China - Question About It

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   SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years ago

   If you are originally from China and/or live there (not born there), is it a simple matter to travel to another country, e.g. just book a ticket for Mongolia or Nepal and just fly out for a visit as a tourist...or is it a bit more complicated...r u around CM?...i'm curious....

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      kschangposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The answer is no. You must get approval from local government even to travel out of the province. It's equivalent to a "local visa".
      
      I visited Guangzhou a few years ago, and visited some friends, who recommended we visit Zhuhai, the part of China closest to Macau (sort of a touristy town). They get their houko (residency) papers stamped (takes a day), before they can go.
      
      Tourists don't know this because this doesn't apply to foreign nationals.

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         SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         ...interesting...what if citizens wanted to go to Mongolia...same deal? ...and/or i should say approval within a day?
         
         ....what did you have to do to travel between provinces...anything...or you had to get approval as well...1 day?

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            Charlinexposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            No approval is required for Chinese citizens to travel between the provinces.
            
            For Inner Mongolia, it is a part of China, so government approval is not required. For Mongolia, being a different country, I am not sure. I have never been there. I imagine that a passport is required, at least.

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               SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               ...more info....thanks for that.....

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         SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         thanks for the info btw...

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         Charlinexposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Kschang, what you said is largely untrue. Chinese citizens were never required to get a visa to visit other parts of China. Zhuhai and Shenzhen, being special economic zones years ago, was exceptions. Now it is no longer the case.

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            china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Yes - I forgot about the special zones - now only Hong Kong and Macau are 'special zones' as far as I know.  This is because they retain the trading and other advantages of post-colonial status, ie they are a shopping magnet for Chinese

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         onetourchinaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         If you are a traveler from outbound, foreign area, then you need visa to entry into China. And if you need get out of China to visit other countries, yes, I think you need to get a new visa from its embassy branch in your own country.
         If you just travel in China, from Beijing to Shanghai, to Kunming, to Xian, all these are OK, without any other permit, except enter into Tibet.
         Travel for tibet you need to get the local tourism authority's paper, which you can get from your dwelling city's travel agency or online travel agency like us.

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      rafibarlevposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      This is a really interesting question. Definitely some good conversation going on here because of it.

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   lorlie6posted 14 years ago

   Though I don't meet some of your criteria, SOH-I'm American and don't live there now-I studied in Beijing in 1985.  I flew on CAAC airlines-a China-based airline.  I was a graduate student in Sociology, studying barefoot doctor practices and the Chinese-Mandarin-language.  After 9 months of study, I planned to take the Orient Express across the Gobi Desert, then through Europe to Poland.  At the time I booked my itinerary, travel like this seemed 'doable.' 
   But as the time approached, political unrest-mostly Polish-was coming to a head, and I was not able to take that trip. 
   I went to China as a student, and found it fairly easy to get from place to place within the country, but that was '85.  The political climate was far different.
   I hope you do make it there, if that's what you're planning.  Fascinating!

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      SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ...kewl...studying in Beijing...that must have been quite interesting for you i'm sure....i'm just curious right now...was talking to someone about China tonight...and so am posing the question...life in China peaks my curiosity and of course via what CMan says/writes about while (whilst as he'd say) living there....and anyone else who has experience with China.
      
      Thanks for sharing that info!

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   SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years ago

   ...bumpity...bumpity...bump...bump...

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   ShortStoryposted 14 years ago

   It's a lot easier now than it used to be.

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   china manposted 14 years ago

   Hiya SOH - sorry I am late for the party, just got up at midday here !
   
   "The answer is no. You must get approval from local government even to travel out of the province. It's equivalent to a "local visa".
   
   "I visited Guangzhou a few years ago, and visited some friends, who recommended we visit Zhuhai, the part of China closest to Macau (sort of a touristy town). They get their houko (residency) papers stamped (takes a day), before they can go."
   This applies to Hong Kong residents entering China I believe but is not the case in China (any more anyway) It is necessary to inform the 'authorities' if a Chinese moves to another place, but is a matter of registering at the new location 'immigration' Police office.  Took 5 minutes plus a 10 minute queue the last time we did this.  Holiday travel it is not required for Chinese they are counted same as tourists by showing ID for hotel book in.
   
