What is the current status of getting a Chinese tourist visa in Vietnam? Previous threads indicate Hanoi only issues visas for Vietnamese residents, but can foreigners still get a visa in Ho Chi Minh? What the requirements? Are there more restrictions since 1 July 2013?
How about Cambodia? (I've been to Laos for a previous visa run so would like to travel elsewhere.)
Thanks.
Regarding Vietnam, I've heard the opposite now for tourist applications. Hanoi is OK but Saigon is not. What is the definition of a resident in Vietnam though, anyone on a 3-month or longer visa? However, it's best to make your application through a travel agency. Even if they charge more, if they advertise they can do Chinese visas, chances are you can trust them.
Cambodia was very easy a while ago when I went there - some of the latest sources suggest it's still that way, others suggest otherwise. However, because you can purchase a 6-month or 1-year business visa by paying between US$150-300 after arriving on a US$25 1-month business visa, you can easily call yourself a resident of Cambodia in less than a week. Having said that, going to all that expense just to qualify for a Chinese visa might seem ridiculous, though it might just be cheaper than flying to Hong Kong or somewhere else.
In Cambodia I again suggest using your hotel or a travel agency to help you. Recent reports suggest that you can still easily get a tourist visa for China there as a non-resident.
I don't think the July 1st changes have made it more difficult to apply for a tourist visa. Most of the changes have resulted in new types of visas and changes to existing types such as the Z visa (now split into two types) as well as more streamlined rules on extensions.
I am pretty sure the requirements for getting a visa in Vietnam and Cambodia are the same as everywhere else - an invitation letter from a Chinese resident or travel agency OR a hotel booking and air ticket. However, some reports suggest that travel agencies may not ask for anything more than your passport, a photograph and the money to pay for the visa. Presumably they either supply some kind of documents or have a good relationship with the consulates so they don't need to supply these documents.
