Job Discussion Forums

Hatcher · Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 602

Mine was stored here and when I got home for a new visa, the consulate demanded it. I had to have someone send it over and it cost me a fortune in re-booking fees.

mackidrei · Joined: 04 Apr 2013 Posts: 29

yeah, the same happened to me in the consulate in toronto. apparently this regulation had been put in place starting the day i went to the consulate. i didn't have my old passport and applied for two day service anyway. the lady at the desk advised me against it, and told me to choose a cheaper option as it could take up to a month to process since i didn't also submit my old passport.

i still went with two day service and somehow managed to get my visa the next day. maybe they let it slide since it was the first day they put the regulation into place.

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

You only need your old passport if it contains documents pertaining to China. If you have never been to China it is not needed. It makes sense, China wants your history of visiting, and seeing the actual visa/RP records with their numbers must be easier than searching through their, what I am guessing, impossible to search database.

mackidrei · Joined: 04 Apr 2013 Posts: 29

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

How would they know if you had an old passport if you had never been to China?

Spelunker · Joined: 03 Nov 2013 Posts: 392

When I was given a two week visa extension, yes two weeks, despite having two previous 6 month F visas, I was advised by the visa agent in Hong Kong to get a new passport. The mind boggles...

Shanghai Noon · Joined: 18 Aug 2013 Posts: 589 Location: Shanghai, China

That's because the Chinese officials might reject your application on the suspicion that you were working illegally if they see two six-month business visas.

mackidrei · Joined: 04 Apr 2013 Posts: 29

Spelunker · Joined: 03 Nov 2013 Posts: 392

Not sure, but had worked legally before that, it's all a crock!!!

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

For fairly low paying jobs with no teacher in his right mind wanting to make China their next home or for that fact being offered such, they seem to be pretty inconsiderate about with their visa bureaucracy. Let the Great Helmsmen show the way. Who cares about how much money is spent and lost with documents and waiting time. China may be my next bashing endeavor on Dave's. I have plenty of other reasons to dislike China anyway.

Let a thousand flowers bloom.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

talentedcrayon · Joined: 19 Mar 2013 Posts: 91

Thanks for the heads up OP. I am applying for a tourist visa soon to go back and visit some people I met over the years. Didn't know about this.

jimpellow · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 913

BruceLeeWannaBe · Joined: 12 Jun 2012 Posts: 210

Just tell them when you applied to renew your passport through the simplified renewal forum in Canada, you had to send in your old passport and they didn't return your old one.

If your old one was cut up by authorities, how were you supposed to know you would possibly need it?

Personally I think it's just the authorities on a power trip to keep out as many of us possible. Many would tell me it's a conspiracy but one of my old friends did tell me that someone higher up who he knew told him in a conversation authorities are doing stuff like this to keep out as many of us possible.