China & add on Hong Kong ....Visa??

LilacLillie

I am off to China in September, thanks to Mr T, with 4 day add-on in Hong Kong at the end of the China tour.
Virgin haven't been able to advise, just told me to call Chinese Embassy but they never seem to answer!
The website isn't helping me either, don't know if its my fuzzy head cold or I'm just missing the whole thing.
It seems I need a visa of some sort, can anyone tell me if its a double, single, none, any???
Do I have to go to embassy in person or can I do it online?
My son went to Hong Kong recently and didn't need a visa, but then he hadn't gone to china, he passed through from OZ & NZ.
My concern is that I need to get it done pretty quickly as I'll be out of the country almost all summer from 17th June, back for 2wks before I fly off to China.
I'm hoping some kind soul that has done this trip before me will give me idiot proof details of what to do.
Thanks guys
LL

Diamond_Olly

Are Virgin the tour operator? If not, whoever is acting as the tour op should usually organise the visa. You will need a visa for China - usually quick. For my business clients, I always go through a visa processing agency - they seem to be able to fast-track these quicker than individuals.

From memory, the Chinese have a range of visa services - from 24 hour processing to non urgent taking about a week.

Voyager2002

Yes, ask Virgin if they have a visa service or else use an agency (details of at least two are in another thread on this board, asking about Beijing). You could get your own visa from the Chinese embassy, but you have to go in person (no postal service) and might have to wait for hours. And just to confirm: with a UK passport you need a visa for China, but not for Hong Kong.

philhuff

You can go personally to the Embassy, but it's only open Monday to Friday 9-12, so there's not much leeway for a late train or similar. You'll need a double entry visa in order to re-enter mainland China from Hong Kong.

Doing it in person isn't too much of a problem. The fee for a double entry visa is £45, with another £20 charged if you want it back the same day. You do have to be there in person to collect it - they won't post it back to you!

hellofreebies

btw i would advise you to queue from around 8 in the morning as they close there doors at noon and are limited to see only so many, and dont forget you got all the agents there with their many applications...

personally i always get mine in hong kong as its cheaper compared to the uk and the travel agents there just charge you approx £5 per person for the privilege. but as i noticed you are in china first then this is not an option.

you can avoid the same day service fee if applying in london if you got a mate that will pick it up for you at a later date. as like the previous poster said they will not post but happy for you to hand your reciept to another party to collect on your behalf.

LilacLillie

Thanks everyone. I am going with Virgin, but they said they can't help and said to ring Embassy.
God I remember having to queue every year at the Bulgarian Embassy for visa's, what a nightmare. Thankfully we don't need them now they are in EU.
Luckily I am in London and it'll only take 15mins to get there, but think I may still use an agency.
LL

Oliveru

Chinesevisadirect.co.uk

It would have taken you two seconds to find it on Google

phatbear

"I am off to China in September, thanks to Mr T"

Did he give you his tickets because he doesnt like flying and he aint getting on no plane sucker!! and he pities the fool that likes to fly!

all the best

the bear

Voyager2002

hellofreebies wrote: »

personally i always get mine in hong kong as its cheaper compared to the uk and the travel agents there just charge you approx £5 per person for the privilege. but as i noticed you are in china first then this is not an option.

The Hong Kong option may no longer be possible. With the Olympics there has been a general tightening of visa regulations, and it is now much more difficult to get a visa in Hong Kong if you don't live there: in many cases it simply can't be done.

malamala

oh dear

Usually we will get a Chinese Visa while in Hong Kong, it's quick and easy.

But now, we need to apply Chinese Visa in London! I think we will have to use Visa service agents to do that for us, I don't want to travel all the way to London, stay the night and queue up in the morning :eek:

What's annoying is, to get the visa, we will have to have everything planned and booked beforehand, thousands of miles away.

In the past, we usually just go to Hong Kong first, book transportation and accommodation whilst there with the best deal in front of us.