Job Discussion Forums

[Son of Bud Powell]

I agree that you should get an agency to help. If you'll be in the U.S. for the next four months, I recommend that you contact Travel Document Services.

https://www.traveldocs.com/expedited-visa-services

To educate yourself, Check out the Chinese embassy:

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/hrsq/

Call TDS and tell them your situation. It isn't a travel agency. It is a courier service that actually walks your paperwork to the consulate. TDS will answer your questions and put you on the right track.

It seems that the Chinese visas have become much more specific or perhaps the consulates have been more forthcoming with visa information now than in the past. At one time, there was a special visa just for cultural exchange visitors such as musicians and other performers. That seems to have been eliminated, but there appears to be more visa classes than there were five years ago. My GUESS is that the F visa fulfill Consular requirements.

Don't take my word for it. Contact TDS if you think you should apply from the U.S.. There are 2-3 offices, each serving different jurisdictions. The turnaround time is about four days. The overnight service from the Chinese consulates come and go according to demand. (Too much demand, no more overnight or rush service).

(7969 knows his stuff, so undoubtedly, his recommendations for Hong Kong are stellar).

[jimpellow]

Some good advice by others. The reason I suggested HK is because that is where you stated you were going. If you were an American I would suggest getting it in America as no need to fly to HK and risk getting denied as you state.

The issue is that you do not sound American as you stated you were finishing your doctorate in America? If you are not American, I highly doubt the Chinese authorities in the US will process your visa with the new regulations unless you have permanent residency. Can you clarify this please?

[tyroleanhat]

Yes I am in the US on a Student-Visa (I am Austrian)

I would imagine it to be impossible to get a Z-Visa outside my home country.
But a tourist-visa should be doable, right?

I am still trying to figure out if just applying for a tourist visa could work against me (because of the the many stories I read about how tourist-visas get denied for people who worked in China before).
Maybe it is safer to convince the concert organizer to write me an F-Visa invitation letter (in a separate letter he would also have to confirm financial responsibility for me, and I am not sure if I can convince him to do that).

In any case I will try to call TDS on Monday, as Son suggested

[jimpellow]

Yes, I think it would be best as others stated to contact a visa service in the States about your status and acquiring a visa in America.

You really do not want a Z-visa for what you will be going for. It is not the right classification and is also much more difficult to obtain now. You don't want the headache and costs involved.

With exception it is now difficult to obtain all types of visas unless you are in your home country. When I was living in the Philippines last year I cannot count the number of people I met passing through Cebu that had tried to get a Chinese tourist visa in some country in Asia but were denied and told to go back to their home country. Of course I didn't meet the ones who did get it, but seemed to be a bit difficult these days.

You seem to speak the truth about tourist visas getting denied for at least some former teachers. I have looked into it and it just happened to an ex-colleague a bit back. I had been thinking of returning to the States this summer and then doing an around the World. Wanted to see old friends in China and then head out to the far west and then take the Karakoram highway into Pakistan. But I will forego it rather than go ballistic if they denied it. They don't refund which is ridiculous on principle in such a case.

Chinese visa policy has become very convoluted and arrogant. I would bash them, but being American, my country is certainly no better now. In fact worse as Chinese immigration at least treats people humanely when they enter. And both countries wonder why tourism is dropping as well as their competitivity rankings.