Applying for a visa for China

757TFFIU

I'm giving consideration to a trip to China later this year, possibly October or November, if I can get a reasonable price on a plane fare and accomodation. Has anybody applied for a tourist visa from the Chinese embassy in Dublin since travel into China was re-opened to foreign nationals?

The embassy's website seems to make it straightforward enough - as fill in an online application, book an online appointment to bring in documents and the passport, and well as be fingerprinted. Print off this application and provide evidence of a flight entering and subsequently exiting the country, as well as evidence of booked accommodation, provide a passport size photo, payment by postal order. Only annoyance is that their website for applications/appointments sets the browser mad with security alerts and recommends I don't use the site, even though it is definitely the official website.

From experience, does anybody know what the turnaround time is for them to issue the visa? As in do they return the passport within a few days, or are they going to be in possession of it for a few weeks while the application is considered?

Is appointment availability reasonable enough, given that they only allow fingerprinting one morning per week? (As in applying about six weeks to a month beforehand for a single entry tourist visa wouldn't be leaving it too late?)

I've only ever travelled to countries where Irish citizens don't need a visa, or can apply online for an electronic visa, so applying directly to an embassy is new to me.

Thanks.

Edit: apologies - just noted that somebody started a similar thread 25 mins ago

mackerski

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058306136/applying-for-a-visa-for-china

I'm the other poster, and I think that I can now help. I went through the (long and complex) online registration process. So far, that part of the process did not require me to show confirmed bookings, but it did want to know my expected dates of arrival, departure and at least the cities I would visit. My goal in doing all this was to get to the point where I could seek an embassy appointment for the fingerprinting process. To my great joy, I was able to schedule one for this coming Tuesday (they even had some tomorrow). I can't tell you that the slots will remain available, so probably don't leave it until the last minute, but as of today, this can be done in time.

Not sure whether mods would like to merge the threads.

757TFFIU

Thanks for that.

Good that you could get an appointment handily enough. The embassy's website makes it sound a lot more restrictive. It implies that appointments for visa applications can only be on a Wednesday morning, 9-12.

mackerski

Went in for my appointment today, and it all went smoothly for me. But another person in the queue was sent back for additional information, so it's worth calling out that you will be expected to provide hard copies of:

• A real printed passport photo (you have already uploaded a digital version in the online process, so this is easily missed)
• A photocopy of the data page of your passport (they do mention this in the list, but it's in the same point as the passport itself and I nearly missed it. Not clear why they can't just make their own copy, but there it is)
• Details of your arrival flight, leaving flight and accommodation while there (I had a hotel booking confirmation, but I believe that, if staying with friends, you need a proper invitation letter which has its own requirements). And yes, this does mean that, if they exercise their right to deny you the visa, you will have wasted the cost of the flights. FWIW, I think a bunch of other countries do the same in this respect.

LambshankRedemption

I went to China in 2019. So its possible the process has changed a bit. The part of the embassey where you queue is in a sort of conservatory. If possible, do not go on a very hot day because it gets even hotter in there, and you can be kept waiting for some time. Bring a bottle of water with you.

I was sent back for additional documentation a couple of times. My advice, have photocopies of everything and duplicates.

Thats all I can think of for now.

Oh, do NOT fly with KLM!

Do you perhaps plan on doing any extra hop from China, eg to Japan, and back to China? I ask this for a very good reason. When I went to China back around 2012 it was with a group, the tour company did some of the visa work making things easier, but they advised pointedly about applying for a Double Entry Visa, because the group was travelling Ireland to Beijing - Shanghai - cruise to Japan & South Korea - Shanghai - Ireland, which meant entering the country twice on the one specific double entry visa.

One couple in the group failed to heed the advice and had only a single entry visa. When we all arrived back to the cruise terminal at Baoshan, Shanghai, there was a huge kerfuffle, the couple were held back and the guide not allowed into the terminal to assist. However, after much ado and form-filling and inquisition the couple were let back into the country and got a taxi to rejoin us at the hotel. Not sure current visa regulations but if you do plan on an extension to Japan/South Korea, be aware this might still apply.