Chinese visa applications at the Munich consulate

Anybody know about getting a Chinese visa. Their website isn't working, and they are not answering phones. I don't want to get there and find they are only open every second Tuesday afternoon.

I actually know this! I have to get one soon as well.

They are open Mon-Friday from 9:00 to 12:00 as far as I know and are located at 107 Romanstrasse.

That's good. I'm about to hand over my passport to a travel agent for a Russian visa, and hope the Chinese consulate can process my visa from a photocopy, and then keep my passport for just 1 day. Just downloaded the form from the embassy in Berlin.

The Mongolian visa will have to wait for Moscow or Irkutsk.

In fact this is a good page Applying for a visa

This may help too : http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/default.htm

No, 'fraid they can't. The chinese visa is glued into your passport. If you go there with a photocopy you'll stand in line for half an hour before being told, quite bluntly, to fuck off and come back with the real one. The quicker you want it processed, the more it'll cost you.

Are you applying for a business visa or tourist visa? Never had a tourist visa but for a business visa you need a "Letter of Invitation" from whoever you are going to visit. Its supposed to have some government stamp and a few years ago they were very strict on this. However I nocked up a fake for the my last one I got about six months ago and they didn't bat an eyelid so times are-a-changin'.

I've paid extra dosh to have my Russian visa by Tuesday, so can get the Chinese visa by Thursday, also for extra dosh. Fly out on Friday or Saturday.

Mongolian visa in Irkutsk. Baksheesh?

I went to the Chinese embassy and they take your passport, and you can pick it up the next day. I did it for a personal tourist trip. There was no line when I went, and they were fast.

Just be aware that if you plan a return trip to Hong Kong from mainland China, that you need a multiple entry visa, otherwise you might end up stranded in Hong Kong.

I'm not the only one to have done this:

1. Fill out a spare visa application form from six months ago when I first applied
2. Go to the Chinese Consulate in Romanstrasse 107, Munich
3. Stand in the queue British-style - that is, without pushing in
4. After oh, an hour, get to the front of the queue
5. Be told by the official that I have submitted an out of date form.
6. Repeat above steps 1 to 4 the next day

Being a kind, considerate Poster With No Name here is a link to the latest visa application form http://de.chineseembassy.org/det/qz/P02007...45011254689.pdf

But just because I've been nice once, doesn't mean I'll be nice again. Got it.

Weird that that happened to you, but I believe they just changed in Oct. I grabbed the PDF online in Sept, filled it out and went there.

The biggest issue I had was they didn't think they had to issue me a visa, since I was british, working for an american company (and my "office" is in San Francisco)... so they were like go home (they meant SF). In the end I had to goto the KVR get a form to prove to them I did live here and that no I did not need a visa to live in Germany (Since I'm British).

Since I didn't believe I'd ever get it, I took the same day rush job!

EU Citizens: This is one of those cases whee you DO need a thingybob from the nazi cunts correct and procedure following civil servants at the KVR.

For the record, it took a total 15 minutes to get the document at the KVR... no waiting till my number was called. Just fill in form, hand it in at desk... lady vanished for 5 minutes, came back and handed me official military looking document (maybe the germans want to think about the looks of their offical documents, they all look like they came from the military).

Hi Guys,

Im heading over to China on the 14th, and have to sort out a visa for a shortish holiday.

So, should I just head over there when its open (probably first thing I guess...)

Is there anything I am missing if I take,

1) My passport
2) A filled out formula (from the very helpful post above)

Im a british national living in munich if that helps,

thanks,

adam

You need:

1. get there early before it opens,
2. an umbrella, as it's raining
3. a photocopy of your residence record (from the KVR)
4. your passport
5. the name and address of where you'll be staying in China (might not need this and you might not know but it may help)
6. Up to 100€ depending on how soon you need the visa
7. something to read whilst waiting, a) in the queue, in the cafe nearby whilst they process it (usually a couple of hours if you go for the fastest option)

It seems more restrictive if you're not in your country of residence. I'm British but reside in Munich (just) so I only get a 6 months visa, whilst my British colleagues who live in the UK (the poor didums) get a one year passport.

