Visa at the Hong Kong border.

[Lost in Mong Kok]

Get a visa before you leave. It is open for a year or so I think and still allows you to travel on an unplanned visit.

However, if you're not a US passport holder you could just call up and find out when the visa office is open and if you can go through on your passport.

I'm not entirely positive, but this office may be able to give you information on the issuing of visas along the Shenzhen - Hong Kong border:

http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/zgqz/bgfwxx/

[jbradfor]

I have been for some time wondering if it's possible to arrive in China without a visa, with the intention of getting it at the arrival airport.

What country citizenship do you have? That makes a difference.

And what'd happen if you arrive without a visa?

At least leaving from the USA, the airlines confirm you have a valid visa before you board the plane. So you wouldn't even get that far.

[Peeking]

Visa on Arrival is perfectly possible, I just did it myself yesterday at the CTS office in Lowu Station, before exiting Lowu station. For L-visa's, the only nationalities they dont accept is American, French and Philipean that is what the woman said anyway. For other visa's, im not sure, but I did encounter a French girl on my way back to Shanghai, who said that she got a business visa done there too, but I can only verify L-visa myself. If you are not sure, call the CTS office.

I travelled from Shanghai to Shenzhen with the train, when I got out of the train station after 19 hours, I walked out of the mainland straight into Lowu Station.

It seemed to me that I could not go anywhere except for taking the MTR, so after asking an employee how to get back to mainland, he said that I should take the MTR to the next stop and turn around...each trip costed me 21 HKD, which is expensive compared to Shanghai -.- If you want to save those 21 HKD, you can buy a ticket to the next station, and then before the MTR arrives, cross the rails to the other side. Though I think that would not be so smart just to save 21 HKD....

Anyway, got back to Lowo station, before exiting the station, there was indeed a CTS, and so I went there.

Since I overstayed a few days twice in China, they asked me some questions about it, said they couldnt guarantee me getting the visa, I said it was ok (since the entry-exit office in SH said that it is no problem to get a new visa).

They asked for where I would stay in China, I gave them a copy of my renting contract.

They asked when I would leave China, I gave them a copy of a confirmation email from Swiss Air.

I had to pay 450-550 HKD (Not sure which...I already forgot), Im guessing it is the same for most other European Nationalities.

After waiting 1-2 hours, I got the visa, and took the train back to Shanghai, standing! I stood for 16 hours straight in the train, in total almost a day. My feet are hurting now, it is really not advisable. If you do go with the train, make sure you buy your tickets in advance, plan well.

CTS Office, Lo Wu Railway station, NT, Hongkong.

Tel: (852) 2673 9070 (They speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin)

[Matty]

I guess I'll add some information... The information from the business card I picked up at this small office...

SHENZHEN PORT CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE CO., LTD.

Office Hours: 9am - 11am, 14pm - 16pm

Phone: (86 - 755) 82321177

It takes (in theory) about an hour to get the visa, but it could honestly take much longer.

When I was there, they told me there was only 1 entry visas.

There's also a small office next door which can cancel your old visas if needed. I can't think of any practical reasons if you can't get a multi-entry at the border, but it's there.

>>　I spend way too much time exploring my legal and visa options, especially on and between borders.