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ambvalent
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
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 Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject: Alternative visa-run locations |
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I'm entertaining all the places I could go still this month for a visa run. All the tickets by boat and plane to Japan are basically booked, so I'm thinking about other places to go.
I read the thread about "alternatives to fukuoka", and going to Qingtao wouldn't be bad, but what other visa run locations have you guys tried? I know I have to apply for a visa to vietnam and china; are there any other countries like Japan that allow a U.S. citizen to come in w/o a prior tourist visa?
Thanks. |
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kat2
Joined: 25 Oct 2005
Location: Busan, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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We did ours in Bangkok. easy overnight pickup.
I had a friend who tried to do hers in China. She went to hte embassy several days in a row and had tofinally give-up. She went to Japan when she got to Korea. Kind of ridiculous. Just beware. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 2:44 am Post subject: Re: Alternative visa-run locations |
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| ambvalent wrote: |
I'm entertaining all the places I could go still this month for a visa run. All the tickets by boat and plane to Japan are basically booked, so I'm thinking about other places to go.
I read the thread about "alternatives to fukuoka", and going to Qingtao wouldn't be bad, but what other visa run locations have you guys tried? I know I have to apply for a visa to vietnam and china; are there any other countries like Japan that allow a U.S. citizen to come in w/o a prior tourist visa?
Thanks. |
Bangkok, Manila, HongKong are all pretty good places.
Manila can be 2 hours to 4 days depending on the lineup at the door.
I have heard of people going to Guam but I have no first hand experience.
Going to China is hit and miss AND you have to get a Chinese entry visa first.
Whypaymore still showing flights with seat availability to Japan AFTER next Tuesday. (lots to Osaka 2/18 - 3-31 and prices from 350k including tax (JAL and ANA). |
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joeyjoejoe
Joined: 24 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 3:47 am Post subject: Re: Alternative visa-run locations |
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| ambvalent wrote: |
I read the thread about "alternatives to fukuoka", and going to Qingtao wouldn't be bad, but what other visa run locations have you guys tried? I know I have to apply for a visa to vietnam and china; are there any other countries like Japan that allow a U.S. citizen to come in w/o a prior tourist visa?
Thanks. |
Qingdao was a stressful experience. no one there knew anything about e2 visas, plus the location had moved since the last lonely planet edition from a hotel in the centre of town to a separate building way outside the centre.
however, the manager of the hotel was super helpful in putting me on a bus, and the cute English speaking girl at the consulate went way out of her way to help me.
Shanghai was a joke, i tried at the consulate, they sent me to a visa office, the visa office had never heard of an e2 visa, so they called the consulate, they couldn't get hold of anyone who knew anything about the e2 visa, so they just started ignoring me. when i asked wtf was happening they said they didn't know what to do. so i left and went to Qingdao.
hong kong is visa free right? you could go there. |
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ambvalent
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 12:48 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the advice...good to know that about Shanghai especially. I wanted to try it there but that sounds terrible! I can't believe they didn't phone home and figure it out for you.
I was able to get a ticket to Osaka the 22nd and will head there with a korean friend who wants to check it out as well.
Also, in case anyone ever needs to extend their visa when they have an exit order, I managed to do that here in the Daegu immigration office. First they said it was impossible, but I just showed them a ticket a booked for the 22nd and said I couldn't get out earlier. The kept saying it was impossible, and I apologized for making their life complicated and they made fun of my korean for a while, but it wasn't that rude, and they did it. It was a lot of trouble for them to do (i've never seen so much stamping in my life). They didn't charge me a penny. |
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JZer
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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| You could also trying getting your visa in Taiwan. You don't need a visa to enter Taiwan. |
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TECO
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:35 am Post subject: |
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Taipei - I"ve had a couple of friends come down from Seoul to get their visas. They mentioned that it was a quick and uncomlplicated proecess to get it done. Taipei's also pretty easy to get around compared with Manila or Bangkok.
However, I used to do my visa runs in Bangkok - more fun  |
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