China Visa for US Passport Holders

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  1. #1

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    China Visa for US Passport Holders

    On March 31, 2004, the Peoples Republic of China changed its visa policy towards US passport holders. A PRC statement relayed that US passport holders will no longer be allowed to obtain tourist visas upon arrival or at the border.

    The US Consulate strongly recommends travelers to the PRC to check with
    their travel agent or the PRC Visa Office regarding the acquisition of
    new visas. Contact information for the PRC Visa Office follows below.

    PRC Visa Office
    7/F, Lower Blk., China Resources Bldg.
    26 Harbor Rd., Wanchai
    Tel: 3413-2424
    Fax: 3413-2312
    Email: [email protected]


  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by rani:
    On March 31, 2004, the Peoples Republic of China changed its visa policy towards US passport holders. A PRC statement relayed that US passport holders will no longer be allowed to obtain tourist visas upon arrival or at the border.

    The US Consulate strongly recommends travelers to the PRC to check with
    their travel agent or the PRC Visa Office regarding the acquisition of
    new visas. Contact information for the PRC Visa Office follows below.

    PRC Visa Office
    7/F, Lower Blk., China Resources Bldg.
    26 Harbor Rd., Wanchai
    Tel: 3413-2424
    Fax: 3413-2312
    Email: [email protected]
    I have heard that shenzhen visas upon arrival for US citizens are cheaper than the standard visa issued from the chinese consulate. I was wondering if a US citizen wanted to go to shenzhen for a day, can he or she get it at a cheaper price? or will they have to pay the normal price for a china visa?

  3. #3

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    Umm .. A PRC statement relayed that US passport holders will no longer be allowed to obtain tourist visas upon arrival or at the border.

    Thats what we got from a bulletin the consulate sent out.


  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    Umm .. A PRC statement relayed that US passport holders will no longer be allowed to obtain tourist visas upon arrival or at the border.

    Thats what we got from a bulletin the consulate sent out.
    so far i know. US passport holders need no Visa for Iraq

  5. #5

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    I guess what goes around comes around. Ha!


  6. #6

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    what's that supposed to mean.

    anyway...our friend just move to HK from US and went to shenzhen on sopme form of daily visa...he's a US passport holder and I don't think he had his HK ID card yet...he did have a work visa, so that could have made a difference.


  7. #7

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    JP,

    Lammarite's remark was most probably meant with due respect to the US 'how to win friends and influence people' policies not working out too well.

    The notification was sent out on the 31st of march by the consulate. Work visas would not make a difference.

    In anycase, I quote this from the April 9th Xinhua....

    BEIJING, April 9, (Xinhuanet) -- Shanghai, Hainan and the Pearl River Delta region in Guangdong are partially exempt from a new mainland visa policy for U.S. passport holders, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed.

    American passport holders who stay 48 hours in Shanghai in transit or who take part in Guangdong's six-day "convenient tours" or Hainan's 15-day tours, would not need to arrive with a visa, the South China Morning Post reported Wednesday.

    Travelers in transit who remain in mainland airports will also not require a visa.

    The retaliatory measures against U.S. travelers were announced last week after the U.S. rejected the mainland's request to review a controversial policy to fingerprint applicants for non-immigrant visas.

    Under the policy, China stopped issuing visas on arrival to U.S. citizens and American diplomats traveling in a personal capacity must apply and pay for visas. Some U.S. visa applicants will be interviewed.

    However, preserving 48-hour transits through Shanghai had little practical meaning, U.S. executives in the city said. "Most people don't transit through Shanghai," said one.

    Shanghai on Sunday denied three American tourists entry because they did not have visas, the Shanghai Youth Daily reported Wednesday. However, the newspaper did not say whether the three planned to stay more than two days.  

    Earlier, several U.S. citizens were turned away on arrival in Beijing and Xiamen because they did not hold valid visas.

    China on Wednesday again urged the United States to lift the "discriminative" fingerprinting requirement on Chinese citizens applying for visas to the United States.

  8. #8

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    hmmm...no good answer for that...he's a US native and near as I can tell did go to shenzhen...he couldn't stop going on about being locked in a room with a catalog of LV handbags. I'll double check next time I talk to him.everybody hates being fingerprinted...but look on the bright side...at least technology has advanced beyond ink pads!


  9. #9

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    Wink

    I've heard the Chinese government has started photographing US citizens visiting China as a tit-for-tat response to the Americans insistence on doing the same for everyone else.....

    Brazil's started that.....China soon to follow?

    I guess what goes around comes around. Ha!
    you said it!

  10. #10

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    In all seriousness, they should photograph and fingerprint US citizens. I don't think they've started photographing them. In anycase, I'm waiting on a response from the Visa office with the official word from 'da man'.

    Don't even get me started about this...


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