says it doesn’t include an extension of stay on your retirement Visa which I have.

 

" Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship)

 If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying."

 

Would there be any ways around this?

 

Edited June 13, 2017 by midas

[theoldgit]

If you're in Thailand either on an extension of stay or on an actual retirement visa, then you're here on a legal stay, so should be able to apply for your visa here.

 

Whilst I've never needed to apply for a Chinese visa here in Thailand, I've read posts from those who have.

 

I think your travel agent has given you incorrect advice.

 

The Chinese Embassy outsources it's visa application process, this is the advice given: " If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status of the country where you are currently staying", and "The Visa Centre accepts visa applications from Thailand citizens or citizens of other countries staying in Thailand with appropriate legal status", these comments seem to imply that as you're here legally you can apply via their application centre.

 

https://www.visaforchina.org/web/guidance/StepByStep_questions.action?visacenterCode=BKK&request_locale=en_US&site_alias=BKK_EN

[impulse]

This is one of those cases where a visa agent earns their money.

 

The China visa regulations and enforcement seem to change just about every time there's a political meeting or international event.  I'm still stinging from the 2008 Olympic Visa Debacle where the Olympics in Beijing cost me about $15,000 on visa runs, though I never darkened the door of a single event...  Also an occasional hard time for big CCP pow-wows.

 

Find a visa agent (I used CTS in Seoul, but never needed one in BKK) and ask them what you need.  They'll tell you right away if your documents are adequate.

 

(Edit: Any advice you get here may not apply to YOUR situation, at THIS time.  Or it might)

 

Edited June 13, 2017 by impulse

[midas]

3 hours ago, theoldgit said:

If you're in Thailand either on an extension of stay or on an actual retirement visa, then you're here on a legal stay, so should be able to apply for your visa here.

 

Whilst I've never needed to apply for a Chinese visa here in Thailand, I've read posts from those who have.

 

I think your travel agent has given you incorrect advice.

 

The Chinese Embassy outsources it's visa application process, this is the advice given: " If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status of the country where you are currently staying", and "The Visa Centre accepts visa applications from Thailand citizens or citizens of other countries staying in Thailand with appropriate legal status", these comments seem to imply that as you're here legally you can apply via their application centre.

 

https://www.visaforchina.org/web/guidance/StepByStep_questions.action?visacenterCode=BKK&request_locale=en_US&site_alias=BKK_EN

 

Thanks for this information which gives me a bit more hope and an incentive to make further enquiries with the organisation which now handles Visa applications. But the travel agent seemed pretty adamant about the residency status.

[midas]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

This is one of those cases where a visa agent earns their money.

 

The China visa regulations and enforcement seem to change just about every time there's a political meeting or international event.  I'm still stinging from the 2008 Olympic Visa Debacle where the Olympics in Beijing cost me about $15,000 on visa runs, though I never darkened the door of a single event...  Also an occasional hard time for big CCP pow-wows.

 

Find a visa agent (I used CTS in Seoul, but never needed one in BKK) and ask them what you need.  They'll tell you right away if your documents are adequate.

 

(Edit: Any advice you get here may not apply to YOUR situation, at THIS time.  Or it might)

 

 

I am only making arrangements to go there in January to visit the Harbin snow and ice Festival (because it's apparently the biggest in the world) but I'm not going to stuff around if getting a Visa is such a big deal because there is another one around about the same time in Sapporo Japan where I wouldn't need any Visa at all!

I can remember fronting up at the Chinese embassy in Bangkok a few years ago and getting the Visa without any effort at all, I just don't see what it achieves to make someone go back to their home country just to lodge an application.

[sandyf]

On 6/13/2017 at 8:28 PM, midas said:

 

I am only making arrangements to go there in January to visit the Harbin snow and ice Festival (because it's apparently the biggest in the world) but I'm not going to stuff around if getting a Visa is such a big deal because there is another one around about the same time in Sapporo Japan where I wouldn't need any Visa at all!

I can remember fronting up at the Chinese embassy in Bangkok a few years ago and getting the Visa without any effort at all, I just don't see what it achieves to make someone go back to their home country just to lodge an application.

I went a couple of years ago and it wasn't a problem. At that time they had just introduced financial details and that nearly caught me out, fortunately I did have my bankbook with me.

I went with my wife last September to get a visa for her sister and it is a bit more organised since they changed things round. There was a load of foreigners there making applications so I would doubt what you have been told.

How long did you plan to go, I believe that they have a 3 day visa exemption scheme.

[midas]

19 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I went a couple of years ago and it wasn't a problem. At that time they had just introduced financial details and that nearly caught me out, fortunately I did have my bankbook with me.

I went with my wife last September to get a visa for her sister and it is a bit more organised since they changed things round. There was a load of foreigners there making applications so I would doubt what you have been told.

How long did you plan to go, I believe that they have a 3 day visa exemption scheme.

Thanks. What you say sounds much more encouraging than what the travel agent told me.

At the moment I can't get any reply from this Visa for China.org  by email because their mail box is full so it looks like I would have to visit Bangkok and go there in person. I tried writing to their counterpart in Australia but they just told me to contact their office here in Thailand.

