Effective as of Aug 1, a New Visa Requirement

[credzba]

Some anecdotal information.

 

My wife and I were at the Houston Chinese embassy Friday.

We were trying to get an authentication of the notorization for a chinese document. (THAT was a pia .. they want a copy of her green card!)

 

But, back to this subject, an American was trying to get visas, and they sent him away because he had round trip tickets, and a hotel reservation, but the reservation was in the companies name, not his.

 

They do seem serious about this ticket/hotel thing.

I remember in the Olympics they also instituted this procedure.

I had her write me a note that said (in english and chinese) "Of course I invite my husband to return to our home in China and stay as long as he likes".

 

It seemed to satisfy them.

[tsap seui]

Some anecdotal information.

 

My wife and I were at the Houston Chinese embassy Friday.

We were trying to get an authentication of the notorization for a chinese document. (THAT was a pia .. they want a copy of her green card!)

 

But, back to this subject, an American was trying to get visas, and they sent him away because he had round trip tickets, and a hotel reservation, but the reservation was in the companies name, not his.

 

They do seem serious about this ticket/hotel thing.

I remember in the Olympics they also instituted this procedure.

I had her write me a note that said (in english and chinese) "Of course I invite my husband to return to our home in China and stay as long as he likes".

 

It seemed to satisfy them.

 

I like your wife's style Credzba.

 

I was travelin' to and fro Chiner during that Bulimic game jazz. I don't see any difference with these so called new rules, nor see what the huff and buzz is all about. You simply plan ahead, have your invite and plane stuff in order, and give yourself time for it to be processed...big deal. And, certainly nothing like the hoops we make the Chinese jump through to visit our country. Looks like the Chinese are pretty darn lienient comparatively.

 

Next June after Fengqi finishes school we have a trip planned back to the mother ship for a 3 month stay. So in April I take Wenyan's letter (similar to your wife's letter) head over to our lil' AAA agency, buy my plane tickets, and have them use their visa folks to walk my paperwork through the New York or DC embassy. What sort of hassle, or impossition is that?

 

I know, I know.... I am an American and why can't I jes wait until the last minute of June 5th to get a visa to leave on June 12th (or earlier)....well, uh...to tell ya's the truth....my mind quit working like that arrogance back in 1962... I'm still an American, though I jes don't ride on the same "band wagon" that many do.

 

tsap seui

[credzba]

Some anecdotal information.

 

My wife and I were at the Houston Chinese embassy Friday.

We were trying to get an authentication of the notorization for a chinese document. (THAT was a pia .. they want a copy of her green card!)

 

But, back to this subject, an American was trying to get visas, and they sent him away because he had round trip tickets, and a hotel reservation, but the reservation was in the companies name, not his.

 

They do seem serious about this ticket/hotel thing.

I remember in the Olympics they also instituted this procedure.

I had her write me a note that said (in english and chinese) "Of course I invite my husband to return to our home in China and stay as long as he likes".

 

It seemed to satisfy them.

 

I like your wife's style Credzba.

 

I was travelin' to and fro Chiner during that Bulimic game jazz. I don't see any difference with these so called new rules, nor see what the huff and buzz is all about. You simply plan ahead, have your invite and plane stuff in order, and give yourself time for it to be processed...big deal. And, certainly nothing like the hoops we make the Chinese jump through to visit our country. Looks like the Chinese are pretty darn lienient comparatively.

 

Next June after Fengqi finishes school we have a trip planned back to the mother ship for a 3 month stay. So in April I take Wenyan's letter (similar to your wife's letter) head over to our lil' AAA agency, buy my plane tickets, and have them use their visa folks to walk my paperwork through the New York or DC embassy. What sort of hassle, or impossition is that?

 

I know, I know.... I am an American and why can't I jes wait until the last minute of June 5th to get a visa to leave on June 12th (or earlier)....well, uh...to tell ya's the truth....my mind quit working like that arrogance back in 1962... I'm still an American, though I jes don't ride on the same "band wagon" that many do.

 

tsap seui

 

oh Tsap, you must have been there with me!

There were 2 people (during the time we were standing there) told the Chinese lady "But my plane is leaving tomorrow, and I can't refund the tickets".

 

Didn't matter the Chinese woman still didn't give them the visa.

They don't even have same day service like they used to.

 

My wife did give the Chinese lady a severe tongue lashing though.

I'll tell that story now

 

I had gotten these notarization/authentications done before because its needed for the proof of marriageability, and also to give my wife power of attorney.

So, I thought I knew the process.

