If you are living in Hong Kong or just passing by and if you plan to visit Shenzhen or China then you will need a visa.

So you have 3 options :

1- Buying your visa at Lo Wu Border

It is not really recommended:

1. you may have to spend some time in the queue
2. your stay will be limited only to Shenzhen, not even to Guangzhou
3. it will be valid for only 5 days

As you can noticed, It is not the best way but it can be very usefull if it’s a last minute decision to go to SZ.

It’s very easy to find the office where you can apply for a visa. Once you passed the HK immigration, you will cross a bridge, you go straight until you reach the Chinese Immigration (don’t go down, stay at the same level). On your left side, just in front of the China immigration counter, you will notice some stairs and an escalator which goes up. You take this direction. The Visa office desk is just at the 1st level in front of the stairs.

They will ask you to fill in a form with basic information like your name, nationality, birthdate, passport number, etc… You don’t need to provide a photo.

Once you’ve finished to answer every questions, you give the form and your passport to the Immigration Agent at the counter, in exchange he will give you a ticket number. You will have to wait until they call your number to give you back your passport with a Visa for Shenzhen Economic Zone. Usually it takes around 30mn but it can be quicker depending on the time you arrive at the counter.

The cost will depend on your nationality. Typically for most of the nationalities, it costs only 160 RMB for one entry.

However the cost would be different for the following countries, you will have to ask directly them to know it but for sure it will be more expensive:

• KAZAKHSTAN
• UZBEKISTAN
• ARMENIA
• IRAN
• ETHIOPIA
• ANGOLA
• D.R.CONGO
• GABON
• CAMEROON
• COTE D’IVOIRE
• BELARUS
• MOLDOVA
• UKRAINE
• UNITED KINGDOM
• PANAMA
• BRAZIL
• BOLIVIA
• ECUADOR
• AMERICA
• VENEZUELA
• CHILE
• ROMANIA

2- Getting a proper visa to China in Hong Kong

Any person from any country can apply for a Visa at the China Department Consulate as long as you have enough time in front of you to wait until the Visa is issued.

The address is:

MTR Station: Wanchai, exit A1.

Office hours:

Monday to Friday (except Hong Kong public holidays), 9:00-12:00 14:00-17:00

To reduce longer waiting time, it is suggested to avoid applying for a Visa on Mondays or the first days after long public holidays, if not necessary.

You will need to provide a photo and your passport. For those who are local resident, they will need to check you HKID card.

The way of getting your visa is the following : at the China Department Consulate, you fill in a form you can find on the desk along the wall at the right of the entrance at the 7th Floor, then you get a number from a man who checks if you have properly filled in this form, you wait till your number is written on the electronic panel with the corresponding desk where you must give your form, your passport and one photo. It takes usually 4 days including submission day (e.g. submission on Monday and collection on Thursday) to get back your passport with the visa. If you need your visa urgently, you will have to pay an extra  HKD150 for Express Service visa (3 days) or an extra HKD250  for 2 days rush visa (including the submission day, i.e. if visa application is submitted on the morning of Monday, collection time is on the morning of Tuesday).

Here is a copy of the form that you can download, print and fill in from home before going to the office.

http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/zgqz/VAF/P020070827423675620158.pdf

If you are not Hong Kong resident, you only have the right to apply for a Single entry Visa or Double entriesVisa valid for 6 months. Local Hong Kong Resident can also apply for 6 Months Multiple Entries or 1 year Multiple entries.

The cost is as follows:

• Single visa  HK$150
• Double visa  HK$220
• Multiple (6 months)  HK$400
• Multiple (12 months)   HK$600

However the cost would be different for countries listed above in section 1.

These visas allow you to go everywhere in China and not only to Shenzhen. This is the cheapest option to get a Visa for accessing any part of China.

3- Entrusting some agencies to apply for you

You have different agents in Hong Kong who offer their services to get a China Visa for you.

It is really easy as you don’t have to be bothered with all the procedure. You just provide them with you passport and one photo. Then, they will take care of the rest. Later on, you just come back to pick up your passport.

It is easier even if  you still have to go to their agency to bring your passport or get it back. However it is more expensive as they are taking a commission for this service.

Typical agent would be:

Unit 2208, 22/F

Phone: 28017911

To be honest, when I first arrived in Hong Kong I didn’t know really the procedure. So I used their services. I never had any trouble. However I thought that it was just as well easy to apply directly at the Consulate as described above as long as I can manage to be there during their office hours.

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