Nihao! If you’re reading this, it means I’m already back from China because, actually, I was waiting until I came back from my trip to China before posting this one since I was scared that my Visa would be revoked if I complained here before I left 🤣🙈✌️
And, although I said I would complain here, I was just trying to share MY experience applying for a Chinese visa from Surabaya. There were things that upset me, but I assure you, the staff was quite nice and helpful. It’s just that I wish they could be more “consistent,” “thorough,” and “professional.” Still, visa application process is always dehumanizing humiliating and frustrating. I really wish my passport was stronger and I could go to many countries visa free. But alas, my govt sucks, and so do their foolish irresponsible followers, supporters, and enablers – and so does our passport!
Also, actually you could just go to their official website for more detailed guide, info, and everything. They even provide the sample application form, but again, here I am just sharing MY experience, ‘cause, you know, sometimes it’s easier to remember things when feelings and emotions are involved^^ And perhaps I shouldn’t be sharing this experience in English, but again, I use this blog just to vent and practice my English writing, so bear with me. [I’ll write the venting parts in Italic so you can skip them].
Alright, enough with the excuses and disclaimers. Here are several things that you need to pay attention to when applying for a Chinese Visa from Surabaya so that you don’t have to experience the bad things I experienced.
1. The official website that you’d want to visit for your Chinese visa application from Surabaya is this one, NOT this one. When I first looked up about Chinese visa info on Google and the office I should go to, it directed me to the first website. And I was flabbergasted because it wasn’t updated (the last update was from 2015???). There was something I’d like to confirm when filling out the online visa application, so I tried to call them to ask, and whelp, I was first connected to the embassy instead of the visa center. Luckily they gave me the right number, and that’s how I managed to make the call and confirm some info.
2. There is this “Have you ever been to China?” question in the form. If you haven’t been to China or any part of China, you can easily say no. But what if you have been to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, except the mainland? You should still answer NO. I was really upset about this. Perhaps one thing that upset me the most. That’s because I have already called in advance to confirm. ‘Cause I resided in Lumajang, right? And the visa center was in Surabaya, so of course I wanted to get everything right ‘cause when there were errors, I couldn’t just as easily as return home to fix it. When I called them (from home) and explained my situation (i.e. the fact that I have been to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan but never been to China), the staff confidently said more or less, “You should answer “yes” because Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are administrative parts of China.” So I wrote “yes” as my answer in the application. But guess what? When I went to the visa center, the staff told me that I should answer No and asked me to redo the online application form. I complained telling them that that’s not what they told me when I called. But she didn’t budge. What the ****???
3. Visa Waiver. If you have a visa waiver to Japan that is still valid, you should answer “Yes” to the “Do you currently hold any valid visas issued by other countries?” Well, no issues here, their answer was consistent. I was just putting it here FYI in case you’re not sure how to answer. (You’re welcome!)
4. There is this “Is there anything else you want to declare?” question. Unless you really have something to declare, just say NO. Initially I wrote “I have been to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.” in this part because when I called, the lady said I should answer YES that I have been to China, but I there was also this “Have you been issued a Chinese visa?” question to which I answered “No.” I didn’t want them to think I have been to China illegally or without visa, so I declared this (that I have been to Hong Kong etc., which didn’t require a visa) to avoid confusion or misunderstanding. (I just wanted to travel for God’s sake! T_T) But nope, when I went to the visa center, they wanted me to redo the online application form and leave this part blank or answer NO.
5. Photo! You should wear dark-colored clothes and WHITE background. Dang, ok, this might be what frustrated me the most. In the photo guideline, they didn’t say that the background must be white. They say it should be white or close to white. So I took a pic of me wearing a pink hijab with white-bluish background (that’s the wall in my house. LoL). When I uploaded it to the online form, they accepted it saying it met all the requirements, so I didn’t make any edits and just went ahead printing it in 3×4 photo size, and brought it to the visa center. But guess what? When I went to my locket, the staff said the photo didn’t meet the requirements and asked me to take a pic with dark-colored clothes/hijab and white background. I told them that when I upload them online, there were no problems, but of course they didn’t care. Can you imagine? I had no idea where to take a pic, edit, or print a photo in that building or around that area. They asked me to just, what, go back home, and return the next day, but, what, I lived far far far away. Even my sister’s house where I stayed when applying tor this visa was still far from the visa center! So ok, they didn’t care, and I needed the visa, so I edited the pic – well I troubled my sis and she asked her friend to help edit change my hijab to black with a white background. And I was already exasperated and anxious. I didn’t want my application to be rejected again, so I printed the pics in 2 sizes, the normal 3×4 pic size, and the 33mmx48mm size per their guideline. But guess what? When I finally got my passport back with the visa, they actually returned all of the pics I submitted. They didn’t use any of them. What a waste! Jeez. But, well, at least I got the visa, so I should be happy.
6. Letter of Statement. If you have additional/different name on your passport (endorsement page) or such, you will need to attach and sign a statement letter. (See pic for reference) I had to write this because when I went umrah to Saudi, the agent asked me to have more than 2 words in my names, so well, yeah, that’s why I needed to write this letter of statement. But thankfully, you don’t need to use a stamp duty, i.e. “materai.”
7. Passport. You need to copy both the front pages and back page of your passport (and the page where you had a Chinese visa, if you have previously been granted one), both of your current/new and the old passport (within 5 years). Actually, it’s pretty clear in the guidelines, but I’m putting it here ‘cause initially I thought it was only the front pages. Turned out we need a copy of the back page as well. Oh, and of course don’t forget to bring the original passports (the current/new and the old ones (within 5 years)).
