Saturday, January 12, 2019: China Visa Application

Based upon my cursory investigation previously, I had come to the conclusion that we needed to apply for our China visa after the New Year. On my journey home this past week from Houston upon completion of our European train trip, I got an email from Dave. Apparently he also was starting to study the visa situation. His email however made some statements that did not match up with my previous investigation, including when the application needed to be submitted and how long the visa was good for. Essentially he had come to the conclusion that the visa was only good for three months and therefore we shouldn't submit the application until a month or two before the trip started in May. I responded that I would look into the matter upon my arrival home. I also forwarded his email to Maxine.

When I got home, I reread Dave's email and noticed that he was drawing his information from a source different that I was using. I had downloaded a visa kit recommended by the tour company, Viking, specifically for this trip. I had shown this kit to Dave, and where to find it. when I visited them before Christmas. The kit recommended by Viking utilized a third party (Generations Visa Service) to take the information I submitted, along with my passport, and do all the necessary processing, returning to me my passport with the visa incorporated into it. The Service stated that it normally took five weeks to return the finished visa from the time they get the application package. The resulting visa would be a "multiple entry" visa which would be effective for 10 years.

I filled out the application form and went down to the local AAA to get a new photo since they say it needs to be taken within the past six months. The last time I got passport photos from AAA (February 2018), there was no charge due to my Plus membership. That changed last Fall. Now my membership level meant I only had to pay $8.00 for the photos. An amazing $2.00 savings off the non-member price. I also decided to get a new International Driving Permit (IDP). These are only good for one year and are not renewable. My last one expired in 2016. The IDP cost $20.00 (up from $15.00 last time) and also required a photo, so there was another $8.00.

When I told them the photo was for a China visa, the people at AAA had serious reservations that their photo would be acceptable. They said there are some strict measurements with respect to the photo and they had had problems before. The visa kit I was using indeed dedicated an entire page on the photo and what is required.

Using the passport photo I had had taken at AAA last year, I got out my micrometer and determined that I could, with a bit of careful trimming, make the passport photo meet the requirements. I tried to explain this to the AAA people, but they were very doubtful. But, since I was paying for it, they went ahead and took my photo. When I got home, I again got out the micrometer and my utility knife and went to work. Result is that the photo I will submit with my application is within the stated dimensional requirements.

The only other "issue" I had with completing the visa application was understanding the nuisances regarding the apparent sensitivities to Tibet. The tour includes a visit to Lhasa, Tibet. The visa kit stated in a bold red font that:

Tibet is within mainland China and does not require an additional entry. Please do not include any Tibet information on the visa form and any supporting documentation provided by the tour operator, such as itemized travel itinerary, and apply for your China visa 180 days before departure!

The application also requires a listing of all the hotels that will be stayed in while in China and that this information was not optional. OK, which is it? Supply all information regarding where we will be staying or don't say anything about Tibet? I called Generations Visa Services and asked. They said simply not to make any mention at all about Tibet. OK, no mention of the two hotels we will be staying at while in Tibet.

I think it is ready to submit. All told, there are about ten pages plus my passport. I will get a manila shipping envelope and post it via a "traceable" method next week. I sent a copy of the completed application to both Dave and Laura, who needs to fill out her own.