Answer from "German Consulate" in brief:
"...we are in contact with the chinese Government regarding this issue. We have not received any satisfying explaination until now................"
They are saying they want to push hard to resolve this matter, but no idea how long this will take.
Website "China's Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR 13.04.08:
"http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/zgqz/bgfwxx/default.htm
means NO more visas issued in Hong Kong for non Hong Kong permanent residents. Maybe the HK tourism department will wake up on this news .......the legislator of tourism section Mr Howard Young who found this regulation "understandable" 1 week ago, should probably double-check if this is still "understandable" today from the point of represanting interests for
the "Hong Kong tourism sector".
13 comments:
I've written this over on HKExpats..
'Just had a call from my mate who lives in SZ. He went back to SZ via Huaguang border last night at about 11pm and it was FUBAR. A lot of foreign visitors (many looking like the people that head to the shows at this time of year) had been let out of the Hong Kong side but could not enter the Chinese side because the visa on arrival has now stopped leading to much wailing and gnashing of teeth. He get through OK after a long wait due to the length of the cues so he didn't find out what happened to the people who got rejected.'
LT
Hi LT,
this is exactly the problem now esp for all the business people who want to visit the CANTON fair and have been used to apply "visa on arrival" - they will probably not get one in Hong Kong, as it is said only HK permanent residents can apply in Hong Kong for China visa. Non perm HK residents must apply at the "China Embassy" in their home country. A lot of business will be destroyed by this.
So obviously on the HK Immigration side of the border they don't know what's happening on the Chinese side. Great - One Country Two Systems Acting Independently of One Another and No Communication Between the Two.
What happens if you are refused entry at the Chinese side - how to they chop your passport and how do you get back into Hong Kong? (Especially if you've used the cross border bus option?)
LT
Hi LT - at least the HK immigration officers should highlight to all foreigners this issue when they are "leaving" at borders like Lok Ma Chau:
"If you do not have a valid visa we cannot let you through, as you probably will not get one on the China border side" - this would "help" to avoid people getting stranded, trapped on the other side and not knowing how to return to "enter" HK again.
@ the visa man
Some questions:
a) What has the China application situation to do with HK tourism?
Where is it officially published that you can/or should apply in HK for a China Visa?
"Have been used" does not mean that you have done it legally right or
legall
b) What is your relation to mentioned China factories you visit frequently? JV, WOFE or are you acting as agent/buyer?
Living more than 10 yrs in HK I expect that you know what is going on in China and/or HK, what is legal and what is silently accepted.
The whole "get F visa in HK" thing was silently accepted by China Gov but never an officially "How to do"!
The official rule to get a F-Visa is and was that you have to provide proper "invitation" documents of a China company or government department. What could be done in HK was just a accepted because of tight links to SZ or GD economy zones, nothing else.
Now, why complaining? Why you do not register in China, apply for Z-Visa? Of course last whould have side-effect that you have to pay tax in China, but this you can handle easy with proper tax/company register support.
m2c from a European passport holder with HK company, leaving in Dongguan and who will do what everybody should consider: Leaving China over Olympic Games!
Todays visa situation is not what we have to face soon!!!
Further comment from a friend who is based in China and has a company there - regularly bring business people into China:
'We have experienced some of the problems already. From Stoke we now have to apply to the Embassy in London rather than the Manchester Consulate.
They will only offer a double entry business visa valid for 3 months if the invitation letter is from a company. You can get a longer term visa if you have a letter from an official Government office (Chinese Home Office) but these seem like Hens Teeth at the moment. I guess the problem is the Olympics and possibly the problems in Tibet.
However thanks for the information about the problems getting a visa in Hong Kong, we certainly didn't know that'.
>Anon,
You aren't realy helping are you? We al know thew vagaries of Chinese bureaucracy but they benifit from the way visas were issuesd as did HK, as did businessmen and as did foreign companies. The recent changes once again were piss poorly communicated and no one seems sure what is going on. You can either stick your head up your arse and shout 'NAH NAH NAH NOT LISTENING' or you can actually try to find out what is going on and change it.
