[rani]

Sept 20, 04

China is being asked to explain why it doubled the prices of tourist visas for UK and US passport holders, officials in Hong Kong confirmed yesterday.
The sharp increase has pushed the price of a one-year multiple-entry visa for British citizens to more than US$250 at the official China Travel Service in Hong Kong.

Single-entry visas bought at China Travel, which charges commission on visa sales, now cost US$57 for US citizens and US$64 for UK citizens. The price for most other nationalities is US$26.

The new prices apply to Chinese visas bought anywhere in the world, although the amount of commission charged by agents varies from one place to another.

The rise in price for UK applicants came into effect in August and is believed to have been introduced to bring the cost into line with the US$64 fee Britain charges Chinese citizens for visas.

The US visa fee, which took effect four months earlier, is thought to be related to a dispute over a fee-charging call center for Chinese applicants seeking US visas.

The fee increase is being particularly keenly felt in Hong Kong, where many US and UK citizens regularly cross the Chinese border on business or for tourism.

The executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong described the increase as "sudden and dramatic" and said his group would to challenge it.

A spokeswoman for China Travel Services said: "The price adjustments are designed to equalize the difference that the other country is charging for our citizens to go to their country and how much their citizens pay to get a visa to come to ours."

[bybell]

Yeah...I went to get a 2 entry visa about a month and a half ago and if I remember correctly it cost me (as a US citizen not of Chinese heritage) HK$560 at the consulate in Wanchai...considerably more than the price quoted in Lonely Planet.

-Tony

[Gillig Phantom]

That's still cheap compared to US tourist visa, which is US$100 or HK$800 per application. It all depends on the consulate whether they will give a 10-year multiple visa or a 3-month one entry visa.

[DocBird]

Visa office in Wanchai should be best for prices; tho you can "pay" in time spent queuing.

I have permanent HK ID, and with this the visa office issued me a three year multiple entry visa. (Couple of years ago now; tho I'm surprised to read of 10-yr multi-entry visas being available [maybe new??]).
Worth trying for one of these if you have permanent ID.

[occlub]

Rare- Just a week ago, my 2 mates from UK with British passports had to pay HK$800 for their VISA's to China at a China Travel in HK. Not sure if it was next day collect or 3-4 days time one.

Is it cheaper to get an immediate 1 at Lowu or Wang Gong? In fact, can they still get it done at the borders anytime after 11pm???

[Sleuth]

The prices of the US visas go up on August 1st, according to the service we use. And why are we responding to a 3 year old thread?

[occlub]

I'm not a regular so neglected the date posted. Got a reply anyways- Cheers

Dam they still raising the prices each year. Why is Britain n US chargin so much for their VISA's.

Which alternative service do you use?

[Sleuth]

I think China raises the price because (1) it is mostly a business expense so there really is no ceiling and (2) the US/UK and China aren't playing well together now.
We use Visarite for our visas into China. Less hassle for about the same price.

[sleepypiggy]

China is just doing the "charging back" the citizens when their Embassy Official in China is charging the chinese a high fee to get a visa to US/UK. My husband is British, we paid 300pound to for my dependant visa application, and they just increased the fee on April to 500pound!!! For no reason they just increased it! They knew we will pay no matter how much is gonna be coz we are have family there. Its a cut throat experience! So they are just doing the same thing back to their people. Sounds abit unfair here. But that is the Political Problem that we cant do anything. I hope everything is free, we can move around more easily.