Residence permit in China for Russians 2021: how to get it, what documents are needed, how much it costs

When traveling abroad, Russians are faced with the need to complete various types of paperwork. Among them is a migration card (MK) - a document that is filled out when entering a foreign country. It contains information about the person, place and duration of his stay, information about his passport, and flight number. This data allows you to monitor the movement and time of a tourist’s stay in the state. In most cases, forms and samples of migration cards are located at special stands at airports even before passing border control or are issued to passengers during the flight.

NB!
We remind you that due to coronavirus infection, most countries in the world have banned or limited entry. As of April 1, 2021, according to information from the Federal Tourism Agency, the following are available for travel from the Russian Federation:
Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Great Britain, Vietnam, Greece, Georgia, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, Maldives, UAE, Seychelles, Serbia, Singapore, Tanzania, Turkey, Finland, Switzerland, Ethiopia, South Korea, Japan.
We recommend checking with the office about the procedure and reasons for allowing entry. websites of diplomatic missions of the above countries.
The information presented in the article further concerns travel outside of coronavirus restrictions.

Usually MKs are drawn up in English, as well as the state language of the country into which the tourist is entering. All data in the MK is entered personally by each foreign citizen; other persons are prohibited from doing this, except in cases where the card is filled out for minors and incapacitated citizens.

When passing through passport control, inspectors enter the foreigner’s data into a special database, and a stamp is placed on the migration card. When leaving the country, customs officers take the MK and delete the tourist’s data from the database. If it turns out that a foreigner does not have an MK or he left the country untimely, that is, he violated the terms of his stay in a foreign state, then he may be subject to administrative punishment. Usually these are fines or a ban on entry into the country.

Let's consider the procedure for filling out migration cards for such popular tourist destinations as Egypt, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka.

Migration card upon entry to Egypt

Arriving in Egypt, for example, at Hurghada airport, the first thing a tourist must do is fill out a migration card.
It represents a kind of questionnaire containing information about the traveler, his passport details, the purpose of the trip, the flights on which he arrived and is going to leave the country. The card also contains information about the children with whom the foreigner came. Moreover, a separate document is filled out for minors over 12 years of age. A sample of filling out a migration card is shown in the photo example: To enter Egypt, you do not need to apply for a visa in advance, the document is issued at the airport, and you will have to pay $25 for its registration. Although you can get a free visa when visiting Sharm El-Sheikh and South Sinai, it will be impossible to travel outside the region. When entering this region, border guards put a stamp “Sinai only” on the migration card (as in the example of filling out an application form for Egypt), and to visit other parts of the country you will have to apply for a separate paid visa.

You cannot download and fill out the migration card in advance. The document is issued only at airports in exchange for a travel voucher. All information is entered in clear, legible handwriting, without blots or errors. It is very important not to make any corrections, otherwise the card will not be accepted for consideration. All information entered into the MK must correspond to the information specified in the international passport. It is advisable to beware of offers to purchase a migration card. This document is issued free of charge and can be completed in a few minutes.

It is undesirable to lose your card, but if such a problem does occur, you should contact the customs control service, where they will help you restore the document.

Video: specialist on visas to Egypt

Migration card at Vietnam airport

Vietnam has become a very popular tourist destination in recent years, especially since Russian citizens can stay on its territory without a visa for up to two weeks. When entering Vietnam, a tourist is required to fill out a migration card, forms of which are distributed on the plane, which can significantly save time when passing border control. It is worth keeping in mind that the document is filled out for each traveler, including children. If difficulties arise when entering data into the card, flight attendants usually advise on this issue. An example of a migration card is shown in the photo on the right.

Both parts Arrival (arrival) and Departure (departure) must be filled out. The border guards keep the first part for themselves, and the tourist is returned the Departure of the migration card, which must be kept until leaving the country. The card has a standard appearance, data is entered in Latin in block letters. It is better to use blue or black ink for filling.

There is no point in downloading a card from the Internet and filling it out at home, since each document has its own unique number, and border guards will not accept a card printed on a printer. It is enough to familiarize yourself with the sample filling, which is shown in the photo, and then make similar entries in your migration card.