Saying 'What do you expect it's China' doesn't put dollars in the bank account or food on tables does it?
Hi Anon,
your question - my answer:
a) Many of the so-called "foreign travelers first come (or do I have to say "came") to HK first and apply for the Visa with the Hotel or travel-agency and then go to China esp. if they have to go to the Canton area. During the 2 - 3 days waiting for their Visa they spending / spent money in HK. I think this has something to do with HK Tourism.
b) We are a buying office for several fashion brands. We are working with local, private owned factories or favctories which are a mix of still "state-owned" + "private" all over China - not with JV or WOFE.
Have a good day !
@ the visa man
Reply to your answers:
a) So, then the situation is good for HK tourism. Why then the legislator of tourism section should do something? Has he something to put into negotiation what maybe fears Beijing?
b) Ok, you do not have any links to China factories as being only the buyer or representative of an oversea buyer.
I highly recommend that you consult an consulter concerning setting up biz in China (respectively register a company) and finding the golden middle way that this China branch is not sucking profits.
RO could do it as you only need to "show up". Operational tasks, like invoicing you do with your HK comp. With a China reg company you will get resident permit and so on.
Of course, to find a good middle way between invest (comp reg, tax payments etc) and return (no hassle with visa anymore) depends mainly on kind/size of biz you run.
In any case you should find somebody who can consult you for HK and China. E.g. my HK company secretary ( and also tax representative) runs company service biz in HK and China. Maybe your CS/tax representative also can do this.
@ anonymous post from 15.4. 3:38pm
Do you think that what you do or the blogger here wants you to do will change Beijing`s activities?
When in past China communicated a change in law or daily procedure "in time" as we westerners maybe know it from our well developed home country?
Nothing is changed, the law/regulations are untouched. Just, the "used to be" way is not anymore available. So what? Who to blame now?
Are your actings putting food on your table? Will this poll bring back food on your table?
Beijing will never change something as long they are not forced to do it. Do you have something what maybe fears Beijing...?
Don`t waste power and time by muscle with Beijing. Invest your power and time into adapting your biz to official China laws! It will cost, but at the end you maybe will have more benefits!
m2c
Hi Anon /m2c
1)
this blog is not for advertising consultant services.
2)
Your writing shows that you understand "very little to zero" about the business we are running -but I also do not expect you need to know it.
Anyhow thanks a lot for your good advices.
The changes made are not forward and are anti-business. The whole concept of one country two systems and CEPA is to promote the free flow of business and people. It is not to hinder this. The changes implemented are racist and regressive. They are tantamount to the Olympic spirit. Arguments about spending more money and adding more bloodsuckers to the China business food chain are irrational and supportive of "the bunch of goons running the place".
I have written on All Roads Lead to China 2 posts on this, and for many this is becoming a big inconvenience.
Here is one excerpt:
Right now it stands like this ( As far as I know since a LOT of my friends have tried all the options before they leave in 2 weeks ) … if you are on a work visa for a foreign company representative office in china, then they will only renew for 3 months. If you are working with a Chinese company then you can get it renewed without any problems. If you have any other visas then no more extensions in China, maybe in some big cites for a month but they might need good convincing
to see more of our coverage, go to www.allroadsleadtochina.com
r
Is it only F-Visa they do not make/extend in HK or is it also L-visas?
If this is the case I don´t understand "the list of the 33 countries"???
Is it the same problem in Macau?
I have bougt a flight-ticket to SZ beginning of next week and will try to extend my current L-visa in either HK or Macau. - Living in Shanghai and I am a Danish citizen - But I must admit that I am a bit worried to be "stranded" in HK after what I have read in here... pls. leave a comment soon.
Thx. Karen
Hi Karen,
to apply L visa in HK you need following:
- copy of Hotel booking in China
- copy of your return ticket (means showing when you are leaving China again).
Denmark is not in the list - this list seems mainly focussed on countries with "strong ethnic communities + radical background" -especially MONACO (joking) - I guess it is a typing error and they mean MAROKKO.
Then you have the chance to get a L visa for 30 days - 1x or 2x entry (probably only 1 entry).
Without this they simply will send you away.
Post a Comment