To get a visa to China is it better to go to hong kong and walk into a travel agency and apply it there or is?

Question

better to apply it in London?

I'm a british national and looking to go to shanghai, and looking for the easiest way to get a visa.

Going to Hong Kong i think i will have to wait 36 hours sitting in a hotel room just for the visa but i've heard that it is easier there, i wonder why is easier there than overhere.

Answer 1

JTA charges for UK passports HK$600 for same day pickup for single entry visa.

That is the latest information and it is valid for now.

Answer 2

I think that you should order is way ahead of time. I also think that it would be less expensive and a lot less stressful if you apply for one in London.

Answer 3

While I was in China earlier this year I read in an English language paper that getting a visa (certainly a multi-entry one) for China (in Hong Kong) was getting harder - this was attributed to a tightening of security for the Olympic Games, but I wouldn't expect things to change once the Games are over. With this in mind I would recommend getting a visa before you leave Britain, because getting to Hong Kong and then finding you have a problem sounds daft.

If you look at the Chinese Embassy web site you will see that they have recently changed the process for applying for a visa, so take what anyone tells you with a pinch of salt unless they have applied for a visa recently.

In the past you had to arrive early and do a lot of queuing outside the embassy but if you got there early enough you could get a visa the same day now to do this it looks as if you have to make an appointment on-line for the Chinese Visa Service Application Centre (CVASC), but I imagine getting there a bit early is still a good idea, and they still provide a one day service if you apply before 11:00 but the documentation you require has become more complicated than it used to be so read the application process carefully; alternatively the CVASC website states that you can apply by post although I am not sure I would want to post my application if I lived in or near London because of what you have to send, again the documentation required has become more complex.

You might think that the process for getting a Chinese visa is a bit of a pain but it probably isn't as bad as the process that we demand of Chinese nationals who want to get a UK visa who have to apply in person to provide biometric data.

Answer 4

Hong Kong is easy.  I got a 30 day tourist visa for 580 HK Dollars.  Bring your passport and a recent passport photo with you when you apply.

Answer 5

In my experience, it is simpler to apply for the Chinese visa from Hong Kong. It typically takes a few days to get a visa, but they also have express service (but you will need to pay a fee for that). You will need to go to a China Travel Service office to apply for the visa; you can find the locations here: http://www.ctshk.com/english/aboutus/loc...

When you go, make sure you bring your passport. They will need to keep that during the application process.

Answer 6

When I went to Hong Kong, I got my visa pretty quick. Less than 24 hours. Took a lot longer to get one in the USA for me.

Answer 7

Surely you need a visa before you go? And if you go to Hong Kong you then have to get from Hong Kong to Shanghai.