Xiamen VOA requirements.

This is fairly easy process. You will declare that you intend to apply for Xiamen VOA during your check-in in Hong Kong. You will need your valid passport and the tickets in hard copy ready to be presented if asked. Beside the mentioned, it is advisable to bring a passport size photo with you although it is quite possible that the immigration at Xiamen airport has started to take photos for VOA purposes.

When you land, you will immediately approach the counter for VOA applications and present the same documents that you have presented in Hong Kong. Keep in mind to have enough Chinese cash (CNY) for a visa. You can easily obtain Chinese cash while you are still in Hong Kong through numerous money changers. You will also fill out very simple form and your VOA will be granted within 10 minutes. Basically this is it.

Dear Zupan,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Unfortunately today Cathay Dragon refused to check me in. They claimed that I needed to present a pre approval letter for VOA. I tried to explain them many times about the VOA in Xiamen but they still refused. They also told me they sent a telex to Xiamen border authority and told me they reply said that I needed some documents for a 1 month visa. I told them many times wi wanted the 5 day visa but there was no way to get check in.
Do you have any additional sources to confirm I was on the right side ?

Thank you very much for your help

Part one:

Unfortunately, the airport agents have mixed up the rules regarding the so called port visas in general with the subgroup of port visas called SEZ (Special Economic Zone) VOAs. I will explain... All Chinese visas on arrival are categorized under the term of so called port visas. The largest majority of them allows the foreigners to arrive in numerous Chinese cities for various purposes like:

- Being invited at short notice by the Chinese side to attend a trade fair in China
- Being invited to China to enter a bid or to formally sign an economic or trade contract
- Being invited to install equipment or make rush repairs
- Being invited to China for scientific or technological consulting services

There are 28 cities where these port visas could be used including three cities that also offer a SEZ subgroup of VOA namely: Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Xiamen. I assume that the agent has totally mixed up the general rules that apply for port visas where an invitation is really needed with SEZ subgroup of visas where such an invitation is NOT NEEDED. Just look at so many people crossing the border to Shenzhen daily and obtaining a Shenzhen VOA. Similar situation is with Zhuhai VOA too. This Shenzhen (SEZ) VOA is the same as Xiamen (SEZ) VOA. There are no differences between them. In reality, the only difference is that Xiamen VOA can be obtained at the airport and Shenzhen VOA on several other places.

Part two:

Your rights were definitely violated. By the way, even Xiamen Municipal People's Government decision on Xiamen Special Economic Zone Foreigners "SAR Tourist Visa" Regulations says in the Article 2 the following: Foreigners who come to the Xiamen Special Economic Zone from abroad to travel, do business, or trade may apply for a special tourist visa to the Xiamen Port Visa Authority directly with a valid passport.

I'm sorry to hear that such simple situations cannot be handled by airport staff, especially because the Xiamen VOA is quite old thing. OK, if this has happened somewhere in Europe or in some other place of the world, but in Hong Kong frome where hundreds of people apply for Shenzhen VOA on daily basis, that is something that Hong Kong airport authorities should be really worried about.

Part two:

Your rights were definitely violated. By the way, even Xiamen Municipal People's Government decision on Xiamen Special Economic Zone Foreigners "SAR Tourist Visa" Regulations says in the Article 2 the following: Foreigners who come to the Xiamen Special Economic Zone from abroad to travel, do business, or trade may apply for a special tourist visa to the Xiamen Port Visa Authority directly with a valid passport.

I'm sorry to hear that such simple situations cannot be handled by airport staff, especially because the Xiamen VOA is quite old thing. OK, if this has happened somewhere in Europe or in some other place of the world, but in Hong Kong frome where hundreds of people apply for Shenzhen VOA on daily basis, that is something that Hong Kong airport authorities should be really worried about.

Dear Zupan,

Thank you very much for your help and for your thorough explanation.

It’s been very helpful.


Thanks a lot really.

P.s.

Do you know where I can find the article 2 of Xiamen municipality you mentioned?

Thanks again

You can find this complete legal section, called "Order No. 14" titled: Xiamen Special Economic Zone Foreigners "SAR Tourist Visa" Regulations at different websites that are published in Chinese language. You can search for this Order and the article 2 by inserting the Chinese language form of the mentioned Order that is written exactly like this in the internet search engine: 厦门经济特区外国人“特区旅游签证”管理规定

After you receive the results, you will use Google translate tool and you will see this order translated into English or some other language of your choice. You have to know that this order was published in 1995, but since then it was slightly amended, last time in 2015. Now, this type of VOA that is 24 years old and is implemented in only 3 SEZ (the other two are Zhuhai and Shenzhen) and you have found an airport agent that makes unnecessary and cardinal problems... Really, really a bad luck.

Thanks Again Zupan.

I really appreciate your help. You’ve been incredibly helpful.

I wish you a good day.

I always recommend your website to my fellow travellers.

Best