En novembre je pars pour un voyage de plusieurs mois en Asie. En gros, je compte visiter le Japon environ deux semaines, puis voyager en Chine pour trois ou quatre semaines avant de rejoindre l’Asie du Sud-Est. Je pensais traverser en Chine par le ferry Kobe-Tianjin (puisque les avions en partance du Japon semble ridiculement dispendieux), pour ensuite descendre au sud et traverse au Vietnam par l’un des postes frontières terrestres.
Voilà le problème. Sur le site de l’ambassade de Chine au Canada (ainsi que sur plusieurs forum), il est inscrit que pour obtenir le visa, il faut fournir billet d’avion aller-retour et réservation d’hôtels. L’ennuie, c’est que je ne comptait pas réserver d’hôtels avant d’être au Japon et pour les billets d’avions, évidemment, j’en aurai pas! J’ai lu sur certain forum que les billets d’avions et réservations d’hôtels ne sont pas nécessaire, alors qu’ailleurs (dont le site de l’ambassade de Chine) ça semble être requis. Quelqu’un sait-t-il ce qu'il en ai et ce que je peux faire pour obtenir ce visa?
bonjour
je suis rentré de Chine il y a 2 mois .Pour obtenir mon visa, devant les problèmes posés, je suis passé par une société spécialisée en France : action-visa .C'est un peu plus cher mais, ce n'est pas la galère
Le problème avec la Chine, c'est que aujourd'hui c'est comme ceci et demain comme cela .
Si tu ne veux pas te prendre la tête je pense que c'est la bonne formule .Au cours de mon voyage j'ai rencontré une nana de Montréal .Si tu veux, je peux te donner son téléphone( avec son autorisation) pour te filer un coup de main
bonne journée le cousin du Canada
YVES
Salut Frank85,
Nous partons également pour la chine le 01 novembre et nous nous sommes renseigné au près de l'agence Tours Hai International pour connaitre les documents que nous devons fournir pour le visa.
Voici sa réponse en date du 24 septembre:
En fait l'Ambassade de Chine est actuellement en train de revoir leurs procédures depuis hier. Apparement ils n'ont plus besoin de tous les documents concernant les billets d'avion ainsi que les confirmations d'hôtels Par contre, vous devrez rester disponible pour toute demande concernant les confirmations d'hôtels ou la photocopie du billet si jamais l'ambassade décidait quand même de nous les demander.
Elle nous a également transmis par email le formulaire de l'ambassade de Chine pour le visa. Si tu le veux, je peux te le faire parvenir par email.
Avec la fin des jeux paralympique, ils ont commencé a relâche un leur demande.
Merci pour les infos. Je vais surement essayer de les contacter. J'ai déjà contacter "expressvisa.ca" par email il y a 5 jours et ils n'ont toujours pas répondu 🙁. Pour le formulaire, je l'ai déjà téléchargé.
Ça me rassure un peu tout ça, mais j'aurais encore quelque questions à propos des questions dans le formulaire. Tout d'abord, la durée de notre séjour qu'il y demande, est-ce que ça nous engage a quelque chose? Est-ce que ça va restreindre la duré de validité du visa? Aussi, la liste des villes que l'on compte visiter, est-ce que ça doit être bien précis?
Pour ce qui est de la durée du visa, tu dois le déterminer le nombre de jour que tu compte rester en chine et également si tu compte entrer et sortir du pays. C'est important de fournir ces renseignements car le nombre d'entrer va être indiqué sur ton visa et pour la duré de ton séjour en Chine va déterminer le montant que va te couter ton visa...
Moi je leur fournir un itinéraire avec les villes et les dates mais je ne crois pas que cela nous engage en rien. Mon itinéraire va sûrement changer sur place. Je crois qu'ils veulent juste savoir les places que nous comptons voir et que cela nous engage en rien!
Si tu fais ce type d'itinéraire, n'indique surtout pas un passage au Tibet sinon tu risque de devoir fournir beaucoup plus de renseignement.
Personnellement je ne te conseille pas de passer par une agence pour ta demande de visa car il prenait une très grosse commission!
