Chinese Passport Renewal

[hankster]

Has anyone been to the Chinese Embassy in DC for Passport Renewal recently? (in the last 6 months or so)

 

My wife is under the impression that some of the procedures may have changed.

 

There is little information on their (Chinese embassy) website, and I was hoping for a recent first hand account.

 

We need to go before the middle of March.

 

Thanks,

Hank

[dnoblett]

My wife's expired last summer, she vacationed in China visiting her family before it expired, and renewed it at the passport office while over there.

 

Saved us a trip down to NYC.

 

Sorry cant help you my friend!

[yuehan123]

My wife renewed there. Alas, more than 6 months ago. We were out of district- supposed to go to Houston. I reckon it's been about 1 year. Initially, the security guard denied us entry. Well, my wife naively asked a question about out of area.

 

We came back the next day, had to get a new photo, took it in the building and then we left a pre-paid envelope for them to mail back the passport.

 

Recommend you call them. You know about 'somebody'? somebody just told my wife they no longer mail back the passport. Also, the visa place was not at the Embassy address.

 

A friend is up there now to renew their passport, but no answer on their cell and their voice mail box is full. I'll try to find out their experience.

[yuehan123]

Our friend just returned from her trip to D.C. last week:

 

"When they found out we did not live in the area served by D.C. they refused to renew the passport."

 

This proclamation was followed by a lot of tears and wailing and crying- you know the kind I mean. The worker relented and required a written statement declaring why the applicant appeared in the wrong jurisdiction. She got her renewal and was told "Don't come here again."

 

Finally, she had to find a travel service to go pick up her passport and mail it back to her. The Visa Section of the D.C. Embassy will no longer return the passports by mail. "The only place that will mail the passport is Houston, our friend stated."

 

So, it's not my experience just what somebody said....

 

Added later, after my wife talked to her: "Another friend, this one from Wyoming, went to D.C and was absolutely refused and, the worker told us 'tell everybody who doesn't live in the D.C area to not come here, we will not renew their passport.'"

Edited January 7, 2011 by yuehan123 (see edit history)