Hong Kong to Hanoi by land!! VISA's

Bruz82

Im at the early stages of planning a trip from Hong Kong to Bangkok in a few months,
Anyone any information on the issues with visas, i.e. do I need separate visas for HK and mainland China?
Also is it better to get a vietnam visa in HK or am I better off getting from the embassy in London (e.g. Price)

Thanks in advance

Gaz

You will get a free entry permit when you land in Hong Kong but you will then need a Chinese visa to enter China , luckly Hong Kong is the best place in the world to get one. Very straight forward and usually issued without problems.
You could also get your Vietnam visa there.

ozzy jr

Bruz82 wrote: »

Im at the early stages of planning a trip from Hong Kong to Bangkok in a few months,
Anyone any information on the issues with visas, i.e. do I need separate visas for HK and mainland China?
Also is it better to get a vietnam visa in HK or am I better off getting from the embassy in London (e.g. Price)

Thanks in advance

I'm planning the same route although I'm just starting to plan it now. Have you done anything about your Visa's yet? And advice appreciated.

Bruz82

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/t112836.htm

Well you can spend 90 days in HK and Macao free entry so that gives plenty of time to get sorted with other visas. I can get a chinese via in Dublin for 30 euro single entry.Im not sure how much it is in HK. If i was going 2moro i would probably get the Chinese and Vietnam visas in HK.
When you thinking of going?

ozzy jr

Bruz82 wrote: »

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/t112836.htm

Well you can spend 90 days in HK and Macao free entry so that gives plenty of time to get sorted with other visas. I can get a chinese via in Dublin for 30 euro single entry.Im not sure how much it is in HK. If i was going 2moro i would probably get the Chinese and Vietnam visas in HK.
When you thinking of going?

Probably early August. Making my way down to Bangkok then flying over to Oz.

Bruz82

Ozzy had you booked this trip yet, Im departing August 31 to Hong Kong, If your gone before me can you let me know how get on???? Just sent away for Vietnam visa in London today.

ozzy jr

No haven't booked it yet, must send my Visa off too. Probably going around same time, heading to Thailand first though.

ozzy jr

Bruz82 wrote: »

Just sent away for Vietnam visa in London today.

Stupid question, but how much did you pay? You have to pay the return postage costs as well. I can see the cost for return postage for one passport is £8 but I can't find the cost of the actual Visa

Third_Echelon

ozzy jr wrote: »

Stupid question, but how much did you pay? You have to pay the return postage costs as well. I can see the cost for return postage for one passport is £8 but I can't find the cost of the actual Visa

I sent away to the Vietnamese embassy in london a month or so ago for mine. It was £55 for the visa, plus the £8 for the return postage.... The visa cost can change, so if you go to their website and send them an email (all the details are on the site), they send you back an email with an up to date price..

Alternatively, if you are flying (which it sounds like you are not), you can get a visa on arrival in Hanoi airport, but you have to go via one of the visa companies that give you a letter etc. A couple of my mates did it this way and it took about 20 mins in the airport.

Bruz82

I sent the Embassy an email last monday, 44 sterling for 30day single tourist visa plus 8 sterling return postage fee all in a postal order, they say turn around is about 3 weeks.
Flying on 31 Aug to HK so I put time of entry to Vietnam on the 5th of Sept.
Il get the chinese visa in Dublin when it returns.

ozzy jr

I just emailed the embassy to check the latest price. Hopefully I get a quick reply so I can get the application in the post.

gafferino

hi lads

Planning the same trip myself for September!! Would be great if we could help eachother out as its kind of a hard one to plan (the SW China bit).
Heres a company in HK I emailed about China visa and they said they do a same day service no problem. www.fbt-chinavisa.com.hk

what sort of itinerary are you lads planning? Ive only got about 12 days and was gonna go to Chengdu but thinking this might be too far in such a short time.

ozzy jr

I've knocked the Hong Kong/China part of my trip. Didn't want to try and take on too much. Flying to Hanoi more than likely, train to Saigon and make my way from there over to Bangkok. Posting the Vietnam Visa application off in the morning.

