China to Hong Kong and back to China

[IrishGuy65]

Do I need a special visa when I visit China to go into Hong Kong for the day and then go back to China?  I know Chinese need a permission document or something to go into Hong Kong.

During my visit, I would like to spend a day in Hong Kong.  And the lady I'm visiting asked me if I needed a special visa.  I figured you guys would know.

Thanks!

Patrick

PS - Yes, you can call me Zoot.  It was a nickname when I was younger that stuck.  If you know The Muppet Show, then you may remember the saxophone player.  His name was Zoot, and a friend said I looked just like him.  The nickname stuck, and I use it often for online things like this 

[Jason B]

Not a special visa but you will need a multi entry visa for China, otherwise you will find yourself stranded on the Hong Kong side of the border crossing as you will have used your entry going to China and exit visa going into Hong Kong.  Do not know about USA but for Australians you will automatically receive a 90 day tourist visa upon immigration in Hong Kong.

[Pineau]

Get yourself a one year multi entry visa for China. the Cost is the same and gives you a little flexibility for coming and going. Use the VISARITE link I gave you. Tell them what you want and they will make the best recommendation for you.

[IrishGuy65]

Get yourself a one year multi entry visa for China. the Cost is the same and gives you a little flexibility for coming and going. Use the VISARITE link I gave you. Tell them what you want and they will make the best recommendation for you.

Thanks, Jason.  I wasn't sure about this, so this information is very helpful.

Yes, Gerry, that is exactly what I'm doing.  I just have to make some hotel reservations, which have not been done yet.  I am hoping to make a few more trips to China after this first one, so I wanted to get a multi entry visa anyway.  I also wanted to wait a bit so I have the time.  If I do it now, I will have 1 year from now.  I'm going to wait until May for the Visa, then I'll have until May next year, I think

[Pineau]

Where are you planning to stay? Shunde or Guangzhou?  The high end , budget or somewhere in the middle?  I know some budget Hotels in Guangzhou that are really quite nice. I will look for their business cards if you want.

If you staying in Shunde then she will probably have a better idea where to stay.

Are you starting to get excited? Before you know it you will be there. !

[shaun]

Zoot, All good info here about visa's.

You can enter Hong Kong anytime and find nice Hotels at a reasonable price.  Most of them have busses that do not cost to ride from the hotel to shopping districts so don't be afraid to stay away from the main part of the island.

I'm not sure how you plan to go from Hong Kong to Guangzhou but my wife meets me at the Shekou ferry terminal in Shenzhen and we travel by train or bus to our destination.  You can get on the ferry at the airport.  There is also a train but I've never tried it.  I have traveled by bus as they say but it is a minivan.  I prefer the ferry.

[Pineau]

I have never taken the ferry. I have taken the train several times and gone through customs at the train station. And fighting for a taxi and watching for pick pockets.   Now I am sure I much prefer the Bus. You are dropped on familiar ground. And If I am staying in Kowloon its a no brainer short taxi ride. I recommend the Novotel on Nathan road. It is smack dab in the middle of the shopping and restaurants.  .

There is a bus which travels directly between Hong Kong and the China Hotel in Guangzhou. Comfortable and scenic as you drive down the coast road North of Hong Kong. You need to go through Customs in Shenzhen and get on another bus on the other side but the Bus terminal employees make it pretty painless and if you look lost the will grab you and steer you to the correct bus. 

You can stay the night or just reverse the steps and take the bus back to Guangzhou.
In Guangzhou the Bus terminal is behind the China hotel (Marriot) in the Alley just past the main entrance. 
   越秀区流花路 122 号 · 广州, 广东 510015 中国
  Liuhua road, yuexiu district, 122th · Guangzhou, Guangdong China 510,015
The bus will drop you in Kowloon.

[shaun]

Well I like the ferry because I don't have to mess with my luggage until I get to Shenzhen, I don't have to leave the airport to catch the ferry, and I can eat at my favorite hot pot restaurant in Shenzhen; spend the night at a nice hotel before we go to Shaoguan.

I understand there is a ferry that you can take to Guangzhou but I haven't tried it.  I may the next trip.

[john1964]

Zoot, im presuming you are holding an American passport??, I live in Australia but still hold a British passport so i dont need a visa to go to HK, my wife holds a Chinese passport and if we flew in to HK from Australia she would not need a document/visa but if we catch a train from shenyang to HK she does need one, I think you should ask at your local Chinese consulate, John.

[IrishGuy65]

Where are you planning to stay? Shunde or Guangzhou?  The high end , budget or somewhere in the middle?  I know some budget Hotels in Guangzhou that are really quite nice. I will look for their business cards if you want.

If you staying in Shunde then she will probably have a better idea where to stay.

Are you starting to get excited? Before you know it you will be there. !

I'm staying in Shunde.  The lady, HongPing, has a membership where she can get a discount on a 4 star hotel right near where she lives.  So, she is going to set up a reservation for me, then I'll just pay when I get there.  It's called the Grandlei in Shunde.  She had some friends from Hunan province stay there and they said it was nice.

As for excitement.  I am excited about the trip. But I don't want my excitement to peak before I even get there, so I'm trying (unsuccessfully, thus far) not to think about it too much.

[IrishGuy65]

The reason I asked the initial question is that HongPing wants to spend a day in Hong Kong.  She has mentioned that there is a ferry and that's the easy way to get there.  But she was worried I wouldn't be able to go there and come back.   As for flying in... I'll be going to Guangzhou.

John, yes, I have an American passport.  I think I will do that, talk to my consulate just to verify.  HongPing has a 'passport' of sorts to enter Hong Kong as well.  That is why she wanted to know how it worked.

As always, the input from you all is much appreciated.

[Robertt S]

Here is a link to the Consulate in Hong Kong, it has the information you are looking for.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1136.html#entry_requirements

[john1964]

Not sure where to post this but it is just some info for Aussies.
Went to get my Chinese visa renewed last week at the embassy in Perth and after standing in line for about 30 minutes i found out that there was new forms to fill out as they had changed, no problem, filled them out then was told i needed.
1, copies of hotel bookings
2, copy of ticket
3,copy of itinerary
4,copy of travel insurance and policy number
5,letter of invitation from family
6,then because i have a British passport there was another form to complete.
There are more Chinese applying for visas to return home now as they have relinquished their Chinese passports in favour of being "naturalised" and now hold Aussie passports, This is why the queue is always so long at the embassy now. John.

[RobertBfrom aust]

That John is not so funny , I had similar when Sujuan and I were meeting in Shanghai in December , but I luckily filled out online and what I did not have pulled in straight away , funny that they asked for an itinerary because I assume you were getting a multi entry visa and once you have that you can go in and out many times in a year , Sujuan still uses her China passport and waits for me at customs in China , where as here I wait for her to clear ha ha , regards Sujuan and Robert .

[IrishGuy65]

Here is a link to the Consulate in Hong Kong, it has the information you are looking for.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1136.html#entry_requirements

Robert, that site was very helpful.  Thanks!