[HKLP]

Okay, so I know all about the recent requirements for visiting China, and I just made peace with the fact that I have to book round-trip tickets in advance in order to apply for a visa (though I'm not too happy about having to pay $2,000+ HKD considering I can get much cheaper tickets if I fly from Shenzen). But I just called JTA (Japan Travel Agency) and they required hotel booking as well! I'm visiting family, and have no need for booking hotels. But unless my name is on the contract for the housing, they refuse to accept an address/contact for my family members.

I tried calling CTS (China Travel Service), but no one was picking up the phone.

Does anyone know of a place that is willing to do a visa application without requiring something quite so stringent about the hotel bookings? I've googled around and I don't have a certificate of kinship (whatever that is) either.

Failing that, if anyone knows of any incredibly shoddy/cheap hotels in the Wuhan area, please let me know. I considered just booking a hotel without living there, but the cheapest I found was $39USD/night, and considering I'll be staying for 10 days, I don't think I'd like to be paying that much.

Many thanks!

[Claire ex-ax]

Originally Posted by HKLP

Okay, so I know all about the recent requirements for visiting China, and I just made peace with the fact that I have to book round-trip tickets in advance in order to apply for a visa (though I'm not too happy about having to pay $2,000+ HKD considering I can get much cheaper tickets if I fly from Shenzen). But I just called JTA (Japan Travel Agency) and they required hotel booking as well! I'm visiting family, and have no need for booking hotels. But unless my name is on the contract for the housing, they refuse to accept an address/contact for my family members.

I tried calling CTS (China Travel Service), but no one was picking up the phone.

Does anyone know of a place that is willing to do a visa application without requiring something quite so stringent about the hotel bookings?

If you know about the ticket requirements, you should also know about the hotel requirements. Till after the Olympics, you need both.

[wtbhotia]

Originally Posted by HKLP

Okay, so I know all about the recent requirements for visiting China, and I just made peace with the fact that I have to book round-trip tickets in advance in order to apply for a visa (though I'm not too happy about having to pay $2,000+ HKD considering I can get much cheaper tickets if I fly from Shenzen). But I just called JTA (Japan Travel Agency) and they required hotel booking as well! I'm visiting family, and have no need for booking hotels. But unless my name is on the contract for the housing, they refuse to accept an address/contact for my family members.

I tried calling CTS (China Travel Service), but no one was picking up the phone.

Does anyone know of a place that is willing to do a visa application without requiring something quite so stringent about the hotel bookings? I've googled around and I don't have a certificate of kinship (whatever that is) either.

Failing that, if anyone knows of any incredibly shoddy/cheap hotels in the Wuhan area, please let me know. I considered just booking a hotel without living there, but the cheapest I found was $39USD/night, and considering I'll be staying for 10 days, I don't think I'd like to be paying that much.

Many thanks!

get your family to find the cheapest hotel they can in wuhan and book it directly and then send over the details to u. wouldnt that be better. trying find some dodgy guest house or whatever.

[PDLM]

Alternatively, make a booking at rack rate at a decent hotel which will be cancelable without penalty up until 6pm on the day of arrival.

And then remember to cancel it once you have your visa.

[mjk]

My travel agent asked me today to provide also my "home address" in addition to flight ticket and hotel booking. I told him my home is in Hong Kong, and actually gave him a copy of my HK ID, but he insists that I must have an overseas address. Trying to make sense out of that one at the moment....

[HKLP]

Alternatively, make a booking at rack rate at a decent hotel which will be cancelable without penalty up until 6pm on the day of arrival.

That's a good idea. This is probably the method I will be going with.

If you know about the ticket requirements, you should also know about the hotel requirements. Till after the Olympics, you need both.

Yes, I *was* aware of the hotel requirement, but I thought that it was possible to provide contact information/address of relatives/ID of relatives in China as a substitute for that. On all the sites I've been in, this was mentioned as an alternative. That's why I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with travel agencies or agents who've made visa applications that allow this sort of information instead of hotel bookings.

[hktraveller]

Originally Posted by HKLP

That's a good idea. This is probably the method I will be going with.



Yes, I *was* aware of the hotel requirement, but I thought that it was possible to provide contact information/address of relatives/ID of relatives in China as a substitute for that. On all the sites I've been in, this was mentioned as an alternative. That's why I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with travel agencies or agents who've made visa applications that allow this sort of information instead of hotel bookings.

I know a visa agent in TST where last week one could still get visas without tickets (They take care of it) Cost around 650(4 working days) -800(24 hours). Not to the 30+ restricted natrionalities.

For obvious reasons I won't post the contact here, only by PM to contributing members.

[FunkoPlan]

Have a ctrip or elong card (if u travelled to China before, you could get it for free everywhere), log in - make hotel booking, get confirmation and cancel the same day a few minutes later.

CTS is following the rules and require all docs from you. The don't even accept a tenancy agreement in China, but send u to the Commissioner's Office of China in Wanchai to deal directly.

[HKLP]

Just a quick update - since I'm only temporarily staying in Hong Kong, CTS was willing to accept my return flight to Canada instead of requiring flights from China to Hong Kong. So, for anyone doing touristy things in HK wanting to go to China, see if that might be an option. They did not require any tenancy agreements from me - only contact information for my relatives in China - but I hear that certificates of kinship, invitation letter, etc. are only required for people who are not born in China.

Just a warning, though - after I got my receipt from CTS - the receipt said that if my visa application is rejected, then I would be charged $50HKD service fee. WTF? If my application gets rejected, not only do I not get a partial refund (as a lot of other agencies offer), I have to pay extra? GAH. It was too late at that point and I didn't have a lot of other choice since my own situation required more paperwork and was more complicated than a few other travel agencies were willing to deal with. But still. Not happy to find this out. For others seeking travel agencies, if your situation is not too complicated, I'd say steer far and clear of CTS.

[copernicus]

Originally Posted by HKLP

Just a quick update - since I'm only temporarily staying in Hong Kong, CTS was willing to accept my return flight to Canada instead of requiring flights from China to Hong Kong. So, for anyone doing touristy things in HK wanting to go to China, see if that might be an option. They did not require any tenancy agreements from me - only contact information for my relatives in China - but I hear that certificates of kinship, invitation letter, etc. are only required for people who are not born in China.

Just a warning, though - after I got my receipt from CTS - the receipt said that if my visa application is rejected, then I would be charged $50HKD service fee. WTF? If my application gets rejected, not only do I not get a partial refund (as a lot of other agencies offer), I have to pay extra? GAH. It was too late at that point and I didn't have a lot of other choice since my own situation required more paperwork and was more complicated than a few other travel agencies were willing to deal with. But still. Not happy to find this out. For others seeking travel agencies, if your situation is not too complicated, I'd say steer far and clear of CTS.

how much should a chinese visa cost for a US citizen applying for it in HK. A friend of mine was quoted something ridiculous 1300 hkd..

Anyone, please?