Hi, Talking hawaiian,

Unfortunately, I know for a fact that requirements have changed since April 2008 and now it is highly recommended for a visa to be obtained and in hand before leaving the states due to the more stringent visa appl process and the ever changing/ unclear rules and policies.

My question was on how to document my return from GZ to Macau and then HK to satisfy the Chinese consulate here in the USA without necessarily having to purchase bus and ferry tickets beforehand. I am not even sure if I can purchase these tickets with greater than one month to go before my trip. What I need is more info about the bus co and ferry ticket sales policies. (Sorry I did go to the bus/ ferry co. sites but I was still not clear about the time frame for buying tickets ahead of time and locking myself into specific departure times. I may not have been reading the info carefully enough or maybe it was not evident from the websites. Help, someone out there who is better at this?)

I was told that, as a U.S. citizen, I now need to:

1) Show confirmed airline tickets and hotel reervations for the China trip.

2) Bank statement

3) Confirmed travel arrangements within China

4) Note from my employer that I will, in fact, be on authorized leave from my job at the time of travel to China.

Definitely, the requirements have changed and are stricter now than for my previous trip to CHina in 2006.

maybe you should use a visa agent (or at least get some answers from one... tons of them in NYC)

I agree that using an agent may make your life easier - although you have to pay commission to the agent.

You are right about the handling charge of the ticket refund - and even if you buy online you have to go to Hung Hom station for the refund.

Therefore, it seems you either pay to use the agent, or you pay the cancellation charge to use the train tickets.

Welcome to China!

Hi,

Bibimbob and Drumbrake,

I appreciate the tips and confirmation that the visa application process has now gotten quite complicated, enough to call for the assistance of an agent!

Also, Drumbrake, I thought I was reading the train site correctly re: the cancellation fee and refunding tickets in HK.

Thanks.

C

Ijust applied for a visa and had to provide my hotel accomadations. I heard this is necessary for any one living in the northeast part of the US.

The hotel itinerary is not just for US residents. I am a Canadian and needed to supply it as well. Best place for all the answers to china visas is on one of their embassy websights or a visa agent.

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