Also check the duration of stay in China is adequate.

mmm. I have a British passport and am resident in Munich and I always get issued with a one year multiple entry visa. they cost more but i need it as I go about 4 times a year.

The way they decide is not always very clear...

I always get a one year multiple-entry one, but my colleague was refused to get more than 30 days, and didn't even get multiple entry (though for 30 days I guess it doesn't really matter anyway if it's single or multiple).

The visa agency said it seems to be related to how often you've been to China in the past, and who in China gives you the invite, but it possibly also depends a bit on the guy who's processing it...

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

best,
adam

Visa application requirements have been tightened as I detail in post #123 of this thread. No doubt due to those troublesome priests in Tibet.

Lesson learned today (actually at the consulate in Frankfurt, but I guess it's the same in Munich):
When you hand over the application forms for a visa, don't expect the visa clerk to tell you that a document is missing.

I wanted a double entry visa, so that I would be able to travel to a second country and re-enter China, but now I only got a one entry visa.

When I went to pick up the visa, they told me that I should have presented a flight ticket to the second destination (which I planned to buy in Beijing).

Overmore, the L visa (tourist and private visits) is only for a 30 days stay now (has been changed at short notice, also multiple entries business visa are not issued at the moment, see Olympische Spiele: China beschränkt Ausgabe von Visa, Spiegel April 8th).

Oh, and don't try to argue with the clerk, you will bite on granite anyway.

I've been reading this thread a lot because I am also going to China this summer for the Olympics, and I have some information to share. I hope these links work, i am an HTML newbie

I just went today and I thought I had all my bases covered, but I was wrong. As of 4 weeks ago, they tightened requirements and you need some new things to get a visa, for work and for tourism. I also read something that says you can only apply for the visa 50 days before your departure date at the earliest. Which means you can't do it earlier, for some reason.

1. visa application form and fill it out beforehand. Chinese Visa Application Form
2. passport-sized biometric photo, attached to the application form
3. passport
4. copies of flight tickets just in case, especially to prove multiple entries (see post above)
5. ***Invitation from someone in China***. Don't know anyone in China, you say? neither do I, I am just going to travel, but your hotel/hostel/residence in China (which you, of course, have already booked so far in advance) will give you an "official invitation". If you are going for business, your company should provide this, tell them you NEED it. I am staying with a relative of a friend who is computer illiterate, so I will have to hope that my mom can communicate the requirements and get her to fax a copy to me, so i can present it to the consulate. I think the details you need are: name, address, phone, email of host person, stating that they are "inviting" me to China (probably indicate which city) for which dates, and perhaps for what purpose. I am also giving them my passport number so they can write my full name, citizenship, and passport # on this invitation. Anything to help them believe me.
6. Proof of residency in Germany (Aufenthaltstitel for me, my residency permit) if you are not German.

Lastly, go EARLY! I went at 8:50 and there were already 40 people in front of me. Luckily, they have 1 guy standing outside checking your documents to turn over losers like me who didn't have everything they required. After you pass this guy (I didn't), presumably, there is the real line-up which takes about 1-2 hours. Next time, I am going to go at 8:30.

I am getting most of this information from this page: Chinese visa application requirements (German)

I am going back in a few weeks once I get the invitation, and I will post again at that time.

obvious really, but do check your passport is up to date. it will need to be valid for at least 6 months after your stay in china is over.

My wife recently had to arrange visas for China for her CEO and one problem she was warned about is that the validity of the visa starts from the day it is issued and not the day you arrive in China. This may have been specific to a business visa but make sure if you do apply well before you travel, that the length of the visa takes you well past your intended travel dates.

this is true of all visas for China, whether single, limited or multiple entry.

It seems that you need the original letter of invitation. Not a photocopy and not a fax!

These are the requirements we have been told about (there are others as well).

And, you can only get a visa from the consulate in the city where you live.

I have a colleague who lives in Hamburg but mainly works in Munich. Could he get a visa from the cheeky chappies down in Romanstrasse?

No.

Non-business requirements are even more onerous ...

