Was just searching through the threads and could only find tips from around '04-'07... I know a lot of req.'s were changed pre and post Olympics so any updated info would be greatly appreciated.

I arrived in Shanghai a little while ago on an L tourist visa and recently took an unpaid internship with a company here. The company provided me with a letter of invitation for an F visa, but left me on my own to figure out how to legally procure one.

I've contacted a few of the agency sites that were recommended on here (like visainchina.com) and some can switch L to F without you leaving the country, but it is 4800rmb and out of my price range. If anyone knows of another agency that does it cheaper please let me know, would save me a lot of trouble.

So the solution, I believe, is to go to Hong Kong via Shenzhen and reapply for a visa and I have a few questions about that if you bear with me...

If I fly in to Shenzhen and cross into Hong Kong, where should I go to apply for this visa, is Japan Travel Agency still the best? and is it possible to make this a day trip (flying out of Shanghai early and heading back late at night) or is it more sensible to make it a two day trip?

Lastly, how much have you guys typically found the total price for such a trip to be including airfare, transportation, agency and processing fee? Just wondering if it is going to be close to 4800rmb and, if so, f*ck it.

Cheers.

^ Depends on your nationality, but looks like no more than HK$1,400.

Rush service takes two working days.

http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/

Great, thanks for the help. I think I'll make it a three day trip. Is there any advantage to getting an agent, or is it just as easy to go to the Chinese Foreign Ministry yourself?

You can do the same day trip, I have done it many times. Just plan a return a bit later in the evening. Taxi from the airport into downtown will run you 300hkd, so better to take the train from the airport.

Is that using a visa agent or going directly to the PRC Visa Office?

^I'm also curious... any info ChiBob? or anyone else done it in one day?

I think you may still do same day at airport but I haven't checking in a while. don'y know price/

UPDATE for switching L to F visa: A Few Options…

1) As stated before, you currently CAN switch L visa to 6-month F visa (continuous stay) without leaving the country. You can go through Magic Cheng at visainchina.com for 4800 RMB or Cathy Zhou at emoo for 5000 RMB.

2) You can go to Hong Kong and get 6-month F visa (30 DAY STAYS ONLY) and you can leave China every 30 days.

JTA Visa: 6-months multiple F visa (30 day stay each time) 1600 HKD
Shoestring Travel: 6-months multiple entry F visa (30 day stay each time) 1950 HKD

Note: “Non-Hong Kong resident cannot apply for multi-entry visa in Hong Kong” – Hong Kong Chinese Consulate when I contacted them directly.

3) Option three is through Forever Bright Travel in HK. You can go to Hong Kong and get a 30 day F visa and enter China. Once you are back in China, you can send your passport (risky, I know) back to Hong Kong and they will get you a 6-month multiple entry F visa (continuous stay) for 2815 HKD.

It sucks, but it sounds like paying the 4800 RMB to visainchina sounds like the easiest and safest option when it all boils down. If anyone knows of a cheaper alternative I’d love to hear about it.

^Would if I could...went to the PSB in Pudong and they told me you can't legally change visas in the country. Have to go home to reapply or go to Hong Kong, etc.

I have the letter of invitation, copy of company's registration, and it is an unpaid internship - all the legal formalities.


...no wonder so many people here are on L visas, much less hassle.

leidelaohu wrote:

preacher wrote: If anyone knows of a cheaper alternative I’d love to hear about it.

Do it legally. One year, multiple entry, no time limit on durations. 1,000 rmb at your friendly neighborhood public safety bureau.

In fact, pretty sure you can get two years.

What planet are you talking about?

The local PSB seldom, if ever, will give you a long-term F -- especially without time limitations.

^ Ok, but for ten who have tried there are 9.9 who fail.

underh20 wrote:

leidelaohu wrote:

preacher wrote: If anyone knows of a cheaper alternative I’d love to hear about it.

Do it legally. One year, multiple entry, no time limit on durations. 1,000 rmb at your friendly neighborhood public safety bureau.

In fact, pretty sure you can get two years.

What planet are you talking about?

The local PSB seldom, if ever, will give you a long-term F -- especially without time limitations.