J'ai pris mes renseignements auprès de deux agences (Explorateur Voyages & Tours Hai International) mais quand j'ai vu le prix qu'ils me chargeaient, j'ai décidé de faire ma demande par moi même. Si tu commence comme moi à être un peu juste dans le temps (je pars le 01 novembre), tu peux payer 50$ pour une demande express (3 ou 4 jours).
C'est vrai que les prix qu'ils chargent sont énorme. Par contre, je crois que l'ambassade de Chine n'accepte pas les demande de visa envoyé directement par la poste. Il dise de venir en personne ou de passé par une agence. Puisque je n'ai pas de voiture, je pensais pas me rendre a Ottawa moi même.
Salut Frank85,
Juste pour vous signaler que j'ai reçu mes visa aujourd'hui. Aucun problème rencontré!
J'ai fournie seulement la preuve de mon billet d'avion pour mon arrivé en Chine. j'ai un visa de 60 jours pour 75$ canadien.
J'ai finalement reçu mon visa! J'ai fais affaire avec Mike Consular Express Services (www.expressvisa.ca). Ça m'a couté 110$ pour un visa double entrées (l'ambassade de chine charge 80$ d'après leur site, alors ils prennent 30$ de profit). D'autres personnes en avait parlé sur un autre post ici. Je n'ai pas eu a fournir de preuve de billet d'avion ou quoi que ce soit. C'est un peu plus cher que Goldenmile2000 (il charge 80$ pour un visa simple) mais je ne me sentais pas vraiment à l'aise d'envoyer mon passeport par la poste à Ottawa. Enfin, tout est bien qui fini bien!
Hi everyone, We re planning to travel from Mongolia to China in July 2026 via the land border. I know there s a visa exemption for French citizens in China,…
Hi everyone, I ll be in Bangkok at the end of March and I m thinking of heading to Chongqing, China, for a few days. I know China has a visa exemption program…
Hi fellow travelers,
I need some info.
Landing in Mumbai on the 16th at 11:55 PM, so immigration will be on the 17th.
On the e-arrival card form, which date should I put—16th or 17th?
Thanks for your answers.
Hi there,
I’m explaining our situation—my daughter and her young family have just moved to Polynesia, specifically to the island of Raiatea. That’s great, of course, and my wife and I are planning to visit them. However, flights that go through the United States are causing us a problem because we’ve been to Cuba. I think we’ll need a visa because of that.
Has anyone else dealt with this situation before? Any advice on flights and visas would be really helpful.
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
I have two questions about applying for a Non-Immigrant O Visa at the Thai embassy in France for someone over 50:
- - Do I need to provide the address(es) of stay in Thailand (hotels, staying with a Thai friend)?
- - Financial proof: Is a retirement statement showing over 2,000 € per month sufficient, or are bank statements also required?
I know there’s already a lot of information about the visa requirements on the embassy’s website, but from my experience—having dealt with embassies in other countries in previous years—I know that the information is sometimes (!) incomplete or inconsistent. So, I’d rather hear from people who’ve recently gone through this process to avoid any surprises after submitting my application, which could cause unpleasant delays.
Hi there,
I’m heading to Senegal in January for a month and was wondering if I just need my French driver’s license or if I should get an international permit?
Thanks!
JL
I’m heading to Laos next spring, but I have a question about the Thai arrival/departure form. I’ll be flying PAR-BKK, then taking the train to Laos (so exiting Thailand), and later re-entering Thailand by train to catch my return flight. Do I need to fill out two forms in this case?
Hi,
I’m writing to ask for some info—I’ve heard that you **must** have travel insurance to land in Zanzibar.
What’s the process, and which insurance should I get?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Seb
Hi,
I’m planning a trip to Laos from France with a transit through Thailand involving 2 entries. I might spend up to 7 days max in Thailand (round trip).
The flight I’ve spotted: arrival at BKK and return to France 31 days later.
With the new regulations/visa:
"Starting September 15, 2026, French nationals holding an ordinary passport will be able to stay in Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism purposes only, down from the previous 60 days."
How do you think the counting is done?
- Number of days spent in Thai territory?
- Entry and exit dates: number of days between the two?
I’m leaning toward the first option, but to avoid any administrative hassles with Thailand (fines, etc.) and before booking my ticket, your input would really help.
