China Visa

[thesaintjim]

Hi,

 

I just got off the phone with Royal Caribbean and the company that did their visa work, they do not recommend anymore. So, here is my question:

 

Our cruise leaves out of Tokyo and visits Osaka, then hits up Shanghai on the 19th and stays overnight then leaves on the 20th. Would I need a single, double or multiple entry visa? Would it hurt to get a multiple entry visa to be on the safe side? RCCL has no idea, heh

 

19-May Shanghai, China 5:00 PM Docked

 

20-May Shanghai, China 3:00 PM Docked

 

Thanks

[paul929207]

You would need a single entry visa. You would need double entry if you went to one city in China, went to another countryand visited one or more ports, then returned to any Chinese port.

[thesaintjim]

Thanks!

[maryann ns]

Go to the Roll Call for your cruise and find where others are obtaining visas.

[renhelm]

I read there is a VISA waver for 48 hr. stay in Shanghai as of 2011 for some Nationalities. Don't know if it applies in your case.

[Essiesmom]

Call or visit your local AAA and find out who they recommend. EM

[greatam]

I read there is a VISA waver for 48 hr. stay in Shanghai as of 2011 for some Nationalities. Don't know if it applies in your case.

 

Visa waiver is ONLY for those FLYING into PVG and leaving within 48 hours. You can fly USA to Shanghai, stay for 48 hours but you MUST fly OUT of the country within 48 hours. You CANNOT fly USA/Shanghai, then onto Beijing or any place else in China. The 48 hour visa waiver is truly a transit waiver put in place as the connections OUT of Shanghai have not been very good until the last couple of years.

 

To the OP

 

Buy as many entries as you are allowed. Most visas now are issued for a year so you could go back later if you choose.

 

I use Timely Visa out of Alhambra, CA. They are Chinese, have great rapport with the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles and are miracle workers for many Chinese visa problems. Reasonable prices, EXCELLENT service. I believe they have gotten my company well over 40 Chinese visas in the last 5 years.

 

http://www.timelyvisa.com/

[room010]

We just got back from a cruise that ended in Beijing, China where we stayed for one night. We had Single Entry visas (obtained via our TA) which were valid for 30 days. The authorities seem to issue the visa depending on the itinerary you give them on your application form. Be very careful to fill in the form accurately and make sure the photo you provide more or less matches the one in your passport. My first application was thrown out because my passport photo has me wearing glasses, and my visa application photo has me without them :rolleyes: Welcome to Chinese bureaucracy.

[yeeman15]

Even though I applied for a single entry visa, the Chinese Consulate gave us multiple entry visas, Cost is the same for US Citizens ($130); however if you fill in you want multiple entry visa they may want to see an itinerary which supports that.

[gerryl12]

On and on goes the debate with no clear answer.

 

Supposedly if you go from port to port in China without another country in between you need a single entry although some have been told a double or multiple. Seems every TA or China embassy has a different answer.

 

The single is good for any stay of 30 days or less.