Overland Visa for China - Advice needed!
 

Hi Team,

Currently 1/4 of a way through a motorbike trip from UK to Kunming in south china.

When we left, research suggested we could get visas on road (was going to take more than 3 months to get to china so couldn't do from home).

HOWEVER - it now seems we can't get them on the road, we just tried and failed in Tibilisi and seems others are the same.

does anyone have any advice? how have people, if they have, managed to tame to chinese visa dragon?

We've been through turkey and now apparently that means we have to go home for an interview and to get fingerprinted!!

Thank you in advance for any comments at all.

Fred

Hi Fred
Fly to BKK or HK to get your Chinese visa.
That's my best advise.

We are currently in Vietnam, just finished China, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrghysztan, China, Pakistan, India, Maldives and originally, Sri Lanka.

We are Canadians and got our visas Delhi. Easy but long process. We had to gather 6 months of bank statements (we printed all of our bank accounts,which a a lot of paperwork for them 5o go through) a proof of employment (letter from employer), a daily itinerary, will hotel bookings (done from Agoda making sure they were all refundable), means to travel between cities visited, a letter of intent explaining what we wanted to visit, and à copy of flight in and out of the country (used onwards flight service for 10$ in order to book fake flights).

We got our visas within 5 days, valid for 10 years unlimited entries, 60 days each time. As you can see were already used it 3 times.

When making up your itinerary, best avoid writing sensitive areas such as Xinjiang ans Tibet. Those were there Wednesday to enter through Pakistan in real life, but we wrote Beijing Shanghai hong kong itinerary. Once they give you the visa you are free to enter anywhere you want. Expect scrutiny in Xinjiang, such as many questions, full bag search, going through camera and phone pictures and apps. I was shocked in Beijing after 2 previous Xinjiang entrance, as they barely looks at me!!

Anyhow, good luck!

But by the way, if you plan on motorbiking through China, that part will be particular as well, as you need a guide, and a Chinese license.