Canada and Chinese Visa

[Moophasa]

WE are Canadian. We just received our Chinese Visa in our passport.  We did not use CIBT, they said that it could not be done till December ( we are booked on the 73 day South America/Antarctica Cruise in October).  After application on line, we were given a date to go to the Chinese Visa place in downtown Toronto and fingerprinted and they  took the fee for the visa.  We were given a date to return ( 5 days later) and the Chinese Visa was in our passport good for up to 3 years.  You can get the visa now by forgoing the CIBT.  

[LHT28]

Sorry confused

Why do you need a Chinese VISA for South America?

[CDNPolar]

9 hours ago, Moophasa said:

WE are Canadian. We just received our Chinese Visa in our passport.  We did not use CIBT, they said that it could not be done till December ( we are booked on the 73 day South America/Antarctica Cruise in October).  After application on line, we were given a date to go to the Chinese Visa place in downtown Toronto and fingerprinted and they  took the fee for the visa.  We were given a date to return ( 5 days later) and the Chinese Visa was in our passport good for up to 3 years.  You can get the visa now by forgoing the CIBT.  

 

I am not sure that I understand if you have a question here or if you are making a statement?

I have a 10 year Chinese Visa and I did not use CIBT.  In fact I don't know what CIBT is?  I do know that requirements have changed to get a Chinese Visa, but from what I see online for CIBT, they are a service provider.  We got our Visa directly from the Chinese Consulate.

 

If you have your Chinese Visa affixed in your Canadian passport, you are good to go.  Is the Visa actually affixed to one of the pages of your passport?

 

Just know that if your passport expires before the Visa does, your Visa expires with the passport.  If you renew your passport, then you must also renew the Visa.

Edited September 24, 2023 by CDNPolar

[bookbabe]

17 hours ago, Moophasa said:

WE are Canadian. We just received our Chinese Visa in our passport.  We did not use CIBT, they said that it could not be done till December ( we are booked on the 73 day South America/Antarctica Cruise in October).  After application on line, we were given a date to go to the Chinese Visa place in downtown Toronto and fingerprinted and they  took the fee for the visa.  We were given a date to return ( 5 days later) and the Chinese Visa was in our passport good for up to 3 years.  You can get the visa now by forgoing the CIBT.  

Did you have to leave your passport with them for the five days?  Or do they just take a copy of it when you go to the first appointment?

[dawnvip]

13 hours ago, bookbabe said:

Did you have to leave your passport with them for the five days?  Or do they just take a copy of it when you go to the first appointment?

Most physical visas (as opposed to e-visa) require the physical passport for a period of time because they process the application and then affix the visa directly into your passport. I remember the Cambodian consulate kept our passports for about 2 weeks.  

Edited September 25, 2023 by dawnvip

[Heidi13]

On 9/23/2023 at 11:19 AM, Moophasa said:

WE are Canadian. We just received our Chinese Visa in our passport.  We did not use CIBT, they said that it could not be done till December ( we are booked on the 73 day South America/Antarctica Cruise in October).  After application on line, we were given a date to go to the Chinese Visa place in downtown Toronto and fingerprinted and they  took the fee for the visa.  We were given a date to return ( 5 days later) and the Chinese Visa was in our passport good for up to 3 years.  You can get the visa now by forgoing the CIBT.  

 

CIBTVisa is one of many Visa procurement services that charge a healthy fee for getting Visa(s) for you. There is no requirement to use this company, or any of the others to acquire a Visa.

 

Twenty years ago, when we got our first Chinese Visa, you queued outside the China Embassy in Vancouver before it opened and on entering they provided a number. If your number was called that day, you got to submit your passport and application, if your number wasn't called, you returned earlier the following day. The process was repeated for picking up your passport with Visa applied. Since I was still working, I did not have the time for this, so hiring a Visa procurement service definitely was worth it.

