VISAS FOR EXPEDITIONS IN CHINA. DO YOU NEED ONE?
RIGHT NOW IS THE BEST TIME FOR CHINA VISAS IN THE 30 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN VISITING THE COUNTRY. MULTIPLE ENTRIES FOR FIVE YEARS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SOME, VISA FREE ENTRY IS AVAILABLE FOR MANY, AND THE ACCESS THESE VISAS COME WITH HAS NEVER BEEN SO GOOD.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK WHAT VISA OR ENTRY STYLE YOU REQUIRE, DEPENDING ON YOUR NATIONALITY AND PLACE WHERE YOU WILL OBTAIN IT. FOR SOME THE PROCESS IS SIMPLE, IF THERE IS ANY PROCESS AT ALL, FOR OTHERS IT MAY BE EASIEST TO OBTAIN ENROUTE TO CHINA, SOMEWHERE LIKE HONG KONG, WHERE THINGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SIMPLER.
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THE PROCESS
IF YOU NEED A VISA – WHICH YOU WILL IF CERTAIN NATIONALITIES OR YOUR TRIP IS LONGER THAN THE FIFTEEN OR THIRTY DAYS MOST VISA FREE ENTRIES ARE FOR – WE WILL SEND YOU THE PAPERWORK NEEDED TO SHOW THE EXPEDITION BOOKING THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH THE AUTHORITIES. THAT, PLUS FLIGHT BOOKINGS, VALID PASSPORT, A PHOTO AND AN APPLICATION FORM YOU THEN NEED TO TAKE TO A CHINA EMBASSY OR VISA AGENT. NEVER IN ALL OUR YEARS OF RUNNING TRIPS HAVE WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH CLIMBERS WHO HAVE FOLLOWED OUR INSTRUCTIONS, THOUGH WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN’T.
ONCE ISSUED, IMMIGRATION ENTERING CHINA IS EASY, AND THIS SAME VISA WILL SEE YOU THROUGH ANY CHECKPOINTS, HOTEL BOOKING AND PERMIT CHECKS THAT ARE COMMON IN THE SENSITIVE AND REMOTE AREAS WE USUALLY CLIMB IN. CHINA VISAS COVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, WHICH MEANS XINJIANG AND TIBET ARE PART OF THAT, NEEDING NO SPECIAL ADDITIONS TO THE VISA ISSUED FOR ENTRY THOUGH THERE WILL BE INTERNAL PERMITS WE OBTAIN THROUGH THE MOUNTAINEERING ASSOCIATIONS.
VISA FREE ENTRIES CANNOT BE EXTENDED INSIDE CHINA SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO VISA TO EXTEND. ON THE OTHER HAND, ISSUED VISAS ARE RELATIVELY EASY TO EXTEND, BUT REQUIRE TIME AND PRESENTING TO A PSB OFFICE, WHICH MAY NOT FIT WITH EXPEDITION TIMELINES.
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FOR THOSE ENTITLED TO ONE AND WHO ARE PLANNING MORE TRIPS, WE HEAVILY RECOMMEND THE FIVE YEAR MULTIPLE ENTRY OPTION, MAKING THIS THE SINGLE FINEST VISA FOR ANY GREATER RANGES CLIMBING AVAILABLE ANYWHERE. EACH PERIOD OF STAY IS NINETY DAYS, WHICH COVERS ALMOST ANYTHING IMAGINABLE, AND IS AN INDICATION OF HOW SERIOUS CHINA IS WITH ATTRACTING EXPEDITIONS AND CLIMBERS.
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