Right got a mate flying over to hk next week and he would be visiting shenzhen for funny business He only has a uk passport but can he get a visa once in shenzhen or better to sort one in hk but he does not want to wait for a few days to get one issued

Why not get the visa before travels over to HK?

Yes, you can get a visa at Shenzhen but your mate would only be permitted to travel within Shenzhen. If you're planning to go to DG but gets caught by LE then he would have some explaining to do due to his visa travel restriction.

Yep he's only gonna go to SZ and nowhere else so I guess he should be fine

You should call the British consulate in HK for advice because I forgot whether or not UK passport holders are allowed to buy a Shenzhen visa at the border or not.

Shenzhen are being pains in the arse at the moment with giving out visa's - they were to me last month when I had a friend over.

We paid extra to have it rushed - it took 2 days - we got it from a place called China Visa in Wan Chai - they were pretty good, they also do next day which is expensive and if you hand it in before 1pm you get it the following morning. If you want the address bro just PM me and I will send you it.

Unable to travel outside Shenzhen?? never heard of that.
Once a tourist gain entry to any port in China, they are free to travel everywhere in China.
This is new to me.


UK/US passport can get the fast visa at Lo Wu border.
Just had a fren who came over 2 mths ago, he had an Asean passport and a UK passport. He brought the UK passport, no problem. Easy.

I have heard that if you get a visa in Shenzhen you cannot travel outside Shenzhen, they will not say anything until you go to travel back in HK.

I went with a friend to Lo Wu border before, I normally go via Shenzhen Bay - they would not give him a 24hr visa - would not even tell him why, he had a British Passport, I think it is what mood they are in that day!

As far as I know/had done previous RX on - visas good ONLY for visits to Shenzhen (and supposedly NOT good for anywhere else) is the result of/a continuation of the policy when Shenzhen was a REAL SEZ and closed off to most of the general population of China (without a permit to enter SZ.)

As opposed to a FULL China visa, which is issued by the Foreign Ministry, such Shenzhen only visa is actually issued by the Shenzhen Public Security bureau.  That this anomaly is still the case, is just historical practice/legacy still not altered to reflect the reality of SZ now being a near wide open city.

Also, as far as applying for a full Chinese visa - I ALWAYS recommend that one do NOT go to any agents etc as all that this does is to delay the process, make it more expensive AND most importantly, not as secure as doing it yourself;  I had a travel agent actually misplacing a friend's passport for a few days - with not much by way of recourse, resulting in a lot of wasted time and money etc.

Instead, just go early to the Foreign Ministry yourself (Yes, unfortunately there is usually a line) and get your own visa for the minimal $$ and time possible.
http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/zgqz/syjy/

SEAJ

[ Last edited by  SEAJ at 20-4-2011 13:41 ]

So true bro!

But I disagree with the agents, I guess it just goes on past experiences though! The only time I get to go the ministry queue is a bloody joke! The China Visa agent I use though is strictly just that! Hence the name lol

I have used them for years, as have my friends and it is just around the corner from the Foreign Ministry so I do always check there first on the off chance that there is not a queue (yeah right) - I have never had a problem from this place. I cannot speak for everyone that uses it though. Maybe it is because I have always used them...

we had this discussion recently in another thread, LINK HERE. Anyway, I have personally taken colleagues to get a VISA at Lo Wu customs. It's no big deal and they do it while you wait. Price varies depending on your passport and not all passports are approved for this service. UK is fine. As you approach the immigration counters at LoWu turn left and you will find the VISA window.

In the other thread there was much discussion about how best to get a VISA once you are in HK. Pros and Cons of going directly to the Foreign Ministry Office vs going through an agent. I can say from personal experience going through an agent (at least the agents I have used in the past) does NOT cost more and does NOT take longer. In terms of security, either way you have to leave your passport with someone else.

I agree with Petay about the queue at the FMO, it can be a joke! and the lack of urgency in the way the staff there process each customer painful to watch. Check the link for more info and opinion.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, the down side of getting a VISA at LoWu is that you can only get a single entry. Not convenient or economical but a good plan "B" for Bros to arrive at LoWu and only "then" realise their VISA has expired.