 

Our last China Visa in 2019, we completed the extensive online application form and were provided a day to visit the Visa centre to complete the application. Total time in the office was about 1.5 hrs. We received a date for pick-up and time in office for pick-up was about 3/4 hr.

 

Therefore, with the new system I don't see any point in paying a procurement service, as it is way more streamlined and less time consuming than years ago.

 

Our Chinese Visa expiry date is tied to the validity of our passports. If you only got 3-years, I suspect that is when your current passport expires, as I received 8-years and DW got 10-yrs, as she had a new passport.

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, bookbabe said:

Did you have to leave your passport with them for the five days?  Or do they just take a copy of it when you go to the first appointment?

 

When applying for the Chinese Visa you leave your passport and associated paperwork at the Visa Centre and they provide a date to pick it up. The amount of time is dictated by how much you pay. From memory, the basic service was 5-days and expedited could be had for a higher fee and faster turnaround.

[bookbabe]

8 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

When applying for the Chinese Visa you leave your passport and associated paperwork at the Visa Centre and they provide a date to pick it up. The amount of time is dictated by how much you pay. From memory, the basic service was 5-days and expedited could be had for a higher fee and faster turnaround.

Was this through the Chinese embassy or a Visa Service?  
 

I am specifically looking for info on if and how long your Canadian passport stays at the Chinese (and Indian and Egyptian, given the current diplomatic messes) embassy when you are applying for a Visa directly with the country involved.  
 

We have a trip in June 2024 that includes stops in India, Egypt and China (Shanghai and Hong Kong) and since we live outside of Canada we cannot use any of the Visa Services, we have to figure out trips to embassies that include stays long enough to have the visa processed.  I'm really hoping some of this mess is resolved by the spring and that we are eligible for some of the easier visa options by then.  I hate the idea of being away from home in whatever country has the appropriate embassy and not having my passport in my control.

[bookbabe]

9 hours ago, dawnvip said:

Most physical visas (as opposed to e-visa) require the physical passport for a period of time because they process the application and then affix the visa directly into your passport. I remember the Cambodian consulate kept our passports for about 2 weeks.  

Ugh.  I hope China/Egypt/India are faster.  My trip to get visas for my trip is going to end up longer than the trip itself.

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, bookbabe said:

Was this through the Chinese embassy or a Visa Service?  
 

I am specifically looking for info on if and how long your Canadian passport stays at the Chinese (and Indian and Egyptian, given the current diplomatic messes) embassy when you are applying for a Visa directly with the country involved.  
 

We have a trip in June 2024 that includes stops in India, Egypt and China (Shanghai and Hong Kong) and since we live outside of Canada we cannot use any of the Visa Services, we have to figure out trips to embassies that include stays long enough to have the visa processed.  I'm really hoping some of this mess is resolved by the spring and that we are eligible for some of the easier visa options by then.  I hate the idea of being away from home in whatever country has the appropriate embassy and not having my passport in my control.

 

Our last China Visa in 2019, I did it myself, did not use a procurement company. Once you complete and submit the lengthy online application form they give you a date to turn up at the Visa processing centre. Our passports were with China for 5-days, although I could have paid more and got the back in 2 to 3 days.

 

With respect to India, when we got those Visas it was all completed online, so no need to visit the Embassy. Although I read a few days ago that India are no longer issuing any Visas in Canada. For Egypt, I have always got the Visa on arrival, but am aware that has also changed.

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Our last China Visa in 2019, I did it myself, did not use a procurement company. Once you complete and submit the lengthy online application form they give you a date to turn up at the Visa processing centre. Our passports were with China for 5-days, although I could have paid more and got the back in 2 to 3 days.

 

With respect to India, when we got those Visas it was all completed online, so no need to visit the Embassy. Although I read a few days ago that India are no longer issuing any Visas in Canada. For Egypt, I have always got the Visa on arrival, but am aware that has also changed.

 

 

You are correct - India - NO Visas for Canadians currently, and Egypt, you have to show in person at the Egyptian Embassy - no online Visas now.