Visa Requirements for HK and Shanghai

[noodlesalad]

Hey RFD, having a bit a trouble finding this information online.

1) What are the entry requirements for a Canadian Citizen entering HK and Shanghai on vacation for 1 week? Is any sort of visa required?
2) Does it make a difference if I'm Chinese? I'm born here.


Thanks

[joepoonie]

(1) For Hong Kong, you should get 90 days visa-free entry on arrival. For Shanghai, you will need to get a Chinese visa. You will need to go to the consulate in Toronto to get the visa.

(2) It makes no difference that you're Chinese, as you were born here.

[yaldaren]

There is a 48 hour transit visa available for free in Shanghai. You have to be in transit to another country though so it probably would not apply in your case.

[nalababe]

(1) For Hong Kong, you should get 90 days visa-free entry on arrival. For Shanghai, you will need to get a Chinese visa. You will need to go to the consulate in Toronto to get the visa.

(2) It makes no difference that you're Chinese, as you were born here.

You no longer go to the consulate as a rule. You go to the Visa application centre. Far faster and quicker than the old consulate. This time, it was a great experience, no hassle or waste of time.

Do provide all info they reqest or will turn you away. This included proof of hotel reservations...they turned away back packers who said they were just going to travel...

[b_lum81]

I've gone to HK quite a few times over the past 3 years and a visa isn't required to get into HK. Just your Canadian passport.

If I were to go into Shenzhen I usually just get my visa while I'm in HK. You can get either a single entry visa or multiple depending if you plan on jumping in and out of china. Price varies depending on how fast you want it. I just found it a lot easier to get while I'm in HK vs getting it locally in Vancouver. I went to the China visa office on Broadway in Vancouver and will NEVER go there again. Complete gong show.

[MonctonMan]

b_lum81, things may have changed since the Summer. ie, looks like you need to get your China visa from Canada, not while in Hong Kong.

You can visit Shennzen and Ganzou visa-free if you are part of a Hong Kong based tour group (for example, Greyline). However, if you have a single entry visa to China (in order to go to Shanghai), that wouldn't work because the personal visa takes precedence over the group visa.

[actng]

everything posted in the thread is true.

in addition, chinese visa requirements / customs&immgiration rules are different depending on your port of entry, believe it or not. there is no national standard and each port of entry is free to make up their own rules.

so let's start with what you've learned in this thread, that you need to get a visa in toronto for entering china. this is true.

now let's learn the exceptions.

certain ports of entry like zhongshan will allow you to just "walk in" and get a visa right away on the spot.
as already mentioned southern provinces like guangzhou have different rules for "group tours" also.


your best bet is to go get the chinese visa downtown TO first... then you don't need to worry about any of this...

[2ckwt1]

If you're applying for a chinese visa in Toronto, I have one more note to add.
On top of the paperwork listed on the website you need (i.e. hotel reservation/tickets/invitation), if you were born in China or HK, you need your birth certificate.
This is something they don't list on the website (or didn't this summer when I applied).

Took me 2 trips cause they rejected me the first time due to lack of birth certifiate.
I asked some of my friends afterwards; same thing happened to them too.

Otherwise the Toronto visa center is very good. Make an appointment online and they'll have you in and out quickly.

[nalababe]

If you're applying for a chinese visa in Toronto, I have one more note to add.
On top of the paperwork listed on the website you need (i.e. hotel reservation/tickets/invitation), if you were born in China or HK, you need your birth certificate.
This is something they don't list on the website (or didn't this summer when I applied).

Took me 2 trips cause they rejected me the first time due to lack of birth certifiate.
I asked some of my friends afterwards; same thing happened to them too.

Otherwise the Toronto visa center is very good. Make an appointment online and they'll have you in and out quickly.

Did this the first time...but really didn't need to. Just arrive first thing in the morning or at lunch and I was in and out in maybe 5-10 minutes.

[setell]

If you're applying for a chinese visa in Toronto, I have one more note to add.
On top of the paperwork listed on the website you need (i.e. hotel reservation/tickets/invitation), if you were born in China or HK, you need your birth certificate.
This is something they don't list on the website (or didn't this summer when I applied).

Took me 2 trips cause they rejected me the first time due to lack of birth certifiate.
I asked some of my friends afterwards; same thing happened to them too.

Otherwise the Toronto visa center is very good. Make an appointment online and they'll have you in and out quickly.

Have never had to provide birth certificate. I just have to write my chicken scratch chinese name for them to look me up in the system.

I thought you couldn't get a visa in HK anymore? I got it in HK a few years ago since it was easier and faster but then the last time I went in 2010 I couldn't so I got it in TO which was like a zoo there and took forever. Is it faster now?

EDIT:...guess they do want travel information before issuing a visa. Why would I want to stay in China

[actng]

frig i don't even know where my birth certificate is...

[setell]

frig i don't even know where my birth certificate is...

Mine is barely touchable cause it is cheap cheap paper

[gotak]

Have never had to provide birth certificate. I just have to write my chicken scratch chinese name for them to look me up in the system.

I thought you couldn't get a visa in HK anymore? I got it in HK a few years ago since it was easier and faster but then the last time I went in 2010 I couldn't so I got it in TO which was like a zoo there and took forever. Is it faster now?

EDIT:...guess they do want travel information before issuing a visa. Why would I want to stay in China

They didn't ask for my birth certificate or my wife's. But we did the visa with a local chinese travel agency, they charge 5 bucks to process which is a lot less hassle than going yourself.

[heymikey]

Beijing and Shanghai are now visa-free if you are in transit for less than 72 hours.

http://travel.cnn.com/Shanghai-joins...436?hpt=hp_bn5

[MonctonMan]

Beijing and Shanghai are now visa-free if you are in transit for less than 72 hours.

http://travel.cnn.com/Shanghai-joins...436?hpt=hp_bn5

Starts January 1. That is wicked news as both Bejing and Shanghai are on the way to Hong Kong (I guess considered a 3rd country for the purposes of this policy). Too bad the visa-free policy is only for transit. It rules out Canada-Japan-Shanghai-Japan-Canada trips and Canada-Hong Kong-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Canada visa free trips.