1) get document notarized (went to bank, done for free, got 2 brownie points with wife for saving $)

2) We live in Austin, so run down to capital and get secretary of state to print off paper saying the notarization is right, give them 15$ (only check or cc)

3) Run down to Houston, get the Chinese Embassy to add a piece of paper that says the Texas secretary is the right piece of paper, give them 25$. (only bank check or money order)

 

So, do steps 1&2 on Thursday, and plan to make a quick run to Houston, get paper done, and eat lots of Chinese food in Houston.

We leave the house at 6:30 am, and you can tell its not gonna go right. Wife doesn't see well at night, and wants to drive. My stomach hurts.

After many near death experiences, we get half way to Houston, and I am thinking "the sun will come up, and I'll be saved"

No, not gonna happen. Instead as the sun rises, it heats the ground to produce fog.

OMG, if I thought I was gonna die in the dark, I am thinking I must already be dead now cause I can't see a thing, and my wife is driving on the highway in the fog!

At about the 3/4 mark the fog is a little better, and we stop for gas and quick food.

The food was terrible, I wished I hadn't eaten. If I am dead, then I must be in hell because the food was not even worth giving to the dog, and now its in my stomach!!

Finally we get close enough to Houston, I get to drive.

I see a coffee shop advertisement, so I am in desperate need of caffeine. We stop for coffee, but now were 30 minutes behind schedule. My fault for needing coffee.

 

There is so much construction in Houston the gps wants us to go in circles, but fortunately I remember the way, and we get to the embassy.

Go inside, I am thinking good food is only an hour away!

We stand in line, and the lady says she needs a (2 actually) copy of the 25 pages of document we had with the 1 page that was notarized.

I say, but we don't WANT all that notarized, just the 1 page ... Was I stupid or what? That was a waste of breath. Were talking about a Chinese female government employee.

So, instead of the 25 cents a page copy machine, we run over to the copy place, and do our copies for 8 cents each.. again a few points for saving money, but no one is in a good mood.

We go back to the embassy, bring copies, oh you need a money order (damn.. ) okay, there is a grocery store across the street.

Go get money order, and come back.

"We don't have same day service you need a self addressed USPS next day envelope for us to mail this to you"

"It is 11:25 and we close for 2 hour lunch at 11:30".

Well, at least I am gonna get to eat.

We go to post office, buy the 20$ envelope (there goes all my savings points).

Then, why .. WHY is there no Chinese restaurant near the Chinese embassy ?

We drive 20 minutes to one I know is good, and finally .. the food IS good.

We finish eating more food than 4 people should eat, and they can't accept cards because their machine is broken.

We scrape together cash, and leave. (we go to the grocery store nearby but that was uneventful).

We head back to the consulate .. did I mention the construction?

The gps has NO fricken idea where we are but it THINKS it does.

After it tells us to drive in circles, I ignore it and head in the direction I know the embassy must be. Wife is blaming me for driving so far to eat.

Finally, 45 minutes later we get back to the embassy.

We get in line, and get a different lady.

She wants a copy of my wife's green card. why does CHINA CARE about a green card?

I ask her what if my wife is here illegally? we don't have a green card.

Did I mention female Chinese government employee? .. never mind okay can we mail it to you? yes!

Next she wants to know why we gave her 2 copies of the stuff that has nothing to do with the authentication.

OMG! WRONG QUESTION TO ASK MY WIFE!

Many many Chinese words I don't know went back and forth, and the original lady gets called over .. more Chinese I cannot comprehend goes on.

 

Finally, we get out of there. We "just" need to mail them a copy of the green card when we get back to Austin.

 

No, it doesn't end....

Did I mention the construction, and the confused gps ?

My wife wants to drive, so we head out. The gps has determined we need to drive 2.5 hours to San Antonio before we go to Austin.

WHAT ? Wife is tired of my co-pilot driving instructions so it looks like were going to see San Antonio today TOO!

Finally I see a sign that says Austin, and wife heads in that direction for an hour.

The gps tells us to get off that road and go to another highway 20 minutes east (keep in mind we drove 40 minutes west earlier).

 

Finally I turn on both our cell phone maps, and the gps, and figure a way to get to Austin.

We drive I dunno HOW long, and finally get home.

 

THAT was our "quick" trip to the embassy in Houston.

You know what though? After all that I'd go back AGAIN for more of that Chinese food!!

[Robert S.]

Looking at the embassy website it looks like there are only 3 ways to get a visit visa nowadays, either as a tourist group, by invitation, or if you submit a round trip ticket copy and hotel reservation. What the heck, they are trying to discourage people from visiting?

[dnoblett]

China put these restrictions up during the communist election time, and more than likely will be relaxed after the elections are over, they did this 4 years ago around the Beijing Olympics as a way to control and prevent trouble makers from visiting China.

