Just want to tell you guys that i went to the chinese embassy today and they told me they have now again changed the rules, it is now possible to get a visa that is valid for longer than 30 days!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!! and you can get single or double entry with those as well!!! Time to celebrate






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My friend tells me that she went to a chinese travel agency and that agency told her that she can only stay in Shanghai for one month if she's going to get a Chinese visa.

I'm getting very anxious because I have booked my ticket to Shanghai back in December for 2 and a half months, and those tickets I cannot change.

I think it's totally illogical that they wouldnt let foreigners stay in China for more than one month!?

I have heard that the rules imply harder to native foreigners, I'm born in China so it may be easier for me, but still I'm very worried. I have relatives in Shanghai, my mother owns two properties in shanghai, so I really don't see a reason why they wouldn't let me stay in Shanghai for more than one month.

Can someoe explain or just comfort me!?
I have already BOUGHT my tickets which are not changeable!!!!!!!

there's threads that mention this: HK visa agencies closing down or being told they can not grant certain visas to certian peoples. better call your embassy quickly, the crack downs keep coming...airport security changes, billions of cops watching XuJiaHui this weekend, but wiki is available now.

Nobody is clear on the rules. Some even claim the rules have NOT changed. However, contrary to what you say, I don't think the authorities distinguish Chinese foreigners and non-Chinese. You're either a Chinese citizen or you're not and if you're not then the same visa rules apply whether you are blond or brunette or black haired.

At worse, it means you'll have to leave and come back again once a month. It won't affect too many people because not many people have vacations in China for over a month and those who stay longer like me have jobs, so the employer arranges an annual visa / work permit.

Sienna, if you're using the Chinese embassy in Sweden to get your visa, the Hong Kong rules won't apply. Just hurry up and get your visa -- have you looked into any of the Olympic opportunities? I know students in the US who are returning to China to volunteer during the Olympics. Since your fluent in a couple of western languages, there might be work for you in Beijing.

I got my last visa in NY, and they gave me a one year multi-entry tourist. When I went to pick it up, I stood in line with an overseas Chinese woman - she's lived in the US for something like 30 years. I got a one year, she got a two. I had applied for two years, she had applied for one, and the clerk told her to get two years because it was the same price. I was told I could only get one year. On a slightly different note, I think she had become more American than Chinese because she instructed me to write a letter to the Chinese Consulate and complain about them discriminating against me. Yup, I'll sit right down and write that letter! But the point is, even within the same consulate, the rules are different for Overseas Chinese.

thanks for your help. I'm going to the embassy on thursday, wish me good luck!

Is it possible for me to apply for a one year visa? I'm totally up for it even if it costs much more than those regulars I use to get, because if I have to change my flight ticket I will spend MUCH more than those extra I have to apply for the visas.

I was planing on going to Hongkong this summer while being in CHina...but Iguess it's out of the question now...

sighs, and I was soooo happy that beijing was going to host Olympics.

I actually applied for being a volunteer at the Olympics, and I even got a letter from them saying welcome to me, but I havent heard anything since, maybe I should take a copy of that letter and give them to the embassy staff, my mum is even printing out the property rights, etc.

I really hope I can be able to stay in china longer than a month -_-

Unless they changed rules very recently. I got a one year multi-entry visa from the consulate in Los Angeles just a month ago. And it's good for 60 days for each entry. When you go, make sure you apply for one-year multiple, as it will cost the same as single-entry, $130 big bucks for US passport holders. Ouch!

CoffeeHawk_0 - Why are the police watching XuJiaHui this weekend??

I've seen a lot of police with dogs at Yishan Lu and People's square metro in the last week.

From what I've seen, the purpose of the dogs are to attract a large group of people to stand around them and take pictures.

^ yeah reports is that they are checking passengers with baggage .

It's counter terrorism. People's Square is the busiest subway station so maximum casualties if someone were to set off a bomb there.

Found this on Reuters if its any help to anyone:

Britain says concerned over China visa curbs
Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:52am EDT

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HONG KONG (Reuters) - Britain's top official in Hong Kong on Tuesday expressed concern about new pre-Olympics visa curbs on foreigners entering mainland China from Hong Kong, which have sparked widespread criticism from businessmen.

Hong Kong, which returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, enjoys a high degree of autonomy and serves as a major gateway to the mainland. Visas are normally obtained quickly for businessmen.

But Beijing tightened entry rules last week because of increased security just months before the Games begin.

"Clearly there's a degree of concern," said Andrew Seaton, Britain's new consul-general to Hong Kong. "The British Chamber I know has been very concerned about the real impact it has on the ability of their membership to pursue business in China."

Citizens of 33 countries, including India, Pakistan, Iraq and Nepal, have been barred from applying for China visas in Hong Kong and will now have to apply from their home countries.

The rules don't apply to foreigners resident in Hong Kong.

A number of other foreign business chambers, including those from Australia and the United States, have also voiced criticism, saying businessmen aren't able to obtain multiple-entry visas and have been stymied by extra red tape, requiring proof of hotel vouchers and a return air-ticket before visas are issued.

Conflicting information on the new rules from China's Foreign Ministry and travel agents has added to the confusion.

The British Embassy in Beijing said in an open letter on Tuesday that it had "received an assurance from the Chinese Foreign Ministry that the Chinese will continue to issue 12-month multiple entry visas to British businessmen."

Yet the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said it was receiving daily complaints of rejected visa applications.

"There's a real disconnection between the announcements and the actuality," said Chamber president Richard Vuylsteke.

Seaton, the consul-general said Britain was now seeking clearer answers from Chinese authorities in Beijing and London.

"As far as I know we do not yet have that precise clarification of the new rules that we are seeking," Seaton told reporters on the first day of his job as the new consul-general.

China, whose Communist government values stability above all else, is taking no chances with the August Olympics and has been carrying out regular security and anti-terror drills.

The journey of the Olympic torch around the world has been disrupted by prοtests, largely over Chinese rule in t¡bet, where a wave of anti-government unrest erupted in March.

Over the weekend, prοtests broke out in several Chinese cities, demanding a boycott of French goods and targeted French supermarket chain Carrefour, as Chinese vented indignation towards recent anti-China demonstrations in Paris.

Seaton said he wasn't overly concerned.

"As long as those prοtests ... stay peaceful, then it seems to me that that those prοtests won't pose any problems," he said.

(Reporting by James Pomfret; Editing by Nick Macfie and David Fogarty)

CK1 wrote:"There's a real disconnection between the announcements and the actuality," said Chamber president Richard Vuylsteke.

And of course, that's extremely rare in China

update, check first post