Migration card at the Thai border

Migration card forms are issued upon flight to the Kingdom of Thailand. Filling it out does not cause any particular difficulties, especially if the tourist has basic knowledge of the English language. MK consists of two sheets:

Arrival card is the entry part of the card. Filled on both sides. The front back contains information about the passenger (full name, passport number), information about the flight and place of residence in the Kingdom. On the reverse side, information about the nationality, country of permanent residence and income of tourists, as well as a number of other information, is entered.
Departure card - the exit part of the card. Filled on one side only. The information in this part of the card is almost identical to the Arrival card, with the exception of the flight number - the number of the return flight on which the tourist departs from Thailand is indicated.

All data can be entered in both Thai and English in block letters only. Corrections and blots are unacceptable. If you still made any mistakes, it is better to ask for a new form. Otherwise, if any mistakes are detected, the border guard will ask you to fill out a new card, and this will be a waste of time. It’s better to download a blank form in advance, fill it out at home in a calm environment, and on the plane, when you receive the MK, quickly transfer all the information into it, based on the already completed sample. The Arrival card remains with the border guard, and the Departure card is attached to the tourist’s passport and is confiscated upon leaving the Kingdom.

An important point: do not lose that part of the MK that the border guard will return to you. Otherwise, this will cause difficulties when returning to your homeland, and without this document, you may be denied check-in at the hotel.

Border between Hong Kong and China

Hong Kong, although officially part of China, is nevertheless endowed with fairly broad autonomous rights. And the border between it and China still exists. This is manifested, in particular, in the need for separate visas to visit Hong Kong and mainland China.

If you get a visa to Hong Kong, it is impossible to enter the country with it. But getting from China to Hong Kong is much easier for tourists.

Hong Kong is located on a peninsula and many small islands. Accordingly, you can get to it both by water and land transport. The most convenient way is by train. There are passages, including underground ones, between the main part of the country and Hong Kong.

The border crossing procedure will take about a quarter of an hour if there is no queue. It consists of going through passport control and filling out an arrival card. The crossings are equipped with everything necessary for quickly completing formalities, because tens of thousands of people use them every day.

And there are fewer tourists among them than local residents. And once you are in Hong Kong, you can go to the city center by any public transport, fortunately it is quite close.

How to get from China to Hong Kong. Detailed video instructions.

You just have to remember that since Hong Kong is a former British colony, traffic here is on the left. Almost everyone understands English, so it is easier to communicate here than in China.

Rules for the validity of a Chinese visa in Hong Kong

Having a Chinese visa, you can go from Hong Kong to anywhere in China, spend one day, week or month there, for which a tourist visa is issued, and then return to Hong Kong and again have the opportunity to spend two weeks here without a visa. But with a trip from China to Hong Kong, this number will no longer work.

Moreover, if a tourist, having a single-entry tourist visa to China, goes on an excursion to Hong Kong, where a visa is not required for Russian citizens, then it will be impossible to return back to China.

The limit of entries and exits will be exhausted. This should be taken into account when going on an independent trip to avoid a rather sticky situation.

To visit mainland China, you need to contact the visa section of the Representative Office of the Plenipotentiary Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong SAR of the People's Republic of China. Theoretically, it is possible for Russians to obtain a Chinese visa in Hong Kong. But in practice there is no guarantee that this will be possible, since there is a possibility of failure.

Single Entry Tourist Visa to China

Obtaining a Chinese visa at Hong Kong airport

You can also apply for a Chinese visa at. This can be done without leaving the Hong Kong airport terminal. The company counter is A04 (Terminal 1). The visa is issued within 5-6 hours. All questions can be clarified by calling (852) 2261-2472.

A single-entry tourist visa valid for one month is issued at the airport.

Just like in your home country, you need to fill out a form. The photo will be taken right in the office, as well as a copy of the passport. Which, by the way, will be taken away after issuing a receipt stating that this was done to obtain a visa. So for the next few hours, until the visa is issued, you will have to remain without documents.

Subscribe to the Visaasam.ru channel in Yandex Zen

It is safe as long as you do not leave the airport. They may require you to present a return ticket, as well as confirm information about your place of residence and sufficient funds.

