Report: Tehran, Chinese VIsa

[basti.s]

I (German) was now the third time in five days at the Chinese embassy and they sent me three times away without looking on my application. First the visa office was closed on Wednesday, on Thursday the woman with the glasses asked me for my residents permit. I told her that I just have a visa for Iran and she replied that today is just for Iranians or people with residents permit. I should come back on Sunday.

But today it was the same. First another woman working for the embassy told me I should try it in another country. Then I asked for the woman with the glasses. She said later that there is a problem and I can try it on another day. But the embassy is closed until 8th of October, because of a national holiday. I will try it again and post the news here.

[basti.s]

Success with the fourth try. Possibly they sent me away (last post) because of the Chinese national holiday. From 13th of October on everything was quite normal as described here.

Possibly some helpful facts for you:

- Be early and write your name on the waiting list at the door. I was there at about 7am last time and I was on position 11.

- If you need any help, you could ask a man called "Console" if you speak Farsi or you find a translator. He has a visa agency and helped me two times to get in and with my papers (glue for the photo ). He has grey hair, a moustache and was working more than 20 years for the embassy.

- One of the working women (without glasses) said to me, I should go to another embassy in another country. That's wrong. Trust the Chinese woman with glasses.

- I got 56 days with the documents like discribe above this post.

[VikingBiking]

Hey everybody!

I intend to apply for a Chinese visa in Tehran next year and have two very special questions:

1. I have dual citizenship and after having gotten the second one last year I changed my first name that my original homecountry doesn't recognize. The consequence is that I have two passports with two different names but according to the embassy of my first country - that doesn't accept my new name - it is not illegal, I should be fine.
A few years ago I visited China and I got a visa on my old name. You think it would be fine to apply for a new visa with that passport? Or shall I just stop using my old name and tell the embassy that I am a citizen in a new country and I have a new name? Won't they think it's strange?

2. Here comes the surprise: my new passport is Swedish. Sweden and China's relations are becoming worse and worse... Any Swedes here who recently have applied for a visa and got it approved/rejected?
My old homecountry - where I still have my old name - is maintaining really good relations with China though, so maybe I should use that passport instead? Very tricky situation...
I am aware of that all options are legal, I just wonder which option may be the smoothest way to go?

Very big thank you!
Viking Biking

[DSS]

Small doubt regarding entering overland to China and getting the Visa in Tehran.

I could see in the forum some of the most recent aplicants being sucessfull obtaining the enough validity to keep the journey by land (hitchhiking, bicycle) and so, they could reach China with no rush (1 month would be almost imposible by bicycle, maybe on a Tour de France pace...)

My doubt arises at the time of applying for a chinese visa in Tehran and the expiry date of my Iranian's Visa.

Example:
I'm in Tehran.
It's 1st of March.
Iranian visa's expiry date: 31st of March
In my aplication for a chinese visa (with all the mandatory documents) I put that I will take a flight Tehran - Shanghai on the 29th of April so I can be sure I will get the 3 months validity for that visa and reach China with no rush.

Question: As the expiry date of my iranian visa is BEFORE the flight's date, Anybody over here applied with this "mismatch" on dates with success?

Thanks in advance.

[Jer]

Does anyone had problems with a Turkish visa stamp in your passport, I read this can be an issue?

We (Dutch / Nepali) planning a cycling trip from the Netherlands to Kathmandu and we want to start in May.

Grt,
Jeroen

[hiwybi]

Small doubt regarding entering overland to China and getting the Visa in Tehran.

I could see in the forum some of the most recent aplicants being sucessfull obtaining the enough validity to keep the journey by land (hitchhiking, bicycle) and so, they could reach China with no rush (1 month would be almost imposible by bicycle, maybe on a Tour de France pace...)

My doubt arises at the time of applying for a chinese visa in Tehran and the expiry date of my Iranian's Visa.

Example:
I'm in Tehran.
It's 1st of March.
Iranian visa's expiry date: 31st of March
In my aplication for a chinese visa (with all the mandatory documents) I put that I will take a flight Tehran - Shanghai on the 29th of April so I can be sure I will get the 3 months validity for that visa and reach China with no rush.

Question: As the expiry date of my iranian visa is BEFORE the flight's date, Anybody over here applied with this "mismatch" on dates with success?

Thanks in advance.

Note that the 3months (if single entry) or 6months (if double entry) start from the moment of application!! Not from the moment you say you will fly in...

The flight you have doesn't even have to be from Tehran.. we had ours from Almaty..

[DSS]

Note that the 3months (if single entry) or 6months (if double entry) start from the moment of application!! Not from the moment you say you will fly in...

The flight you have doesn't even have to be from Tehran.. we had ours from Almaty..

I see! I was lost on that detail, it makes sense now. Thanks for the feedback

P.D. I will try my best adding up my experience to this forum once I pass through the process. Cheers!

[arnopino]

Hello,
Could anybody get a single entry with more than 90 days of validity ?

Thanks

[fietser]

Hello,
Could anybody get a single entry with more than 90 days of validity ?

Thanks

I think 90 days is the maximum, but did anybody succeed in getting that? I read somewhere someone got 86 days, pretty good too.

[2wheelsforever]

Just to update this forum I went to the embassy twice in Jan 2024 to try and get a Chinese tourist visa and was turned away both times. They said they could only issue visas for Iranian residents or those with a Iran visa of at least 6 months. I was quite firm with them and said that it was possible and people had got it in the past but they then went to the back offices multiple times and spoke to the ‘officer’ of the embassy who confirmed it was not possible.
Sad news but thought this might be helpful.