Visa 2011
A trying day at the Chinese Consulate.
First they picked on my picture: not clear enough. Maybe it is my fault.
Then they picked on my photocopy of the old visa: has to be on a full A4 (8×11) page, not cutting in half. I tried to save paper, put two visas on a page which fit rather well. One of the Consulate staffs cut it into half and accepted it. It’s when I returned with a clearer picture for the second visa, the woman at the window rejected it, told me to make new photocopy at their machine.
I was really lost: the new photocopy would show the same thing at the same size, except wasting one more piece of paper and set me a quarter of dollar poorer. What’s the point? Actually I don’t understand the requirement of copy of the old visa: don’t they have a record of it? Providing the old visa number won’t do?
That’s not it. The woman or the Queen Bee muttered
“They might not accept this application ..” … due to the fizzle picture.
“When would I know if you accept it or not?” IF not, I have to get a better picture sooner ..
“This Friday.” That’s good five working days and it’s the pick up day.
SO, the consulate demands my home phone and cell phone and yet, they won’t contact me IF my application is in need of a clearer picture.
I was silent. No argument because I can’t afford to. She wrote out my pick up ticket and dated it as 6/14. Hello, today is only June 13th. Retard or what?
The consulate visa policy is
Chinese visas can generally be picked up on the fourth working day from the submitting date. For example, if you submitted on Friday, you may pick up your visa next Thursday (if not a holiday).
So Monday’s application would be ready to pick up on Friday .. IF it were 6/14, the pick up would have been next Monday, correct?
Just one more thing: a lady behind me had the downloaded application that offered 5 options (instead of 4) under the section
2.2 Intended Number of Entries: (all US$140)
-Single entry valid for 3 months
-Double entry valid for 6 months
-Multi-entry valid for 6 months
-Multi-entry valid for 12 months
-Multi-entry valid for 24 months
.. while the application forms I picked up at the Consulate offered only the first four. The lady did say the consulate doesn’t always grant the two years multi-entry.
After leaving the consulate office, I followed the Hudson River Greenway to the High Line Park to steam off. I took way too many pictures till the little camera became hot.
High Line Park near Washington & Gansevoort St