If the documents are submitted in the afternoon, you will have to spend a day at the airport, since the visa will only be ready the next day.

You can, of course, go to the city, but it’s better to confine yourself to the airport terminal. This will eliminate the need to explain the lack of a passport.

Obtaining a visa at the airport

How to get a Chinese visa for unmarried girls

Visa processing for young unmarried women has its own peculiarities. They will be required to have one more condition - the presence of a previous Chinese visa issued in Russia.

The time for consideration of the issue of issuing a permit in this case will be extended - up to a day. And they will issue a visa, most likely, not for a month, but only for two weeks.

Other nuances

After receiving a visa, you can travel to China by any means of transport. By plane, for example, if a long stay at the airport has not discouraged such a desire and there are enough funds. Or visit Macau, which can be reached by sea, on a speedboat.

But it’s faster and cheaper to get into China through one of the border crossings, which can be reached by metro or bus.

Turkey Migration Card

Another popular destination among Russian tourists is Türkiye. Russians enter this country without a pre-issued visa. One of the subtleties of a visa-free stay is the obligation of a foreigner to contact the police department within 2 days of entering the country, fill out a migration card and register. This procedure can be avoided if you fill out the MK at the airport upon arrival.

Typically, forms of this document are distributed on the plane and flight attendants are happy to advise on all issues related to filling out the MK.
All data is entered in English. A separate card is filled out for each traveler. Having a tour package makes traveling around Turkey much easier. When entering the country through a tour operator, a personal guide helps resolve all migration issues, including filling out a card.

Migration card when flying to China

Russians can visit China after obtaining a visa. On the plane, the flight attendant issues an immigration card, which should be filled out in accordance with the given samples shown in the photo:

For some tourists, this procedure causes slight difficulties, which is not surprising: the map is compiled in Chinese and English. All the information you need is contained in your passport and visa, if you received it in advance.

MK consists of two parts: Arrival and Departure, both cards must be filled out. You will give the first one to the border guards upon entering China. You must keep the Departure card until the end of your visit to the country; it will only be taken away upon departure. Don’t worry if you accidentally lose your migration card: you will be asked to fill out a new one when leaving the country.

Please note that the flight number in Arrival corresponds to the one on which you arrived in the country, while in Departure it corresponds to the flight number on which you departed from China.

Types and categories of entry visas to China

In accordance with the adopted laws of the People's Republic of China, any foreigners must have a special type of documents allowing entry, exit and transit movement throughout the country. All questions regarding the timing of registration, issuance, and validity of a visa are resolved by special representatives of the Chinese embassy and consulate.

These migration workers have the right to make any decision regarding the receipt, refusal of registration, or complete cancellation of an already issued document.

Moreover, without explaining their actions and reasons, as this is provided for by migration legislation.

A visa to China for Russians is issued on the same basis as for other residents of the CIS. But in 2021, a visa-free regime is in effect for groups of up to 5 people traveling with Russia and Belarus (up to 15 days of stay). For Ukraine, the current visa regime will remain the same for now.

Therefore, the cost of a visit to the country for Russians will differ significantly from that provided for Ukrainians.

Permit documents for visiting China come in several categories and types

Diplomatic category
Service
Special category in the status of honorary permits
Regular, or civilian type.

This is what a Chinese visa looks like.

Regular visas, in turn, are divided into classic types of generally accepted international documents

L - tourist category
F - working, or business category
X - student, or educational
Z - a type of entry and work permit
J - for international media workers
— transit
D - national visa, category of entry permit with the right to permanent residence.

These types of entry permits have their own nuances during registration and receipt. They are limited by the duration and number of visits to China.

If your visa expires, you need to extend it or get it again.

When a foreigner wishes to extend his stay in China and his permit has expired, he must submit an application or application form to the nearest consulate or embassy of the country.

