Going to Embassy in Houston

[Robert S.]

Since I'm going to Houston to see my grandson and his mother and my Ping, and I want a China visa, do they still have that service available where a US citizen can just walk in to the embassy in person to request a visa? (Sorry if this is an old topic, but my search-fu is weak). It's been 10 years since I've been to China. The last time I went Ping and I were departing from Abu Dhabi and that was quite an experience going to the Chinese embassy there.

[Urkidding]

Yes!

 

Just watch the office hours! These people like to take long breaks!

 

Consulate General of the PRC - Houston

 

Edited August 16, 2011 by Urkidding (see edit history)

[Robert S.]

Thank you, Father Andrew, for the yes answer and the web site link. Has there been a thread about the Houston embassy lately? I found this interesting tidbit just now:

 

No hard copy of the Application Form will be provided in the Visa Hall. Please make sure that all paper work is in order before you submit your application.

[crazybanana]

have your paper work filled out and printed with a computer before you go. I got a tongue lashing last time with a partly hand written application. also, two year visa is not an option on the form but they do have it. the cost is the same for both one year and two year visa. have your picture glue to the application, they won't do it for you. application link is here

[Randy W]

have your paper work filled out and printed with a computer before you go. I got a tongue lashing last time with a partly hand written application. also, two year visa is not an option on the form but they do have it. the cost is the same for both one year and two year visa. have your picture glue to the application, they won't do it for you. application link is here

 

 

DO NOT glue the picture to the application - they tend to reject any outside pictures in favor of the ones they can take there at the consulate. Also, my pre-filled out application was rejected in favor of the ones they keep on the counter

 

The two year visa is (or at least WAS) available only to a spouse of a Chinese citizen - be sure to bring a copy of your marriage certificate and her paqssport

 

and yes, they can be fairly rude.

[Robert S.]

NOW WAIT A MINUTE---- Randy, you are making this interesting. You contradict crazybanana about gluing the picture and say do not glue the picture but then you do not tell what you actually did in this case. What was the policy at the particular embassy you went to, and which one was it? Did they use tape? Please make this clear.

 

And also, as I quoted from their website, the Houston embassy specifically requires that you present the form filled out by computer and printed, BUT then you come along and say in your experience they want customers to fill out the form they provide, whereas Chi-Hous says emphatically that they will not provide any hard copies at their office.

 

How can this be any more confusing? It's like we might be talking about Chinese related stuff....... Hey, let's have a fire drill - everybody run off in all directions.

[Randy W]

NOW WAIT A MINUTE---- Randy, you are making this interesting. You contradict crazybanana about gluing the picture and say do not glue the picture but then you do not tell what you actually did in this case. What was the policy at the particular embassy you went to, and which one was it? Did they use tape? Please make this clear.

 

And also, as I quoted from their website, the Houston embassy specifically requires that you present the form filled out by computer and printed, BUT then you come along and say in your experience they want customers to fill out the form they provide, whereas Chi-Hous says emphatically that they will not provide any hard copies at their office.

 

How can this be any more confusing? It's like we might be talking about Chinese related stuff....... Hey, let's have a fire drill - everybody run off in all directions.

 

 

Sorry - I'm from Houston, so neglected to mention that that was the embassy.

 

The directions you read are dated June 26, 2011, and so would not have applied the last time I was there in 2009. Every time I was there, they had a stack of forms. I had brought the current form with me from another consulate's web site. They had me fill out the OLDER form which they had on hand.

 

Every time I have been there, they have ALWAYS found fault with any pictures brought from outside - except one time when their camera was broken, they were sending people to a drugstore at the shopping center next door. I have no idea how they affixed the pictures to the application.

 

They're not rude every time, either - they're just full of surprises.

 

So it would seem the only thing you need to decide is whether to affix pictures yourself - why not take one set of forms with the pictures affixed, and the other without? They'll decide whether they feel like being rude or not.

 

The hours are something like 9-10:30AM, and 1-3:30PM (I didn't bother to double check, but this is approximately the hours they keep). I always had good luck (short lines) getting there around 9:45 to 10.

 

That policy about computer-printed forms is probably a good one - I hear they usually had a long line waiting to get in at opening.

 

All I can do is tell you my own 2+ year old experiences - your's may vary.

[Robert S.]

If they have their own camera I would rather let them take the picture than try to deal with it if they did not like the picture I brought along. Andrew, did you bring a picture or did they take the picture there?

[Urkidding]

If they have their own camera I would rather let them take the picture than try to deal with it if they did not like the picture I brought along. Andrew, did you bring a picture or did they take the picture there?

 

We got our VISAs in November of 2010. I took my own pictures (Wife, mine and son) and printed them on an HP printer using a photo glossy paper. I do remember that they had to be a specific size, so do not veer off of their dimensions. I also remember that they wanted duplicates, one of them for the VISA that goes into you passport the other they keep for their records.

[crazybanana]

I was just there in July, a day after they switched to the new form. my picture was the standard visa picture from CVS Pharmacy so I didn't have any issue, but I was turn away for my picture not glue onto my application. I was almost reject ed the same afternoon for having hand written part of the application. I live in Houston so I go to that embassy every year to get my visa. their rules changes all the time. they used to provide forms for you. they've stopped since they switched to the new format. they used to not allow cellphone in there at all, now they just ask you to turn it off. they lady who turn me away in the morning didn't have any problem with my hand written application. so it really depends on who is behind the window. lastly, pay attention to the street sign. park further if you need to, don't get your car towed

[Randy W]

I was just there in July, a day after they switched to the new form. my picture was the standard visa picture from CVS Pharmacy so I didn't have any issue, but I was turn away for my picture not glue onto my application. I was almost reject ed the same afternoon for having hand written part of the application. I live in Houston so I go to that embassy every year to get my visa. their rules changes all the time. they used to provide forms for you. they've stopped since they switched to the new format. they used to not allow cellphone in there at all, now they just ask you to turn it off. they lady who turn me away in the morning didn't have any problem with my hand written application. so it really depends on who is behind the window. lastly, pay attention to the street sign. park further if you need to, don't get your car towed

 

 

In the past, they've rejected even professionally done outside passport photos (except for the time their camera was broken). Hopefully, they're lightening up a little bit - let us know how it goes, Robert.