For some expats living in China, there is a small chore they must complete every 60 or 90 days depending on the type of visa they have - the visa run. There are many ways to make a visa run through Hong Kong, Japan or Mongolia.
When speaking to expats
about their visa run journeys,
they have some tips.
1
-If Stuck In HongKong, Enjoy It-
by: Leah H
On the day of my return flight to Beijing, I timed my subway ride perfectly and dawdled for a couple minutes in a bookstore, treating myself to a new book.
At the airline desk, I was pleased with the short line. I glanced through my passport, the page with my Chinese visa read, "Enter Before: 21 Jan 2015." That was four days ago!
After a few semi-panicked phone calls, I came up with a plan to stay in Hong Kong for a couple days, and then enter Chinese mainland on the 72-hour visa-free transit pass, since I had a plane ticket from Beijing to Phoenix ten days later.
The ladies at the desk assured me this would be fine, so I calmed down a bit and camped out in a chair to make a list of all the things I needed to do - book a hotel, withdraw more money, buy laundry detergent, call my Hong Kong friends and book a new flight back to Beijing.
My office manager in China told me, "You have to be there, so you might as well enjoy it."
So that's what I did! I ended up having a great time at my favorite local restaurants and tourist sites. There are much worse places to be stranded for four days.
2
-Don't Be Surprised By the Long Haul-
by: Wade K
I had to go from Sanya in Hainan Province to Hong Kong to get a new visa and then up to Nanjing in Jiangsu Province, which is 1,792 kilometers away, to do a winter camp so I could get some money. I took a 20-hour long-distance bus to Hong Kong.
Everyone else on the bus got off in Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, so the bus driver took an hour-long break with me locked in the bus. That night I slept outside in the cold since I had no money and passport.
Afterwards, I got my passport back and went over to Guangzhou to try and get a train up to Nanjing. The train was for the next day, so I spent the night in an Internet cafe.
The next day, I missed my train because I didn't realize that I was at the east train station and not the main train station. I got my 85 percent refund and took a 20-hour train ride to Shanghai with no seat.
Finally, I made it to Shanghai and took the fast train to Nanjing and immediately took a shower and a nap.
▲ There are also trains running in 'regular' speed besides high speed trains in China.
3
-Don't let your single-entry visa
get stamped too early-
by: Cassius W
It was May 2014, and I was about to begin my first job in Beijing to teach English. With my invitation letter and entry certificate in my passport, I decided to visit my friend in Japan for a few days, flying from London to Osaka via Beijing. This was my first flight out of Europe, so I was understandably nervous.
My plane from London arrived late in Beijing, and I hadn't the slightest clue how to ask where I should go to transfer planes, which added to my sense of helplessness. A flight attendant told me that I needed to collect my luggage at the Beijing airport, despite the fact that I would be transferring to Osaka.
▲ Many unexpected things can happen on a visa run, and one expat advices that if you get stuck somewhere, just enjoy the journey.
So when I arrived, I headed straight for the luggage collection area. Because I had a Z Visa, somebody stamped my single-entry visa and I was allowed to go through immigration and pick up my luggage.
I then left China about an hour later, bound for Osaka. As we crossed the Sea of Japan, I thought it was a little strange that somebody had stamped my visa, but I hoped for the best. I visited my friend in Osaka for five days and had an amazing time, but when I tried to fly back to China, I was barred from leaving.
I was told my visa had been made void by the stamp it had received.
I was told I would have to fly back to the UK and reapply for another work visa.
So, I had to fly all the way back to my home country, reapply for a visa, work three jobs to make up for the lost money and rent a new apartment.
It was the biggest, most painful visa run that I've ever had to do. Three months later, I made it back.
At my English school, I became "that guy" who took eight months to start his new job. Poor preparation, poor Chinese and lack of sleep can cost you thousands of pounds!
Source: GlobalTimes
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