If you went a couple of years ago were you still dealing with the embassy itself in Bangkok or had they already transferred these responsibilities to this outside agency?

I'm only planning to go for about 7 to 8 days to Harbin and then a further three or four days in Shenzen.

[sandyf]

6 minutes ago, midas said:

Thanks. What you say sounds much more encouraging than what the travel agent told me.

At the moment I can't get any reply from this Visa for China.org  by email because their mail box is full so it looks like I would have to visit Bangkok and go there in person. I tried writing to their counterpart in Australia but they just told me to contact their office here in Thailand.

If you went a couple of years ago were you still dealing with the embassy itself in Bangkok or had they already transferred these responsibilities to this outside agency?

I'm only planning to go for about 7 to 8 days to Harbin and then a further three or four days in Shenzen.

When I went to do the visas for myself and my wife it would have been about 3 and half years ago. It was not in the Embassy itself, you went down the side of the embassy wall and the entrance was on the left. When I went last year they had rearrange things but I am fairly sure it was the same room but the entrance was on the other side of the building.

I do not think it is outsourced, the staff appeared to be Chinese. Probably run by the embassy as a separate entity with a lower level of staff. When I did mine the lady behind the desk made the decision on the spot, gave 10 days for the week long trip.

When we went last year once inside everything appeared the same except that they had set up a reception and enquiry desk which made it all a bit more efficient. Unfortunately we did not get to make the application as my wife was submitting on behalf of her sister and had not brought a letter of authority, she went back the next day and it was ok, there was no appointment system.

My wife's niece is at Sun Yat Sen university in Guangzhou and when we went we took the train into Shenzen for the day.

Good luck.

[midas]

19 minutes ago, sandyf said:

When I went to do the visas for myself and my wife it would have been about 3 and half years ago. It was not in the Embassy itself, you went down the side of the embassy wall and the entrance was on the left. When I went last year they had rearrange things but I am fairly sure it was the same room but the entrance was on the other side of the building.

I do not think it is outsourced, the staff appeared to be Chinese. Probably run by the embassy as a separate entity with a lower level of staff. When I did mine the lady behind the desk made the decision on the spot, gave 10 days for the week long trip.

When we went last year once inside everything appeared the same except that they had set up a reception and enquiry desk which made it all a bit more efficient. Unfortunately we did not get to make the application as my wife was submitting on behalf of her sister and had not brought a letter of authority, she went back the next day and it was ok, there was no appointment system.

My wife's niece is at Sun Yat Sen university in Guangzhou and when we went we took the train into Shenzen for the day.

Good luck.

Sorry but I don't think what you have said applies any more and if you read back to Post number two
one of the moderators actually said this - " The Chinese Embassy outsources it's visa application process "

you don't go anywhere near the embassy itself anymore

The Chinese embassy itself is on Ratchada Road but this new Visa service is located in an entirely new location on New Phetchaburi Road

 

If you read the section entitled " about the application centre " on their website they make reference to why this outsourcing was carried out.

 

https://www.visaforchina.org/BKK_EN/aboutus/278174.shtml

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, midas said:

Sorry but I don't think what you have said applies any more and if you read back to Post number two
one of the moderators actually said this - " The Chinese Embassy outsources it's visa application process "

you don't go anywhere near the embassy itself anymore

The Chinese embassy itself is on Ratchada Road but this new Visa service is located in an entirely new location on New Phetchaburi Road

 

If you read the section entitled " about the application centre " on their website they make reference to why this outsourcing was carried out.

 

https://www.visaforchina.org/BKK_EN/aboutus/278174.shtml

You are quite right. Having looked at the map can see it is now a couple of miles away so the more recent change is a complete change. Apologies.

[Tanoshi]

Your travel agent isn't well informed.

 

If you use an agent he will require a Power of Attorney from yourself.

 

If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying.

http://www.chinaembassy.or.th/eng/lsfw/qzxk/t1072023.htm

 

The Chinese Embassy outsourced Visa applications to CVASC quite a few years back.

 

I'm on an extension of permission to stay, which legally allows me to stay in Thailand.

I had to get my permission to stay authenticated by the MFA.

 

As I visited friends as a Tourist, I also had to get an Invitation letter from them.

If your not on a tour package a letter of invitation seems to be the norm now.

I applied for an L Visa.

[midas]

3 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Your travel agent isn't well informed.

 

If you use an agent he will require a Power of Attorney from yourself.

 

If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying.

http://www.chinaembassy.or.th/eng/lsfw/qzxk/t1072023.htm

 

The Chinese Embassy outsourced Visa applications to CVASC quite a few years back.

 

I'm on an extension of permission to stay, which legally allows me to stay in Thailand.

I had to get my permission to stay authenticated by the MFA.

 

As I visited friends as a Tourist, I also had to get an Invitation letter from them.

If your not on a tour package a letter of invitation seems to be the norm now.

I applied for an L Visa.

Thanks for all that.

Authenticated permission to stay and letter of invitation (and I don't even have any one to invite me) and I was going as an independent traveller-it all sounds like too much stuffing around just to see an ice and Snow Festival. I can't be bothered and I'll go to Visa free Japan instead where I can see the same thing

Edited June 17, 2017 by midas