Hi there,
we’re planning our trip to the North Cape this summer. We bought a new vehicle for it. Unfortunately, the registration document is still being processed, and the delay seems long—I don’t think I’ll have it in time for our departure...
I have the transfer documents, insurance in my name, and all the supporting paperwork, but not the registration document. So my question is: does the ferry company require the registration document *mandatorily* when boarding in Denmark or not?
Thanks for any insights...
Hi everyone,
I bought a new apartment in Pattaya that will be finished at the end of 2013, and I’d like to buy more later...
I think it’s a good investment idea, but I’d love to hear from those of you with experience—what do you think? I’d also like to know how to handle rentals... Should I go through agencies, or are they usually rented out directly by the building management companies?
Thanks in advance for your replies! 🙂
Hi everyone,
I have to leave for Perth, Australia in a week, for 7 days, and I couldn’t get my international driver’s permit due to processing and delivery delays.
The information I’ve found about whether an international permit is required is contradictory. Some sources say you need one, others say you don’t.
Could anyone let me know if an international driver’s permit is necessary to rent a car in Australia (Perth), or if a French license is enough for a 7-day rental?
hi everyone,
I need to apply for a new eTA for Canada.
do I need the number from my old eTA or not?
because I can’t find my old eTA number anymore.
thanks for your replies, have a great weekend
Hi there,
I know there are similar topics here and elsewhere, but they’re a few years old, and I need an up-to-date answer to make sure I don’t throw over 1000 € out the window. Thanks for your patience.
I’m planning a trip from France to Alberta/British Columbia, and I’m unsure about which bank card to use for the security deposit with the rental company (I’m thinking of going with AVIS).
I contacted Avis Canada, and they told me a credit card is absolutely required. I asked my bank for a credit card (a *real* credit card), but they only offered me a deferred debit card.
My question: For a rental with Avis Canada, is a Gold International Mastercard deferred debit card usable for the security deposit needed to finalize the rental? Is the "CREDIT" label enough? (Some cards say "CREDIT" and others say "CARTE DE CREDIT"—seems minor, but it’s actually a big deal in how the card works.)
I’ve seen conflicting info everywhere I look... My bank says it’s *usually* okay (the deferred debit card), while Avis Canada insists it *must* be a credit card, not debit—even when I mention the deferred debit card.
I know the whole credit card concept is already confusing, and on top of that, some sites say a deferred debit card counts as a credit card, while others say it doesn’t.
Thanks to anyone who can share a recent experience!
Have a great day
Hi,
I’m bringing Seresta, an anxiolytic (tranquilizer) from the benzodiazepine family,
to help me sleep.
I’ll have the prescription with me.
Will this be a problem at customs, and do I need to declare it?
Same question for antibiotics?
Thanks a bunch!
Hi everyone,
I’ll explain my situation.
Unfortunately, I lost my passport, and I only realized it two weeks before my departure for a humanitarian mission in Libya. I’m a nurse, and this mission really means a lot to me.
First, I applied for an emergency passport, but it was denied by the Val-d'Oise prefecture on the grounds that a planned humanitarian mission wasn’t considered an urgent reason.
So, I submitted a biometric passport application on July 20th. Since then, the tracking has been stuck, and the town hall can’t (or won’t) give me any clear information. Every time I call, I get a different story. The last update I received was that the passport had been produced since July 23rd with a status of "about to be shipped," but nothing since then.
I’ve managed to push my departure back to next Tuesday at the latest, but I’m starting to really panic.
Have any of you submitted an application around July 20th, especially in Val-d'Oise (95)? How long did you wait between the passport being produced and it being available at the town hall? Is it normal for this step to take this long?
This mission means so much to me. I had everything organized, and I’m also supposed to attend a friend’s wedding right after near the border.
Thanks so much to those who take the time to respond or share their experience. 😔
Can anyone tell me exactly if a passport "valid for the duration of the stay" is enough, or does it need to be valid for 6 months after the trip?
I checked the embassy’s website, but that info is missing.
Hi there,
I’ll be arriving in Seoul on November 18th after spending about a month in India.