   There is no restriction on travel anywhere in China - including Tibet and Mongolia for tourists or Chinese, and no restriction on travel outside China for Chinese.

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      SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      awwwwww.....Sat. nite on the net with a glass of wine......hey CM good to 'read you'....i knew you'd wake up...j/k....hey that's good to know....so no real restrictions....just book a flight and leave China (Chinese or foreign)......why is it necessary to register to move within China...i guess in a way if I move...tax authorities eventually know when i file taxes for example....just not right away....

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         SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         ...hey, where's your santa 'do'?

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            china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            No 'do',  we have a christmas lunch planned for a few of the foriegn teachers here at a restaurant that does a smoked/roasted chicken that looks a little like the real thing but tastes better - and give that a festive nature of some kind   i it is interesting in any way I will stick in a pic of us - maybe even write a hub aout it!

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               SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               ....i decided to put my santa hat on....not quite feelin' it but.... noticed a few xmas pics around HP and thought i'd join in...........................................
               
               ...yea write a hub on xmas in China - it'd be great to read.....

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               Joy56posted 14 years agoin reply to this

               i am looking forward to reading that

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                  china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  May just be a ramble with blurry shots of a load of empty bottles - you never know
                  
                  How you doing there in Ireland Joy?  are you anywhere near Cork?

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                     Joy56posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     I like your pics, i like to see the people i am communicating with, your hubs are cool

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                        china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                        AW !!  thanx,  *blush blush blush* 
                        
                        I am only getting very short time on here these days- busy busy you know! I will get loads of time at the end of the semester in about a month and will sift through all the recent hubs and I will start with yours - so see you around mid January in your comments sections

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                           Joy56posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                           i have not been writing, i am so deliquent, I kind of gave up.  My dad is very sick and i am running back and forward to England, he was rushed in to hospital last week, he could not breath, and he has oxygen all the time.  Of course we thuoght this is it..... and he came back out in two days so chirpy, and an infection he had had cleared up...
                           
                           It is hard to kill a bad thing, but dont tell him i said that. 
                           
                           I am quite a distance from Cork, and have never been... I am near Dublin

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                              china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              Yes I remember you said before - sorry not thinking!  Sorry to hear about your Dad, "we love the things we love to hate" somebody said  -  Get back to the sriting, it is therapeutic but it does take time doesn't it !  I am amking web site and seem to have no time at all at the moment, I am feeling a bit tired today so just resting - but will be on it again this evening I suppose.
                              
                              Chin up - at least you get to enjoy those fattening ferry meals I guess

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                                 Joy56posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                 there may be a couple of things you have not read, but i have to get back to writing, i get lazy

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         china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Each Province in China is a separate state with its own Provincial government, plus the left-over remnanats of the old form-filling for everything days.  HRH has an entry in her 'family book' and still officially 'lives' in Fujian and so just registers as 'long stay visitor' wherever we go. When we buy a house she will register there, and we will still travel and live all over the place.
         
         We get quite good wine down here in the south of China now so may just join you in that glass of wine !

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            SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            ...in Canada we have provincial and territorial laws; under the umbrella of federal laws.....but i don't need to state where i live until tax time and i guess if i wanted to avoid certain provincial taxes i might want to play with which province i actually lived in and/or which i'm visiting.....but that's for tax purposes....what's China's purpose?
            
            ....enjoy that wine wuldya....

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               china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Every country keeps track of where its people live I think ?  for tax and where to start looking for you when you rob a bank or something.
               