[Robert S.]

When are the so-called elections over with? WTF. This is the first time in 11 years that I was seriously thinking about going to China and come to find these restrictions. Makes me angry. Shouldn't the restriction be dropped if you have visited China before? I have a good mind to go in the embassy and ask about it since I'm nearby here in Galveston.

[dnoblett]

When are the so-called elections over with? WTF. This is the first time in 11 years that I was seriously thinking about going to China and come to find these restrictions. Makes me angry. Shouldn't the restriction be dropped if you have visited China before? I have a good mind to go in the embassy and ask about it since I'm nearby here in Galveston.

They would have given you the same restrictions summer 2008 before the Olympics.

 

Want to know what the elections are about? SEE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_National_Congress_of_the_Communist_Party_of_China

 

Anyway, I would suspect this to be relieved after the October elections or by December in time for Chinese New Year.

 

Your spouse has family over there, simply get a letter from them along with a photo-copy of their national ID.

[tsap seui]

Roberto, I have no clue if'n you need this service or not, but the " tsap seui's Happy Ending Chinertuckian Travel and Visa $ervices" will be happy to send you a bona fide invitation, complete with copy of photo Chinese ID, and an address where you will be staying.

 

The private citizen address where you will be staying anywhere in China that you desire...as long as it is in Liaoning Province, Fushun City, China is in our home over yonder. It is only on the 3rd floor, has been beautifully finished off, has very comfy furniture, a 42" TV screen so you don't miss a single episode of Chairman Mao kicking Japanese butt 15 times per day, and it is located on the outskirts of the city proper so you get much less pollution and noise than the inner city. Plus, for an additional fee we here at tsap seui's Happy Ending Chinertuckian Travel and Visa $ervices can get Wenyan's ex-husband (a very easy going taxi driver) to be yore personal Chau-furr for as long as you need. He's a great guy, knows his way around Fushun and the outlying countryside as well as Shenyang, and he doesn't drive like a NASCAR driver on steroids with hemorhoids

 

Please order quickly as I only made up a few thousand of these invitations and we here at tsap seui's Happy Ending Chinertuckian Travel and Visa $ervices expect them all to go quickly. I must add, I bought myself a Chairman Mao Halloween mask and with a little tweaking put his face on another person's ID card. It looks official enough and all, but any Chinese person over the age of 40 looking at the photo for any length of time may think.....hmmmmm... Wan Hunglow (the name I used on the ID card) looks very familiar for some reason. Should be no problem though, they use kids to look at te hinvitations and they are too busy listening to some clang metal band named Brain Damage on their ear buds to spend much time looking at what fools pitcher is on the ID.

 

Oh yes, we here at tsap seui's Happy Ending Chinertuckian Travel and Visa $ervices can supply wimmins should you need yore needs met discretely. We can supply mail order brides should you desire a lifetime mate, or we can supply a mate by the night...the choice is yours. The term lifetime is used very loosely and liberally I must add.

 

Yes, we here at tsap seui's Happy Ending Chinertuckian Travel and Visa $ervices can make you dreams of exotic travel in merry ol' Chinertucky come true. We have invitation letters for all over the country of China, as long as you want to go to Liaoning Province and stay in beautiful Fushun.

 

tsap seui

Edited September 24, 2012 by tsap seui (see edit history)

[NUWORLD]

When are the so-called elections over with? WTF. This is the first time in 11 years that I was seriously thinking about going to China and come to find these restrictions. Makes me angry. Shouldn't the restriction be dropped if you have visited China before? I have a good mind to go in the embassy and ask about it since I'm nearby here in Galveston.

They would have given you the same restrictions summer 2008 before the Olympics.

 

Want to know what the elections are about? SEE: http://en.wikipedia...._Party_of_China

 

Anyway, I would suspect this to be relieved after the October elections or by December in time for Chinese New Year.

 

Your spouse has family over there, simply get a letter from them along with a photo-copy of their national ID.

 

Yes i have seen this before myself.

Back in 08 during the Olympics.

 

Now this year China will get a new president (Election Year) just like we ???? Never mind. No politics on CFL

 

It's no problem getting the invite letter.

Just get your SO to write a letter, No problem!!

Then again, I'm sure anyone of our wife now living in the states would be more than happy to write a letter for ya.

 

Now on the other hand, I see this restriction being lifted in 4-6 months MAYBE!! less.

 

China will have a new president about the same time we do. OH!! did i say that out load.

[AZwolfman]

Does anybody know if the invitation letter from my girlfriend in China has to be a snail mail original? Or can it be a printout of an email invitation that she emails to me?

