[Sleuth]

Has any US citizen recently managed to get a 1 year, multi-entry, China entryvisa whilst in HK? Or should I just send everything off to the USA, where these things are easy?

[HKfornow]

We did manage to get a 1-year multiple entry visa last year upon proving that we received 1-year visa in the US before. All you have to do is make a photocopy of those pages along with your HKID, and ask for it nicely when you're applying for the visa (do not go through an agency as they all told me that there is no such thing as a 1-year visa for US citizens). The officer told me that it was not a guarantee that they will approve the one-year visa, however, told me to try for it. So no harm in asking.

[Alby]

Wow HKfornow I am impressed - I have always received a 6 month multiple entry visitors visa never a 1 year - even though I always ask. I am back at immigration every 6 months like clock work.

Hkfornow - how many 1 year visa's have you received in total and since what year?

I agree with HKfornow don't bother going through an agent.

[climber07]

Never had luck in HK before. Recently was on holiday in US, stopped by China Consulate in Chicago, $100USD later I have a 1 year multi-entry visa. I'll just try to time the renewals with my trips to the US to avoid the HK headache...I just can't deal with the bureaucrats here (the rules are this, this has to be stamped and in triplicate and don't forger to stamp COPY on that copy.....just drives me nuts).

It just seems that they want to milk US passport holders here as much as possible to continue paying the renewal fees.

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by HKfornow

We did manage to get a 1-year multiple entry visa last year upon proving that we received 1-year visa in the US before. All you have to do is make a photocopy of those pages along with your HKID, and ask for it nicely when you're applying for the visa (do not go through an agency as they all told me that there is no such thing as a 1-year visa for US citizens). The officer told me that it was not a guarantee that they will approve the one-year visa, however, told me to try for it. So no harm in asking.

And here is the ignorant question---you applied for this 1 yr multi-entry visa where?
Although I am inclined to agree with Climber07 and the chances of me receiving the visa depends more on the mood of the person than anything else.

[HKfornow]

Originally Posted by Sleuth

And here is the ignorant question---you applied for this 1 yr multi-entry visa where?
Although I am inclined to agree with Climber07 and the chances of me receiving the visa depends more on the mood of the person than anything else.

Applied at the Chinese consul in Wan Chai. I need to renew next month, so will be going back to Wan Chai & I'm hoping for another 1 year visa. Good luck.

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by HKfornow

Applied at the Chinese consul in Wan Chai. I need to renew next month, so will be going back to Wan Chai & I'm hoping for another 1 year visa. Good luck.

What's the cost?

[Alby]

HKfornow how many 1 year multiple visa have received in total?

Also, what is the duration of time for staying in China after each entry issued on your 1 year visa? Such as 30 days or more?

Everytime I go to Wan Chai I plea my case, stating why I need a 1 year and I wait for them to say "I will ask my leader to consider your case" then I stop but I have yet been able to get a 1 year.

As I have been working btwn HK and Mainland China since 2001, consistently. I must have no less than 9, 6-month multi visas for China, I would have more but I had a proper China work visa for the time I was based in mainland China.

Any advice on what I should say the next time I go and apply for a visa as I really would like a 1 year - for sanity sake.

[Sheli]

I just got a 1 year visa. I just filled out the standard form, in the box for further info wrote that I need to travel frequently to China, could they please grant a 1 year multiple. My company travel agent handled the rest. However I my new passport didn't have any previous China visas so I sent along my old passport, to which I'd added pages twice, it had evidence of many previous 1 year visas.

They used to be no problem, however about two years ago the Americans barred a bunch of Chinese from US. Since then its been a hassle.

[Sleuth]

So, they just don't like Alby? I am leaning toward sending the whole package off to the US. 6 month visas are a hassle. And 9 must be some sort of record. That is 9 passport pages just for the visas. Passports aren't that big. (And does anyone know why passports are so small? Both in terms of length and width as well as number of pages?)