               How's the weather with you?  we have just got cold and raining stuff here, looks like winter has finally decided to stay at the moment

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                  SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  ...yor right!....
                  
                  the weather....it's darn shitty....lots of rain...you brits would luv it i hear.......some sun this week - but not enuf........i need more sunshine badly.....i may even go for a bike ride tomorrow in the rain....just drizzle....i need to go for a scoot........it's not cold....about 12C.........mind you i don't find that cold....cold where you are is probably 20C......
                  
                  ....sold my house this week....it's bittersweet....

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                     china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     Yep its about 12 C here also and pi@@ing down !  but very rarely goes below zero here this far south.
                     
                     If you go for a scoot - make sure you register at every Provincial and pis-ante town border ok.
                     
                     Yep - house and home selling is almost always a sad experience unless the profit overcomes that feeling

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                        SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                        ......profit.....sure there is profit.......however............i lived here for a while...but....i'll figure it all out....i .put it up 4 sale right?.....((convincing myself i guess - )
                        ..

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                           china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                           Change is normally diffcult - but you now have the ability to go where you like huh ???   Use some of that profit to come here - we are runing a summer camp (basic Chinese course and stuff with trips out every day) here next July and August - looks like being less than 3000 dollars all in for 4 weeks holiday!  best China deal around!  and you can have my personal attention D

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                              SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              Thanks CM.....yor right, i can go where ever i want......i'll keep that in mind.....$3,000 dollars or pounds or ?....can i bring my bike?
                              
                              ....i'm going to pack it in for the night....i've been on the site for faaaarrrr too long tonite.......
                              
                              ....later....have a good day.....the rest of it.....it's been great talking to you as usual........

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                                 china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                 Dollars - g'night young'un - enjoy your sleep ad have a good week

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      ShortStoryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It is not exactly accurate to say there are no restrictions on travel in China. The Hukou system still exists and there are restrictions on foreigners and Chinese traveling to areas such as Tibet. If you lived in Chicago and needed a permit to go to Denver, you would not consider that as being without restriction.

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         china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         There is no restriction on travel to Tibet for Chinese or foreigners, it was a restricted area for a few months for anyone for a while back around the Olympic games time, as were some parts of XingJiang.

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            ShortStoryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            You need special permits. That is a restriction. I don't need a government permit to travel to LA, and I didn't even when there were riots there.

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               china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               No special permits beyond notification of travel to Tibet - it is an autonomous region with its own laws and requirements, as is Inner Mongolia.

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                  ShortStoryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Yes, you do need special permits, but even the requirement of notification is a restriction. Do you need to notify the government when you go from London to Manchester? And - of course - "autonomous" is in name only. The communist party trumps all in China.

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      kschangposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      May have changed recently, but my friends were Chinese citizens, not HK.

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   SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years ago

   CM....if yor around....was talking to a friend today about taking off to learn better french (oral only) within 1 month in the summer (immersion by living with a family and taking class)(i can bring my bike too).....$2800 plus room and board...and transportation.....and that's within Canada (Quebec)......so tell me more about that China summer camp.....what's in addition to the 3k?
   
   ....you've really got me curious now....isn't that funny how topics come up....similar topic of discussion here in Canada, just a different language sought out to be learned.....and within 24 hours..

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      SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ...bump...logging off CM...will see if you caught this tomorrow....later....

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         china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Hiya SOH  -  ours is all-in package including flights and trips out round Guilin

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            SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            ...hmmmmm.....interesting CM....thanks for the info.....could learn something new and visit a few places around China....definitely looks like a better deal...........thanks for responding and providing the info.......

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               china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Yep - a further 10 days touring (once you were here) would cost between 750 and 1000 dollars at a guess - we are just getting the onward touring prices this week so I'll be able to let you  know

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                  SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  let me know the info when it's available....summer seems a long way away....feel like a hoppin' on a plane next week for the tours anyway........or tomorrow as a matter of fact....i'm itchin' to go somewhere different.......
                  
                  i plan to talk to a friend about the possibility of joining me....maybe my riding buddy...................................my other bud thinks vegas or poolside somewhere is a holiday....won't be asking her......but she's good with languages.......

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