how to get a china visa in los angeles

Daniel and I are going to our friend's wedding in Shanghai in a month and we had to get visas to go to China. This was the process we used for getting a visa to China in Southern California. There are other options, but here was the one we chose.

1. Go online to the Chinese Consulate's website to download the application form (2 pages). http://losangeles.china-consulate.org/eng/visa/forms/t27609.htm

2. Print out one form for each traveler, fill out form and attach color passport style photo. Print out airline travel and hotel (if applicable) reservations. Each traveler must go to the office in person or designate someone to go in his/her place.

3. Bring application form and passport for each traveler to the visa and passport office M-F between the hours of 9:00am - 3:00pm. The address of the the visa and passport office:

500 Shatto Place, 3rd floor, Los Angeles, California 90020

I live in Orange County so it took me an hour to get to the office. I parked on the north side of 4th Street in front of the Shatto Recreation Center so that I did not have to worry about feeding the meter or a two hour time limit. Walk one block to 500 Shatto Place.

4. Take the elevator to the third floor and walk straight ahead into the office and take a number starting with the letter "A" from the machine to the right of the doors inside the waiting area. They will call out your number. I got there around 11:00am on a Friday and my number was called at 1:00pm.

5. Hand the person behind the counter the passports, application forms, travel and accommodation reservations. We opted for the regular pick up to save money. The 2-3 day rush pick-up is an additional $20 per visa. The same day rush pick-up is an additional $30 per visa. See the latest fees here:

http://losangeles.china-consulate.org/eng/visa/chinavisa/t27605.htm

6. The person behind the counter said that the visas would be ready for pick-up the following Wednesday and handed me a pink receipt.

7. The following Friday, I arrived at the office at 9:00am and went directly to the pick-up window line. No number is needed. I got to the window by 9:45am, gave the attendant the pink receipt, paid $260 ($130 per visa) by credit card and the passports with the visas were returned to me.