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[rauri]

Hey all.
I was looking at the visas (The Tourist visa; L Visa), I think the 3 month would suit me best but then I saw i can only be in China for 30 days out of this 3 months...
I heard that once i apply for the visa i can note than i want to extend this; and that I could get up to 90 days there. Is this true?

If anyone with more knowledge on this topic could help me, give me better information, explain how (if possible) i can stay for longer than 30 days, i would well appreciate it

Thanks in advance.
(Anything will help)

[aopaq]

It sounds like you may have been looking at the details for a 90-day multiple entry visa which I understand allows only 30 days for each stay. I would see if you can apply for a 90-day regular visa which apparently is available. However, if I were you, I would go to the visa office and provide at least a detailed itinerary showing your intentions and why you need the 90 days.

However, if in Australia, this is not possible, you should be able to get up to two, 30-day extensions once you are in China. However, be prepared for a bit of variation on how things are handled because I have heard in some cities (smaller ones are reportedly best) it can take up 4-5 days and in other cases, the same day. Also note, that the cost of extensions can be up to the cost of the regular visa. Also make sure to bring extra passport photos for when making these extension applications.

Hope that helps!

[rauri]

It sounds like you may have been looking at the details for a 90-day multiple entry visa which I understand allows only 30 days for each stay. I would see if you can apply for a 90-day regular visa which apparently is available. However, if I were you, I would go to the visa office and provide at least a detailed itinerary showing your intentions and why you need the 90 days.

However, if in Australia, this is not possible, you should be able to get up to two, 30-day extensions once you are in China. However, be prepared for a bit of variation on how things are handled because I have heard in some cities (smaller ones are reportedly best) it can take up 4-5 days and in other cases, the same day. Also note, that the cost of extensions can be up to the cost of the regular visa. Also make sure to bring extra passport photos for when making these extension applications.

Hope that helps!

Thanks a lot.
So if I am able to get 'two' extensions then that would equal to 90 days right?
I want this amount of time as I want to take my time, see different provinces, spend time in the cities, and there is a friend I want to meet up with. Also it's best to leave a few days 'before' it expires right? I Don't want to get into any trouble with the rules haha
I'll check out the application once the time is closer and see if it will allow me to mention the extension.
Thank you again.

[aopaq]

In theory, the two extensions should give you up to 90 days but when I got mine, the new visa started the day after I applied which was a few days before my initial visa expired. So in reality, you probably won't end up with exactly 90 days.

As for checking out the extension when you initially apply for your visa, I doubt there is any mention of it since you do all this once you are already in China. For my initial application, I would try to get a long time period as possible. This will then help to lessen the amount of time and stress which can potentially occur when applying for two extensions. I would say that Chinese bureaucracy can at times be far less than efficient.

I think if your final exiting plane ticket is for day before your visa expires you should be fine.

[rauri]

In theory, the two extensions should give you up to 90 days but when I got mine, the new visa started the day after I applied which was a few days before my initial visa expired. So in reality, you probably won't end up with exactly 90 days.

As for checking out the extension when you initially apply for your visa, I doubt there is any mention of it since you do all this once you are already in China. For my initial application, I would try to get a long time period as possible. This will then help to lessen the amount of time and stress which can potentially occur when applying for two extensions. I would say that Chinese bureaucracy can at times be far less than efficient.

I think if your final exiting plane ticket is for day before your visa expires you should be fine.

Thanks mate
You've been a help.

[bob8888]

Sounds like you have your answer for now. I always get a one year multi entry I also put in for 90 days for each entry. Sometimes I get it and most the time I get a 60 day which I can either leave the country for a couple of days or go to the Local police and get an extention which is also for the addtional 60 days.
Bob

[jeremystravels]

What I have read has agreed with what everyone else says. It seems they like to give out 30 days for the most common visa [to people in the US at least] and when you apply you are allowed to request additional time on your multiple entry visa up to 60 or 90 so days. I have not heard of them denying the requests but I am sure that is a possibility. If you have a detailed list of your itinerary, or at least planned itinerary, I am sure that will help you more than just requesting 90 days.

In my case I am looking at traveling China but want to exit for about a week to see Hong Kong and Macao, which would put me just a day or two over 30. I am tempted on adding an exit into Mongolia for a week as well, which would put me up to 40 total days. From what I can tell the visa is issued for 30 days from the start date, not 30 days out of a certain number, so I would definitely need more. Hopefully having a pretty detailed itinerary of cities and dates would help get a 60 day visa instead.

[rauri]

Sounds like you have your answer for now. I always get a one year multi entry I also put in for 90 days for each entry. Sometimes I get it and most the time I get a 60 day which I can either leave the country for a couple of days or go to the Local police and get an extention which is also for the addtional 60 days.
Bob

Thanks. Yeah I agree, But it doesn't need to be a 'Multiple Entry' for the extension of entry does it? Quite sure I can do that on just the single entry one.
Just want to confirm with you guys; the knowledgeable ones

[rauri]

What I have read has agreed with what everyone else says. It seems they like to give out 30 days for the most common visa [to people in the US at least] and when you apply you are allowed to request additional time on your multiple entry visa up to 60 or 90 so days. I have not heard of them denying the requests but I am sure that is a possibility. If you have a detailed list of your itinerary, or at least planned itinerary, I am sure that will help you more than just requesting 90 days.

In my case I am looking at traveling China but want to exit for about a week to see Hong Kong and Macao, which would put me just a day or two over 30. I am tempted on adding an exit into Mongolia for a week as well, which would put me up to 40 total days. From what I can tell the visa is issued for 30 days from the start date, not 30 days out of a certain number, so I would definitely need more. Hopefully having a pretty detailed itinerary of cities and dates would help get a 60 day visa instead.

Thanks mate.
I just read that the L Visa allows extensions (if accepted of course), This includes the single entry, right?
I will do my best to plan an Itinerary to good standards.

[aopaq]

I just read that the L Visa allows extensions (if accepted of course), This includes the single entry, right?

Yes, extensions on a single entry visa should not be a problem. What happens when you get an extension is that essentially you get a new visa and the old one is cancelled. This means if you have a multiple entry visa, you could potentially lose this multi-entry status because the visa office may not give you a multiple entry visa for your extension.
Therefore, I would not pay the extra cost for a multiple entry visa unless you were definitely planning side-trips in and out of the PRC to see places like Hong Kong and /or Mongolia.

[jeremystravels]

I should note that for US citizens China charges a reciprocity fee, so the visa is the same price for single, double, and multiple entry visas [and all durations]. I think that is partly why it is better to have an idea what you need to get it granted, since the cost doesn't really matter at all you're paying the same no matter what. That way you are proving what you need. But I can't see why the process would be any different for single vs multiple entry visas.

[rauri]

Thanks guys, You've answered my question perfectly