tonado Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/arti...isa_procedures/ China tightens Americans' visa procedures3/30/2004 SHANGHAI, China -- China has tightened its rules on issuing visas to U.S. citizens in retaliation for Washington's fingerprinting of Chinese visa applicants, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The measures were taken "due to the United States' failure to respond to the Chinese side's representations and its insistence that most of our people be fingerprinted when going to the United States," the ministry said in a statement posted on its Web site. It said American diplomats or government officials visiting China on personal business would receive ordinary visas and be charged visa fees. That implied such people would not receive special treatment because of their status. China would also require some U.S. citizens applying for visas to be interviewed and would not issue visas on arrival to U.S. passport holders. It wasn't clear how prevalent such practices were in the past, Most American tourists obtain Chinese visas before embarking on their trips. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing had no immediate comment. Last week, the Foreign Ministry objected to the requirement that Chinese be fingerprinted as part of Washington's global anti-terrorism measures, saying it "infringes on the personal dignity and the privacy rights of the Chinese people and violates human rights." China called the measure discriminatory. The United States has gradually introduced the measures in more than 70 embassies and expects to institute it globally by this year. Link to comment
dvs7310 Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Has anyone got their Chinese visa in Hong Kong lately? I wonder how this will affect the process there or what the date they will start doing this is? I'm due into Hong Kong in less than 2 weeks now and planned to get my china visa there. Link to comment
Bobby Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 wow, what a pain. I wonder if I have to speak competent Chinese and show my birth certificate as well as proof that I will return to the US Link to comment
MoonCarolCafe Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 I am going to the Consulate in NYC Friday to try to get a multiple entry visa. Will keep you informed of what happens there, if anything. Take your marriage booklet with you. It worked for me! <-- (proud owner of a Chinese "L" visa!) Link to comment
chinadave2001 Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 I do not think this is a going to be a big deal honestly. It is not is China's best interests to make it difficult for USA tourists and Businessmen to go to China. They have a lot more to lose than we do. Russia has instituted much stricter visa procedures for Americans and has really hurt the tourist industry. CD Link to comment
jkobman Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 It sounds typical of the PRC and US governments - we get mad at each other, pass a law/issue a decree, hold a press conference.... and then it'll probably be same old/same old at the Embassey/Consulates when we go get Visas. Link to comment
warpedbored Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 wow, what a pain. I wonder if I have to speak competent Chinese and show my birth certificate as well as proof that I will return to the US Maybe your fiancee/wife will have to make a five minute video speaking English and prove she makes 125% of the poverty guidelines. Link to comment
Orrin Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 I know that in August, the fee for a 90 day, single-entry, tourist visa at the Macau/Zhuhai border went up from HK$180 to HK$490 for American passport holders. Beyond that, people who heve been there recently have not reported any other difficulties getting into China. Link to comment
keelec Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 I do believe that fingerprinting and other physical tracking methods are a good idea, especially for countries with a high terrorist risk, and perhaps also for countries that have high illegal immigration risks. Fingerprinting and photos are the best way to combat these issues…. Bust a Chinese restaurant for illegal aliens…. Fingerprints would show immediately if a person overstayed a tourist visa, or skipped out on a fiancée visa. Big Brother is just around the corner…. Most states now have drivers licenses digitized…. If not already, how long until those will be put into a national searchable database? I would be surprised if by 2020 (or perhaps sooner) all credit cards don’t require a physical verification…… Perhaps even drivers licenses…. Social Security Cards? Once they add fingerprints to drivers licenses and social security cards, Big Brother will have that information. 1984 is coming…. perhaps a few decades late, but it is coming. NO PLACE TO HIDE. However, I also believe the visa procedures put into place by the USA show pure folly. Why should it take a year and a half to determine whether or not to grant a visa to Irina? Could she possibly pose even a slight security risk to the USA? In theory, if she was married with Russian children, she would have been granted a visa on the spot, over a year ago. I haven't made it to China yet, but I find the Russian visa requirements to be quite a hassle. If I lived in Washington DC, I could actually get a visa in a single day (for a price). Here are the steps for a tourist visa: - 1) Purchase plane ticket and have “itinerary” before applying for the visa.- 2) Pay someone on the internet $20 for “visa support services”- 3) Buy supplemental health insurance (I’ve elected to only purchase “in-network” services here in the USA).- 4) Mail my passport to the Russian Embassy (something I hate doing).- 5) Get the visa. - 6) Every place one goes, the passport/visa has to be registered. Apparently there can be problems if the place one is staying is unable to get the proper paperwork from the group where the visa support was purchased. Russia does have multiple entry business visas which might be a bit better for some things, especially if one has to come and go a lot. And, apparently the Russians are more interested in collecting the revenue than verifying that the business is “legitimate” Anyway, I find the visa requirements are always a big hassle. I wonder what the world would be like if airlines operated like busses…. Climb aboard, if you can find a seat, then you can go. Arrive at the destination, and swipe an ID card, and go about one’s business without further hassles. Anyway, I don’t think the fingerprints are the issue. But overall the general hassles with the visa process. I am glad to hear that some countries (China, Brazil, and others) are actually beginning to bring this to EVERYONE’S attention. ----- Clifford ----- Link to comment
se_lang Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 I have asked this before "Does anybody feel safer" our borders are so porous you could drive a battalion of tanks before our government looked twice just ask all the illegals and drug dealers but yet we can spend millions and billions of dollars pushing paper to feel safe at the same time pissing off all the countries that do us no harm. I think I will make a poll. Link to comment
warpedbored Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 the patriot act and all the airport security is just feel good legislation to make you think they are doing something while they chisel away at your constiutional rights. You are not one bit safer than before 911, Link to comment
Trigg Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 Car, Youa re 100% right. However, my shoes feel safer due to the airport foot inspection policy I go through everytime I fly. Don't worry though, even my shoes are liberal! Link to comment
Trigg Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 oops! I meant Carl-not Car Link to comment
keelec Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 Car, Youa re 100% right. However, my shoes feel safer due to the airport foot inspection policy I go through everytime I fly. Don't worry though, even my shoes are liberal!Actually, I was surprised to discover that my shoes had 1/4" x 4" steel stiffiners in the soles. They passed airport security, X-Rays and all without a single comment I bet there are many "correctional institutions" in the USA which could provide adequate training of other creative uses for those stiffiners. Of course, I feel safe to know that my shoes were X-Rayed ---------------------------------------- How are we checking for "real" plastic guns and ceramic knives? ----- Clifford ------ Link to comment
hypoclear Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 I know that in August, the fee for a 90 day, single-entry, tourist visa at the Macau/Zhuhai border went up from HK$180 to HK$490 for American passport holders. Beyond that, people who heve been there recently have not reported any other difficulties getting into China. If you can swing by kowloon on your way in and get a 6 month (or 1 year )multi visa is running around 1150HK for same day service but you need to get in early...9AM But if you can wait for next day service it is cheaper, don't forget your (photos, head shot) like I did last time, but you can usually find a place to have them taken. My wife just told me about this as she watched the news this AM, so I'm wonder if I'll have a problem next time around. As for the NYC China embassy, I got my first visa there and for I think it was $20.00 extra I had the multi, (2 entry semantics?) next day. Mark Link to comment
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