I think I have everything I need except for this letter of invitation, which i am currently working on. Anyone know what the requirements are for this letter? Dates of stay, address of stay, name and contact info of Chinese citizen, photocopy of passport of Chinese citizen? I am staying with a friend of a family friend, and she doesn't know me but she has been in touch with my mom. Plus, she is 60+ years old and likely not too interested in these little details, so I want to give her the clearest possible information.

Also, here's my flight schedule (and I know this is definitely a 2-entry visa):
July 17: arrive in Beijing
July 17 (5 hours later): depart for Taiwan
Aug 4: return to Beijing
Aug 16: depart Beijing for Munich

My question is whether I should ask for her to write July 17-Aug 16, in which case it is 31 days exactly (there is some sort of 30-day limit, right?), or only from Aug 4-16 (risking a customs problem on July 17 because technically I don't have a place to stay, even though I am flying out 5 hours later)?

visas are valid for either 3, 6 or 12 months depending on which one you apply for. You can apply for single, double or multiple entry. (They also used to issue a visa with a limited number of entries like 9 or something but not sure if this is still the case).

You will need a visa from the 17th, I think. Even though you will be flying to Taiwan (I assume via Hong Kong) I think you still need to clear customs and check in again, though you may want to check with your airline. 5 hours won't give you any time to leave the airport since you will use up about 30 mins to 45 mins (on a good day) to clear passport control and pcik up your baggage on entry and the you need to plan about 1 1/2 to 2 hours for checking-in, clearing passport control and security etc. on departure for HK/TW (the queues at passport control can be a nightmare).

At the moment, probably until after the Olympic Games, tourist visa (L visa) are only for a 30 day stay, with one or two entries. In fact, in the visa it says "Duration of each stay 30 days after entry", so entering July 17th and leaving Aug. 16th would be okay, if I calculate right.

The visa has the issue date (about 4 days after you submit the application) and then another date "enter before" (= 90 days counting from the issue date). The actual entry and leaving date will be stamped into the passport by immigration. It is possible to prolong the visa in China. The application can be processed no earlier than 50 days before the planned date of the trip.

See the Chinese embassy's Information about visa application (only in German).


Arch, I think the lady who is inviting you should write a letter with her full address, phone nr., date of birth, passport nr., and a text like: " I, (name), invite (your name), date of birth, address, passport nr., to stay in my house (address) from the ... to the ..."

I would put the actual dates of your stay Aug. 4-16 in Beijing; if you add copies of your flight tickets to Beijing and Taiwan, the visa clerks will (hopefully) understand that you only pass through the airport in Beijing on the 17th of July and therefore need a 2-entry-visa, but ask if this is okay, to be sure.

Thanks for the tips, I agree with what you guys say about the requirements of the invitation letter.

I talked to a travel agent at Leonradplatz (just NW of Leonradplatz) who specializes in China travel. He claims that you must stay in a hotel and have the hotel write something in order to get a visa. I told him I wanted to stay with my friend, and he basically said "too bad." He told me to get a hotel reservation, which will of course cost be thousands of Euros given the times I want to travel. I think he may have been pitching his angle as an agent that obtains visas on the behalf of others, so I am not sure how much of his information is correct.

I want the invitation letter to look as official as possible, because a handwritten note by the person may not be "official" enough. He also said a fax is even better than an original, because that proves it came from a chinese fax number.

Bottom line, I am going to personally walk into the consulate tomorrow, ask them face to face and get the facts straight. Will update soon.

Go at 8am, no later. I arrived at exactly 8:35 and didn't get to talk to an agent until 11:00.

So I cannot stay with my mom's friend's friend, because she is not a blood relative. In fact, it is best if it is a direct blood relative. well, i don't have many direct blood relatives living in China anymore, so I will have to go through some distant relatives. problem is that I need to prove that they are my relatives. So my distant relatives will have to go to some kind of government location and have them stamp a form that says: "Yes, xxx yyy is my mother's elder sister's son, as proven by this birth certificate or citizenship card or whatever." Then, they will have to write an invitation letter inviting me to stay with them at this address for these dates. And of course they must prove Chinese citizenship via a citizenship card of some sort. This is a huge hassle for me and my relatives in China, what a pain in the ass!

