6-month chinese visa continuous stay

[westmeadboy]

Hi - I've just spent 3 hours trying to find out the best way to do this, but I seem to be going around in circles...

I'm a UK passport holder currently in India. I will be flying to Beijing early June but have not yet bought a ticket. I'm waiting to find out whether I should go direct, via Hong Kong or via Bangkok. This depends on the best place I should get my initial visa for entry into china.

I simply want to spend at least 6 months in China (probably stay in one or two places) without having to leave mid-term. I don't want to teach english or learn chinese (although I MAY take a few lessons anyway to brush up my rusting skills).

Hong Kong - all the 6 month visas seem to be limited to 30 day stays which seems useless to me. Is that right?

In India, my travel agent tells me I can only get a 30-day L or F visa. That would mean I would have to try to extend it in Beijing. These 6 month extensions seem to cost about 3000RMB (which sounds a lot). Do these extensions have a limit on each stay duration?

Thailand - are the chinese visa options here better than in India? - i.e. longer stays etc.

Thanks.

EDIT - If need be, I can get an invitation letter from a private school in Dalian. They say that would get me a 3-month F-visa. However, I'd rather not take this approach because then I might be obliged to fork out a load in tuition fees!

[whereishunter]

I just got a L visa from HK last month. The longest I could get there was 2x30days L visa (New Zealand passport holder). I dont think you will be able to do 6 months stay with out leaving the country at some point. But let me know if you can.

The way I see it the further you are a way from China applying for your visa the longer stay you will have.