New Chinese Visa Rules/Form

[Roo]

As of today or a few days ago, China has changed the rules/form for a Visa for their country.  I am wondering if this is only happening for Canadians?!  Please let me know if you are just now applying (as recently as a week ago, it was the 'old' form?!) and which country you are in.

 

The form is now more cumbersome and they now want fingerprints.  Also, we have to present ourselves at the official centre (thankfully we live in Toronto, one of the only 5 centres in Canada they have just announced).  What do people do in small centres?

 

Thanks for you feedback.

 

Nancy

[Philob]

Effective Dec 31st Canada requires biometric information from Chinese citizens for visas.  So for a tit for tat, the Chinese is requiring the same for Canadian citizens.

 

Try this: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/biometrics.asp

Be sure to say No to having given biometrics before and enter China for the country.

 

And this was before the CFO of Huawei was arrested.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by Philob

[Roo]

Thanks for answering Philob.  I knew about the Dec. 31st deadline and Canadian biometrics, but was taken by surprise when they fast-tracked the date from the end of the year to immediately.  We missed it by a few days!!

 

 

[Jayayeff]

I'm a British national and exactly the same requirement has been listed for entry into China on the FCO website since late November.  It also states that applications can only be made through either an Embassy, Consulate or official China Visa Centre so rest assured it has nothing to do with recent events in Canada but is a new visa application process for all travelers requiring a full tourist/visit visa...

 

Anne

[mom says]

Nancy, as previously stated, this is not just for Canadians, and has been pending for some time. They had a notice on their website for quite a while that this would eventually be happening. The Huawei situation is just coincidental and unrelated.

Edited December 18, 2018 by mom says

[Roo]

2 hours ago, mom says said:

Nancy, as previously stated, this is not just for Canadians, and has been pending for some time. They had a notice on their website for quite a while that this would eventually be happening. The Huawei situation is just coincidental and unrelated.

Hi there,

I have no problem with the biometrics, was just writing about my experience and never mentioned about the Huawei situation (I think it was another poster that brought that up).  My issue was that they fast-tracked the Dec. 31 deadline to immediately, which took us by surprise.  Of course they have every right to do what they want.... I was just surprised by the shortened deadline that wasn't announced.

[sippican]

22 hours ago, mom says said:

Nancy, as previously stated, this is not just for Canadians, and has been pending for some time. They had a notice on their website for quite a while that this would eventually be happening. The Huawei situation is just coincidental and unrelated.

 

So are you saying that it applies to US citizens also?

[Philob]

23 minutes ago, sippican said:

 

So are you saying that it applies to US citizens also?

Not yet.  

There has been a report or two that says they do "random" background checks on visa applicants from the US, but then again I pretty sure most countries do that to.

 

[sippican]

21 hours ago, Philob said:

Not yet.  

There has been a report or two that says they do "random" background checks on visa applicants from the US, but then again I pretty sure most countries do that to.

 

 Thank you. We are about to apply and wondering if a change is imminent.