I found out that my situation would be considered 31 days if I was staying all the way through. However, my July 17 date is only a transfer so that doesn't count. Therefore, I am staying 13 days from August 4-16, and I require only a 1-entry visa.

Also remember that you cannot apply more than 50 days in advance of your intended arrival date, so you can't do things too quickly, but by the time all this gets sorted out in China, it will be several weeks later and about 50 days before my intended arrival date.

Thanks for all of this information! I was about to march off to the consulate tomorrow morning without a letter of invitation, and now I see there is no point in that..

I see that you said a blood relative is best, but will they accept a letter from a hotel? If so, do you know if it needs to cover the entire length of our trip, or can it just be the first place we are staying?

If you are staying at a hotel, it should be no problem. Just bring that letter from the hotel, preferably with your name and passport number (with as much official insignia as possible) saying that you will be staying there and from which dates. Hotels should be familiar with this procedure, because they have been doing it for several weeks, I am sure. I am not sure about having all the dates there, but having some dates I would imagine is better than not having any. Let's say you want to stay for 25 days, and you have a hotel booking for the first 10: if I was the anal Chinese consulate, I would probably let you in if you said something about looking into your future bookings right now or you have some plaecs in mind, or best, you are just going to extend your stay at the same hotel.

BTW, after you go to the consulate, please repost with your experiences.

Ok, I'm back form the consulate. I went at 7:55 in the morning, and was 4th in line! The consulate opened at 9:10 and I was at the teller within 10 minutes! I strongly suggest arriving directly at 8am, otherwise you will be waiting more than 2.5 hours (instead of 1.5), see my previous posts. It was a relatively smooth process, this being my third time. Here is the documentation that they took:

my passport
copy of my Aufenthaltstitel in my passport (proving German residency since I am Canadian)
my application form with photo attached and signature
copies of my airplane tickets
original of my hotel reservation with Chinese stamp, no signature
original of my hotel invitation letter with Chinese stamp, no signature

I will report back on June 30 when I go to pick it up with my exact change in cash, I am not sure how much it is. I expect everything to be ok at this point, since they took the application.

where are you going in China?
I wish I could help but when I went my partner in crime handled everything
so I wasn't involved in the process

@arch - Maybe the're being a bit more strict due to all the problems this year but normally, I've never needed proof of accommodation, family connection, etc.., however my wife is chinese (British passport) and we have a family address over there. Also we've been going to China for the last 10 years.
I have had friends backpacking across China & finding hotels on the way, absolutely no proof of hotels.

I have also done business trips and they have accepted a faxed letter of invitation.

Hope it all goes well, enjoy & accept in China that money talks.

Ps. Who told you it must be a blood relative etc?

The new rules* are only due to be in place during July and August.

* Same rules as before, but being enforced**

** Official Chinese view***

*** Which we know is bollocks. They're new rules.

Sorry, I forgot to report back, but I got my visa on June 30 as scheduled, and it was no problem. I'm off to China in a few weeks!

Now to answer some questions . . .

1. Things used to be easier for China. Everything changed as of April (15?) 2008, as was stated by somebody on page 1 of this thread. This annoys me even further, because I had inquired in February, and was told to "wait until later". Well, this is what I get for waiting. In contrast, my friend in Canada whom I am meeting in China, was not told to wait until later, and he subsequently received his visa in February with no complications.

2. I was told it should be a blood relative by the nice lady at the chinese consulate on Romanstrasse. She said the closer the relation, the "easier" it would be to process.

3. In China, I am only going to Beijing. While I am there, I might take a side trip, but the focus is the Olympics, so I plan on spendign my whole time there.

4. I forgot to say that I ended up getting a 1-entry visa, upon recommendation by the consulate people (see my posts above for my schedule, and why this might be a concern). They asked me directly: "On July 17, will you be entering China?" "No." "Ok, then you only need a 1-entry visa." So I only got a 1-entry visa, and this was later confirmed during a subsequent phone call to Air China, inquirnig about whether I needed the extra entry.

5. Cost was: 30 Euros, for single entry L-visa, regular processing time.