Apparently instantly I attain got visas to fear, too. After the Bali fiasco, I idea it couldn't teach whatsoever worse. I hadn't taken into describe organisation human relationship China...
As I'll live transiting inwards Cathay too spending 12 hours inwards Kunming both on the way inwards too on the way out, I needed to teach a visa if I wanted to remain at a hotel (I checked online - Kunming airdrome doesn't attain got 24hour lounges, exclusively attain got metallic chairs or wooden benches close the open doors). So I went on their website to depository fiscal establishment friction match procedures.
First of all, the rules attain got changed, thank you lot to the introduction of the 72-hour visa waiver if entering from Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong. In my case, the major transit volition live inwards Kunming, thence this didn't apply. I looked farther downwardly too constitute the prices for dissimilar kinds of visas.
Let me simply say, that already on newspaper (or on screen) it doesn't await fair. With my passport, visas prices ranged from almost $30-120. For U.S.A. citizens, at that spot was a floor charge per unit of measurement of $160. So, anyway, I figured I'd teach the multiple entry visa valid for vi months (who knows - a trip to Xian could live nice) for $85. So I download the shape (4 pages) too additional shape every bit I'm non a Japanese citizen applying inwards Nippon (2 pages), fill upward them out too teach all the diverse papers (passport too resident carte du jour photocopies, photos, hotel too flying information prinouts) ready, too off I teach to the Chinese diplomatic mission - a 40-minute metro trip each way. Oh yeah, too the Chinese diplomatic mission inwards Tokyo is exclusively opened upward betwixt 9-12:00 on weekdays.
Anyway, I teach at that spot after beingness elbowed too jostled inwards the infamous Tokyo metro rush-hour too teach to the data desk too manus her my application. Now, every bit an innocent traveller, I set that my primary role to catch Cathay was to transit (I am staying ii nights too 1 day). The lady at the data desk glances at my application too tells me they don't physical care for transit visas at the diplomatic mission too that I attain got to teach through a move means too they recommend 1 that is correct side past times side door. Does anything odour fishy to you?
Well, I called the number they gave me which thence redirected me to some other number. So I called that number too lastly talked to a adult woman who gave me directions to their 'office'. It was literally inwards the edifice side past times side door too I would hesitate to telephone band it an office. Looked to a greater extent than similar I was inwards someone's apartment. Still non smelling fishy to you?
So I gave her my application papers, too she told me the full cost would live $145. Excuse me? I was prepared to pay $85 non $145! I didn't fifty-fifty attain got the coin on me, too every bit it turns out I'd forgotten my former passport amongst my Japanese visa inwards it. So I decided this was a golden chance to brand my escape. I figured I'd simply reapply for a Sightseeing visa - that wouldn't actually live a lie.
So dorsum abode I go, I reprint the page of the shape I demand to modify, fill upward it inwards again, this fourth dimension maxim I'm visiting to sightsee. The side past times side weekday, I went to the diplomatic mission again. Went to (the same) lady at the data desk. She glanced at my application too told me they didn't physical care for sightseeing visas at the diplomatic mission too that I attain got to teach to a move means too they recommend 1 that is correct side past times side door. Sound familiar? So at this indicate I asked her straight what kinds of visas they did bargain amongst too she says they exclusively give describe organisation visas. Seriously?
At this point, I'm fed upward too starting to live a lilliputian tight on the schedule to teach dorsum to function thence I simply left too decided to teach to a move agent closer to home. So after function the same day, I caput off to the move means closest to my identify too give them my application. They seem totally confused almost my request, faff roughly for xv minutes, thence come upward dorsum amongst a cost schedule too order me that I volition attain got to pay $160 dollars for a multiple-entry visa thence they recommend a double-entry 1 for $140, plus their service fee of $35 for a full of $175. Let me simply dry reason clearly that I volition non live going to Cathay 1 time again unless at that spot are some major changes. I ended upward spending to a greater extent than on the visa solitary than on the tickets too hotel together.
And the best part? The move agent who was assisting me couldn't sympathize why I was thence shocked. Why does the website tell $85 when essentially it ranges betwixt $145 too $175? I fifty-fifty overheard him asking a colleague if $175 was expensive for a visa. You tin estimate the answer.
Anyway, a calendar week later, my visa was issued, I got my passports dorsum too applied for the Cambodian visa (you tin apply straight on arrival, but I idea I should teach it inwards advance 1) to avoid whatsoever issues, 2) to leave of absence of the airdrome faster). The shape is simply a one-sided page, amongst a photocopy of your passport too resident card, a photograph too it's done for you lot inwards iii days for $24.
Read to a greater extent than almost the Cathay ordeal too depository fiscal establishment friction match out some pictures!
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The Chinese Visa Marathon"
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