My First Visit to an Embassy
In preparation for my upcoming move to China, I had to do something that I have not previously had to do with any of my travels...visit an embassy!
There are two ways of going about the process. One is to pay a courier service to hand deliver your documents for you and the other option is to go and present everything yourself. But either way, mailing documents to the embassy rather than having a person be present is not an option. You also must apply at the consulate office that is zoned for your state. For me, that was the office in Houston.
I was applying for a Z visa or work visa for China and needed the following documents: a Chinese work permit (provided by my employer), and invitation letter to come work in China (also provided by my employer), my passport, a copy of my passport information page, a typed Chinese Visa Application, and $140. I can't tell you how many times I read through the checklist on various websites about what was needed to successfully apply for a Z Visa...and in all of my reading I came across reviews and horror stories about being turned down by the embassy which after months of preparing for job abroad was the last thing that I wanted to happen!
I arrived at the consulate at about 8:30 on a Monday morning and gave myself a huge pat on the back for making it through downtown Houston rush hour traffic before joining a long line of other Chinese Visa hopefuls. The consulate opens at 9 but people come early and wait outside. I tried my best to be extra prepared...I even made multiple copies of my work permit and slightly different versions of my application (it wasn't clear whether or not to provide a social security number - turns out they don't want that...they want you to provide your driver's license ID number instead so my extra copies were helpful). After an hour of anxiously and somewhat nervously waiting in line, the lady reviewed my paperwork, gave me a receipt and a pick up date for me to return, and I was on my way! I went back 3 days later, paid the fee, and retrieved my passport and visa. All in all a pretty painless first experience dealing with an embassy...
Only two more days til I take flight!
The Chinese Consulate Office in Houston
I was applying for a Z visa or work visa for China and needed the following documents: a Chinese work permit (provided by my employer), and invitation letter to come work in China (also provided by my employer), my passport, a copy of my passport information page, a typed Chinese Visa Application, and $140. I can't tell you how many times I read through the checklist on various websites about what was needed to successfully apply for a Z Visa...and in all of my reading I came across reviews and horror stories about being turned down by the embassy which after months of preparing for job abroad was the last thing that I wanted to happen!
I arrived at the consulate at about 8:30 on a Monday morning and gave myself a huge pat on the back for making it through downtown Houston rush hour traffic before joining a long line of other Chinese Visa hopefuls. The consulate opens at 9 but people come early and wait outside. I tried my best to be extra prepared...I even made multiple copies of my work permit and slightly different versions of my application (it wasn't clear whether or not to provide a social security number - turns out they don't want that...they want you to provide your driver's license ID number instead so my extra copies were helpful). After an hour of anxiously and somewhat nervously waiting in line, the lady reviewed my paperwork, gave me a receipt and a pick up date for me to return, and I was on my way! I went back 3 days later, paid the fee, and retrieved my passport and visa. All in all a pretty painless first experience dealing with an embassy...
Only two more days til I take flight!
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