Visa application to enter China

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George888

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Any body tired applying for L tourist visa? Do u need to buy air ticket first before applying? How do u cancel your air ticket if visa application is rejected?
 
waterlucky

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revebek said:
I went to queue at 10 Apr, one day before the report.

TL DR: I waited from 7am and was done by 11am on the same day. Collection on another day.

To give you some idea of what to do.

Pre-Application:
1. Fill up the application form at https://cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn.
a. For work should be M-Visa
b. Alot of things to fill up, will take some time, especially your Chinese counter party who invited you
c. You may be able to book a slot if well in advance (around 2-3 weeks), though I notice the wait is similar too but it's confirmed on that day you can apply.

2. Prepare a copy of
a. Application form - MUST print out
b. Invitation letter from China side
c. passport copy
d. passport photo (if photo in application form clear enough then don't need)
e. original passport
f. If non-Singapore residency then have residence permit too
g. COVID vaccination certificate (though they didn't check)

Application Day:
1. Go down early to 80 Robinson Road (Centre opens at 9 but I arrived at 7am and there's 20+ ppl in front)
2. Wait at downstairs at Walk-in queue or Appt queue depending if you have appt
3. At around 8:30am, their staff will come down to give pink slip ask you come back at 10, 10:30am to directly go upstairs 16th floor. I was in walk-in queue so not sure if the appt queue get to go up immediately or not. You can choose to continue to queue or go breakfast (i went breakfast because need toilet break).
4. When return to 16th floor at stipulated time, they will check if you have all the documents printed and ready, if yes then go queue at front counter to get queue number.
5. Get queue number, wait for counter, they will collect your passport and documents and tell you your extent of visa and if you want express or normal service.
6. Pay at payment counter (also queue). I chose normal service but because walk-in +$60. So ended up I paid around $157. Express service for me at that time was only half a day earlier so no point.

Collection Day:
1. For my normal service, I applied on Monday and able to collect on Thursday.
2. Went to collection counter at 16th floor straight, if no queue then it's a 5 min thing. Your visa will be in your passport.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
can someone advise any experience qith Q2 visa (family memeber is china citizen in china)? What documents to bring to visa enter?
 
innumerabilis

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George888 said:
Any body tired applying for L tourist visa? Do u need to buy air ticket first before applying? How do u cancel your air ticket if visa application is rejected?
Click to expand...
You have to specify the train/ship/flight number of arrival and departure in the visa application form. You also have to specify where you're staying.

You can buy a refundable air ticket and book a refundable hotel, which would be more expensive but at least you can get your money back if your visa application is rejected.
 
innumerabilis

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Not surprising, the Chinese ambassador had revealed this in her facebook post almost a month ago. To some extent it is understandable - as China rises in power, it has less need to accommodate us by allowing unilateral visa waiver.

There were 3 countries for which China had extended unilateral waiver of visa before COVID-19 - Brunei, Singapore and Japan. I suspect China is even less willing to resume this for Japan, and wants a different arrangement with Singapore. Resuming unilateral visa waiver for us (and maybe Brunei) but not Japan would make it obvious that they are singling Japan out.

For Singaporeans who are worried of being "flooded" by PRCs, we can control the number of flights from China to Singapore, and can indirectly control the number by that means. There may be still be some who come via a third country though.

Some alternatives to controlling the inflow of PRCs that others have proposed include allowing visa free entry to Singapore only for those with Hukou (household registration) from Chinese first tier cities, or Singapore requiring an ETA similar to Australia/USA - it may be different enough from visa that China may agree.

Some solutions on the Chinese side could be allowing Singaporeans a 10 year multi-visit visa similar to what they offer US citizens, allowing e-visa, or visa on arrival.
 
beanstalk6

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Actually I thought China is more inclined to restrict their citizens from travelling because of the loss of foreign exchange, especially in the case of Singapore where they tend to spend heavily or gamble.
 
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potatochipz

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Just done my visa for business travel. Walk-in for the visa center has stopped since 8 May. Now is by appointment strictly. There is a way to get a quicker slot for appointment by refreshing the appointment page constantly. They release some appointments for the next day in the afternoon. Can PM me if need guidance.
 
xavierica

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Hihi, planning a trip to Shanghai this coming Sept.

Anyone knows how much does L visa cost if apply on my own and not urgent?
 
Evolver

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Just booked an appointment on 4 July to submit 4 x L tourist Visa applications. Hopefully by then, Singapore & China will resume tourist visa-free :ROFLMAO:
 
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seantan101

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Evolver said:
Just booked an appointment on 4 July to submit 4 x L tourist Visa applications. Hopefully by then, Singapore & China will resume tourist visa-free :ROFLMAO:
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your nearest date is 4 July when you applied online for appt?
 
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