- Print out the visa application from the Chinese Consulate’s site and attach a passport photo.
- Be aware that you can submit applications on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Kathmandu.
- Drop-off time is 9:30-11:30am. After a night of heavy drinking, don’t lag in the morning and arrive at the consulate at 11:20am.
- Remember to bring a photocopy of your passport as they don’t have a copy machine on site. Otherwise, you’ll have to race around trying to locate a copy shop, make the copy and run back to submit everything before they shut their doors at 11:30.
- The processing time will take anywhere from 4-6 days and you’ll receive a slip with the pick-up date.
- Pick-up time is 2:30-4:30.
- Don’t wake up early to go to the consulate, thinking you’re not going to make the same mistake as last time. You will just end up walking 30 minutes across town only to be told to come back at 3:00.
- Read the visa application process on the website (including office hours) thoroughly.
- The cost for each visa is $130 for Americans (cost varies depending on nationality). You must have American dollars as Nepalese rupees are not accepted.
- When paying, you will have to fork out an unexpected $2 per visa as a “bank handling fee”. If you inform the cashier that you have exactly $130, he might tell you to check with a random Nepali person outside to exchange rupees for dollars. Do not immediately express disbelief. Random groups of Nepalese sometimes DO have dollars on them and can help you out.
- Fill out the serial numbers of each bill on a separate form before receiving your payment voucher.
- Take voucher to pickup window to get your passport with newly affixed Chinese visa (good for 30 days from date of entry).
- Do a happy dance and breathe sigh of relief!
it’s a good thing you knew all this ahead of time!
Easy as pie! I’m sure all your interactions with Chinese bureaucracy will be this smooth.
Guys have fun! It is great to read your tales. I follow them every few weeks.
FYI my buddy Dave had some trouble with his visa in hong kong. Apparently even though they are now one contry you need a new visa to go back to china from hk. His was single entry and he had issues. He ended up not being able to renter china from hk. Or it might have been the other way around
have fun
Hello from Crofty! I found that really informative. Thanks for the site. I will be back to look for more info tomorrow.