Job Discussion Forums

jammin · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:00 am Post subject: urgent visa question

So here's the deal: Some time ago my passport was destroyed with my visa in it. The process of getting a new passport was lengthy, and during that time my visa expired. By the time I got a new passport, I had overstayed significantly. I was fined the maximum 5,000 rmb, and given a 10 day visa that required me to leave the country within that time. I did that, heading to Macau only to find that I cannot get a new visa here. They told me that I had to return to my home country (Canada) to get a new visa. My question is, do I really need to go all the way back to Canada, or if I go to Thailand or some other closer, cheaper to get to country, will I be able to get a new visa there? Any advice would be greatly appreciated......(the 10 day visa i was given is a "*" visa....) Thanks...

Sinobear · Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269 Location: Purgatory

You should have went to HK and got a F visa. A 6 month, multiple re-entry visa is 600 HKD (thereabouts).
If your original visa was a Z, and you are working legally, your school should have provided you with a new visa.

More details req'd.

Cheers!

jammin · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:17 am Post subject:

I have had z visa in the past, but the visa I was on I got when I had returned from a trip to Canada and was a 30 day visa. ( I wasn't working at the time.)

foreignDevil · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 580

What kind of visa did you attempt to get in Macau, and who told you it was not possible? I know all manner of tourist visas can be had there... were you trying to get a Z visa?

jammin · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:30 am Post subject:

In Macau I was trying to get another 30 day tourist visa, with the plan to get it changed to a Z when I started working.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I think you can go to any place outside China to get a new visa. Macau is a little special: no Chinese Visa Office there; the people that organise visas are the China International Tourist Service, a quasi-government organ.
I believe your best bet under the circumstances remains Hong Kong.

Voldermort · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 597

Most of the time you will be told to return to your home country, but it's just not true. You should head to HongKong and get a new visa there. Do a search of the forums for prices, addresses and all that.

I did the same a while back. I flew into HK arriving in the evening, slept in the airport, got the bus into the city, and by 3pm I was on the train back into the mainland.

In your position I would try to get a 6 month business visa. Coming back with a 30 day tourist is going to leave you with problems if your school cannot get the visa changed for you.

foreignDevil · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 580

jeffinflorida · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 10:38 am Post subject:

I spoke to an FT today who said he got a new visa in Macau. He said he went to a travel agent got him the visa the next day.

jammin · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 3:45 am Post subject:

To update, Hong Kong turned out to be the answer. I went over there, and got my new visa in half a day, with no hassle. Thanks for your help all, and my advice is to skip Macau if your visa situation is at all dodgy.

caneisha · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 6 Location: SEATTLE

Actually, the foreign affairs office in Macau issues tourist visas. it's faster and cheaper than going through the china travel agency. My friends and I went and got a tourist visa at that office last month, it was quick and painless. We filled out the form in the morning (before noon) and got our visas in the afternoon (after 3pm).