Doing a Visa Run to Hong Kong... Things You Need to Know

[tommy525]

They did have a ferry to Naha , Okinawa but it wasn't that much cheaper then a plane.

OH that reminds me, i did one visa run to Naha , Okinawa and it was priced similarly to flying to and from HK and it was fun. Hotel prices in Naha are similar to those found in Taichung. SO it was pretty cheap and fun.

Seoul is another place with cheap flights (not soo sure bout cheap hotels tho)

shop around for the cheapest tickets since you can go anywhere as you do not have to get a tourist visa somewhere.

[achdizzy1099]

It would be great to take a few months off, but if I don't try to land a gig before CNY, I might be jobless till next summer......not sure I want to piss all my savings away like that!

[tommy525]

It would be great to take a few months off, but if I don't try to land a gig before CNY, I might be jobless till next summer......not sure I want to piss all my savings away like that!

Take a few months off? I meant you can stay ONE DAY in okinawa or seoul and not break the bank

[davidyuma]

Ok, I just got back from one of these visa runs.

I should add those directions on page one are spot on. Much appreciated!

Left Taiwan 630am, arrived at 815 HK. Went through immigration and took the train downtown. Got to the visa office at 945. The number was at 13 and I got number 26. Which meant waiting for 30 mins. It got increasingly busier around 10 and the sign says you can only get a same day visa if you apply before 11. So get there early if you want the same day.

Here is what I had:
- 2 photos (Only one was needed, the other he gave back)
- Copy of boarding pass for a flight home in the evening.
- 2 flight itineraries for later in the year(one to Japan in March, one to Korea in May)
- Both of these he looked at for maybe 5 seconds and handed back to me. Apparently not needed.
- Bank statement with $5000US in it.
- Canadian passport.
- A letter explaining why I had previously overstayed my visa for one day. And also explaining my reason for wanting a multiple entry visa. (Not sure if this was any help at all. It was quick and to the point, but worded quite well)

He originally charged me $600 ($400 for the visa + $200 for same day service). Which meant they were only going to give me a single entry. When I came back it turned out the guy made a mistake and didn't charge me enough. So I paid another $600 on top of that. So a total of $800 for the visa and $400 for the same day service($1200HK) Not sure why I would pay $200Hk more than single entry same day service, but I considered it to be one of those things to shut up and be glad they're giving you what you want.

So easy as that, they issued me a 6 month multiple entry non extend-able visa. I can't complain much and it could have been worse. I dealt with two people. One younger man who well didn't seem rude was not eager to smile. One older woman who was quite kind.

On a side note. I met a guy from the Philippines who had a Taiwanese mother and was actually born in Taiwan. But he still needed to apply for visitor visas to see his family. He said the visa people are never friendly to him. And strange enough, even though he was born in Taiwan he was considered Philippino but he had never ever been to the Philippines. Anyway, thought it was strange and felt a bit bad for him. Good guy...seems all Philippino people I meet are very friendly. He invited me to go to Disneyland. I politely declined and read a book instead. Big mistake on my part.

[achdizzy1099]

Ok, I just got back from one of these visa runs.

I should add those directions on page one are spot on. Much appreciated!

Left Taiwan 630am, arrived at 815 HK. Went through immigration and took the train downtown. Got to the visa office at 945. The number was at 13 and I got number 26. Which meant waiting for 30 mins. It got increasingly busier around 10 and the sign says you can only get a same day visa if you apply before 11. So get there early if you want the same day.

Here is what I had:
- 2 photos (Only one was needed, the other he gave back)
- Copy of boarding pass for a flight home in the evening.
- 2 flight itineraries for later in the year(one to Japan in March, one to Korea in May)
- Both of these he looked at for maybe 5 seconds and handed back to me. Apparently not needed.
- Bank statement with $5000US in it.
- Canadian passport.
- A letter explaining why I had previously overstayed my visa for one day. And also explaining my reason for wanting a multiple entry visa. (Not sure if this was any help at all. It was quick and to the point, but worded quite well)

He originally charged me $600 ($400 for the visa + $200 for same day service). Which meant they were only going to give me a single entry. When I came back it turned out the guy made a mistake and didn't charge me enough. So I paid another $600 on top of that. So a total of $800 for the visa and $400 for the same day service($1200HK) Not sure why I would pay $200Hk more than single entry same day service, but I considered it to be one of those things to shut up and be glad they're giving you what you want.

