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nile19
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
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 Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 11:25 pm Post subject: China Visa Questions |
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Hello! I am from the US teaching in S Korea and I want to go to China while I am here! I have been reading that you need to have at least 6 months left on your visa to apply for a China visa here...
but......
I will have just less than 6 months on my VISA when I want to travel...
however....
I will have more than 6 months left on my ARC card....
will that be sufficient?
One final question... does the 6 months remaining count at the date of your arrival into China? Or at the time in which you apply?
Thank you so much! |
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nile19
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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I see there is a 72 hour free rule now for Bejing and Shanghai....
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/
It says you cannot leave the city though. Would going to the Great Wall from Bejing violate that? Or would it be acceptable to visit as a day trip and return to stay in Bejing that night? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 12:42 am Post subject: Re: China Visa Questions |
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| nile19 wrote: |
Hello! I am from the US teaching in S Korea and I want to go to China while I am here! I have been reading that you need to have at least 6 months left on your visa to apply for a China visa here...
but......
I will have just less than 6 months on my VISA when I want to travel...
however....
I will have more than 6 months left on my ARC card....
will that be sufficient?
One final question... does the 6 months remaining count at the date of your arrival into China? Or at the time in which you apply?
Thank you so much! |
6 months remaining on your ARC at the time of your visa application (NOT 6 months remaining when you enter into China).
AFTER you get the visa to China is has a shelf life of 90 days (you must enter China within 90 days or the visa will expire). Your ARC validity has no relevance at that point.
The Transit visas (72 hour stay) for Beijing and Shanghai state clearly that you must enter from one destination and exit to another (are in transit).
You cannot use a return ticket (ICN - PEK- ICN) and cannot leave the vicinity of the city (you can't enter in Beijing, travel to Shanghai and then fly back to ICN .
| Travel China Guide wrote: |
| 1. This regulation does not apply to passengers who travel on round trip flights (e.g., Hong Kong - Beijing - Hong Kong), which means the destination and place of departure can not be the same. That is to say, only those who make transit through Beijing or Shanghai International Airport to the third country are eligible for this policy. |
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lemak
Joined: 02 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:09 am Post subject: Re: China Visa Questions |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| You cannot use a return ticket (ICN - PEK- ICN) and cannot leave the vicinity of the city |
No one will know / care if you leave the city as long as you return. You can travel to the Great Wall / Datong / Tianjin / Qingdao etc. overland...even take the bullet train down to Shanghai and back in a day and no one will be the wiser - there's no one checking visa conditions at the gates of the city to see who can / can't leave. You just can't check into a hotel in another city because they will be required to report your arrival to the PSB. Hypothetical situation...fly into Beijing...enter on a transit visa...take a train to Shanghai or Nanjing, stay with friends for a couple of days and return in time to make your flight 72 hours later - you'll be fine.
In Indonesia they have an expression "Jam Karet" meaning "Rubber time". In China the policy is essentially "Rubber Rules"...there's the official policy and then there's that which is actually enforced.
Do a day trip or two out of the city. Nile19...you'll be fine. |
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Ruthdes
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:36 am Post subject: |
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| Does anyone know of any way to get around the 6 month rule? I want to go in August, but my ARC expires at the end of September. I'm Australian, if that matters. (Other than the transit visa - which I'm pretty sure you can't get on a round trip ticket anyway, plus I want to stay a week). |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Ruthdes wrote: |
| Does anyone know of any way to get around the 6 month rule? I want to go in August, but my ARC expires at the end of September. I'm Australian, if that matters. (Other than the transit visa - which I'm pretty sure you can't get on a round trip ticket anyway, plus I want to stay a week). |
-Extend your ARC - 6 months validity at the time of the visa application (nothing to do with when you actually enter China).
-Apply for a Chinese visa from the Chinese embassy in your home country (yes, that means shipping your passport to them).
-Get your visa while in transit in Hong Kong (takes about 6 hours at the HKG airport). http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/passenger/arrival/t1/visa-tourism-info/china-travel-service.html
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Mainland China visa
Location : Counter A04, Arrivals Hall, Terminal 1 (non-restricted area)
Telephone : +852 2261 2472
Fax : +852 2261 0378
Service Hours : 07:00 - 22:00 |
http://www.ctshk.com/english/index.htm
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lowpo
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Ruthdes wrote: |
| Does anyone know of any way to get around the 6 month rule? I want to go in August, but my ARC expires at the end of September. I'm Australian, if that matters. (Other than the transit visa - which I'm pretty sure you can't get on a round trip ticket anyway, plus I want to stay a week). |
I got my Chinese visa with 3 months left on my ARC card. We think that it was approved, becuase I have been to China before. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, if you have been to China within the last 2 years the 6 month rule does not apply.
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Ruthdes
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the suggestions, as usual, ttompatz. Is it easy to extend my ARC a few months before it expires? I have to change employers in September. |
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nile19
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| Ruthdes wrote: |
| Thanks for the suggestions, as usual, ttompatz. Is it easy to extend my ARC a few months before it expires? I have to change employers in September. |
Extensions can be done up to 60 days prior to expiration but you need a new contract and sponsor to extend it.
You can (usually) only complete a transfer within a week of the actual changeover (early) or after your contract has already expired PROVIDED your ARC remains valid.
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lemak
Joined: 02 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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No....Chinese embassies and consulates in Korea don't issue visas direct to the public. You'll have to go via a travel agent. Most can do it, and assuming you're booking a flight ticket with them should only add on 10k won or so for the courier fee. |
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nile19
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| lemak wrote: |
No....Chinese embassies and consulates in Korea don't issue visas direct to the public. You'll have to go via a travel agent. Most can do it, and assuming you're booking a flight ticket with them should only add on 10k won or so for the courier fee. |
Thanks! That is what I was thinking but I was not sure. Do you have any suggestions on travel agents or agencies? I really have no idea how to begin my search |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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Any agency can do it and that was 10-20k + the visa fee ($140 for Americans and $50 for others).
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nile19
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
Any agency can do it and that was 10-20k + the visa fee ($140 for Americans and $50 for others).
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Any specific agencies? I really don't know where to start to look for one |
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