4 ms·

Finding an actual authoritative source on Chinese visa requirements has been difficult - there's a lot of second hand information around, but nothing official t

Finding an actual authoritative source on Chinese visa requirements has been difficult - there's a lot of second hand information around, but nothing official that I can find.

wting 14y ago
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html#entry_requirements http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html#e...
- seanmcdirmid 14y ago
  How is the state department an authoritative source for Chinese visa requirements? They change them about every 6 months anyways, the invitation letter is a new thing they started last year.
  - wting 14y ago
    Well you could follow the link they have to the DC Chinese Embassy: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/ http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/
    - seanmcdirmid 14y ago
      Even those aren't maintained very well. Best to just have a good visa desk at work that keeps up with all the nuances.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
jasonkester 14y ago
Indeed. Probably the easiest way to get a Chinese visa these days it to go to Bangkok. Hand your passport to any travel agency on Ko San road and they'll send a guy over to the embassy to sort everything out for you. And somehow it works. Way smoother than trying to convince the embassy in LA to process your application, and likely more convenient that going to LA in person (which might not even get you anywhere depending on the whims of the Chinese at that moment).
firemanx 14y ago
I've visited China through Beijing and Hong Kong numerous times over the last couple years, and without a doubt the best way to do it is through a Visa intermediary such as travisa.com or A Briggs (http://www.abriggs.com http://www.abriggs.com). I've used others in the past, but we had an emergency trip about a year ago where one of our fellow travelers needed to go at the last minute (ie, we were leaving on Weds, and they decided to go on the Sunday before), and A Briggs helped us get them a passport and the Chinese Visa, and had it waiting at the airport for our departure. They also have agents you deal with directly. I'll definitely use them again. The point though, is that for a nominal fee, it's just easier to have someone who does visas every day handle the China situation for you, at least in my experience.

Finding an actual authoritative source on Chinese visa requirements has been difficult - there's a lot of second hand information around, but nothing official that I can find.

wting 14y ago

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html#entry_requirements http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html#e...

seanmcdirmid 14y ago
How is the state department an authoritative source for Chinese visa requirements? They change them about every 6 months anyways, the invitation letter is a new thing they started last year.
- wting 14y ago
  Well you could follow the link they have to the DC Chinese Embassy: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/ http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/
  - seanmcdirmid 14y ago
    Even those aren't maintained very well. Best to just have a good visa desk at work that keeps up with all the nuances.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

jasonkester 14y ago

Indeed. Probably the easiest way to get a Chinese visa these days it to go to Bangkok. Hand your passport to any travel agency on Ko San road and they'll send a guy over to the embassy to sort everything out for you. And somehow it works. Way smoother than trying to convince the embassy in LA to process your application, and likely more convenient that going to LA in person (which might not even get you anywhere depending on the whims of the Chinese at that moment).

firemanx 14y ago

I've visited China through Beijing and Hong Kong numerous times over the last couple years, and without a doubt the best way to do it is through a Visa intermediary such as travisa.com or A Briggs (http://www.abriggs.com http://www.abriggs.com). I've used others in the past, but we had an emergency trip about a year ago where one of our fellow travelers needed to go at the last minute (ie, we were leaving on Weds, and they decided to go on the Sunday before), and A Briggs helped us get them a passport and the Chinese Visa, and had it waiting at the airport for our departure. They also have agents you deal with directly. I'll definitely use them again. The point though, is that for a nominal fee, it's just easier to have someone who does visas every day handle the China situation for you, at least in my experience.