Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Ni Hao, my Chinese Visa!

The queues outside the Chinese embassy are impressive. It becomes apparent that this country is considered a destination by far more people than Belarus. You queue outside, get a ticket with a number and then you queue inside and wait your turn. Application for a tourist visa is pretty much straightforward: A filled in and signed visa application form, a pretty picture of yourself and a valid passport is all it takes. The visa was issued within 4 days (I applied on a Monday and could pick up the visa on Thursday). Express visas are possible at an additional fee (but those applications are according to a sign only accepted until 10 in the morning - which may be difficult if the queues are long and it's not your turn until after 10 am). Pick up is quicker, you do not have to queue but the guys let the people with a pink pick-up form in and straight to the counter where you pay (€33 in my case, but depending on your nationality this may vary) and get your passport back.

so here it is:



what a beauty, eh?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

It's easier (and less fun :-) ) if you travel to China for your company....then you just leave the Visaform at the /// reception and pick up your passport again magically some days later with a Visa inside :-))

Axelman said...

yep, also: I've heard that they're offering directs flights to China now... the times they are a-Changin' ;-)