China visa restrictions hit Filipino tourists

HONG KONG - Hundreds of Filipino tourists who go to mainland China on a regular basis appear to be among those hard hit by new entry visa restrictions imposed by Beijing on April 15.

A trip to the Chinese Foreign Ministry office in Wan Chai days after the new visa requirements were imposed showed no fewer than 50 Filipino visa applicants being turned away on a single day.

They included tourists planning to go on a day-long shopping trip to Shenzhen, regulars who buy and sell goods from the mainland, a group planning to attend a trade fair, and women working in Wan Chai bars who cross the border to get exit stamps on their passports.

Despite this, no one has reportedly sought the Philippine Consulate’s help in securing a mainland visa.

“We have heard from other Consulates, mostly Europeans, on how the new restrictions are affecting the way they do business with the mainland," said Consul General Alejandrino A. Vicente. “But we have not heard from our own nationals, including business people."

He said what he did was report the matter to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, and also asked Beijing for more details on the new restrictions.

The new rules that took effect only a day after they were made known to travel agents require all foreign passport holders, except those holding HK ID cards, to apply for a visitor’s visa from their country of origin.

And despite Beijing’s statement that multiple-entry visas are still issued, travel agents say only single-entry visas are now available.

The new rules are believed to have been imposed ahead of the Summer Olympics later this year.

Among those who had hoped to get into Shenzhen a few days after the tighter rules were imposed was Harvi, who works at a call center in Manila and sells clothes and fashion accessories on the side. She used to cross the border from HK to buy some of her goods, and was disappointed that she could no longer do it this time.

She was accompanied to Hong Kong by her cousins who had more time to plan their trip, and managed to apply for single-entry visas with the Chinese Embassy in Manila. They had to pay P1,400 for the visa issued within the maximum four-day waiting period. In comparison, short-term visas issued at the border cost only $150, or less than P800.

Among those who were turned away at the Foreign Ministry Office were three Wan Chai bar girls who appeared lost when told they would not be allowed inside the building because they did not have a Hong Kong ID.

One said she should have just applied for a visa in Bangkok, obviously still not aware that as a Filipino tourist, the only place she could have gotten a China visa was either from the Chinese Embassy in Manila or its Consulate in Cebu.

Told that the new visa rules could mean many Filipino bar girls in Wan Chai would be forced to return home, Vice Consul Val Roque of the Consulate said this could be “a blessing in disguise."

As head of the assistance to nationals section of the Consulate, Roque has had to deal with problems of human trafficking involving Filipinas who are lured to work as bar girls in Wan Chai.

The illicit trade has led to dozens of Filipinas being arrested and charged with soliciting for “immoral purpose." Many others have sought the Consulate’s help in escaping from the clutches of those who lured them into the profession.

“But of course, this should also be a cause for concern as legitimate traders could be affected," he said. “What they should do is plan ahead so they could apply for the visa in Manila."

An employment agency staff said the new visa rules are also proving to be a problem to another group of Filipinas: those who wait it out in Shenzhen while their new employment contract is being processed in Hong Kong.

“Wala na, hindi na sila puwedeng maghintay doon kasi wala pa naman silang HK ID. Yun namang meron ay limited na lang ang panahon na pwede silang tumigil sa Shenzhen (They can’t just wait it out there because they don’t have a HK ID. Those who have the ID have a limited time to spend in Shenzhen)," he said.

Hong Kong immigration rules require foreign domestic helpers to leave the territory while waiting for their work visa, but do not require them to return to their home country. Thus, those who want to avoid going through yet more screening and getting charged additional fees in Manila opt to wait it out across the border.

Labor Attache Romulo Salud sees the tightened visa rules as good news.

“We have always told our workers that they should go through the [Philipppine Overseas Employment Administration] in Manila so they are protected," said Salud. “When they exit only to Shenzhen, they technically become illegal workers and we will have difficulty providing them assistance."

For those who are persistent enough, though, there is always Macau.

Filipino entrepreneur Jonathan Aquino, who runs a travel agency on top of several other businesses in Macau, said Filipino tourists may still stay for up to a month in the enclave on their first arrival. However, their limit of stay is often cut to just 10 days on their second entry.

But as in Hong Kong, crossing into the Chinese border city of Zhuhai from Macau has also become more difficult for Filipino tourists.

Aquino said the three to six-month visas used to be given to Filipino tourists are no longer available. Now, they can only apply for a group visa of up to six days’ stay in Zhuhai, and must leave and return to Macau at the same time.

To be considered as a group, there should now be a minimum of five, instead of the previous three people required before the new rules were tightened. – GMANews.TV

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