[Randy W]

Does anybody know if the invitation letter from my girlfriend in China has to be a snail mail original? Or can it be a printout of an email invitation that she emails to me?

 

You're at the mercy of the person who takes your application, but a scanned and emailed copy, along with a scanned and emailed copy of their Chinese ID card should do just fine.

[yuehan123]

Seems to me the Visarite services web site FAQs covers this: "

FAQs Regarding New Requirement for Chinese Tourist Visa Application

 

Effective immediately, Tourist Visa applicants must provide one of the following documents:

A) Photocopy of round-trip airline ticket AND hotel reservation; OR

B ) Invitation Letter for Tourist Individual/Group issued by a Duly Authorized Tourism Unit; OR

C) Private Invitation Letter by individuals. If the invitation is issued by an individual, a photocopy of that person's Chinese ID is required. If the inviter is not a Chinese citizen, a photocopy of the inviter's passport, together with a photocopy of inviter's China residence permit is required.

The Private invitation letter sent by individuals in China must include the following items:

(a) Personal information of the application: name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.

(b ) Information concerning the applicant's visit to China: purpose of the visit, date of arrival and leaving, places to visit, relationship between the applicant and the inviter, and who will bear the cost of the applicant's accommodations in China.

(c ) Information of the inviter: name of the individual, phone number, address and signature of the inviter.

Invitation letter can be submitted as a photocopy. However, original invitation may be requested at visa officer's discretion.

 

 

 

1) What if I don't have an airline ticket? You may provide a confirmed flight itinerary or E-ticket itinerary to the same effect. A round-trip flight itinerary emailed or faxed to you by airlines or travel agency is acceptable. If you use flight itinerary, it must be on travel agent or airlines letter head or printed from airlines website. The flight itinerary must show guest name, detail flights, confirmation number or record locator. Please highlight your name, arrival & departure dates and flights on the itinerary. FYI, flight itinerary format is also important, if it doesn't look official, it may be rejected. Please refer to the link below for samples of acceptable flight itinerary format. http://www.visarite.com/images/clip/3cbulgr.gif http://www.visarite.com/Sample_Flight_Itinerary.htm Hint: if you don't feel comfortable to purchase a non-refundable ticket before you obtain the visa, you may call a travel agency to make a flight reservation for you. Travel agency will normally allow you to change or cancel reservation later with only a minimal fee. You may also contact with Asia Connect Tours at: (800) 803-3656 for assistance. 2) What if I don't have hotel reservation? That depends. If you stay with your relative or friend in mainland China, you will need to provide a signed invitation letter specify your name, relationship between the two, address and duration of the stay. The signed invitation letter must be postal mailed or faxed. Otherwise, you must provide hotel confirmation. Hotel confirmation must show your name as guest, duration of stay, hotel address. Please highlight your name, arrival & departure dates and hotel address. FYI, hotel confirmation format is also important, if it doesn't look official, it may be rejected. Please refer to the link below for samples of acceptable hotel confirmation format. http://www.visarite.com/images/clip/3cbulgr.gif <a href="http://www.visarite.com/Sample_Hotel_Confirmation.htm" target="_blank">http://www.visarite.com/Sample_Hotel_Confirmation.htm Hint: Hotel confirmation is safe proof, better than invitation letter. Further, you may change or cancel hotel later without worrying about your visa. Most hotels do not charge penalty, if you cancel 48 hours before arrival. www.Hotels.com is a good place to review hotels, see rates and make reservation.

 

 

Note the part that says, "...The signed invitation letter must be postal mailed or faxed...." Bold text is original.

Edited November 17, 2012 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Seems to me the Visarite services web site FAQs covers this: "

FAQs Regarding New Requirement for Chinese Tourist Visa Application

 

Effective immediately, Tourist Visa applicants must provide one of the following documents:

 

 

 

 

These requirements are made by Visarite Services. You have the choice of either providing what they ask for, or using a different service, or going to the embassy or consulate yourself.

 

One of our members has already reported that he wasn't even required to show his invitation letter at the consulate.

 

These restrictions MAY be relaxed now that the Party Congress is over.

[dnoblett]

Also notice the "OR" after each item in the list, this means can be either A OR B OR C not all. So if can satisfy (C ) then should be fine. C does not list airline ticket only invitation from family in China.

[Dan R]

Picked upo my visa yesterday. Arrived 10 minutes after they closed. Door was locked. I opened the back exit door. The guard was across the room, waved my passport receipt at him and he waved me in. Two windows finishing the last applicants. Got out in 4 minutes. I applied for single entry but got multiple. I guess China likes me.