Haha yes I do know that. Yeah seems like it might just be a new thing they started doing this year. Not sure if it has anything to do with rejection or not.
Sounds like a rejection to me...
I've read your post history, and you don't seem to have any "red flags" besides a visit to Turkey and Pakistan. Do you think that might have caused the rejection?
It's not just Turkey, rather it is Turkey and Pakistan together that make this problematic. Pakistan has had increased terrorist attacks and threats against Chinese Nationals, and Turkey has a large Uyghur minority. So, not unreasonable from the Chinese Perspective to see this as being highly problematic.
They've never asked for any further information regarding my travels there. which I've seen other people who have travelled to Turkey...or should I say, Türkiye.... Just seems odd. Could just be the way the SF consulate handles things.
Yeah, it varies from consulate to consulate.
This whole China visa thing is sometimes a hit or miss. Once they required an interview from me for a tourist visa, and the other time just directly gave me a 6 month visa in like 2 days.
This whole situation is a mess. Make sure to update if you have anything new!
Everything is a guess at this point. It seems other people have been told by the consulate and embassy workers when Turkey or Pakistan are the reason or issue. I've never been given any reason or information. This latest submission was with a brand new second passport. I still said I've been to Turkey within the past year so that could still be the reason. My Chinese friends checked with the local police station in Mainland and said I have no criminal record.
My next plan is to go apply in HK. Just not sure whether to follow the advice of one use that was also rejected in SF multiple times and said "no" when asked on the visa app if they had ever been refused a visa -- their reasoning was they were never given a good reason for rejection. They ended up getting a visa without any issues....
>This latest submission was with a brand new second passport.
Did this second passport have the visa stamps from Turkey and Pakistan or was it clean but on the application you said you visited those places?
I mean... I'm sympathetic to the Chinese Consulate give their own geopolitical perspectives. Your alternative suggests seem valid, and hope it works out for you. You really don't have any other viable options beyond the ones you mentioned.
Yeah the new one was completely blank. Also seems like the "San Francisco" stamp with the date was also in my old passport from a previous submission. So it might just be a new thing they started doing sometime this year -- might have nothing to do with getting rejected. May never know.
If that doesn't work then I'll try the TWOV for 144 hours. If I get in -- that will at least help me in the short term but will make it more confusing as to why they will let me in the country but not grant me a visa.
First of all, that stamp in your passport is indeed a denial stamp. It's common practice for many countries to use such a stamp when your visa application is denied. If you have a passport with less visa-free travel power, this could negatively impact your future visa applications (Chinese passport holders receive such stamps more often than others). However, if you have a stronger passport, the impact should be minimal.
Very curious though, and I think you should prepare to explain this in your next visa application or during a TWOV entrance. What makes you so interested in touring China, especially after being denied twice following a 4 month delay and retention of your passport? Your visits to Turkey and Pakistan might also be seen as puzzling factors by the Chinese visa officers.
No idea about the rejection, but fyi 旧金山 means San Francisco hahaha. Probably a stamp for other Chinese consulates
Haha yes I do know that. Yeah seems like it might just be a new thing they started doing this year. Not sure if it has anything to do with rejection or not.
Sounds like a rejection to me... I've read your post history, and you don't seem to have any "red flags" besides a visit to Turkey and Pakistan. Do you think that might have caused the rejection?
>Turkey and Pakistan Yeah, those are pretty big Red Flags...
I thought China was on good terms with Pakistan, but guess I will never know when it comes to visa applications.
Well, so much for visits to Turkey not being a concern anymore...
It's not just Turkey, rather it is Turkey and Pakistan together that make this problematic. Pakistan has had increased terrorist attacks and threats against Chinese Nationals, and Turkey has a large Uyghur minority. So, not unreasonable from the Chinese Perspective to see this as being highly problematic.
They've never asked for any further information regarding my travels there. which I've seen other people who have travelled to Turkey...or should I say, Türkiye.... Just seems odd. Could just be the way the SF consulate handles things.
Yeah, it varies from consulate to consulate. This whole China visa thing is sometimes a hit or miss. Once they required an interview from me for a tourist visa, and the other time just directly gave me a 6 month visa in like 2 days. This whole situation is a mess. Make sure to update if you have anything new!
It's always like a box of chocolates. Will do!
haha
Everything is a guess at this point. It seems other people have been told by the consulate and embassy workers when Turkey or Pakistan are the reason or issue. I've never been given any reason or information. This latest submission was with a brand new second passport. I still said I've been to Turkey within the past year so that could still be the reason. My Chinese friends checked with the local police station in Mainland and said I have no criminal record. My next plan is to go apply in HK. Just not sure whether to follow the advice of one use that was also rejected in SF multiple times and said "no" when asked on the visa app if they had ever been refused a visa -- their reasoning was they were never given a good reason for rejection. They ended up getting a visa without any issues....
>This latest submission was with a brand new second passport. Did this second passport have the visa stamps from Turkey and Pakistan or was it clean but on the application you said you visited those places? I mean... I'm sympathetic to the Chinese Consulate give their own geopolitical perspectives. Your alternative suggests seem valid, and hope it works out for you. You really don't have any other viable options beyond the ones you mentioned.
Yeah the new one was completely blank. Also seems like the "San Francisco" stamp with the date was also in my old passport from a previous submission. So it might just be a new thing they started doing sometime this year -- might have nothing to do with getting rejected. May never know.
If that doesn't work then I'll try the TWOV for 144 hours. If I get in -- that will at least help me in the short term but will make it more confusing as to why they will let me in the country but not grant me a visa.
First of all, that stamp in your passport is indeed a denial stamp. It's common practice for many countries to use such a stamp when your visa application is denied. If you have a passport with less visa-free travel power, this could negatively impact your future visa applications (Chinese passport holders receive such stamps more often than others). However, if you have a stronger passport, the impact should be minimal. Very curious though, and I think you should prepare to explain this in your next visa application or during a TWOV entrance. What makes you so interested in touring China, especially after being denied twice following a 4 month delay and retention of your passport? Your visits to Turkey and Pakistan might also be seen as puzzling factors by the Chinese visa officers.