China tightens Americans' visa procedures

[tywy_99]

Last October I was suprised by the changes made when I looked at the Chinese Embassy in D.C.'s website. The visa fee was up to $50 from $35 the year before and what was even more an inconvienent was that the embassy would'nt accept mail orders! I felt that I had lost a certain right. This too was in retaliation to the U.S. security measures being imposed. It affects everyone! The visa I got last year cost me five times as much as the visa I gotten the year before!

[dvs7310]

My contact in Hong Kong emailed me last night. As of yesterday afternoon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC (the office who issues the Chinese visas in Hong Kong) stopped taking US passports for visas. It is starting to look like I'm not going to get to go to China. I'm between a rock and a hard place now. I either pay a fortune now to get rush service at one of the Visa agencies here in the US, or I hope that they start issuing them again in Hong Kong in the next couple of weeks.

[Dynasty]

visa service i've used, you can see their rates for rush service.

 

http://www.visaobtainers.com/Visas/China/T...ourist_Visa.htm

[Bobby]

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,

This whole process has amazed me so far. There have been numerous opportunities for me to "slip" my (now wife) through the cracks during this process. It seems that all of the delays and hardships in getting her here were nothing more than "feel-good" policy for everyone who isn't trying to do something like this ("this" being travelling abroad or bring over a foreign fiancee). My most recent run-in with the BCIS (wherein they don't have a visa class or date of entry listed for her, yet told me to just go ahead and file for an AOS and there "shouldn't be a problem") only reinforces this.

 

This whole price-hike and possible interview thing does anger me, but then again, so does the fact that the US practices the same form of favoritism (i.e. next to no restrictions if you're coming from an English-speaking country, yet byzantine procedures if you are honest and come from a non-english speaking country).

 

Most countries throughout the world have been pretty nice about allowing US citizens into their countries, you would think that the US would at least work on streamlining their procedures.

 

As far as airport security goes.. well, don't get me started. I've already been forced to drop my pants at least once at a security gate and I've been pondering just wearing sandles whenever I travel. Why ban knives and finger-nail clippers, but not steel ink-pens? Doesn't someone realize that in about 3 years, security is just going to become as lax as it was 3 years ago?

 

Unfortunately, the government serves not the quiet populace in general, but the reactionary few (both liberal and conservative) who seem to make the most noise. My motto isn't, "the squeeky wheel gets the grease," but "the squeeky wheel gets replaced."

[Bryan_Qunying]

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.

Darrell, I can't help it! I can just see a battalion of tanks crashing through the fences and a hand full of Boarder Guards pointing their "pistolas" at them and yelling .... "Halt"! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_5_134.gif

[Robert S.]

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.

I don't.

I keep waiting to see a news story about an incident which would happen something like this. An older couple is about to board their plane when the wife asks her husband, who is on various heart medications, "honey, have you got your nitroglycerin?" He replies it's in his carry on bag. They are taken away for questioning.

 

Soon after 9/11 I saw a security expert on TV telling that he had been on a secret task force to try to prevent hijacking of planes and their particular job was to think of ways that it could be done. They thought of over 300 ways.

 

Meanwhile the govt investigates beautiful sweetheart Chinese ladies as if they could possibly be any threat. What a waste of resources.

[keelec]

Meanwhile the govt investigates beautiful sweetheart Chinese ladies as if they could possibly be any threat.  What a waste of resources.

9/11 is not the reason for the visa delays, and anybody in our government who thinks it is the reason is a fool. There is nothing rational that can explain ONE AND A HALF YEAR delays to issue a simple (non-immigrant) visa plus another 2-3 years to issue the permanent visa. There is no explanation why some people can get their visas in 6 months, others in 18 months with the primary difference being the state where the American fiancé lives.

 

Look at the 9/11 terrorists...... Every one was here on student visas or tourist visas (and, the students were actually enrolled in US Flight schools). Not a single one was here on a fiancée / spouse visa.

 

Yet, in general, if a tourist visa is to be granted, it takes less than a month of delays, most of which is just scheduling the interview.

 

Tourists from the Great White North.... Only need to wave a driver's license, no passport, no visa.

 

Tourists from Europe are granted a visa at the point of entry, with the entire security check performed in the time it takes to walk from one end of the line to the other end.

 

No, the real reason for the fiancée / spouse visa delays is just to aggravate our US Citizens.

 

----- Clifford -----

[DaveR]

I sent my passport, which I didn't like to do, to a visa service. It took about 10 days for the passport to get back to me. But I did not have a rush service put on it, but it was just another added expense that could have been avoided.

 

I worked security in the Air Force. A friend of mine retired with 20 years experience in 1990. He tried to get on at an airport, they told him he had too much experience for them. Makes you wonder how 9/11 happened.

[se_lang]

Guards pointing their "pistolas" at them and yelling .... "Halt"! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_5_134.gif

don't you mean "parada"

[hypoclear]

My contact in Hong Kong emailed me last night. As of yesterday afternoon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC (the office who issues the Chinese visas in Hong Kong) stopped taking US passports for visas. ....

I was just in HK yesterday and after reading this thread I checked my visa. it expires in aug so i'll need 1 more and than maybe more bfore we finally leave China.

 

I'm sure things will be settled by than but you have me wondering. I have found a place (Travel agency) in HK that processes visa's. I would assume they are brought over to a Chinese gov office and rubber stamped, wonder if this will be effected?

 

Mark and Bea

[olemanoman1950]

Wayne for President ...

Vote for me and Visa's in a month for everyone

$1.00 a gallon gas again

No War's or Police Actions ( Viet Nam Vet here )

Bring Home the Soldiers

Tie Saddam on a Rope and Drag him thru the streets of Bagdad

[keelec]

$1.00 a gallon gas again

Sorry,

 

I am all for $3 / gallon gas.

 

Actually, I would like to see a gas tax that would increase by 2 cents / month forever. Appy all revenue to the national debt.

 

We need to encourage economy, and everyone will benefit.

 

----- Clifford ------

[hypoclear]

hmmmm...

didn't we have a balanced budget under Clinton?

 

Maybe we should tax republican's a couple grand a day for opening the doors to the pig trough.

 

I'm sure the top 10% or so of the population slept well after Bush was elected and their theme song became.. "We're in the money." while the rest of us had to make due with a few cold bars of

"your're in the money."

 

mark

[DaveR]

Just got up this morning and was watching news on CCTV 9 here in China. They had a story saying now every forienger entering the country except for Canadians and Mexicans will be fingerprinted. The report said China will retailate by not isuing visas at point of entry and may require interviews of people wishing to enter the country.

 

I know it is just a big pain in the __s. Getting to China and seeing my beloved is hard enough as it is. The US government does not help at all.

 

David

[keelec]

hmmmm...

didn't we have a balanced budget under Clinton?

 

Maybe we should tax republican's a couple grand a day for opening the doors to the pig trough.

Good Idea....

 

I think we need to institute a new "Poll Tax"

 

When you go to the voting booth, insert your visa card before beginning to vote.

 

25 cents for every "D"

$1,000 for every "R" vote :D