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We told you it wasn't going to work in Hong Kong. And now it won't even work in Shanghai! Here's the latest update from everyone's favourite visa guy, Magic, from VisaInChina.com:
From 1st April 2008, The Entry and Exit Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security update the visa policy again. According to that, now the Authority will not accept of changing the visa type from L visa to F visa or F visa to L visa. Only allow L visa to L visa or F visa to F visa extension.From 6th Mar 2008, due to the Olympic games, The Entry and Exit Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security tight the visa policy special for F visa applicaitons. According to that, now the paperwork you have to prepare are more complicate than before, we have already updated our services quotation and paperwork list for F visa applications. - Check the updated paperwork and price >>
Our housemate has just returned from Hong Kong with a 30-day L visa hoping to get it changed into an F visa here, and needless to say, she is devastated.
Previously on Shanghaiist
The multiple-entry F visa goes on holiday for the Olympics
China tightening F visa applications?
Photo from Heidi D
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This whole process just seems odd to me. Thousands and thousands more foreigners will be coming to China for the Olympics, but the authorities are responding by making it harder to come. Seems like a year ago at this time, they were talking about relaxing restrictions, and in fact they did - temporarily. The stays were getting longer, and the overall period was extended.
I guess I'm lucky I've got a 1 year work visa that lasts well past the Games.
Am I missing something? How is disallowing a transfer from a tourist visa to a business visa making it harder for people to come and enjoy the Olympics? Do we anticipate the average Olympics tourist is going to decide to extend their stay beyond the duration of the Games and start working for their foreign companies from their Beijing hotel rooms? I have spoken to many people and no one has had a problem getting a tourist visa.
It sucks that, where it was possible to do so before, it is no longer possible to transfer between tourist visas and business visas. But why would a person intending to stay and do business in China come in from HK with a tourist L visa instead of just getting the the business F visa to begin with? You can still extend those, albeit for a price.