Chinese visa in the Dominican Republic

[Adrian Bye]

If you are looking to get a chinese visa and are in the Dominican Republic, you can do it inside the country. There is no chinese embassy or consulate in the DR (just for Taiwan). However there is a chinese development authority and they can issue Chinese visas. I called them and they were extremely helpful by phone.

Phone: 809-334-1843
Address: Avenida 2 Febrero #328
Edificio R5, quinto piso
Requirements for the visa:
- Passport
- Copy of the first page of the passport
- 2x2 photo
- photocopy of your cedula
- photocopy of your residency (min 3 years in the country)
- letter from your bank (apparently your bank will know what to write)
- letter from your work
- plane reservation
- hotel reservation

These requirements seem to apply equally for me as an Australia citizen and for a Dominican - they're basically 3rd world requirements for getting a visa.

I was trying to send my passport to the USA to get the visa -- except the chinese embassy in the USA won't receive passports by mail, so you have to use a 3rd party company to walk in the visa. Unfortunately mail services in the DR are not allowed to send passports to anyone except for an embassy, making this situation a little difficult. (the DR is one of the top countries for passport fraud, eg: Kim Jong-nam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )

There have been previous posts on chinese visas in the DR on DR1 but they contained imcomplete and/or inaccurate information.

Additionally, this is the current phone for the taiwan embassy: 809-508-6200. This is unrelated to the chinese embassy and there are diplomatic issues between the two regions.

 

[Adrian Bye]

lol, i suspect this post will be one of the least read posts on DR1. However I lost almost 4 days investigating this so I am posting it to save someone a considerable amount of stress in future

 

[Adrian Bye]

I haven't gotten mine yet, I will go over soon though. The visa in the US costs $130, they weren't sure of how much it would cost for me since there haven't been a lot of australian citizen-DR residents looking for a chinese visa in Santo Domingo

I'm flying over to china as part of a larger trip, so I can't comment on cheap fares directly to china from the DR. I can tell you that currently airfares in and out of Japan are EXTREMELY cheap at the moment - I bought a one way plane ticket from Australia to Japan for US$300 (a 12 hour flight), and 1 way flights direct from Japan to NYC are around $500 (also 12+ hours)

I am not too concerned about being refused for the visa, a tourist visa should be a fairly easy one to get; I think they would just ask for more documentation until you supply what they need. It appears the chinese development authority here doesn't get a lot of visitors; the person I spoke with on the phone was extremely intelligent and easy to work with; I suspect she was in charge.

Also per the address above, its on the avenida 27th of febrero, not the 2 of feberero.

 

[Stuart Polkinghorne]

I'm looking to go to China later this year and have heard that it is very easy for Dominicans to go.. I was told that if you get a group of more than 20 you will get a lot of help from the Chinese Gov. That was just for tourists! So if you wanted to go on business well I would think they will go all out to help. keep us posted on what your thinking of doing as I have been there and have a very good business contact in Shanghai.

 

[AnnaC]

I'll put your hard work to good use Adrian, I'll add it to the stickies in the visa forum.

Thank you

 

[AZB]

I am interested in this thread. i am planning to visit shanghai sometime this year.
Thanks for the info. i wonder if the requirements for american passport are different.
AZB

 

[Adrian Bye]

I went there just now. It was very full with chinese people. I went with my filled in requirements for the US, and just tried in case they would accept them. I was surprised, its actually quite a real consulate, not what I expected by the name "Chinese Development Authority"

The lady working there sternly told me that I would have to follow the dominican requirements. I told her I was Australian and the requirements were easier. She told me I was welcome to apply in Australia, but if I wanted to use the services of the one here in the Dominican Republic, I would be required to meet the requirements here locally.

The only one which could barely be an issue for me is the letter from the bank; I don't have much money in my Dominican bank accounts and apparently a letter from a USA bank isn't acceptable. Otherwise it seems fairly easy. Also note that they have a Chinese-Dominican form to fill in; its different to the USA forms which I had already completed. (well similar, just in chinese & spanish).

 

[Tropicdude]

I traveled to China a couple years ago, at that time as a US citizen, the service here was not available to me, I had to get my visa from Houston, as that office is for US citizens in South East zone. here is their contact information:

China Visa Service Center
10700 Richmond Avenue, Suite 211
Houston, TX 77042
1-800-799-6560
China Visa Service Center
China Visa Service Center

Recently they contacted me with:

"We are writing to let you know that the ongoing swine flu has led to some serious changes to Chinese visa policy. Staring May 4th, 2009, the Chinese visa processing time has been changed to 6 business days. Rush and Express services will be temporarily unavailable. Also, every applicant must fill out a Declaration Form and state where you have been within the last two weeks. "

BTW, I greatly enjoyed my trip to China even though it was business related.