So easy as that, they issued me a 6 month multiple entry non extend-able visa. I can't complain much and it could have been worse. I dealt with two people. One younger man who well didn't seem rude was not eager to smile. One older woman who was quite kind.

On a side note. I met a guy from the Philippines who had a Taiwanese mother and was actually born in Taiwan. But he still needed to apply for visitor visas to see his family. He said the visa people are never friendly to him. And strange enough, even though he was born in Taiwan he was considered Philippino but he had never ever been to the Philippines. Anyway, thought it was strange and felt a bit bad for him. Good guy...seems all Philippino people I meet are very friendly. He invited me to go to Disneyland. I politely declined and read a book instead. Big mistake on my part.

2 question for you davidyuma:
1) Why do you not have a tourist visa already? (did your ARC expire? is this your first visa?)
2) If your visa is a 6 month multi entry (is that 60 day intervals?) are you going to be looking for a job? Why do you need such a short visa?

These questions are with regards to the posts Myself and Tommy525 made above.

thanks and good informative post.

[davidyuma]

2 question for you davidyuma:
1) Why do you not have a tourist visa already? (did your ARC expire? is this your first visa?)
2) If your visa is a 6 month multi entry (is that 60 day intervals?) are you going to be looking for a job? Why do you need such a short visa?

These questions are with regards to the posts Myself and Tommy525 made above.

thanks and good informative post.

1. I had a visa before and it expired. This is my second visa.
2. I am not looking for a job. Just mainly doing research for a project I'm doing. I also didn't ask for a short visa. There is no place on the visa application where you can ask for a 3 or 5 year visa. That's what I wanted, but 6 months I can work with. Actually if I enter the day before my visa expires I can get another 60 days. So actually it's more like an 8 month visa.

Besides, from what I have been hearing, Canada may be granted 90 days visa exempt entry soon. So that would be better than what I have now.

I just try to write as much detail as I can because I know how I combed through these forums looking for info on these matters.

[tommy525]

I am asking someone I know about the 90 day for Canadians. Hes not in the same department but will try to find out something. Will post anything I hear here.

Personally I am waiting for the USA to grant Taiwanese visa free entry for 90 days and demand Taiwan reciprocate for US citizens.

[achdizzy1099]

Personally I am waiting for the USA to grant Taiwanese visa free entry for 90 days and demand Taiwan reciprocate for US citizens.

This could happen this year. The only thing that might squash it is cross-straight politics, but even China could get on the USA's Visa-Waiver Program (VWP) if they meet the basic criteria:

1) have effective counter crime and terrorism programs? [yes],

2) have a low percentage of citizens reported as overstay their visas? [no],

3) document and release information on lost and counterfeit passports? [no].

4) less than than 3% visa applicant refusal? [probably not]

5) Not heartless commie baby killers? [no]

[bumclouds]

Hey folks,

My student Visitor Visa is about to really soon (I'm hitting the 180 day mark) and I haven't signed up for another semester at school (doh!).

I have however, found a job, and my prospective employer has filed for a work permit, the result of which is due to come through any day now, but might arrive shortly after the last day of my Visitor Visa.

What to do? If I do a Visa-run to HK and come back resetting my time to "Day 1", is it still possible to apply for a Working ARC with Work Permit in-hand?

Thanks folks. I'm quite nervous and depressed. I'm sure some of you know the feeling.

EDIT: I have heard from somebody that doing a visa run to HK and coming back on a "Visa Exempt Entry" for 60 Days with a successful Work Permit in the other hand could get me at least another visitor visa. Can anybody confirm this? Thanks!

[Hamletintaiwan]

What ever you do, don't overstay your visa not even one day.
I overstayed one time practically 7 hours and they put me a nasty stamp into my passport. No visa exemption will be granted to the holder of this passport. for five years.
I asked at the visa office on what day I had to leave. That was years ago and I thought I could stay for two month. I did not realize that it was 60 days instead. The person at the visa office, I showed my passport, misinformed me. She said that I had to leave on the 17th but it was the 16th.

When flying to Hong Kong play it save and have all the papers needed to apply for the kind of visa you want successfully.


Just want to say you better be a little nervous about it.