help! china passport expires in June and I need 1 month more to get Indian Visa for my trip

January 26, 2009 1:13 AM

I'm a US permanent resident with a Chinese citizenship and my passport expires in July 2009. I already booked a trip to India leaving on February 7th, thinking there was plenty of time to get my Indian Visa. I just found out while applying that I need to have my passport valid for 6 months beyond the date of visa application. Please help me save my trip! More inside

Apparently China will not extend passports anymore, I have to apply for a new one with a 40 day turnaround.

Anyone have any idea what my options are? I am OK with paying any types of fees necessary to make this happen.

Anyone have any experience/recommendations for expediting a Chinese passport renewal? Or if it's possible to get them to let me slide a little on the Indian side since my expiration date is only a few weeks past their deadline?

I live in San Francisco if that helps - Indian consulate and China consulate are both here.

Thanks in advance hive mind!

posted by I like to eat meat to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

Do you have to hand in your old passport whilst renewing it ? If not, best get that started soon.
And go the Indian consulate and plead your case (with proof that the renewal progress has started).
Good luck.
posted by Xhris at 5:20 AM on January 26

A coworker got a passport in a single day by tripping through Washington DC, where they have emergency provisions set up for this sort of thing. Call before you go, to make sure the non-citizen part won't be a stop-game for you.

It's more expensive, naturally, and you obviously want to plan to be there hours in advance of the office closing.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:44 AM on January 26

Thanks. I'm not sure going to DC can help me, since I need my passport in hand to apply for an indian visa. To clarify, are you talking about getting a US passport in a single day in Washington DC, or a Chinese passport?

I'm a US permanent resident with Chinese citizenship, so I either need a new Chinese passport, an extension on my current Chinese passport validity date, or an Indian Visa somehow. So if you know any agencies/methods that might help, that would be awesome.

Oi, bad planning. Thanks for your help, though!
posted by I like to eat meat at 11:42 AM on January 26