Beijing 2008 : How to Get a Pre-Travel Passport & Visa Information

The 2008 Summer Olympics will be held in Beijing, China from August 8-24, 2008. That may sound like quite a ways off, but don't wait until the last minute to make travel arrangements!

Getting to China to personally watch the Olympics will take some advance planning and arrangements. Don't wait until the last moment to get started, or you'll miss out on the games and a great travel experience.

There are several steps to take care of just to ensure entry and exit to China. Secondary considerations such as finding hotels to stay in and restaurants to visit can be planned after you obtain first, a passport, then a Visa.

Passports are required for entry and exit from most foreign countries. Obtaining a passport has never been easier, at least for American citizens, as you now have the option of visiting a local post office that offers passport services. Check the Internet to find which postal locations near you offer this service. As of December 2006, the USPS will process a passport application for $97 for those 16 years or above. For those under 16, the fees are $82. Fees are paid separately, so be prepared to write two checks; one for the postal photo and passport filing fees for the Post Office, and the other for the Passport Application processing fee charged by the U.S. State Department. Both fees are incorporated into the amount listed above: the postal service charges $30 filing fees for your application, and the U.S. State Department charges $67 and $52 respectively for adult and minor applications.

Make sure you fill out the Passport Application (available at most Post Offices) and be prepared to submit a certified Birth Certificate and photo I.D. to the Postal or Passport authorities. Your Birth Certificate will be returned to you with your passport in the mail.

If you're in a hurry, you can pay an extra fee of $60 for the U.S. State Department to return your passport within three business days following receipt of your passport application, but otherwise, allow 3-4 weeks for your passport to be returned. Your passport will arrive in the mail. Keep in mind that there will be an influx of applications leading up to the Olympics, so get your passport processed early. You may also opt for Express Mail delivery of your passport to be mailed to you, which will cost you an extra $28 or so.

Once you have your passport in hand, you must obtain a Chinese visa. As of December 2006, passports must be hand delivered to the Chinese Embassy or consulate for your designated residence area. A list of Chinese Consular jurisdictions can be found at the end of this article. A trusted relative or friend is allowed to submit the application on your behalf, but you must also give them your passport, the photo, and necessary fees for processing. Or you may have a travel or visa agent physically takes all passports of persons in that tour group to the embassy or consulate. The Chinese Embassy will not accept your application by mail.

To obtain a Chinese visa, make sure your passport has at least 6 months validity and at least one blank page, though it is safer if 4-6 pages still remain blank. Take your passport, the Visa application, (which you can download from the consular website) and one additional 2x2 inch passport photograph to be applied to your Visa application. If you don't take a photo, you will have to step into another line to have someone from the visa office take one for you.

You don't need to make an appointment, but be prepared to wait in line. Lines move relatively quickly, but in order to avoid stress, check the embassy or consulate visa-processing hours and get there early.

Applications will be mailed back to you if you provide SASE with your application, or you may opt to return to the office within four business days for your visa. An extra payment of $20 will expedite processing and you can receive your visa within 2-3 business days. You may also pay extra for your visa application to be expedited within hours, and for those who have to drive great distances to the consular office, this option, for an extra $30 pays off in the long run. In most cases, if you hand in your visa application before 11:30 a.m., you may receive your visa between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. the same day. Be advised that personal checks are not accepted at some consulates, but make sure to check requirements of specific consulates before you go.

There are several options for a visa. For those visiting China for the Olympics, a single entry visa with a 3 or 6-month validity should suffice. Currently, the fees for a Single Entry visa are $50 per person.

There are five Chinese consulates serving geographical regions in the United States, including the Chinese Embassy located in Washington D.C. Chinese Consulate locations and jurisdictions are as follows:

If you live in Alaska, Nevada, Northern California, Oregon or Washington, you must use the office located at:

Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China - San Francisco

1450 Laguna St.

San Francisco, CA 94115

Tel: (415) 674-2900

If you live in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma or Texas, you must use the office located at:

Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China - Houston

3417 Montrose Blvd.

Houston, TX 77006

Tel: (713) 524-4311

If you live in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island or Vermont, you must use the office located at:

Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China - New York

520 12^th Ave.

New York, NY 10036

Tel: (212) 868-7752

If you live in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri or Wisconsin, you must use the office located at:

Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China - Chicago

100 West Erie St.

Chicago, Ill. 60610

Tel: (312) 803-0098

If you live in Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, or Southern California, you must use the office located at:

Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China - Los Angeles

443 Shatto Place

Los Angeles, CA 90020

Tel: (213) 807-8088

If you live anywhere that was not mentioned above, you must visit:

Visa Office of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China located at:

2201 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.,

Suite 110, Washington D.C. 20007

Tel: (202) 338-6688

By making sure to plan ahead and allow plenty of time for passport and visa applications to process, planning your trip to China for the 2008 Summer Olympics can be hassle free.