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China Visa

 
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jayinseoul



Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Location: New Jersey/Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:03 pm    Post subject: China Visa Reply with quote

went to the embassy in Seoul today and was told that i must get a visa through a travel agent. I call an agent at Top Travel and she said the Chinese double entry visa, which i must have, costs 260,000 won!
is this normal?
anyone know of an agnecy that could do this for a better price?
thanks
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CentralCali



Joined: 17 May 2007

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:37 pm    Post subject: Re: China Visa Reply with quote

jayinseoul wrote:
went to the embassy in Seoul today and was told that i must get a visa through a travel agent. I call an agent at Top Travel and she said the Chinese double entry visa, which i must have, costs 260,000 won!
is this normal?
anyone know of an agnecy that could do this for a better price?
thanks


The fees for United States citizens to travel to the People's Republic of China were "adjusted" on effect August 1, 2007. The current fee is, to quote the PRC Embassy site, is as follows:
Quote:
No matter of the number of entries, visa fee for the individual applicant will be $100 per person.


I don't get the "must get through a travel agent" bit. That was the case years ago; however, the Embassy site provides detailed instructions on doing it yourself.

Here is the full schedule of fees for a Tourist Visa. It looks to me like you should only be paying at the most US$130 if you're a US citizen or US$75 otherwise for a visa and expedited processing.

Please make sure you're using the new visa form, also.

I used the PRC's US embassy site because the Seoul embassy site I checked was only in Chinese and Korean.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:00 pm    Post subject: Re: China Visa Reply with quote

jayinseoul wrote:
went to the embassy in Seoul today and was told that i must get a visa through a travel agent. I call an agent at Top Travel and she said the Chinese double entry visa, which i must have, costs 260,000 won!
is this normal?
anyone know of an agnecy that could do this for a better price?
thanks


You need the consular section and they are only open M-TH from 9:30-11:30am.

Strange that they told you to use a travel agent.

The rate for US citizens is only $100 or about 100k won.

The rest of us pay 35k won for a single entry and 4 day service.
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jayinseoul



Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Location: New Jersey/Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the advice

I got it straigtened out. went back to embassy, where they have posted a list of a few dozen "approved" agents. I spoke with an a-ju-ma who took me to a near by agency and i got a double entry for 120,000 won. 4 day service.

this is speculation, but perhaps the embassy is not handling the visa applications now because of the upcoming Choseok holiday. maybe able this travel period dies down it will return to normal.

also, I asked the agent for a multiple entry visa, which, I have read before Americans cannot get unless they go there on business. he said for 155,000won, he could get me that but i would need an alen registration card here, which I don't have.
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CentralCali



Joined: 17 May 2007

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Travel agencies don't issue visas to China; the Chinese government does.
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lowpo



Joined: 01 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CentralCali wrote:
Travel agencies don't issue visas to China; the Chinese government does.


WOW

A Chinese visa for $100 dollars. I got my Chinese visa in HK for $60 dollars.
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articulate_ink



Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Location: Left Korea in 2008. Hong Kong now.

PostPosted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm going to China for Chuseok. I'm a US citizen. I let my travel agent handle it for me. I dropped off my passport and one picture when I stopped by to pay for the tickets. The charge was 120,000 won. I assume some of that went toward courier fees and the travel agency's cut. And I'm totally fine with that. I'll gladly pay a couple of man won to avoid the hassles of a trek to the embassy.
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CentralCali



Joined: 17 May 2007

PostPosted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

lowpo wrote:
CentralCali wrote:
Travel agencies don't issue visas to China; the Chinese government does.


WOW

A Chinese visa for $100 dollars. I got my Chinese visa in HK for $60 dollars.


I take it you're either not a US citizen or you obtained the visa before the increase for US citizens.

I agree with articulate_ink about paying a service fee to the travel agent for their courier service; however, the price mentioned in the OP is usury.
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Masta_Don



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So where the hell is the embassy or consulate (wherever I need to go)? And please don't tell me the their number is 02-2738-1038. I got that from the embassy's site in Korean but they hang up on me as soon as I say 'Hello'.
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dogshed



Joined: 28 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Masta_Don wrote:
So where the hell is the embassy or consulate (wherever I need to go)? And please don't tell me the their number is 02-2738-1038. I got that from the embassy's site in Korean but they hang up on me as soon as I say 'Hello'.


Here are directions with links to Google maps. I'm assuming they are
still at the temporary location. Although it's probably easier to go through
a travel agent.

http://www.bowlad.com/serendipity/index.php?/archives/79-Chinese-Visa-and-Embassy-directions.html#extended
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bewolff



Joined: 07 Jan 2007

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am in an out of the way place with no real travle agents. Can some one tell me an handful of the approved travel agents and a contact number for them?
I want to get a 12 month multi-entry visa.
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kat2



Joined: 25 Oct 2005
Location: Busan, South Korea

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We used Kangsantravel.com to get ours. They will also do it by mail. They are trustworthy and have a nice big office in Busan (not some flybynight working out of an officetel).
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bewolff



Joined: 07 Jan 2007

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks!
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MrMr



Joined: 05 Sep 2006
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've used Soo Yeon Travel Project Co.Inc twice now for tourist visas to China. Cost 35000 Won + 3000 won serivce fee... total 38000 won and a 4 day processing period.(An Itaewon agent listed in the sticky wanted 55000 won). They are a small agency. Can't remember how I found them but I've had no problems and it's a deal to be able to drop my passport off and pick it up at my convenience for the extre 3000 won. They are right on the main street that runs through Jongro, a block or so from the YBM BLDG.

#409 YMCA BLDG, 9 Jongro 2-ga, Jongrogu, Seoul
Tel: 02 736 4324 cell 019 216 7792
E-mail: [email protected]

Their English is limited but my Korean is nonexistant. Still we managed.
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