8. Paper Size. You must print out/photocopy all your documents in A4 paper size. And it should be one side for one page, i.e. you can’t print on both sides (back and front) of the paper. This was what also upset me. On the first day I went to the visa center, when they rejected my application because they wanted me to provide new pics and redo the online application form, the staff said they’d check my other documents (copies of passports, itinerary, proof of booking, etc.) and confirmed that there were no problems with them. So I just submitted them again on the next day when I came with the new application form and photo. But guess what? They wanted me to re-print one of the proof of my hostel booking because I had it printed on both sides of the paper. They wanted it printed on different/separate pages. Well, I printed it on one page and both sides of a paper (front and back) because I thought it could save the paper use (better for the environment?) but nope, they didn’t accept it. And I was upset because even though they provided the photocopy service in the visa center, the fee was highly and crazily expensive. They charged IDR 2000 for one single page copy or printing service. Oh my God. Okok, I could afford to go to China, so I shouldn’t be complaining about this; IDR 2000 should be “nothing” compared to my flight ticket, hostel, etc. But I feel that IDR 2000 for one page is simply too much. It’s such a rip-off! T_T Do you think this is because I am cheap or poor? T_T But I mean, save yourself some bucks so you can prepare/print/photocopy at home.
9. Don’t write your school experience in the employment section. They wanted me to write my work experience in the past 5 years. But I just graduated 4 years ago, right? So I included my PhD study as one of my “work experience” because I didn’t want them to think I was jobless and had not enough money, fearing they wouldn’t grant me the visa. But jeez. Again, they were unbelievable! On the first day, when they checked my application form and documents, no issue. The next day, they also had no issue with this. But guess what? When I arrived home on that same day (I went straight home after that second-day, right after submitting my application with the new form and pic), they called me! They told me to remove this from my work experience section, reprint the form, signed, and submitted to them. I was baffled. I told them I was already at home in Lumajang. But luckily, they said I could just signed the new form and emailed it to them. So I didn’t need to travel to Surabaya just to submit the new application.
10. Passport/Visa Delivery. If you choose to have your passport/visa delivered via post, state it clearly from the beginning. Don’t expect the staff at the locker to know that you choose delivery via post even if you have filled it out in the online application form. Jeez, this was also a waste of time! Actually I was lucky ‘cause previously the visa center did not provide this option. Previously applicants MUST pick up their passport-visa in the visa center, but since 24 February 2025 this year, they provided an option to have the passport/visa delivered via post/other delivery services, so I was really happy when I found out. It’s because I applied for the visa before Ramadan, and I didn’t want to stay at my sister’s house at the beginning of Ramadan just to pick up my passport/visa, neither did I want to travel far during Ramadan, so it’s so helpful that they let me choose to get my passport delivered to home at Lumajang. But dang, the staff, obviously ignorant if not negligent, assumed I’d pick up my passport at the center. And when I told them to confirm that I chose delivery by post, they said they’d already processed it for a pick-up and so I had to wait for some other long time for them to fix it. Again, you know time-wasting thing is my pet-peeves but ok, I needed the visa. And thankfully, there were two uncles that started a conversation with me and provided me with some China-trip tips trying to comfort and ensure me saying that traveling to China was safe for women. It quite distracted me from my upset feeling^^ Anyway, if you chose delivery instead of pick-up, there is an IDR 180000 extra fee. Then there is also delivery fee (for mine, it’s IDR 8000, COD, thankfully it used JnT instead of Indonesian regular post office. LoL). Personally I feel this is more beneficial for me, save me both time and money, compared to if I have to pick it up at the visa center in person. So, in total, for a single entry Chinese visa via post delivery, I paid 761000+180000+8000=IDR 949000. And of course excluding the travel expense from Lumajang-Surabaya roundtrip and all other expenses (photocopies, photo prints, etc.), so yeah, still expensive! My govt sucks, my passport sucks, but ok, I’m still grateful that I could afford this.
Alright, I guess that’s all. Some notes, in case you need extra trivia:
1. Unlike some other visa center or embassies, the Surabaya Chinese visa center actually doesn’t require visitors to screen and leave their bag. I could even take out my laptop to edit my online application form on site.
2. The visa center is located at Spazio building. If you’re not sure how to enter, you can just ask the security. They’ll direct you to the receptionist, where you need to leave an ID in exchange for a card to access the elevator. Actually I was upset on the second day I visited, ‘cause I clearly came first, but there was this lady abruptly handing her ID for the access card, and I was like…dang, do all the rich only have money but no attitude? Well, it’s just me assuming they’re rich. LoL And I know I should’ve just confronted them right then right there instead of venting here, but you know, I’m just a coward.
3. The visa application process was quite fast. It just took around 3-4 working days to be approved and handed to the courier. If I’m not mistaken, I submitted my application on Wed, then they approved on Mon (it’s updated on your account at the application portal), and they handed it to the courier on Tue, and I received my passport on Wed. So around a week.
4. Currently you can’t apply for a multiple entry for tourism, so it’s either single or double entry. And if I’m not mistaken, you can only apply for a multiple entry visa only if you’ve had a Chinese visa before. Not sure if this applies to tourism as well, though.
5. Actually, in case they asked, I also prepared a copy of my national ID and family card (i.e. KTP & KK), certificate of employment from my workplace (to show that I work (and have responsibilities in my country), and latest bank statement. But they didn’t ask for these documents. It’s still best to prepare even though you end up not using it, though. ‘Cause I read somewhere, sometimes they asked additional documents.
What else? I’m not sure what else to share, but if you have a question, feel free to ask 😉
