Almost four weeks ago (7/5), I sent our passports and forms for a Chinese Visa to the service recommended on the RSSC website in D.C. I really hate sending passports within a couple of months of a trip to Asia, but had no choice. The forms mentioned a minimum of 30 days for processing, but still am nervous. Has anyone else used this service? It was Zierer Visa Service. Thanks in advance, Linda & Larry

Used them many many many times. Just call and check on the status of your visas.

We used them last February - they did a great job -

Visas for any country can be obtained by contacting the various consulates in the U.S.
Washington, New York,los Angeles,Miami, etc. It's a very simple procedure and one does not pay those high fees of agencies Passports are certified mailed and returned by certied mail, usually in a week to ten days. It is a simple form and the filing fee varies dependant on what foreign travellers pay U.S. Consulates to come here.

Even though I live in the Washington, DC area, and work in DC, I paid the fee for the FlyChina service to get my visa. What it saved me in time (not to mention cab fare or parking at the Embassy) was worth far more than the fairly modest fee. And they got my passport with visa back to me in less than 2 weeks--that's without the premium service fee.

It's coming into high season for travel to China (October). We opted to use the standard (not expediated) service with Zimmer for our Chinese visa and it was about 5 weeks to get them back. Hope that helps. Enjoy your trip! It was one of our favorites. Cheers, Anne & Gary

Can you post the contact phone # for Zimmer. We'll need Chinese visas for a December land trip to China. I was wondering how do do the visa thing and this sounds like the answer! Thanks! Bonnie

Maybe Anne means Zierer Visa Service. www.zvs.com Toll free: 1-866-788-1100.

Bonnie, this is who we (and all the Radisson passengers) used for our China and India visas with no problems whatsoever.

Thanks, Marcie! I'll contact them!

We've used Zierer many times also - they do charge more than just sending your passport & forms to the consulate, but for some reason I feel more comfortable using them.

When we went to Brazil 10 plus years ago you could just walk into the consulate in Chicago - they would take care of it on the spot. That's probably not the case now.

I wish more countries would go the route of Australia - you can just fill out your paperwork online and they transmit the info to the airlines.

Leslie

We also used Fly China and found them quite efficient. I have their contact information at the office and will post it Monday for anyone that has an interest.

Thanks for all the responses regarding Chinese visas and the service that RSSC uses. I will call on Monday just to confirm status. Linda & Larry

We used them for Brazil and had no problems.

In many ways I find it easier to just use Zierer. They are not the cheapest but it is no hassle with them. If sponsorship letters are required it is all taken care of for you as they co-ordinate with Radisson. I usually use them for my own visas just because it is easy and fast.

There are many visa services and you can go straight to the Consulates as well IF you live in a city that has one locally. It all depends on how much time you want to spend getting your visa and messing with it.

The one thing that I did see that was ridiculous was the fees Zierer charged for getting extra passport pages etc. You can just as easily go directly to the passport office and get this done for almost nothing.

We went straight to a Chinese Consulate once for a group trip we had on Residensea. Amazingly there were different forms and requirements depending on what STATE you have residency in the US. It was a real mess. We had people from all over the US.

That is when we found FLYCHINA for the next group.

If it is a Radisson cruise though I would still use Zierer. If anything goes wrong at least you have the "official" visa service that RSSC recommends and that helps with complications if anything should happen.

Linda and Larry:

We will be aboard with you and second Ngaire's comments on Zeirer. We have used them before with great success. This trip we went to the visa office here in DC and applied. Picking them up on Friday. Look forward to meeting you.

Concerning extra passport pages, we automatically ask for extra pages when we get a new passport and there is no extra charge. If we run out in the middle, we just send it in and new pages are added.

Jody, we too are looking forward to meeting you on this cruise. I called the visa service yesterday and they said it should be leaving the consulate that day, so I should get it today at my place of business. I did feel better after calling them...at least it's in the "works". Linda & Larry

Linda and Larry: I, too, remember being nervous about the return of our passports etc - especially the closer we came to the WC - but it all worked out

We received our Chinese visas this afternoon! Whew!!!!!! Almost as good as receiving ours docs! Anyway, thanks to everyone for their assurances as we sweated the temporary "loss" of our passports less than two months before a big trip for us. Linda & Larry

A load off your minds I know!!!!

We'll all be anxious to hear the details of your wonderful trip!