I’m supposed to spend a few days over the border next month. Haven’t been for six or seven years. I had a multiple-entry visa, which of course has expired. Do I need one at all these days? Hard to find an authoritative source – China’s official websites are impenetrable or vague. But after asking around, it seems I do. Can you get it at the border? I remember people doing that in the old days, but it seems that’s no longer a thing.
Looking into it, I can’t believe it used to be this much of a nightmare. Rather than drop into China Travel (surly) Service and go back a few days later, you must apply online. Eventually, I find the right place. Incredibly slow website. The form is four pages of mostly nonsense questions. Date of arrival and of departure. Your last employer up to five years ago, including supervisor’s name and phone number. Your parents’ names and dates of birth. Which university you went to. Details of who you are staying with, including an ‘invitation letter’ from them. (After asking around, I hear the simplest solution is to book a cheap hotel that accepts foreigners nearby; when you check-in, they handle the registration with the police – you never even bother to go in the room.)
Plus you need to attach photos. Not just your mugshot (rejected if background is not sufficiently white), but your passport details page, plus all pages containing entry/exit stamps for countries visited in the last year, plus your last China visa, plus the passport details page if that was in a different passport, plus confirmation of hotel booking – and even the f**king bus tickets for your planned trip.
So this was put together by people who either are totally stupid, or who want to torment people of certain nationalities. Or both.
You can still get a border visa for SZ at the Lo Wu crossing. There is a daily quota allegedly. Friend of mine did it in October without any drama. If all you need to do is stay in Shenzhen it is probably the simplest solution.
Took a moment to realise that ‘ rejected if background is not sufficiently white’ refers to the photo, not the applicant.
Honestly not bothering with Up North. Have no wish to install AliWePayPonziChat (on a burner, of course) just to pay for stuff, never mind the bureaucracy.
Enjoy your trip!
Oh don’t worry, the torments for people of certain nationalities is not even listed of the website.
HK permanent residents can now get a card good for 5 years – “Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese Citizens)” – no need for separate visa and you can use the e-channel on the China side, no need to fill out an arrival card or queue on the foreigner line, in theory no need to even bring your passport. It takes about a month to get it though.
@Spike is correct.
Non Chinese permanent residents now qualify for the same travel card that locals can use to travel to China.
I still haven’t gotten around to applying to it yet myself as my passport recently has gotten visa free access around the same time as they authorised the travel permit and yes they definitely use that awful visa application to torment certain nationalities.
Mainland travel permit the way to go, as Spike & Bradly say. Never been hauled in once!
You can consider a ten day visa free entry BUT there are only select ports of entry on the other side and you must exit via a “third party” destination when you’re done with your business. It also depends on the country of your pp but I’m guessing your country is accepted. Macau would be the “third party” from a Zhuhai exit and then a ferry to HK.
It was surprisingly easy and stress free with minimal red tape when I did it last year flying into Guangzhou.
Good luck!
I used APEC for a few years rather than getting a visa but previously getting a multiple entry, 6 month visa wasn’t difficult. I did find some lesser ports of entry didn’t understand what the APEC card was.
Now I have the new 2-Way Pass thing but I’ve only ever had to use it once as I try to avoid going into China if I can. When I did use it it was pretty straight forward but there was some delay whilst they had to check it manually rather than by the electronic gate because ‘It is a new one’ (?). Oh – still had to fill in an arrival card thing – this was using the high speed train at Kowloon.