[ Last edited by  TonyToro at 20-4-2011 17:14 ]

good point tt that this was talked about before but i think it is a good topic to bring up again because visa and immigration laws could have changed. all i know is that americans can't do it. in order to go to sz with no visa you need to be in a tour group then you can go with the group not by yourself. maybe that changed who knows. i finally got my mult entry visa on my 3rd one. my first two they would only allow single entry. i'm glad i have the multi as it is a big value to my wallet and you don't have to deal with the embassy or agent all the time.

OK - lets agree to disagree - but please note that I've been applying for visas to China since 1983 and I THINK I should know.  And yes, I WAS in the past a part owner of a travel agency.

Besides which - these Travel Agents are there to make money out of the "Service" they offer - so how can they NOT charge more than what the FMO charges?  

And as for time - just about all these Travel Agents in turn use a Visa Consolidator service  - one guy who goes around to ALL the travel agents who phones him with an application, get a stack of them and then go to the FMO to do the actual application.  Thus the time lag - and the very real danger of him misplacing or even losing a passport or another.
SEAJ

[ Last edited by  SEAJ at 21-4-2011 12:01 ]

FYI, in January of this year my client from US was refused a license at Lo Wu and we had to apply for a 24 VISA at the China Resources Building in Wanchai.

If your client / friend has a UK passport he should not have any worry about getting a visa, with regards to certain visa'sand travel boundaries.... Shenzhen is all he needs to go, forbuying stuff, eating good food, and punting why bother travelling even further out to do the same thing and same expenses??

As far as I know, some passport can't get a visa at the border in Lo Wu, like US Citizen. Not sure about UK passport holder. Better check out before you go. AMHO it's better to get the visa at China Resource Building.

maybe they get a volume discount... happens in many industries.

In terms of time and price I can only comment based on my own experience, I have been coming to HK and China for 20 years so you beat me there Joe, but I (like I assume you) have gone through agents and direct and I have found the agents I have used to be more efficient. I'm sure there are inefficient agents...


Captain, maybe the US visa needs a tour group? not sure??? However I have got VISA to enter China for one or 2 or 3 people and not any official "group". Perhaps you're right and it's just a US passport thing.

LOL!  
20 years to China and you still haven't heard of Chinese economics??!!
Especially Chinese Governement economics?

The way Chinese Government economics works (tongue firmly in cheek) is that if a government sees that somebody purchases something a lot, then they really must need it - and thus it makes sense - TO THEM - to instead actually raise the price!!

Muahahahah!!

SEAJ

Demand = profit... not just the government, that's a Chinese factory's favourite ethos too.

Actually, I'm quite sure the VISA agents do get a reduced price which is why they can afford to be competitive. In fact, with your travel industry background Joe, you would know there are many times when the agent is cheaper than the airline... which kinda proves my point don't you think?

...and often the agent often gives far better service than the airline...

why would you think I am unfamiliar with Chinese Economics Joe?

[ Last edited by  TonyToro at 23-4-2011 12:06 ]

Sorry - what???

I think you've drawn too long a bow about the possibility of Hong Kong VISA agents getting a better deal in terms of service and price than a walk-in consumer relating to "China Economics". So to separate the 2 issues, I assume your comment about "China Economics" in this specific context was merely frivolous.

So, are you suggesting Travel agents and wholesalers pay the same price as consumers? Sorry, don't agree.

Anyway, to summarise for Bro sitonmyface69, yes you can get a UK VISA in SZ although it is a single entry and not particularly economical. It's more of a "plan B".

Alternatives include, get a VISA at home before you leave, get one as Joe has suggested at the Foreign Ministry Office, or go through an agent. I have done all 3 both personally and with colleagues. Price is comparable, time frame comparable, I personally have found the staff at the agents I have used (China Travel) to be more helpful easier to work with and that is the overwhelming consensus of people I have spoken to.

[ Last edited by  TonyToro at 23-4-2011 14:33 ]

Welllll..... you are so fundamentally wrong at so many levels that I wouldn't even know where to start ....and in fact will not start and rather just let you have the last peanut.

I'd think that not many here would be interested.

SEAJ