I find many websites where I can mail in my passport to get a Chinese Visa. I am not comfortable doing that. What is the easiest and cheapest way to get a Chinese Visa for a US Citizen? I have 2 months before I travel. Thnaks all in advance,

You can go directly to the Embassy or Consulate that are in a few cities. That is the cheapest route. But, you still need to leave your passport, wait in long lines and come back for it in a few days - and of course wait in another long line.

Personally though I use:

China Visa Service Center
10700 Richmond, Suite 211
Houston, TX
(800) 799-6560
[email protected]

It's worth the extra money not to have to go back and forth to their embassy. Fast and dependable service.
What I do is ship my passport via FedEx or UPS. They ship it back via FedEx 4 or 5 days later. I (and friends and family)have used them many times. Not the cheapest option BUT definitely the easiest and I've done it both ways.

Check with travel agencies where you live, some may offer the service for a fee, need a 2x2 photo.

Hey thanks everyone. I will check into AAA also.

I got Chinese visa in 2005 in NYC; no long lines for dropping off or picking up but it was in the fall. It was pretty cheap and didn't take long as I remember.

It's not cheap anymore. Believe it is around US$130 regardless of single or multiple entry.

For the same price, get a multi-entry so you can have the flexibility to travel back and forth within a year.

Has anyone used China Visa Express (chinavisaexpress.com)? They have the lowest service fee ($24) for a multiple-entry visa, and they're right in DC. I'm always a little nervous about mailing our passports sight unseen...

Whoops, I meant has anyone used "Chinese Visa Express?" Their website is "Chinesevisaexpress.com".

Hi Ed,

Did you ever find any information on China Visa Express? Have you sent your visa application to them? I'm tempted to use them because of their $24 fee and save the time/gas/etc to drive to D.C.

Monica

I did decide to use Chinese Visa Express, but our passports haven't even arrived there yet, via UPS. Will let people know if it goes well, with no snags.

Thanks Ed. If I go to D.C., I'll be going next week.

Monica

Does anyone know if there is any risk in asking for a multi-entry visa for 12 months versus the double-entry for 6 months. At this point I only need the double-entry but who knows we may decide to go again within 12 months and it is the same price. But I read somewhere they need a detailed explanation why you need 12 months and multiple entries and you are more likely to be rejected. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

I think it would be much easier to get a China Visa if you join a tour gruop.

Fabio -- Please understand you are on the wrong travel site, people here are not asking for tour group info.

Paulo, we requested multi-entry one year visas, with the explanation simply that we planned to return on a vacation next summer. The visa documents are currently at the Consulate, and we'll know next week (hopefully) whether we were granted the multi-entry visas. Will be glad to post with the information when I have it.

Thanks all. I guess my odds of returning w/in one year are small so I may just be cautious and do the double entry 6 month version.
And yes, no tour groups for this fodorite.
But I will be going back to read Shanghainese and other great posts here about Shanghai. We will be there in Mid November. Thanks again.

During the Olympic period the longer-term visas have been hard to come by, especially when directly handling with visa issuing authorities rather than through a visa agent - so your request may be turned down (especially if your request doesn’t come with a list of pre booked travel and hotels).
However that darn Olympic period is supposed to officially end on Oct. 17 - so the situation may soon be back to normal where we can get those visa ourselves without having to go through all that pre-booking hassle.

Update....
Maybe I should have gone for the multiple entry. I got the double entry 6 month type. I brought my application, flight info and hotels, passport and one passport photo to the Chinese Consulate in LA. They reviewed my application for a few seconds, looked at my travel itinerary for about a second (did not look at the hotel info at all) and gave it back to me and said come back in 3 days and pay then. My VISA was there like clockwork in 3 days. Oh well.

"mychinavisa.com" proved to be excellent! I got my Passport w/Visa sent back yesterday with no problems. Took about 2 weeks.