cruise to China

[sleepy traveler]

Will travel on Holland America from Hong Kong to Tokyo with Chinese stops in Shanghai, Beijing, and Qingdao.

Is a visa required to visit these ports of call. So much disinformation on the internet. Thanks

[Radbooks]

Yes, a visa is required.

[OlsSalt]

56 minutes ago, sleepy traveler said:

Will travel on Holland America from Hong Kong to Tokyo with Chinese stops in Shanghai, Beijing, and Qingdao.

Is a visa required to visit these ports of call. So much disinformation on the internet. Thanks

 

Best to ONLY rely on Embassy of China information. Which has been changing over the past few years. Bite the bullet - get the 10 year visa and then don't worry.  And you may find there is reason to return later. Like for  the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival.

[Storylady]

Visa is definitely needed for China. A couple traveling to Asia recently somehow slipped through HAL’s checking of their needed travel documents. When they reached South Korea, they were told to leave the Westerdam since they didn’t have a visa. HAL tried to persuade the Chinese to let them stay onboard, but China refused. HAL refunded them their HAL return flight, but they had the added expense of hotel and flying home. See article below.

 

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/elderly-couple-kicked-off-cruise-ship-for-lack-of-necessary-visas.html

 

So get your 10 year visa as you might need it again. The visa is good for the 10 years even if your passport has expired. You do have to carry both the old and new passports with you. And info should not have changed.

 

 

[just_cruising_along]

We were on the South Korea, Japan and China tour with Holland America this year.  You must have a Chinese visa.  The 10-year visa is a good deal.  (As mentioned above, even if your passport expires before your Chinese visa expires you can take your old passport with you with the visa will be honored.)

 

It is a bit tricky to get this visa.   If you get it yourself (and you live in the US) these are the steps to follow:
1.  Submit the application to the Consular Office of the Embassy or Consulate-General which holds jurisdiction over the state where you reside.  (For example, for some states on the West Coast, the office is located in San Francisco.)
2.  If you cannot go in person, you may entrust someone else or an agent to drop off your application at the consular office of the Embassy or Consulate-General which holds consular jurisdiction over the state where you reside.  There are visa services and some travel agents will do this for you for a fee.  It is a 4-day process.  Bring it in on Monday, get it returned on Thursday.   Cost is around $140.
Note:  No appointment is required at the Consular office. And as far as I know, mailed applications are not acceptable and will be returned.

 

Also note that the photo you take for this is different than a passport photo.  There are specific requirements for this photo.  If you do not follow them, your application may be rejected and you have to do it all over again.  I attached the photo requirements document.  

 

I hope you go to China.  It is absolutely amazing.  

 

Have a good cruise.

China Visa Photo Requirements.pdf

Edited November 30, 2018 by just_cruising_along