Forgot to apply for my Chinese visa, how screwed am I?

February 10, 2013 7:50 PM

I am traveling to Shanghai for two weeks soon (Feb. 20th). In one of my finer moments, I completely forgot about the visa until this weekend. I have all the necessary documents but I need a visa ASAP and the embassy is closed on Monday and Tuesday. I'll be using a visa service since I really have no idea what I'm doing but is it possible to still get my passport back in time for my flight?
posted by Loto to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total)

I think most visa services like Travisa offer different levels of service, including highly expedited services (at a highly I-won't-make-that-mistake-again price). Travisa even has an "emergency" same day service. So I think you are going to have no problem getting a visa in time.
posted by Dansaman at 8:04 PM on February 10, 2013

I've gone through the Chinese visa process twice (through visa services), and my sense is that the Chinese consulate turns it around pretty fast. Definitely expedite it, though, and make sure the visa service knows the situation.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 8:08 PM on February 10, 2013

Best answer: I've gotten a Chinese visa for work a couple of times. I checked the info at CIBT, the service we use for all our company visas, and they list these options:

Processing Fees
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CIBT Fees:
The following prices are for CIBT's professional services for the services you have requested. CIBT fees are charged per item. The final cost is determined by the number of business days allowed for processing and the services required to complete your order.

Standard Service (8 or more days) $99.00
Rush Surcharge (4 - 7 days) $105.00
Emergency Surcharge (1 - 3 days) $199.00

Consular Fees:
In addition to CIBT's service fees, consular processing fees are included in the cost of your visa application. CIBT submits payment for your application to the appropriate consulate on your behalf. A 4.9% processing fee is assessed on government agency fees when they are paid by CIBT. The fees for consular processing services are as follows:

4 Business Days $140.00
2 Business Days $160.00
1 Business Day $170.00

Expedited Processing
You must provide a copy of your air itinerary to secure expedited visa processing. The itinerary must demonstrate the need for faster service.

Urgent Applications
For urgent visa applications which carry a tight deadline, we offer a Pre-Check service to save applicants valuable time. Once you have collected the required documents for your visa application and completed the visa application form, simply scan these items and email them over to our team. One of our experienced Visa Consultants will check the documents and contact you to advise of any potential problems within 3 hours of receipt of the email, preventing unnecessary delays to your application. For more information on this service visit http://cibtvisas.com/visa-pre-check-service.php
posted by jacalata at 9:35 PM on February 10, 2013 [2 favorites]

I (and the dozen or so travelers in my company) always get my Chinese visa in person, same day expedited service. Usually drop off in late morning pickup at 2pm... just follow guide lines for having your ticket itinerary printed out and with the apparently etc.
posted by chasles at 5:54 AM on February 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I ended up taking the route jacalata suggested (using Travisa) and everything was ready by Thursday. Cost a lot more than I had hoped but hey, at least that is one less thing to worry about.

Thanks everyone!
posted by Loto at 7:15 AM on February 15, 2013