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Comment by thaumasiotes | Hacker News Reader

Speaking as someone who lives in China...

The firewall won't bother you (assuming you wish to get around it); it's there for the masses.

Any idiot with a US citizenship can get a tourist visa, lasting a year and having only the requirement "visit Hong Kong (or any other non-China location) every three months" (I was unambitious, and got a two-month one). Someone of my acquaintance says he paid a visa-help company $1000 and got a business visa, good for a year and imposing no requirements.

I have, in the past, had a working visa; if that's what you want, it's generally done by your employer, not you.

Your "I love China" kind of leads me to believe you'd be familiar with this already... what kind of complications have you experienced?

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$1000! Crazy laowai. As a data point, my current F visa is 2 years, multi-entry, 90 days and cost the nominal fee plus about $100 for the visa company to drop it off at the consulate. Apparently, the F visa has been re-purposed and there is a new M business visa. Any practical experience with that?

[of course, China habitually hassles journalists (Bloomberg) over visas]

What's the name (or link) of the visa company?

Also curious ...

Business visa Requirements: 1. One completely filled out “Visa Application Form, which you can down load from my attached PDF file. It needs to type with computer then print out. Don’t leave any blank, write “N/A” in any item which not suit for you. 2. One recently taken 2X2 in. photo showing entire face and without a hat on. Please affix the photo to the application form. Photo should be light background, and taken within 6 months. 3. Original passport with at least 2 blank visa pages and valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of application. 4. Invitation letter from the company or university in China 5. Your company or college in US's letter for proof. 6. Fee: Embassy: $140/per person for single, double & multiple entry in one year Service fee: $35.00 Postage: $22.00 for local people pick up by themselves, +$7.40 for others Total: $197.00 for local/ $204.40 for others.

Make your check paid to: Chinese Service Center .

Lucy Chinese Service Center of Greater Albany, LLC. 2394 Parkville Place Schenectady, NY 12309 Tel:(518)346-0555 Email:CSCAlbany@yahoo.com

EDIT: formatting

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide these details and tips.

I only know what he told me, which is that his visa allows him to enter and leave as he pleases, but, unlike my 60-day multi-entry, does not need to be renewed (much like a residence permit). $1000 isn't an unreasonable price for not having to leave every few months.

I have no knowledge of M visas; I just use Ls.

I assume China is impossible for someone with a bad peanut allergy? (Gets sick just with a bowl of peanuts in the same room.)

Yes, in fact no Chinese person born with a peanut allergy survived more than a few years.

Well, food contamination is an issue with even the nominal food supply, so one must be very careful. The culture is more fluid with the truth then some other places. Lots of vegetable markets, though, so you could buy and prepare your own food.

I lived in Hong Kong 2010 to 2013, but actually ended up living in Shenzhen for most of 2011. 18 pages of my passport are taken up with visas and stamps from the mainland (plus several more from HK and Taiwan)

As a Hong Kong resident I had a 6 month visa and then a 1 year China visa. Notably, though, both times it was a 30 day maximum stay, and as a UK citizen they still always just give me 30 days per entry.

I know all about the sneaky 1 year business visa I could get. (there's some guy who sits in a hotel in TST and sorts it out for you)

But I still frequently hear stories of people who've been living there for a year or so, but when it comes to renewing they turn up in HK, apply for a new visa, and end up being granted just 15 days.

Usually they fix this, and pay someone a few thousand dollars, and they get another one year visa. But this is a hassle.

The internet thing is easily overcome with a vpn, but it's just annoying, especially as latency to western services is already pretty high.

So my choice, is "go live in Taiwan", China without some of the hassle.

Notably when I say "I love China", I frequently mean "I love Greater China".

so you mean "I love Taiwan"

they should use that on their marketing

"Taiwan - THE Greater China"

That depends. Are you talking to mainlanders, or ROC?

VPNs around the firewall are getting less reliable everymonth.

The visa changes made in July are much more strict than before, getting a one year non work visa is only possible if you have Chinese family. The visa companies from before no longer exist. But I have a working visa so I don't care.

yeah, the people I know who've had visa problems are mostly entrepreneurs living in China on a business visa.

My one-year tourist visa was issued July 12th. Did I just squeak by?

The stricter rules took effect on July 31st. But are you referring to validity or length of stay? I've never heard of a tourist visa that allowed you to stay for a year even before the crackdown.

1-year validity, 60-day length of stay.

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