Documents required to obtain a visa to China

China visa application form (or China visa form).
Original foreign passport (a mandatory condition is that the passport must be valid for at least six months after the end of a possible trip to China). It is imperative to have two clean blank pages in the passport without stamps or other marks. For a multiple visa, you need a double page spread and at least 2 blank pages in your passport).
A copy of all pages of the general passport of a citizen of Ukraine.
Passport-type photo – photo size 3.5 X 4.5, 80% of the face on a WHITE BACKGROUND.
A copy of the registration certificate of a private entrepreneur or a certificate of employment – minimum UAH 5,000. If the tourist does not work - a certificate from the bank about the status of the account.
For children, you must provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate, a color passport photograph. If a child is traveling to China with one of the parents, it is required to provide a notarized permission for the child to leave from the other parent.
A copy of the first page of a valid foreign passport.
Medical insurance is required for persons over 60 years of age for the entire duration of the visa.

Migration card upon entry to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is considered a special administrative region of China; a visa is not required to visit it if the visit lasts no longer than 14 days. The migration card is issued on the plane; it contains standard information about the tourist (full name, passport details, date of birth, flight number and date of entry, residential address).

The data should be entered in English, based on your passport. A migration card is filled out for each tourist; no exceptions are made for children. When going through passport control, the passport is not stamped; instead, a small insert is issued, which remains with the traveler along with the migration card. MK is collected upon departure from Hong Kong.

Obtaining a visa to Hong Kong at the Embassy

If a foreigner plans to stay in Gonong for a longer period than 14 days, a visa will be required. An entry document is also required for employment, study, and commercial activities. A visa application can be submitted in Russia by contacting the Embassy or Consulate General of the People's Republic of China, and directly in China or Hong Kong. The latter option implies that a visa was needed by a tourist who entered the region on a visa-free basis. In such a situation, the applicant must have compelling reasons for remaining in Hong Kong, otherwise the visa may not be issued.

Tourist visa

The consulate issues different types of visas, depending on the purpose of travel: tourist, student, business, work with the possibility of single, double and multiple entry.

Let’s take a closer look at applying for a tourist visa to Hong Kong. To do this you will need documentation:

Visa application form. All information is entered in Latin. The application form is signed personally by the applicant. Parents sign for children under 16 years of age.
A passport with a “reserve” of 6 months and one blank page.
Photo 3.5x4.5 cm (pasted into the application form).
Confirmed hotel reservation. During the application review, the reservation information is verified. If the information is not confirmed, the visa will be denied.
Round trip tickets.
Copy of Russian passport (pages with individual information and registration).
A copy of the page of the international passport with previously obtained visas to the PRC.

Citizens who do not have official employment provide a letter of sponsorship and confirmation of the sponsor’s financial well-being.

Optional documents that may be requested during the consideration of the application, especially if a visa to Hong Kong is being issued for the first time:

Certificate from the employer on company letterhead. The original paper indicates the position, salary and length of service (or 2-NDFL certificate).
A statement of the balance of funds in the account (at the rate of $100 per person per day), issued by the bank no later than a month ago.

To obtain a double-entry visa, the following are additionally provided:

Hotel reservation for two trips.
Confirmation of the need for a double trip (visiting mainland China and returning back, for example).

For children

In addition to the basic papers indicated above, minors must provide:

Consent to leave the Russian Federation from both parents, if the child is traveling accompanied by third parties, or from one parent remaining at home, if the minor is leaving Russia only with his mother or father (a copy of the document is provided, the original is presented at the border).
A copy of the birth certificate.
A copy of the Russian passports of both parents.

If it is not possible to obtain consent to leave from the second parent, then an explanation of this fact is provided (death certificate, certificate No. 25, certificate from law enforcement agencies about the impossibility of establishing the whereabouts of the second parent).

Migration card in Sri Lanka

The migration map of Sri Lanka is very concise. Data is entered in English. You will need to provide information about yourself (full name, passport number, plane or ship flight, nationality, hotel name), put the date of completion and your signature. As a rule, cards are issued upon flight or border control.

Dominican Republic migration card

The Dominican Republic is a piece of paradise located on the picturesque island of Haiti. A visa is not required to visit the Dominican Republic, but a migration card must be filled out when entering the country. You can receive the document both on board the plane and at the airport. Data is entered in Latin letters, block letters, it is better to use black or blue ink.

We also recommend:

Discussion: