<p>My son is traveling will be on a run to China on Matson in March. Any advice on obtaining a VISA for PRC before he leaves? Thanks!</p>
<p>There is a Chinese consulate in New York. It is best to get it done as soon as possible. He won’t be able to get off the ship in China without one</p>
<p>My DS is A-split and on his way to China for the third time right now. He did get his visa in NYC however KP was supposed to contact the embassy to ensure that his visa was valid for more than one entry. That call was never made and so he will not be able to leave the ship for all three ports they will visit this trip. Make sure that the visa is for more than one entry (doesn’t cost that much more) and that the ATR has followed up with the embassy.</p>
<p>It is not the ATR’s job to follow up with the Embassy. The mids are suppose to obtain their own visa’s for the country they wish to enter. I’ve made many trips to the Chinese Consulate with a bag full of passports for the Mids to get their visa’s for them.</p>
<p>If your son looks at his visa it will tell him how many entries he will have. As I said above, I’ve gotten visa’s many times, and it truly is at the whim of the Consulate. One year we paid for a year-multi entry visa and actually got it. The following year, paid for a 1 year multi entry visa and got a 6 month 3 entry visa. When I asked the Consulate why they did this for the same money they said…because we can…take it or leave it. Welcome to a communist country.</p>
<p>On the other hand, my husband travels to China on business about every other month and has never had a problem.</p>
<p>As Suzanne points out getting multiple entry Visas for Mids isn’t the ATR’s job and a letter isn’t really required, at least not by either the consulate in NYC or the Embassy in Washington, DC which from my DS’ experience are far better places to get the multiple entry visa from then the consulate in LA. In any case you just have to have your orders or more ideally proof of your employment from Matson and answer the questions on the Visa Application correctly and pay the fee getting everything processed and the Visa issued before you leave.</p>
<p>As was indicated if you don’t have a Visa don’t expect to get off the ship and you’re son/daughter will likely get the opportunity to do so if they have a Visa at least in Shanghai.</p>
<p>Your midshipman should put in a special request and try to get the visa at the Chinese consulate in New York City NOW. If your midshipman has already left Kings Point, then San Francisco or Los Angeles consulates are possibilites. However, the San Francisco consulate took more time to process than my midshipman had in port, so he ended up sitting on the ship in China. It is better to plan ahead.</p>