Job Discussion Forums

coastal · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Cape Town

I seem to meet the basic requirements for working in China and am planning to pay a short visit as part of a round the world trip and work for a few months before deciding about a 6 or 12 month contract.

Problem is can I enter China without a letter of invitation or fixed accommodation?

One of the tourist visa requirements says:

�For �individual tourism visa�, (you must have) a letter of confirmation of the tour arrangement made by a travel agency in China or letter of reservation of hotel in China is required.� (From the website of a Chinese embassy in South Africa)

I wasn�t planning to use a Chinese travel agency, nor arrange accommodation beforehand, nor arrange employment before my arrival in China � rather to just go and travel around staying in hostels till I find a suitable job. Do all L Visa applicants have to deal with this requirement? Does anyone know a way around the requirement? I�ve been thru the visa sticky but not found anything relevant to this.

Please advise!

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

Technically, yes! but in practice, NO!

If you really need to, just head over to elong.net and book a room through them. They have some of the best rates around and they'll send you a confirmation email with the address of the hotel.. that should give you some peace of mind.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

get your chinese L visa in hong kong. its cheaper and a lot faster. however you may have difficulty boarding a plane for china without:

a. proof of onward travel;
b. no chinese visa.

all depends on your travel plans really. and where you are flying from.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Last time South African visitors came here they told me they arranged everything through an agent in their home town. I am not aware of how the Chinese representatives in the RSA handle visa applications but in most other countries you just walk in their embassy or consulate, fill in a form and hand over two pictures and cash.

The questions on the forms tend to be a little inquisitive - your itinerary, for example; this will never be verified, so no need to worry about that.

If you want to avoid those hassles, I would second that opinion that said you can fly into Hong Kong and get a visa - one month, several months, single entry, multiple entries! - in one to two days!

It won't cost more than back home! A day in HK will help you with acclimatisation and getting over your jetlag!

coastal · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Cape Town

Thanks folks, suddenly there are options to investigate.

jeffinflorida · Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 12:48 am Post subject:

get your visa from the embassy in your local area. in practice they won't let you on a plane to mainland without a visa.

If you have the time get the visa before you travel - it will be one less thing to worry about.

then just come and do your thing. on the plane they will ask you to fill out a form and it may ask where you are staying, Put the name of a hotel, they typically don't ask you any questions. I have been in and out of China now 6 or 7 times and never been asked a question.