Do I actually have to go to another country to be re-stamped back in?
have a 1 year Chinese Business visa waiver . With this I get 3 months free entry to China every time I arrive. I live in Kunming so the nearest border crossing is Vietnam. (lao cai-hekou)

My question is this. If I go to a border post with Vietnam, get stamped out of China, have a walk in the no mans land between the 2 border posts and pop back to the Chinese border post, will I get another 3 months?

I.E When I leave China, do I actually have to go to another country to be re-stamped back in? Or i have to croos the Vietnames border and get stamped in Vietnam before go back China?
Does the 100 metres of "no mans land" between the 2 border posts constitute leaving the country?

Once you get stamped off, and jump off the mainland it means that you have made an EXIT, so i would think yes your method is workable, because once you come back onto the mainland from the border, you will get stamped again which counts as making a new ENTRY back into China.

However, i've never tried this Vietnam border method, i have taken a flight to Hong Kong but worked out far too expensive and wasn't convenient at all, so if you ever try this Vietnam border method, do let us know how it goes because there's no way i'm using the Hong Kong method again just to get my visa stamped and wait a few hours before returning back into China, it's too costly.

Hello,

For sure if it worked i will keep you posted.My concern just about will the chinese side allow me to get back without go other country .For you it will also be cheap to you to get this way even you get the Vietnames Visa all you have to do to add the cost of the Vietnam visa 35o Yuan.It will be much more cheaper than HongKong

Now this is the most interesting question I have come across in a long time... it poses many interesting quandaries... bureaucracy, laws (and interpretation thereof), geopolitical quandaries...
"Does one need to enter another country to have counted as exiting the first country?" I would guess not... if you have an exit stamp, you should - logically - just be able to turn around and go back in...

But maybe there needs to be a country of departure to be able to get a valid entry... meaning that you can't depart from China to enter China...? But I don't know. It could end up in an infinite-loop problem. :D
BUT I also wonder how the border guys would react? I mean we are talking about psychological confusion because of the bureaucratic rules being bent in ways never before seen by them. OR maybe they don't care! Or maybe this happens 40 times a day! I don't have a clue.

But why can't you take the extra 100m walk into VietNam? Visa problem for entering VietNam? I don't know how it works between VietNam and China, but I know that in Europe and many other areas, the border guys will not allow you to exit the country unless you have a valid entry permission to the country-of-destination (which logically in your posed case is VietNam)... But perhaps China is different... I really honestly don't have a clue.

Maybe you should bring some cash to grease the wheels, just in case?... I don't know... Just a thought. You dont want to be stranded there in nomansland.

The only thing you can do to find out the answer to your question, is to try it... and please let us know the outcome! I am really interested in this question!
OR you could phone the border-officials and ask. In which ever way you do... let us know!

Can i get a Vietnam Visa on arrival, or do i have to get it from Kunming? I wouldn't mind trying this method, especially if it's a cheap alternative to going HK via plane, which costed me almost like 4000rmb overall!

However, is it not a hassle trying to find a bus/train that gets you to Vietnam and back, and how long is the journey? I don't mind a journey, aslong as i know what i'm doing.

Also, what if there's no way of re-entering China WITHOUT having to enter Vietnam? I mean it all depends how it's set up at the border doesn't it. If you can get stamped off, jump off China, turn around then just come back in on the opposite border gate and get stamped in, it's simple, IF Vietnam IS NOT standing in your way.

Hello,

PerNordin I agree with you,It needs try but with high risk.
kal1982 no you canot get the visa on the border for Vietnam,you have to take from Kunming,it costs 350 Yuan for one month single entry tourst Visa.The bus from Kunming to the border about 12 hours night bus .I gues the best solution is to take the Visa first then try to reenter China without pass the border to Vietnam if they refuse just head back to vietnam cross the border then back to China .The journey from Kunming to Vietnam and back with Visa costs 600 Yuan .

600 yuan is sweet for the lot, i'll surely try this method the next time i need to exit/re-enter.

Do i just get the Vietnam visa from the same office where i'd extend my Chinese visa? Beijing Lu i think it's on.

Consulate General of Vietnam in Kunming, China

No. 507, HongTa Mansion.

1 No. 155 Beijing Road, Kunming, China

Zip Code: 65001

Tel: +0086-871-3522669

Fax: + 0086-871-3516667

Email:www. tlsqcm@yahoo.com

Created by thao

Last modified 24-10-2008

I work that the US Consulate in Chengdu in the American Citizen Services section. I can say from experience this will not work - if you do not "enter" Vietnam on a valid visa, the PSB will not consider it a lawful "exit." If past conduct is any indicator of what will happen, the border guards will put a blue stamp over the exit stamp, in effect voiding the exit stamp, when they realize you cannot legally enter Vietnam. The PSB will not consider it a valid exit when deciding whether you have overstayed your visa. I recommend just getting the visa to Vietnam and legally crossing the border, then re-entering.

Oh..Thank you very much arupert.I will follow your advice .