Job Discussion Forums

Volodiya · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:34 am Post subject: Visa runs- fun, inexpensive

If you have to make one, why shouldn't a visa run to get a Z visa, or other visa, be as much fun as possible?

Recently, there was a thread which spoke of Air Asia and the very cheap flights they had Macau-Bangkok; Macau-Kuala Lumphur, and Xiamen-Bangkok. These fares were on the order of 400 RMB, and less. If someone had a relatively inexpensive way to get to either Macau or Xiamen, then real possibilities for some good times open up.

But, there are other options, as well. What if there are other cities in China that you can get to cheaply, from which some of the budget carriers fly to destinations of interest to you? Or, what if for very little extra, you could stretch a visa run into a nice holiday to Singapore, Manila, or other place of interest to you?

Here is an article which seems to comprehensively list all the budget carriers operating in Asia and SE Asia. You can let your imagination go.... (One that isn't mentioned, but should be, perhaps, is Dragon Air.)

http://www.smarttravelasia.com/smallairlines.htm

Thailand, as one possible destination, offers very inexpensive food and nice accomodations, beaches, tropical airs, etc. Spiderman Too got his visa, last time, in Bangkok, according to one of his posts in March, this year.

In Bangkok it's not hard to find clean rooms with hot water, air conditioning, double bed, and satellite TV for the equivalent of 80 RMB/night. There are very cheap internal flights (One, Two-Go; Nok Airlines, Asia Air, Orient Thai and others) and overnight trains to choose from, if you want to travel to one of the beaches, or islands. (Accomodations near the beaches can also be had for little, with some hunting: airfares as low as 160 RMB O/W exist; a nice train ride overnight in an airconditioned sleeper car costs on the order of 120 RMB.)

Any other ideas, for those who must go abroad to get Z visas?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

The flights between MACAU and BANGKOK are only cheap to owners of a CREDIT CARD; if you pay in cash (at the airport) you have to fork out a minimum of 4 times the cheapest rate (ptc 149 x 4), and still may have to add to this as they charge higher the fuller the aircraft gets.

I do not know but I should think a visa-run to HONG KONG would be the cheapest; though it is NOT "abroad", it is a separate JURISDICTION where the visa-issueing authority has a capacity similar to that of a consulate.

cujobytes · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:36 am Post subject: >

[/quote]The flights between MACAU and BANGKOK are only cheap to owners of a CREDIT CARD; if you pay in cash (at the airport) you have to fork out a minimum of 4 times the cheapest rate (ptc 149 x 4), and still may have to add to this as they charge higher the fuller the aircraft gets.

Volodiya · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:58 am Post subject:

Yeah, Roger, a visa run to H.K. is a good option but I'm trying to see if we can develop some alternatives. One option could be a "holiday add-on" to a visa run to Hong Kong, so the FT can get more bang for the buck.

As an example- visa run to HK, followed by a cheap RT from HK to Bangkok, Singapore, Hanoi, Kuala Lumphur, Jakarta, Manila, etc.

About credit cards- they sure come in handy, and not just in this situation.

I came to China with a credit card, so I haven't had to look into it but I'd think with a Resident Permit, or a Residence Permit for Foreigners and a bank account, you should be able to get a credit card here.

Anybody got any experience with this?

Spiderman Too · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:34 am Post subject:

Volodiya · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:53 am Post subject:

Hey, Spidy, thanks for helping us out here with the info about getting a visa in Bangkok.
__________________

You raise an interesting question, but I'm willing to bet you that portion of the Embassy website information is from a country, like the U.S., in which there are multiple consulates, and these instructions are just a sorting out of which consulate will process which applications, among those submitted in America.

I've yet to run across anything that suggests you could not arrange, in cooperation with your prospective employer, to apply for a Z visa at any Chinese Consulate or Embassy. (But, that's the beauty of the forums: there's a whole army of bright people out there who can and do, from time to time, share their collective knowledge, and will set us straight if we get too far out in left field!)

You may also have missed this post from no_exit, on May 22:

Volodiya · Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 2:06 am Post subject:

About getting a credit card, in China, other posters have had some things to say-

After running into a lot of hurdles getting a credit card from a state bank, Musicexec offered this comment: