Beijing Travel Forum

Hi, can anyone give me some information on how and where to extend a tourist visa that is valid for 30 days (single entry). I need to extend it for another 30 days. How long does it take. How many days before the date of expiry do I need to go to do my application.
Short: Where (Beijing), When, How much, What do I need

Do you have a guidebook eg Lonely Planet?
You need to go to the Entry-Exit (or is it Exit-Entry?) Administration office of the PSB (Public Security Bureau aka police) in order to extend your visa. Located near Yonghegong Lamasery.
Takes 4 working days and the new 30 days start from the date of issue, not the date of expiry of your original visa. So don't go too early.
What passport nationality are you? Different prices for different nationalities with US citizens being the most expensive.

I am EU citizen - Austria. What if I go only 2 days before expiry? Or is it OK, as long as the process is started before expiry (e.g. visa expires on 8th April, I go there on 6th)

Not sure about that one, sorry.

I got my visa extended in Zhongdian back in May 2006. I think it only took overnight and was not that expensive, I think it was about $18 USD converting the RMB to $. But back then, it cost $30 USD for a China via for a US citizen. Now it cost $130 USD! They gave me something like 45 days which I did not need.

Zhongdian is a lot smaller then Beijing which is maybe why it is faster. Or maybe they have different regulations now.

A visa extension is not really an extension, it is canceling your current visa and giving you a new one. So I lost my second entry on the original visa.

Sorry I don't know about renewing in with only 2 days left.

Hello!
Just wanted to close that thread. I went to the Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Beijing at the Municipal Public Security Bureau one day before my visa (30 days tourist visa) expired. I did not face any problems at all. Just gave them my passport, a passport picture, as well as a form stating where I was living. Today, one week later, I could pick-up my new tourist visa, which is valid for another 30 days.
As it was mentioned before, your visa gets canceled basically one day after your new visa application, and the new visa is valid from that day. So, as I have said, no problem to go there very short-listed.