Chinese visa in Hong Kong without hotel bookings and return flight?

Question

I'm an currently in Macau and just went to the Chinese consulate to apply for a Chinese visa.

I'm on my way overland from Germany to Japan and had hoped for a dual entry visa (60 days each) to make it from Macau to the Chinese east coast to take a ferry to South Korea, then Japan and back to China. I provided a list with cities and hotels I plan to stay at while in China.

The lady at the consulate looked a bit bewildered, all she could offer me is a single entry seven day tourist (L) visa and only if I had all hotel bookings and a return flight.

Several years ago I got a Chinese visa in Hong Kong at my guest house. I just handed in my passport in the afternoon, with no itinerary, no bookings, no onward tickets. I got the visa the next morning.

Is this still possible? I guess I have to find some agencies that doesn't ask any questions. I don't want to book all my hostels and the ferry in advanced, I don't know when I will be at a particular place.

Last year I got my Chinese visa in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan through an agency and again no questions asked.

Anybody has any recent experience with visa agencies in Hong Hong or Macao?

Answer 1

I did some research and while it used to be possible to get this in Macau in the past, the company most people suggested: CTS does not offer this service anymore. They suggested their Hong Kong office.

I contacted a different agency in HK suggested in another post on travel.stackexchange FBT, they said they don't need hotel bookings or return flights.

Today I went to Hong Kong to their offices and indeed many travelers applied with just an application form and a password photo.

The process takes (up to) 4 working days and you have to hand in your passport.

For me that was a problem because I had to return to Macau in the evening for which I needed my passport. I knew that, so I applied with my second passport which I carry for cases like this one.

But they told me I could not use that one, because I have to apply with the same passport I entered Hong Kong with.

I went back to immigration at the ferry terminal and confirmed that I have to leave with the same passport I entered with.

So, it turns out it is not possible to apply for a Chinese visa in Hong Kong while based in Macau.

The only thing I can do is moving to HK and staying there for 4 to 5 nights while waiting for my visa.

Edit: I applied on a Monday afternoon and got the visa on Thursday 1p.m., no hotel bookings or proof of onward transportation was required. You can also pay extra for a one day express service.