Getting a UK visa to visit China
February 28, 2008 2:11 AM Subscribe
UK citizen visa for China. What's the best way to get one in a hurry?
I need to have a visa to enter China in my passport, in my hand by next Thursday. I've downloaded a form from the embassy website but all the other embassy pages seem to be down and there's no proper instructions for filling it in, costs, etc. I have an invite from my host institution. I will happily consider paying an agency to do the donkey work if someone can recommend a good one in London. I would prefer to avoid having to go to London myself to sort it out as I'm 6 hours away. Any info about how long these things normally take is welcome.
I need to have a visa to enter China in my passport, in my hand by next Thursday. I've downloaded a form from the embassy website but all the other embassy pages seem to be down and there's no proper instructions for filling it in, costs, etc. I have an invite from my host institution. I will happily consider paying an agency to do the donkey work if someone can recommend a good one in London. I would prefer to avoid having to go to London myself to sort it out as I'm 6 hours away. Any info about how long these things normally take is welcome.
I googled but can't remember the name and couldn't find the one I used a few years ago. They were swift and reasonably priced. If you want to search for them, they were in Putney.
posted by outlier at 4:32 AM on February 28, 2008
posted by outlier at 4:32 AM on February 28, 2008
It can be done same-day for an express fee if you do have to go to London IIRC. I've never used any of the UK agencies but their staff were certainly always in the queues at Portland Place.
I'm presuming your flight is booked, but if push comes to shove another option would be to fly in to Hong Kong, which you get automatic entry to, then use any number of the agencies there for a same-day visa. Then go across the border to Shenzhen airport and get a cheaper domestic flight to your final destination.
posted by Abiezer at 5:05 AM on February 28, 2008
I'm presuming your flight is booked, but if push comes to shove another option would be to fly in to Hong Kong, which you get automatic entry to, then use any number of the agencies there for a same-day visa. Then go across the border to Shenzhen airport and get a cheaper domestic flight to your final destination.
posted by Abiezer at 5:05 AM on February 28, 2008
Try this company. It's the UK branch of what my employers uses to expedite visas, and I believe they're the most reliable global company. For a fee, they can get you a visa in as fast as two days. I used a similar service here in the States to get a China visa recently, and their four-day service was as planned. Plus, they take care of all the hassle: you just fill out the forms, give them your letters and passport, and poof! You get your passport back with a nifty Chinese visa.
posted by bassjump at 5:08 AM on February 28, 2008
posted by bassjump at 5:08 AM on February 28, 2008
p.s. You can FedEx your documents to them, and they'll ship them back with next-day service once the process is done. No need to go to London if you don't mind spending the extra cash.
posted by bassjump at 5:09 AM on February 28, 2008
posted by bassjump at 5:09 AM on February 28, 2008
for what its worth, and i wouldnt recommend this unless its desperately urgent, ive got visas for china on the border before. remember to take a passport photo with you - otherwise they charge you a ridiculous amount for the ones they take of you.
i did this both going to shenzhen (limited 5 day visa, doesnt allow you out of the shenzhen business zone), and to guangzhou (proper 30 day tourist visa).
i also got 6 month visas by using a travel agents in hong kong who did "next day delivery" of my passport with the visa, so i didnt have to queue up everywhere.
as i said, its possible - i did this lots of times over a 2 year period. mostly travelling from hong kong into china, but i know its also possible if you fly direct into china from any other country.
posted by dnc at 6:03 AM on February 28, 2008
i did this both going to shenzhen (limited 5 day visa, doesnt allow you out of the shenzhen business zone), and to guangzhou (proper 30 day tourist visa).
i also got 6 month visas by using a travel agents in hong kong who did "next day delivery" of my passport with the visa, so i didnt have to queue up everywhere.
as i said, its possible - i did this lots of times over a 2 year period. mostly travelling from hong kong into china, but i know its also possible if you fly direct into china from any other country.
posted by dnc at 6:03 AM on February 28, 2008
Agree with Abiezer. If you fly into Hong Kong, you can get it done same day. I believe you can even get it done at Hong Kong and then hop a bus/train/ferry across the border into Guangzhou.
posted by nathan_teske at 7:15 AM on February 28, 2008
posted by nathan_teske at 7:15 AM on February 28, 2008
At the Chinese consulate in Toronto, Canada, the standard turnaround is three days if you show up in person (at least this was the case a couple of years ago). They were *very* unhelpful on the phone but it was easy once we showed up there.
posted by aquafiend at 8:08 AM on February 28, 2008
posted by aquafiend at 8:08 AM on February 28, 2008
Visa laws in China have been changing a lot lately. If you go to Hong Kong to get a visa make sure you check with the visa agency first.
posted by afu at 8:08 AM on February 28, 2008
posted by afu at 8:08 AM on February 28, 2008
I have used these people six times, four Chinese visas and two vietnamese:
http://www.uk.cibt.com/
It is possible to get a visa by yourself in a day from the Embassy in London (I did it once) . Download the forms from the above website, have pics and have cash (usually there is no change so have the right money) If you are there at 7.30am you will be near the front, you will get the visa about 3pm in the afternoon.
To be honest, I just pay CIBT now. You send your passport by special delivery to them and get it back the same way. Rememebr to get it send back to you at a place where someone will sign for it, ie work.
posted by priorpark17 at 9:59 AM on February 28, 2008
http://www.uk.cibt.com/
It is possible to get a visa by yourself in a day from the Embassy in London (I did it once) . Download the forms from the above website, have pics and have cash (usually there is no change so have the right money) If you are there at 7.30am you will be near the front, you will get the visa about 3pm in the afternoon.
To be honest, I just pay CIBT now. You send your passport by special delivery to them and get it back the same way. Rememebr to get it send back to you at a place where someone will sign for it, ie work.
posted by priorpark17 at 9:59 AM on February 28, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks for all the useful advice, my passport is now winging its way to London and will hopefully be sorted in enough time.
posted by biffa at 2:48 AM on February 29, 2008
posted by biffa at 2:48 AM on February 29, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
table of fees here
Seems like there are people that will turn up on your behalf for a fee - no idea how good / trustworthy etc - maybe someone else can offer an opinion but a quick google throws up some options if you're willing to pay a premium.
posted by khites at 3:53 AM on February 28, 2008