[vmlinuz]

Simple question, looking for a simple answer: I have no issue with HK immigration, but I have a UK passport with no current China entry visa. If I want to go to Shenzhen with some friends on Saturday, and have no chance to get a visa today, is there any point considering getting one at the border?

To sum up: is it possible to get a China entry visa on a UK passport at the border, and if it is possible, am I likely to queue for hours and/or pay a fortune to get one?

Ideally, I'm looking for someone who has actually had recent experience doing this - not someone with, oh, a Canadian passport who says he never has any trouble, someone who once read something that said that maybe UK passports might sometimes be fine, under some conditions, or someone who - like me - has never actually crossed that border before...

[jaykay]

$450 for UK passport holders for SEZ visa. Allows 5 days in the Shenzhen Economic Zone only. Never known it take a huge amount of time, some friends waited around 10 minutes back in September for theirs.

[vmlinuz]

Are you sure that rule is current? Is there any chance you can point me to anything or anyone official who can confirm it?

I've been calling around this morning, have spoken to the British consulate, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China Travel and - I think, but I'm not sure - some immigration office somewhere over the border. The only ones who would give me anything like a straight answer were the mainlanders, but there was something of a language gap and I'm not sure we were talking about the same thing. Other people have said it should be possible, it was possible at some point, they think it's possible - but nothing straight, formal or official.

It does remind me why I hate dealing with governments, and why, in general, the HK government are pretty good compared with most...

[kostas]

Jaykay is right.. I did that too a few months ago even though it costed me less (visa fee varies depending the nationality). It took me 5-10 mins. If you intend going there often I would suggest you get a multiple entry visa.

As an example of how much cheaper it is, Non-chinese Hong Kong permanent residents can get a 3 year multiple entry visa for $600 HKD with a max stay of 30 days per visit.

More info here: http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/zgqz/bgfwxx/default.htm

[digbydog4]

I want to get a visa at Shenzen on my British passport. Did you actually go and get one yourself. I am still not sure it is possible.
Thanks

[vmlinuz]

Oops, I should really have reported back for the record...

There was no problem getting a Shenzhen-only entry visa at the border for my UK passport. This service is available to pretty much anyone except a US passport-holder, and the cost varies for different passports - it's $450 for a UK passport. It took about half an hour for me, because the office was quite busy, but it was mainly time waiting for them to process my visa, rather than queuing time.

[uvfleur]

We went to Shenzhen yesterday (Saturday 3rd November 2007) had a panic on the way there when we suddenly realised that we might not be able to get one at the border with our UK passports. Phoned an agent who said that 'it was not guaranteed'.

However, thought that we would try it anyway. No problem. We applied and received our visa within 5 mins at the border. The visa application room is up the escalator. There is a big notice listing the fees for each country. Lists British as HK$460.
This is for a 5 day Shenzhen only visa.