Submitting Visa Application

Today I went to the Consulate of the People's Republic of China to submit my application for a travel visa. Since my airline ticket is not refundable I do not wish to be refused.

The consulate is a fairly new building a few blocks north of the St. George subway station. In the past that part of St. George was well known for its rowdy late night parties that originated in the fraternity houses. There are also some medium tall apartment buildings whose residents did not want to experience the frat parties. Apparently the parties are more controlled now, or perhaps just not reported as often in the newspapers as some years ago. The consulate looks to be about three or four floors high and is surrounded by a steel fence with one opening about a metre or so wide, just enough for one person to pass through at a time comfortably. The part of the consulate dedicated for visa applications is at the north end. When I came in the door I immediately had to figure out which line I needed to be in. There is one for picking up documents, another for submitting visa applications and a third for getting documents legalized among other things. The door is open for visa applications at 9.00. By the time I got there at 9.20 the line was already almost at the door. There were at least thirty people ahead of me.

The line moved slowly but steadily. Eventually I got close to the wicket and had my papers examined by an official. I had been admiring his suit for some time and was going to tell him so. However he insisted I had to get or fill out a form from my employer in China since I checked "teacher" as my profession on the visa application. I told him my job here is teacher, my status in China would be tourist. I don't think he was convinced but he let me move forward. His spoken English was extremely limited and not very clear. I have no idea how much English he understood. The woman who took my application was very courteous and efficient. Next week I can go back to the consulate and get my passport back with the visa in it. I wonder what it looks like? Will it be another piece of paper or just a stamp on a page?

One step closer to being in Beijing.