Wow, I just found out that it's like $150 in New York to get a Visa to get into Shenzhen.

Is it cheaper to get it in Hong Kong?

Has it always been this expensive?

I'm only going into Shenzhen from HK for a day and a night...

J

A quick google search indicates that $130 is the current price for a China visa. So perhaps $150 includes a processing fee for a visa service.

Yes, the cost of a China visa has been in this range for some time. It has to do, in part, with how much the US charges Chinese to get a visa.

Is there some reason you want to go to Shenzhen? There isn't much to do/see there except to shop for cheap knock-off goods. I'd prefer to spend my time in Hong Kong, or, if I wanted a day trip, I'd go to Macau.

I went 1 1/2 years ago. At that time it was $50, if you went to an embassy and got it yourself. Since I didn`t live anywhere near one, I had to use a service, and it cost around $100. I was complaining about it, until I heard the fee had been increased.

Doesn't matter where you go get it, it's still around the same price. China based the visa cost for US citizens on how much the US charges Chinese citizens for a tourist visa.

I'd like to return to Kathie's question of "Why Shenzhen?"

It is admittedly fascinating to think that only about 30 years ago, Deng Xiao Ping drove through this glorified fishing village and selected it as the location of a Special Economic Zone that has attracted huge investment and grown to be a city of (I think) nearly 9 million people. It is also one of China's major ports. It is worth visiting if you are looking to understand China, but it is not likely to delight most tourists.

You probably have very good reasons for going into Shenzhen but, if not, your day and night, and your visa money, might be better spent in Hong Kong or taking a daytrip to Macau, as Kathie suggests.

Why Shenzhen? Not everyone on this board asking questions is travelling for touristic reasons.

Perhaps "the location of a Special Economic Zone that has attracted huge investment and grown to be a city of (I think) nearly 9 million people" is reason enough for businesspeople to travel there.

Yes, Noflyzone, we agree, and that is why I think it is so important to understand "why" someone has chosen a destination before offering advice.

I think that the OP is a businessman going to Hong Kong for professional reasons and looking to spend very limited extra days in cultural exploration and relaxation before flying home. The way he describes his interests in earlier posts makes me wonder whether Shenzhen is really what he is looking for or whether it is possible that he is attracted to the idea of crossing over into the PRC from nearby HK. His objectives matter enormously. I was looking to understand if the proposed Shenzhen piece was related to business or pleasure travel. It's absolutely crucial to a determination of whether the time and visa fee are well spent.