Travelling to HK for Visa extension

[Vincent]

In reference to the Getting A Business Visa in Hong Kong article;

I might have to travel to HK to get a Visa extension around March 9th (that’s the expiration date). How long should I stay in HK? The article mentions it takes 4 days to process. Should I book some extra days just in case?

Also, what’s the best way to get from Shenzhen to HK?

And where can I find a Visa application form?

I want to be really prepared for this visit.

Also, is it difficult to get a simple extension for a tourist L visa at the PSB in Chengdu? When should I apply for this, if my current Visa expires on 9th of March? And how do I prepare myself? (forms, pictures, money, date, …). Will they be asking me any questions in regard to why I want to stay longer?

Thank you for your help, much appreciated.

[Charlie]

Hey Vincent,

To answer your questions:

You can get expedited service on your visa in HK, I think the fastest is next-day service for which you’ll pay at least a few hundred HKD. I can’t recall the exact price but it’s not outrageous. Four (business) days should definitely be enough.

You can get to HK from Shenzhen by ferry or bus. Ferry is more fun but costs more, whereas bus can take you directly to where you want to go. The ferry goes to Sheung Wan if I remember correctly.

You can get a visa in HK from the official government visa office, in Wan Chai, or from a travel agency (CTS). They both have applications there.

You can extend your tourist (L) visa twice but it might be expensive depending on what nationality you are. If you just want to extend your tourist visa, you can do that up until the date that it expires. I’d get it done a few days before just to be safe, though.

Good luck!

[Brendan]

I just extended my tourist visa at my local PSB with ease. You’re entitled to two 30 day extensions, which cost little over 100 kuai for each. To obtain the extension all you need is your passport, a passport sized photo, and your resident registration form from the local police station. As long as you get to the PSB and make the application whilst your current visa is valid, you’re fine. They will issue you a receipt, and processing takes 5 working days. Once you’ve had the two extensions you will have to exit the mainland to renew your visa. The good news is once you have a new visa, this too can be extended twice.

If you do the HK run you should let us know the route you took, how much it all cost, and whether or not they let you back in!!

Good Luck!

[Vincent]

Thanks for the advice hzwerks & Charlie, very useful information. I hope I can get the housing registration done in time, cause else I will encounter a lot of hassle 🙂

[Vincent]

Should I assume that an extension is impossible if I dont have a resident registration?

[Brendan]

Yes, you must have the housing registration. I think technically you’re supposed to have that if you stay beyond 10 days, though don’t quote me on that. I didn’t get mine done for 6 weeks, so no one’s paying any attention anyway! It’s easy to get if you have all the docs. Just get yourself there and deal with it before you run out of time. It really would help you out if you had a Chinese speaking friend go with you. I did exactly that, and was in and out of the Police Station within 20 minutes. The funny thing in my case was that the officer filing my application decided to start speaking fluent English as I was finishing up!

[Author]

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