 

[Dolores1]

Don't know if this is still the same, but I learned several years ago when applying for a visa to China that it is considerably cheaper for a Dominican to apply, than a US citizen. Remember also that your visa can be for multiple entries or for one entry. If there is a possibility of you traveling to Hong Kong by land and back, you should request a multiple entry visa to avoid having to get one in China.

 

[Adrian Bye]

Tropicdude, its now impossible to send your passport to services like the visa service center, we tried with both EPS and UPS and were turned down. And the Chinese Embassy in the US won't accept mailed passports, so we're stuck. One option is to have someone carry your passport in by hand - I called Fedex in the US and they don't have a problem sending passports back to the DR, its just sending outbound that causes problems.

Also, FYI, despite what they say, they will still do rush visas if you ask very nicely

Dolores: I am applying for the double entry visa. I hope I get the Dominican rate since I am having to fulfil the Dominican requirements!

 

[travel1000]

chinese tight visa regulation after olympic game.

right now, every visa applicant have to apply visa in their perment resident country or their citzen country. I think they learn know how from american. ( russian have learn this from america long time ago. ).As a australia, I do not think you can apply china visa inside US because you have to show you have US immgration status. chinese also charge $130 for american regardless where you apply.( thank Uncle Sam for this ).only foreigner with permenant resident card in DR can apply visa. On the board, it is said american cannot get multiple entry visa here. The chinese office name is chinese trade representive office and have a consular section. Dominican staff is on the window and behave like any dominican government office and very piky about any detail in the application form. It open 2.00-5.00 PM on Monday and Thurday only. chine consular in US do not take mail application and you have to find visa agent. The link for houston show on the post is visa agent.

 

[Adrian Bye]

Everything travel10000 says reflects my experience with one caveat; for exceptional situations they will work with you to get you the visa.

 

[travel1000]

I hope you can get Dominican rate

and I think your chance still great for DR rate because only american normally get pick up for change $130 and other nationality nornally charge whatever normal rate is. There is website China Travel and China Tour - Low Fare Airline Tickets for chinese flight ticket orinal in US.

 

[Tropicdude]

Tropicdude, its now impossible to send your passport to services like the visa service center, we tried with both EPS and UPS and were turned down. And the Chinese Embassy in the US won't accept mailed passports, so we're stuck. One option is to have someone carry your passport in by hand - I called Fedex in the US and they don't have a problem sending passports back to the DR, its just sending outbound that causes problems.

Also, FYI, despite what they say, they will still do rush visas if you ask very nicely

Dolores: I am applying for the double entry visa. I hope I get the Dominican rate since I am having to fulfil the Dominican requirements!

Ok this is good to know in case I travel to China again,

When I sent my Passport in, I sent it from withing the US, I went to Florida 1 week before my trip was planned and "next day'd" the shipping, that was a monday, I got it back Thursday.

Maybe if I used a service like Business Mail, they re-mail postage from withing the US. then that way it would look like its being mailed from within the US. I'll look into that if a need to travel again.

Also one more thing, My trip was for business and Technical training and I had a formal "invitation" from the company. was a 1 entry only visa. so if you go to a border city like Shenzhen, you cannot go into Hong Kong ( cross the bridge ) and return back into China unless you have multi entry visa.

 

[travel1000]

I think you can sent to visa agent

through this way .the consular itsef do not take mail in application anymore. you can still get visa in Hong Kong in this time but not in border check point. You might go visa office yourself or give travel agent but you cannot get visa same day, and have to stay in hong kong at least one day or more.

Ok this is good to know in case I travel to China again,

When I sent my Passport in, I sent it from withing the US, I went to Florida 1 week before my trip was planned and "next day'd" the shipping, that was a monday, I got it back Thursday.

Maybe if I used a service like Business Mail, they re-mail postage from withing the US. then that way it would look like its being mailed from within the US. I'll look into that if a need to travel again.

Also one more thing, My trip was for business and Technical training and I had a formal "invitation" from the company. was a 1 entry only visa. so if you go to a border city like Shenzhen, you cannot go into Hong Kong ( cross the bridge ) and return back into China unless you have multi entry visa.

 

[Adrian Bye]

I got my visa today, 24 hour turnaround (once they opened on Monday). $120US total, normal price is US$60, and I got charged a US$60 express fee.

I met the Chinese representative who issued my visa; nice guy, young, very friendly. I was VERY grateful to him for getting it done!