Bruz82

got my visa yesterday after 15 day turn around, not bad me thinks!!!!!!

ozzy jr

Bruz82 wrote: »

got my visa yesterday after 15 day turn around, not bad me thinks!!!!!!

Was that 15 working days? Or two weeks and 1 day?

Bruz82

2 weeks & 1 day, got 2 visa stamps and one says cancelled, it that strange, maybe he made a balls of the first one!!!!

discobob

Hey guys, departing for shanghai on september 5th for a 12 week internship and got a 90 day tourist L visa. Hoping to extend this while out there for a bit of further travel afterwards, and then planning heading south to Hong Kong and Vietnam.
Just wondering if any of you know if a one-way flight into China is ok with their tight beurocracy? I've heard I'll need details of actually leaving China to be certain their won't be problems at the border when I land...

Cheers

beagle001

No definitely need a return ticket out

discobob

Are you sure about that? Like I have my visa from the embassy so really I'm not sure what the issue is.

My friend is doing a similar thing to me and left for Shanghai two months ago. She said that on the plane out they got cards to fill out (just like when entering the US) with and arrival and departure side. On the arrival part you had to fill in:
- flight no.
- full name
- visa no.
- passport no.
- and address when in china

On the departure side was:
- full name name
- visa no.
- passport no.
- country
- flight no.

She said when you land, officials take the card, tear it in half keeping the arrival part, and leave you with the departure part. You are meant to use this to leave when leaving the country.
But people change their travel plans all the time, so these cards are free to pick up at the exit of the airport and can be filled in whenever wherever. There are no numbers associated with these cards.

All this makes it sound to me that the whole 'you need a return flight' thing not much to worry about, so long as you just throw any 'flight no.' on your departures side so it isn't blatantly empty.

Can anybody clarify that this was the system they saw imposed also?

killbillvol2

discobob wrote: »

Are you sure about that? Like I have my visa from the embassy so really I'm not sure what the issue is.

My friend is doing a similar thing to me and left for Shanghai two months ago. She said that on the plane out they got cards to fill out (just like when entering the US) with and arrival and departure side. On the arrival part you had to fill in:
- flight no.
- full name
- visa no.
- passport no.
- and address when in china

On the departure side was:
- full name name
- visa no.
- passport no.
- country
- flight no.

She said when you land, officials take the card, tear it in half keeping the arrival part, and leave you with the departure part. You are meant to use this to leave when leaving the country.
But people change their travel plans all the time, so these cards are free to pick up at the exit of the airport and can be filled in whenever wherever. There are no numbers associated with these cards.

All this makes it sound to me that the whole 'you need a return flight' thing not much to worry about, so long as you just throw any 'flight no.' on your departures side so it isn't blatantly empty.

Can anybody clarify that this was the system they saw imposed also?

I left my departure card completely blank when I entered China last month. I wasn't asked about a return flight on either of my visits. It's not an issue.

beagle001

I beg to differ,my uncle was detained 3 years ago in China for 36hours as he had no return ticket.
He is living in Hong Kong for 42 years, is a British national but intended to enter Hong kong by land when he arrived in China after Ireland.
They detained him because no return ticket and investigated his Hong Kong residence card,his wife was let through by separate immigration officer.
This may be the case that some immigration officers enforce the requirements,kind of like Thailand you are supposed to have return tickets when entering the country,majority will be let pass on it but others encounter a real problem.
Food for though but check it out

killbillvol2

A page from the Chinese embassy website:

http://chinese-embassy.com/visa_requirements.htm

There's nothing about return flights. Maybe 3 years ago it was a requirement but Chinese regulations have been relaxed quite a bit since 2008.

As I said, I wasn't asked for any supporting documentation on entering China in July 2010 or in July 2009 and left the departure card blank in each case.

beagle001

Fair enough,
Just giving him the heads up on what I have been told

thelongfellow

killbillvol2 wrote: »

A page from the Chinese embassy website:

http://chinese-embassy.com/visa_requirements.htm

There's nothing about return flights. Maybe 3 years ago it was a requirement but Chinese regulations have been relaxed quite a bit since 2008.

