Kunming: Chinese visa extension reports

[steven]

Kunming visa extension reports are welcome here. We summarize all Chinese visa extension reports at Chinese visa extensions.

[QuentinT]

Short report on our visa extension request at Kunming PSB.
The PSB is situated as mentionned on maps.me
The required photo can be done in the PCB bulding for 30Y (8 photos, you need one on the form).
Processing time is 5 working days.
They didn’t want an extended booming&itinerary. Only 5 main destinations since the beginning of our stay up to the end.
We were told that we’ll get 30days visa that start at the end of our current visa.
We applied on the 7th of November 2018 and out 60days atay is valid up to the 20th of November.
Price is 160Y, to be paid when collecting the passport.
I’ll edit the post when I get updates.

[QuentinT]

We had to pay by WeChat, Alipay or domestic bank card.
Hopefully one officer is doing this job with his hown card. (Or you find someone to pay for you).
They also give a WeChat official account for questions regarding visa : 昆明出入境

[BakuBound]

In the past it was quite easy for foreigners with tourist visas to open bank accounts in China. A couple of hours of paper-shuffling at the bank and you'd walk out with a working debit card. But this has become quite difficult recently, and it might take a lot of legwork to find a willing bank.

Non-cash payments are becoming the rule in China, so this poster's experience may well be repeated in other cities. Best to ask beforehand what payments can be used.

[Kanter]

Hello,

I am currently travelling to Kunming by bus, and I would like to extend my visa. I am supposed to go to Dali, Lijiang and Shangri La in next few days. I have an issue: time !

Even 3 working days in Lijiang is huge for me, as I only have 13 more days in China, during this process is it allowed to leave city ? For example from Lijiang to Tigers Leap Gorge or I need to stay downtown ?

If my request is rejected, I waste 3 days...

For Lijiang, sorry but I did not find any details of required documents here so was it needed ?

Thanks

[blakep76]

In the past it was quite easy for foreigners with tourist visas to open bank accounts in China. A couple of hours of paper-shuffling at the bank and you'd walk out with a working debit card. But this has become quite difficult recently, and it might take a lot of legwork to find a willing bank.

Non-cash payments are becoming the rule in China, so this poster's experience may well be repeated in other cities. Best to ask beforehand what payments can be used.

For what it's worth, both Alipay and Wechat just announced this week that they'll start allowing tourists and other international visitors who were previously unable to open a bank account (hence couldn't use Chinese mobile payments) to link foreign cards and use their online services to pay.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/06/alipay- ... cards.html

I couldn't imagine the headache of travelling around China these days without the ability to pay with Wechat wallet or Alipay. A number of businesses don't accept cash at all anymore, and half the time shops, taxi drivers etc will legit struggle to find even a couple of RMB change if you pay cash.

[BakuBound]

Wechat has been promising this for two years now, but nobody's gotten it to work. Lots of people have wasted lots of time fiddling with Wechat, to no use (including me). So don't hold your breath.

Similarly Alipay. Wait till we get some positive report backs before you count on this.

[blakep76]

Positive reports of tourists successfully signing on for Alipay's "tourpass" in the past few days here....

Tripadvisor

Shanghai expats FB page

Alipay's FB page

Wechat wallet supposedly already works too.... Instructions here, but haven't heard any first hand reports about that one yet.

As far as the annoyance regarding hindrances for foreigners in China and difficulties regarding payments and the banking system you're preaching to the choir. Having lived here for the best part of a decade I've pretty much personally seen and suffered it all, from cards being cancelled by the bank whilst overseas to accounts being disabled and my sorry ass left penniless during week-long national holidays.
Needless to say, as China becomes more and more cashless (literally by the day) this is a positive step forward.

[blakep76]

^ the instruction pics for how tourists should set up alipay in those attachments are backwards, but I'm too lazy to edit them.... Pic # 2 is step 1 and Pic # 1 is step 2.

[BakuBound]

When it comes to Wechat, I'll believe it when I see it. And those tempted to use Wechat should be aware that your account can suddenly be locked for no reason at all, sending you on a goose chase to find qualifying friends to help you unlock it. Or maybe suddenly requiring a photo of you and your passport, all right at the supermarket just as you're getting ready to pay.

Also, using Wechat means installing an app that takes up almost 1GB on your phone when installed, doing who knows what.

As for Alipay, I have heard there's a 5 percent fee on the Tourist Pass after December 31.

Note that while there are occasional exceptions, like online retailers jd.com and taobao, most places accept both Alipay and Wechat, so there's no reason to set up both.