Hi Folks in Ireland!!

Has anyone got their Visa application going yet? I'm still waiting to get my acceptance letter from I-to-I but starting to get worried as to where it is!

I'm not from ireland, but I just wrote and asked about my acceptence letter.  Then I was reading one of the past information e-mails and it mentioned getting the letter 3 to 4 weeks before the arrival date.  I think we are at about 5 weeks now.  Hope they come soon though. 

Ya I emailed someone about it cause I would love to get it started since plane tickets are slowly rising :(. But it seems that they hope to have them out by the 24th or something like that. I really wish before that - really soon - cause I can't be doing everything at the last minute due to work - arg. But hey if that is how it works out at least everything else is done:)

hey im from ireland and emailed about visa, we get emailed an invitation thing and can then apply for a visa from the london or manchester embassy. should hopefully receive the invation emails soon!!

I emailed TTC about it asking when roughly I should expect to get the letter but all they say is that they'll email me when they get it. I just want to get everything out of the way ASAP but hopefully that will happen soon. I'm due another injection tomorrow eepp!

Have any of you booked your flights already or are you waiting to get your visa sorted like most people have advised? I don't wana leave it too late because as you said Will the prices are climbing....

just bought my ticket - AC031 to Beijing from Toronto - I just took a leap because prices were skyrocketing and I was able to find a seat sale today - that made me happy after having a heart attack all month watching the rise in prices. If all doesn't work well I can get a big chunk refunded - I would rather save over 400$ now and pay 200$ refund at the end than wait and pay possibly even more than that 400$ difference. 

I'm getting worried too.  Haven't had any sort of phone or email interview and have only gotten the pre-acceptance letter - no invitation letter, wich is what you need in order to apply for the Visa.  Haven't booked my flight yet either for that reason....  Trying to trust the system and stay calm!  ;-)

Hi guys,

Don't worry too much - visa letters are only due to arrive 3-4 weeks before you arrive in China - we recommend you hold out on booking your flights until this comes through, or at least book flexible flights - while it's very very very unlikely your visa application will be rejected you never know.

@Kate - I think Amy's emailed you, but you were firmly accepted onto the internship program back in May, so there's no need for a telephone interview - but the guys in China will be in touch with your visa invitation letter in due course.

Hope that helps guys - just sit tight!

Thanks, Honor.  My problem is I will be away Aug 1 - 7 (this was booked long before I knew I'd be on this China adventure) and I'm paranoid the invitation letter will come that week - which would make it too late for the Visa app to go through before I leave around the 17th because I have to mail my Visa app to Ottawa and wait for them to mail it and my passport (! Yikes) back....

Anyone else receive the handbook and sample contract today? It all looks fair in the contract - didn't realise we get ALL of our meals (either served in school or an allowance), so that was a bit of a brucey bonus. Anybody else read anything remotely interesting that people might have missed?

ps. i'm right in thinking the contract is NOT the letter of invitation right?

Hi Dougdale, yes you're right in thinking that the contract is not the letter of invitation, it would be nice if it was :) I received the handbook and contract... getting more and more excited about the trip now:)

@Honor- I've emailed a few people about this, but I wanted to see if you knew whether we have to have a return flight already booked before we're allowed entry into China? I might not necessarily be going straight back to the UK, and therefore don't want to book a return ticket, only to have to cancel it and loose the money. Do you know anything about this at all?

Cheers

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I have booked my return flights from the UK. I booked with STA Travel (they offer a student/under 26 discount) as it only £70 more. If I dont use it then it wont be too much of a waste. If we wait until the VISA's are approved then they are going to be mega expensive!

Was today the day we're meant to get our visa invitation letters?  Did anyone get theirs?  I didn't.  A little worried about this as already booked my flights.

Kate

I just received this from Cheryl...

"Yes, I’m receiving many emails within a day for asking the Visa Invitation letter.  I personally requested them to give me the daily update for the Visa Invitation letter status.  I think we should be able to receive it by next week. 

We will send you the Letter of Pre-departure soon,  there are many useful information(training centre, meeting point and etc) for you to read."

So we should be getting them soon - they said hoped to get them out before or around the 24th so we are all in good time. You will get the letter if they haven't turned you down, which you would have been notified earlier about. So it is just a waiting game for the visa I am quite sure - so you don't have to be worried about the letter.

Caley

Hi folks,

I got my visa invitation letter today so it's all getting real now! Did we all get them today? I hope so, then we can begin planning the par-tay!

Mark

I just got my invitation letter too! :]

woooo hooo i jus got my visa letters today... of 2 the embassy tomoro :)

Varsha!! Me too, me too, me tooo!!! Yeah!! :0) 

Yep, I just got mine an hour ago :D Extremely excited (If not a little nervous).

Yep got mine too.  Think I've got everything ready to post off, getting really neurotic about this and hope I haven't forgotten anything or done it wrong.  I'm assuming the scanned thing saved as my name is the invitation letter.  Can't see anywhere to select F visa.  This is getting to be an expensive little trip! 

Got mine - just waiting until Friday when I can pick up my Visa at the Consulate - woo woo - all that will be left is heading to the airport - yay!

Got my visa today-yay! Just have to finish packing (a challenge in itself) and then fly, fly away