As I said, I wasn't asked for any supporting documentation on entering China in July 2010 or in July 2009 and left the departure card blank in each case.

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/t112836.htm

See all the different visas? Two-way flight details are required.

killbillvol2

thelongfellow wrote: »

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/t112836.htm

See all the different visas? Two-way flight details are required.

That's what they say is required with the application, in practice they don't seem to ask for it. Nor do they ask for your itinerary, except in the most general terms.

In any case, discobob already has the visa so obviously wasn't asked for that information either and it's not on the application form.

I've told you of my experience as recently as a few weeks ago. Take it or leave it.

thelongfellow

killbillvol2 wrote: »

That's what they say is required with the application, in practice they don't seem to ask for it. Nor do they ask for your itinerary, except in the most general terms.

In any case, discobob already has the visa so obviously wasn't asked for that information either and it's not on the application form.

I've told you of my experience as recently as a few weeks ago. Take it or leave it.

I'll leave it. I'd rather take my info off the official site for Chinese travel info.

killbillvol2

thelongfellow wrote: »

I'll leave it. I'd rather take my info off the official site for Chinese travel info.

Fair enough.

As a matter of interest, were you asked for return flight information when you applied for the visa or on arrival in China? (And did you apply for the visa here in Dublin?).

thelongfellow

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Fair enough.

As a matter of interest, were you asked for return flight information when you applied for the visa or on arrival in China? (And did you apply for the visa here in Dublin?).

Yes and yes. They asked for flight details which I didn't have as I am travelling out overland to Vietnam. Confirmed my travel plans with them and they were cool about it.

IMO it's always better to err on the side of caution when dealing with visas and the likes.

killbillvol2

thelongfellow wrote: »

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/t112836.htm

See all the different visas? Two-way flight details are required.

thelongfellow wrote: »

Yes and yes. They asked for flight details which I didn't have as I am travelling out overland to Vietnam. Confirmed my travel plans with them and they were cool about it.

IMO it's always better to err on the side of caution when dealing with visas and the likes.

So you say two way flight details are required. Then you say you applied for the visa in Dublin and have been issued it without having an exit flight. So a flight out is clearly not a requirement.

As for erring on the side of caution - I provided any information I was asked for and had my visa issued. I wasn't asked when, or how, I was leaving China (and neither was discobob).

thelongfellow

killbillvol2 wrote: »

So you say two way flight details are required. Then you say you applied for the visa in Dublin and have been issued it without having an exit flight. So a flight out is clearly not a requirement.

As for erring on the side of caution - I provided any information I was asked for and had my visa issued. I wasn't asked when, or how, I was leaving China (and neither was discobob).

Why quote me when you can get it direct of the link I put up.

Necessary travel information, such as the two-way flight details and itinerary, is required.

I may not have a flight out of China but I have one in Singapore to catch. They asked for my itinerary which I gave. I can only go on what I was asked not you or anyone else.

I put up the correct link for the Chinese embassy in Ireland. If you have any more queries you can find an answer there.

gafferino

Lads im in HK at the moment and just got my visa in 1 day through this crowd www.fbt-chinavisa.com.hk
I didnt fill in any return flights on my application from and it wasnt a problem. Unless the visa company actually through in something afterwards themselves but i dont think its a major issue.
This company were very good and only 36 euro.

killbillvol2

gafferino wrote: »

Lads im in HK at the moment and just got my visa in 1 day through this crowd www.fbt-chinavisa.com.hk
I didnt fill in any return flights on my application from and it wasnt a problem. Unless the visa company actually through in something afterwards themselves but i dont think its a major issue.
This company were very good and only 36 euro.

That's a very good price for a quick turnaround - I think I paid about €45 in HK last year and it took 2/3 days.

bourgeois

Was in China last year for work. Company booked a one way flight as they weren't sure how long I'd be needed there. Had serious trouble trying to explain this to the people in the embassy who wanted my full itinerary and return flight date.

In the end the company had to booked my return flight before I was able to get my visa.

I wouldn't take advise of people on the internet who don't even know the correct website to look at.

Here is the correct one

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/t112836.htm