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stellarsky627
Joined: 09 Feb 2010
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 Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:27 pm Post subject: Visa for China? |
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Hey all,
Does anyone know if there is a way to get around the "must have 6 months left on your visa" thing to get a visa to China? I'm Canadian who will be staying 2 weeks after my visa expires to go to China (and not coming back to Korea). Does anyone know of any travel agents or ways to make it work? Thanks! |
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Guiness on Tap
Joined: 03 May 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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Call Zenith travel
They helped my Israeli friend with a similar problem
[email protected]
02-508-5781
Make sure to tell them you got their recommendation from Dave's |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 5:16 am Post subject: Re: Visa for China? |
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| stellarsky627 wrote: |
Hey all,
Does anyone know if there is a way to get around the "must have 6 months left on your visa" thing to get a visa to China? I'm Canadian who will be staying 2 weeks after my visa expires to go to China (and not coming back to Korea). Does anyone know of any travel agents or ways to make it work? Thanks! |
Isn't it 6 months left on your passport? How would a travel agent make it work? I suppose they could be friends with immigration. |
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r122925
Joined: 02 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 5:29 am Post subject: Re: Visa for China? |
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| young_clinton wrote: |
Isn't it 6 months left on your passport? How would a travel agent make it work? I suppose they could be friends with immigration. |
No... The Chinese embassy is now demanding 6 months remaining on your ARC for non-Koreans to apply for a visa in Korea. I have no idea what the logic behind it is, but that's what they've been doing for the past year or so.
I had a friend who ended up sending his passport back to the Chinese consulate in Canada. Obviously not the ideal solution, but it's doable as a last resort. |
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Jake_Kim
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:01 am Post subject: Re: Visa for China? |
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| r122925 wrote: |
| young_clinton wrote: |
Isn't it 6 months left on your passport? How would a travel agent make it work? I suppose they could be friends with immigration. |
No... The Chinese embassy is now demanding 6 months remaining on your ARC for non-Koreans to apply for a visa in Korea. I have no idea what the logic behind it is, but that's what they've been doing for the past year or so.
I had a friend who ended up sending his passport back to the Chinese consulate in Canada. Obviously not the ideal solution, but it's doable as a last resort. |
One and only exception to the ARC requirement: if you have visited China within the last 2 years, you're not bound by the ARC rule.
I do not understand, however, the logic behind either of those conditions, either. |
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Guiness on Tap
Joined: 03 May 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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There is a loophole that savvy travel agents exploit to get the visa request done
The 6 months minimum requirement only applies to the application process, the Chinese immigration couldn't care less about the validity of your ARC, so long as the passport is valid.
Talk to the travel agents, my friend got hers, and I'm getting mine, although we both had less than 4 months left on our ARCs
We had to go down to the local Dong office to get something called a proof of foreigner registration though. |
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Raganji
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:25 pm Post subject: any contacts? |
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Any more info on "the travel agents" you refer to? I just called 3 or 4 and they all say I am out of luck if I don't have six months left on my ARC. I may call Zenith but I just read some other Dave's posts warning to steer clear of them.
Thanks in advance if anyone has any help. Considering mailing the passport to the states and having my friend do it all for me. I just hate doing stuff like that though and will avoid it if possible.
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Sorry, I just realized that Guinness on Tap posted both about Zenith and the above post. I will probably give them a call then if nobody else has a different recommendation. |
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Vox_Populi
Joined: 04 May 2009
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:42 am Post subject: Re: any contacts? |
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| Raganji wrote: |
Any more info on "the travel agents" you refer to? I just called 3 or 4 and they all say I am out of luck if I don't have six months left on my ARC. I may call Zenith but I just read some other Dave's posts warning to steer clear of them.
Thanks in advance if anyone has any help. Considering mailing the passport to the states and having my friend do it all for me. I just hate doing stuff like that though and will avoid it if possible.
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Sorry, I just realized that Guinness on Tap posted both about Zenith and the above post. I will probably give them a call then if nobody else has a different recommendation. |
Soho Travel in Hongdae used to get around this rule by sending passports to the consulate in Busan where the 6-month rule wasn't enforced. However, there's a notice on their website stating that the consulate in Busan is now enforcing the 6-month rule.
Hmmm. Have you considered going via Hong Kong? It's possible to get a same-day visa there and then continue on to the PRC.
If you need a referral to a descent visa courier company in the States, let me know. I worked for over 10 years in the visa/passport courier business and I still know a few people. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:30 am Post subject: Re: Visa for China? |
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| Jake_Kim wrote: |
One and only exception to the ARC requirement: if you have visited China within the last 2 years, you're not bound by the ARC rule. |
For future reference, what exactly constitutes visiting? Is getting your passport stamped whilst being on a stop over enough (I'm assuming not) or does one actually have to leave the airport/have a valid traveling visa? Anyone know? |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| Guiness on Tap wrote: |
There is a loophole that savvy travel agents exploit to get the visa request done
The 6 months minimum requirement only applies to the application process, the Chinese immigration couldn't care less about the validity of your ARC, so long as the passport is valid.
Talk to the travel agents, my friend got hers, and I'm getting mine, although we both had less than 4 months left on our ARCs
We had to go down to the local Dong office to get something called a proof of foreigner registration though. |
This is what I'm doing. I have 5 months on my ARC.Sent my documents off to the travel agents (Kangsan Travel) today.
| Quote: |
| Have you considered going via Hong Kong? |
That also sounds like a good plan. I'm using that way to get a Z visa in a few months time. |
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Jake_Kim
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:54 pm Post subject: Re: Visa for China? |
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| morrisonhotel wrote: |
| Jake_Kim wrote: |
One and only exception to the ARC requirement: if you have visited China within the last 2 years, you're not bound by the ARC rule. |
For future reference, what exactly constitutes visiting? Is getting your passport stamped whilst being on a stop over enough (I'm assuming not) or does one actually have to leave the airport/have a valid traveling visa? Anyone know? |
I meant to imply 'having successfully obtained Chinese visa and used it'/'being able to present old used Chinese visa on your current or old passport together with immigration stamp(s) to prove you've been successfully admitted into Chinese jurisdiction before'/'Chinese government's having experience processing and approving your visa application'/etc.
If the Chinese consulate is using track record of visa having been issued to a person as a criterion for future visa issuance - for whatever reason - then it would be unreasonable to assume that a temporary permit to stay on the basis of the person's leaving the country within 24(?) hours upon presentation of valid means to do so can substitute for an official approval to stay in country for at least one whole month. |
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Raganji
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 5:20 pm Post subject: 강산 travel |
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| Kangsan Travel appears to be legit. Did a google search which brought them up and they had a link about being able to get a visa for China for people in my situation. Hopefully this will be a solid route. |
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rickpidero
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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So, you CAN get the visa if you have been to China before in the past few years?
Has anyone personally tried this? |
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joelove
Joined: 12 May 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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| What an odd rule. Anyone know what purpose it serves? |
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DaHu
Joined: 09 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:11 am Post subject: |
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I don't think this is accurate.
The purpose of not allowing people to get visas is to keep people from LIVING IN CHINA on tourist visas. You just fly to Seoul (short flight) and get a new tourist visa every 90 days or so. Now they require you to have an ARC with time left on it.
I may be wrong, but this is what I heard. And knew lots of people who flew from Beijing to Seoul on a regular basis for new visas. Hate to hear Busan is now going to enforce it as well. |
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