Getting the China visa - the old way - the new way
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Hong Kong,
China
Thursday, July 10, 2008
In the good old days, getting into China was no big deal. No more difficult that rocking up to a travel agency off Nathan Road in Hong Kong with your passport and a photo. Come back later that day, pay over a few hundred HK$ - roughly US$45 - and you'd have a business visa for 6 months for China.
Those good old days have gone, as from the start of 2008 its been harder to get business and tourist visas. The reason?
Mainly the Olympics. You can blame lots on the Olympics. Tighter security, the need to flush out any terrorists who have been living in China for years, etc.
There's also something more underlying and sinister: a growing nationalism in China, in tandem with a rising hatred of the West.
What China doesn't realise is that these new measures are loosing it face and also a lot of goodwill from English teachers, advisors, business people, volunteers, development workers and the like, who have contributed much to China over the last few decades.
Comments
The Visa 'Game.'
I've been in China for four years, and had a series of different category visas.
You start out with a tourist visa.
Next I had an 'F' cat. or 'business' visa.
Then because I was involved launching a business, and knew some key people, I was able to get an 'Z' cat. or 'Work' visa (very difficult).
It all comes down to what the Chinese call 'guanxi' or 'who you know.'
I was the only foreign Olympic Torch Bearer, so my 'stock' rose in Xining, Qinghai Province, where I helped launch www.haaqi.com
It's all in who you know, and what you can pay. Nothing new here, it's the same everywhere in the world.
Hutch
F.A. Hutchison
Haqi
The Magic Dragon (who doesn't like living near any sea)!
visa through hongkong
right, hongkong is a good place for chinese visa.