The local PSB seldom does. It is quite likely there are PSB officials in other regions of China that are quite happy to grant the paperwork that allows expats to stay in Shanghai, for a consideration of course. And there are agents in Shanghai who will take care of the paperwork and escorting your passport to the official in a distant province and back for a service charge. Or at least this was fairly common before the Olympics.

leidelaohu wrote:

underh20 wrote:What planet are you talking about?

The local PSB seldom, if ever, will give you a long-term F -- especially without time limitations.

Maybe there are more shaky people here than I thought ? I know several people with long-term (one year and two year) F visas, no restrictions. Didn't Renovator even mention once that that was what he runs on ?

What can I say ? Not going to name names or scan passports but I'm not in the habit of lying about things. Wasn't a problem.

Friends have guanxi ? Don't think so .... they aren't English teachers tho.

Yes, I get 2 year multiple entry F Visas with 180 day maximum stays but do not get them in China or Hong Kong. Always get mine at Chinese Consulates or Embassy in US. In US the rules are clearly posted on each Consulate/Embassy website based on their location. Believe it or not, the rules are not the same from one Chinese consulate in the US to another. For example at certain times a consulate in one city will post on their website that the maximum F visa term they will do is 1 year while the Chinese consulate in another city will do 2 years. The websites all say that you must get your visa at the Chinese consulate nearest to your US residence. Fortunately, they ignore this and therefore I go to whatever Consulate/Embassy will give me the 2 year F Visa each time I need one.

preacher said

^I'm also curious... any info ChiBob? or anyone else done it in one day?

Hi Christian, I have certainly done the Shenzhen run in one day, leaving early in the morning, and back before dark, but it can be a bit tight. Suggest you get a ticket that you can change if there is a hiccup in your visa.
I used emoo that time, (and would not recommend them), but was met by their agent, and escorted through the procedure. I had to wait about 1 1/2 hours for the visa at the cop shop by the border.
You can get a bus from the airport, that will take you within walking of the border for about RMB 9.
I would recommend visainchina.com (Meshing), as they were fine. Have also used everbright in Hong Kong, if you went that distance. They were O.K.
4,800 seems a lot, but is that becaus of your U.S. passport?
John.

leidelaohu wrote:If under is correct about 9.9 out of 10 people having trouble, perhaps 9.9 out of 10 people really shouldn't have F visas ? If they were from Guatemala and in the US they'd be living in terror of the INS.

The 9.9 out of 10 is trying to get one in China from the PSB.

And yes, I do believe that the vast majority of people on F visas should not have them.

Renovator wrote:Yes, I get 2 year multiple entry F Visas with 180 day maximum stays but do not get them in China or Hong Kong. Always get mine at Chinese Consulates or Embassy in US. In US the rules are clearly posted on each Consulate/Embassy website based on their location. Believe it or not, the rules are not the same from one Chinese consulate in the US to another. For example at certain times a consulate in one city will post on their website that the maximum F visa term they will do is 1 year while the Chinese consulate in another city will do 2 years. The websites all say that you must get your visa at the Chinese consulate nearest to your US residence. Fortunately, they ignore this and therefore I go to whatever Consulate/Embassy will give me the 2 year F Visa each time I need one.

Was the F visa hard to get, with the registered capital requirement?

I have just tried in both London and HK to get a Z visa, they have toughened up a lot, and it is very expensive. This is the worst I have ever seen it.

KentWang wrote:

Renovator wrote:Yes, I get 2 year multiple entry F Visas with 180 day maximum stays but do not get them in China or Hong Kong. Always get mine at Chinese Consulates or Embassy in US. In US the rules are clearly posted on each Consulate/Embassy website based on their location. Believe it or not, the rules are not the same from one Chinese consulate in the US to another. For example at certain times a consulate in one city will post on their website that the maximum F visa term they will do is 1 year while the Chinese consulate in another city will do 2 years. The websites all say that you must get your visa at the Chinese consulate nearest to your US residence. Fortunately, they ignore this and therefore I go to whatever Consulate/Embassy will give me the 2 year F Visa each time I need one.

Was the F visa hard to get, with the registered capital requirement?

It takes me about 7 working days for my service to get me me F Visas as I do not pay the extra they and the Embassy want for the rush charges. There is no registered capital requirement.