Silk Road Travel Information - Visas

All visitors entering China must have a valid passport and visa, but this is usually a straightforward process. Tourists travelling in a group are listed on a single group visa issued in advance to tour organizers. Tourist visas for individual 'travellers can be obtained directly through Chinese embassies and consulates around the world. Certain travel agents and tour operators can arrange individual visas for their clients. Visa fees and their duration vary considerably, depending on the source of the visa and the time taken to issue it. In Hong Kong, for instance, some travel agents can et a three-month tourist visa in a few hours for around US$30, while the same visa obtained directly from the Visa Office of the Foreign Ministry of the PRC (26 Har- bout Road, 5th Floor, Wanchai, Hong Kong, tel 835-3794) takes one day and costs less than US$15; three- to six-month multiple-entry business visas are also available and can cost up to USS100. All that is needed is a completed application form and one passport photograph.

In order to cross over the Khunjerab Pass into Pakistan, all travellers must have a valid Pakistani visa. If you did not get yours before entering China, apply at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Beijing, at 1 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Sanlitun, tel 52-2504, 52-2695 or 52-2581. During the tourist season the border is open daily, including national holidays.

Visa extensions can be easily obtained, one month at a time for a maximum of two, at the Public Security Bureau (PSB) in most major cities, but usually only within a week of the original visa's (or previous extension's) expiration.