Do you know if I’ll need to fill out any additional documents besides the e-arrival card?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
I’m a bit embarrassed because I need to travel to Quebec from February 27th to March 13th. I’m a regular visitor to Canada—this will be my 10th trip since 1997, plus a year as a permanent resident (2000–2001) and a cross-country run from Vancouver to Halifax in 2011. So, I’m definitely not a terrorist!
But since our last trip in July 2015, they’ve introduced this eTA thing. Seems more like a way to make money than to actually secure Canada, if you ask me, but anyway, that’s not the point.
I applied for an eTA for myself, my wife, and our two kids. They all got approved within hours, but not me! I was asked to create a GC key and then an IRCC account, which I did. Normally, you get news within 72 hours, but since Monday, January 15th, nothing!
In the "message" section of the account, it says "explanation letter (required)" with a deadline of January 25th, but I can’t find any explanation anywhere—despite searching the Canadian government website and Google. No links, nothing!
I’ve emailed them but haven’t heard back yet. I’m thinking of calling the Canadian embassy in Paris tomorrow. Even though I’m not stressing yet, it’d be a bummer if everyone else got to go without me!
If anyone’s had this issue before or knows what this explanation letter is about, I’d love to hear more.
hi there
I’m heading to Seoul in September, and to do that I need to get a travel authorization that we apply for through K-ETA....... turns out I can (barely, I admit) fill out the form up to the address of our "stay location," but every address I’ve entered has been rejected by the system. I’ve tried my hotel, the Lotte Hotel (which is well-known in Seoul), the airport—basically, I’ve entered at least 20 addresses, all rejected....
So, to anyone who’s successfully gotten the authorization, could you tell me which address you used to get that "elusive" approval?...
Hi there,
I have a 9-seater passenger vehicle that I use for my business in Paris, transporting people.
I’m planning to go to Algeria with my family.
The vehicle registration lists my company as the owner.
Can I get a TPD (Temporary Admission Document)?
Will I need a KBis extract or a power of attorney?!?
Thanks for your help.
Worst case, I can add my personal name as a co-owner on the registration, but that would be a real shame!
Hi, are there any travelers who’ve recently crossed the border between Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Beineu in Kazakhstan?
It was closed for a while.
Thanks for any info!
I bought a one-way flight (Ryanair) and a return flight (EasyJet) to spend a week in Morocco in April.
My passport expires 3 weeks after the return date.
Some websites say the passport must be valid for 3 months at the time of entry.
However, it will still be valid both on entry and return, but its validity will only be 1 month at the time of entry (and 3 weeks on the return date, everything prepaid).
It's an individual family trip.
The consulate can't give me an answer—they're still looking into it (really!)
Last year, we stayed for 3 months in Thailand, north of Khao Lak, and were able to benefit from the 2-month visa exemption, renewable for one month by going to Takua Pa to validate a 1-month extension (1,900 baht).
This year, it’s a disaster for us—not only were we planning a 4-month stay, adding a visa run in between (which some say is quite risky), but the law is apparently changing in the coming months with the return of the 1-month exemption (plus the usual 1-month option). So, we looked into applying for a 6-month multiple-entry visa, allowing a maximum of 60 consecutive days in Thailand. However, I can’t find anywhere the minimum time required outside Thailand between two stays—do any of you have an idea?
Thanks for the info! If you’d like tips on Khao Lak and the surrounding areas, we’ve got some experience, though things change fast!
Cheers,
Bruno.
My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex.
We’ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?
Hello,
We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term.
As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris.
No issues with that procedure so far.
If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones).
If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies.
Best regards,
M. Buisson Eric
I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident.
I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia.
For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France?
Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!
I filled out the B2 form to apply for a visa, created an account on Atvis to pay the visa fees and schedule a meet-up, but every time I try to pay with my Boursobank Visa 1st card, they refuse the payment with a message telling me to check my details (address), even though everything is correct. Does anyone know why this is happening, or maybe they don’t accept Visa cards? Are you aware of this?
Thanks for your feedback!
Elisabeth
There are rumors going around about the ETA: it must absolutely be on your smartphone in the "ETA" app.
Paper documents might not be accepted.
Is this real or just a hoax?
Thanks, I’m leaving in 3 weeks. My passport is good to go and my ETA is still valid for a year, but I only printed the email I received.
Thanks everyone.