Is it easier for a westerner to obtain a Chinese tourist visa in Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan?
The procedures, restrictions, prerequisites, etc of getting a visa for the same country can vary a lot depending on which embassy or consulate in which country you apply from. This is most certainly the case for Chinese visas.
Especially considering that The Stans/Central Asia are less well travelled, it's harder to find good information on them.
I'm considering travelling to either or both of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan from China since I don't need a visa for either country.
If I decide not to continue further but return to China I would have to get another Chinese visa. What do we know about the difficulties of getting such a visa between these two countries.
I'm an Australian citizen. I just received a one month extension to my double-entry visa. I've encountered major differences getting a Chinese visa just between Laos and Vietnam. I expect the northern neighbours not to be simpler.
Best Answer
In addition to what you say, the procedures for Chinese visa are also quite volatile over time, so be sure to check the sources for updates and try your luck.
The best info I found is on the excellent Caravanistan site for China-visa. There you find a section with the latest updates on getting visa on the road from not only Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan but also Usbekistan, Tajikistan and pretty much every other country around that part of the planet. For Almaty (Kazakhstan) there is also a forum where you can read and post the latest updates and here for Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). Make sure to read up to the last page.
In the Almaty forum you find the following entry from May 2016
From Bishkek and Almaty, Chinese visa sounds tricky. It seems since februry [sic!] 2016 rules have changed again.
On the next page in the same forum there is the report as of May 2016 from two Frenchies suggesting that it is possible to get "business" visa from an agent in Bishkek. Cost at least 150$ for the "invitation letter" and time required unclear from the post. (You then convert the business visa to something else once in China as described on Caravanistan, the point is to get in. Details for the agent in the forum). As it appears the way they issue the visa you do have to fly, i.e. no overland (if you already have a visa from home or elsewhere the land borders are open, unlike some travel agents may tell you, see top of the caravanistan page).
Having only seen the stans from 30k+ feet above the ground I can not do a comparison but summarize what is said in the sources. If you actually want to travel around there, make sure you to check them yourself and have a backup-plan or two at hand. As of today it seems defs easier to get the visa from home if possible.
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Is it easy to get a Chinese tourist visa?
The most popular type of visa for China, the L or tourist visa, is typically the easiest to apply for. You'll need to provide the three standard items (passport, application form, photo), an invitation letter from your host or travel documents (round-trip travel plus hotel booking), and proof of current residency.Is Kazakhstan visa easy to get?
The entire application process will be completed online and has been designed to be quick and straightforward. Travelers of 117 nationalities can now apply for a Kazakhstan tourist visa online. The list of countries eligible for the Kazakhstan eVisa include: Algeria.Is China visa hard to get?
China. You might be surprised to find that a trip to China involves such a lengthy visa process. While many passport holders can travel to China visa-free for a period of 72-hours, a longer stay requires a proper visa. This can be incredibly tedious to obtain.Can foreigners enter Kazakhstan?
Yes. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Kazakhstan advises potential travelers to reconsider visits to Kazakhstan at this time due to the risk of COVID-19 in country. U.S. citizens can visit Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 days for all purposes of travel, with the exceptions of employment and missionary work.Kazakhstan residence visa is not worth it, Unless.... ENG SUB
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