Visas for China

[Breeze1234]

My wife and I will be traveling from the United States to Beijing (4 nights), then Xian (1 night) and finally to Shanghai (2 nights) before we take a 16-day cruise to Singapore.  Our cruise leaves Shanghai and travels to Busan-South Korea, Kagoshima-Japan, Taipei-Taiwan, Hong Kong, Da Nang-Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City-Vietnam, Bangkok-Thailand, and Ko Samui-Thailand before arriving in Singapore.  Can anyone help us determine the type of Visa that we would need to visit China for this trip? (We realize that we will also require a Visa for Vietnam, but from what I understand, we can easily obtain these via email prior to the cruise.)    Thank you! 

[Hoyaheel]

There's pretty much only one type of visa - you're american citizens? You'll apply for a tourist visa and you will likely receive a 10 year multiple entry visa as a result (it's not guaranteed but unless there are red flags in your history, it's common). There are many good visa companies online you can use, or you can download the forms yourself and go to a Consulate if you live near any.

[Betty in Cozumel]

1. We sailed the Celebrity Millennium in January and the Vietnam tourist visa was handled by the cruise ship.  They just charged us $6 each to our account.  This type of tourist visa was NOT allowed if you were staying overnight in Hanoi.

[Ashland]

Use an online agency with a good reputation as close to you as possible For your China visa..Download their application and call them for any questions...This is very easy to do and get a 10 year visa...Sure it may cost a bit more than doing it in person but well worth it.

 

Agree your ship will do your Vietnam visa onboard...RCI and Celebrity charge $6.00 pp to do this.

Edited December 1, 2018 by Ashland

[mking8288]

Do you come into NYC somtimes/often and/or is that an option ?  When are you traveling overseas ?  As noted above, visa fees are the same for US citizens, whether it's for a 2 years, single or dual entry visas or 10 years multiple entry visitors visas - fill out the same application, passport photos & supporting documents like cruise docs, airline tickets, etc.

 

You can paid a reliable T/A or passport services to obtain it for you, or, if you can & wish to, confirm that you are served by the Chinese consulate office's visa division in NYC  - and, their business hours (weekdays 9 to 4 pm, as I recall) - you will need 2 trips, 1 to submit the completed applications, etc. and a 2nd. trip to pick up the approved visas issued.  Being busy with our jobs, we used our local TA to do the leg work for us a few years ago, fee is about $50 p/p for us on top of the regular application fees - turnaround time is about a week - as our tour package was handled by them.  They also handled the visa for VN for us, it was mailed/submitted to Ottawa, CN & back to T/A to hold for us ... do allow time for the agency to do both on your behalf.  

 

Visa on arrival or via the cruiseline - for Vietnam - seemed to be a simple & alternate option, and inexpensive compared to mainland China. 

[loeb]

If your thinking about going to the PRC consulate office in NYC to get a visa, this may help

 

https://www.yelp.com/biz/consulate-general-of-the-peoples-republic-of-china-new-york?osq=China+Embassy