Job Discussion Forums

[michi gnome]

I will be applying for a work visa in Hong Kong next week. I'd like to pay for rush service, applying on Monday morning, and getting the visa the next afternoon. The website for the China Embassy in HK states they provide this service, but I can't find how much it costs. Has anyone paid for rush service before, and how much in HK dollars did it cost?

Thanks in advance for any info!!

[johntpartee]

250 HKD in 2011.

[Non Sequitur]

[cps82856]

I went the first week of September of this year and paid 1100 HKD "Regular Fee" for the visa (US citizen) and 300 for the "Rush Fee."

[michi gnome]

Thanks to everyone for the information. I'm expecting the cost to be around $180 US. Hopefully I get lucky and it is much cheaper.

I will post next week and let everyone know how it worked out.

Thanks again. Cheers!

[JoeKing]

[JoeKing]

By the way, it's about 45 minutes from the airport to the Wan Chai area where the visa building is located, and costs about 300 HKD by taxi. But you can also take the A11 city bus for only 40 HKD, and it does not take much longer. You can catch it from the lowest level at the airport, and it drops off about a block away from the visa building. Most of the hotels are in walking distance - mine was. There is also a shuttle service, but I don't have any info on that. Can't really beat the bus for price and convenience, and they are equipped to handle large luggage.

[Non Sequitur]

Slightly off to the side, but what if you were sent off on a visa run to HK and when you got there the consulate said 'No can do, as either your employer has no right to issue a job invitation, or that region is not on our OK list'.
Would you get another tourist visa, travel back to school and have it out with the FAO?
or phone and hand the receiver to the consulate officer and let the Chinese sort it?
Or ??
While a Z issued at home has the least downside, the HK Z option is way better than teaching on an L with totally no protection from school or the PSB.

[michi gnome]

Update: had no problems getting the visa. The cost, as someone stated, 1100 for the visa, 300 for rush service, HK dollars. Don't worry about downloading/filling out the visa application from the embassy website. When you get there, they'll tell you it's an old form, and give you a new one to fill out.

Good information about the A11 bus. I caught it going back to the airport on the way out, and paid only 40HK. Also, I recommend the Hong Kong Hostel to anyone on a visa run for a few days. It's a decent place 1 block from Victoria Park. Also a short walk to the China Resources Building, and the A11 bus picks up 2 blocks away across from the park (and just next to Pacific Coffee House, a good place to escape the sea of people on the main streets). This was my first time in HK, and with a few simple maps, had no problem getting oriented and finding my way around.

Thanks again for all of the advice & info. If you are doing a visa run soon, good luck!

[Non Sequitur]

[Bud Powell]

A good question might be if the OP had a letter of invitation from a state-approved institution that was authorized to hire foreign experts and was arriving from another country, not the mainland.

[Non Sequitur]

[kimo50]

When you arrive at the HK Consulate what are the lines and waiting times like? Any better or worse days/times to come there?

[johntpartee]

[kimo50]

what time do they open in the AM?