Travel tips of China
VISA/PASSPORT
A valid passport and visa are required to enter and exit China for both US and Canadian citizens, and must be obtained from Chinese Embassies and Consulates before traveling to China. Visa processing generally takes 5 working days along with a visa processing fee of approximately $50 for a Single Entry Visa and $75 for a Multiple Entry Visa. Travelers arriving without valid passports and the appropriate Chinese visa are not permitted to enter and will be subject to a fine and immediate deportation at the traveler's expense. Travelers should not rely on Chinese host organizations claiming to be able to arrange a visa upon arrival. Chinese authorities have recently tightened their visa issuance policy, in some cases requiring personal interviews of American citizens. Although a bilateral United States-China agreement provides for issuance of multiple-entry visas with validity of up to one year for tourists and business visitors, Chinese consulates often limit visas to only one entry. Visas are not required of aliens who hold air tickets to the final destination, have booked seats on international airliners flying directly through China, and will stay in a transit city for less than 24 hours without leaving the airport. Persons transiting China on the way to and from Mongolia or North Korea or who plan to re-enter China from the Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Regions should be sure to obtain visas allowing more than one entry. Permits are required to visit Tibet as well as many remote areas not normally open to foreigners.
Please note obtaining a visa is your responsibility. These requirements change often and therefore it is best that you check with the Embassy of China for the most up to date visa information.
HEALTH
Health insurance is essential. Medical facilities outside of major cities are poor quality. We recommend that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. The doctor or health-care provider will determine what vaccinations and medication you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. For more information on travel requirements, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/china.aspx
COUNTRY INFO
Capital: Beijing.
Government: People's Republic. China comprises 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, two special administrative regions and four municipalities directly under central government.
Language: The official language is Mandarin Chinese. Among the enormous number of local dialects, large groups speak Cantonese, Shanghaiese (also known as Shanghainese), Fuzhou, Hokkien-Taiwanese, Xiang, Gan and Hakka dialects in the south. Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang, which are autonomous regions, have their own languages. English is spoken by many guides and in hotels. Many taxi drivers do not speak English, even in big cities.
Religion: China is officially Atheistic, but the stated religions and philosophies are Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism. There are 100 million Buddhists and approximately 60 million Muslims, 5 million Protestants (including large numbers of Evangelicals) and 4 million Roman Catholics, largely independent of Vatican control.
Time: GMT + 8. Despite the vast size of the country, Beijing time is standard throughout China.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin and three-pin sockets are generally in use. However, most 4 to 5 star hotels are also wired for the use of 110 volt appliances.
Telephone: Country code +86
Mobile Telephone: China has the most mobile phone users in the world, backed by a very sophisticated mobile communications system that now covers the entire country. Roaming agreements exist with most major international mobile phone companies. Alternatively, you can buy a prepaid GSM SIM card (from China Mobile stores) that allows you to use your mobile like a local phone with a new number. You'll need your passport to register.
Internet: The number of Internet users in China reached 253 million in 2008. Internet cafes can be found in most towns and cities, and Wi-Fi is increasingly available at hotels and cafes in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Hangzhou and other major cities.
Travel tips of Mongolia
VISA/PASSPORT
A valid passport is required for both US and Canadian citizens. No visa is required for Americans visiting for fewer than 90 days. Canadian citizens require a valid passport and visa prior to arrival. Regular visa processing generally takes 10 working days along with a visa processing fee of approximately $90. All other nationalites should check with the Mongolian Embassies in their home country.
Please note obtaining a visa is your responsibility. These requirements change often and therefore it is best that you check with the Embassy of Mongolia for the most up to date visa information.
HEALTH
Health insurance is required. Medical facilities are not widespread and poor quality. We recommend that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. The doctor or health-care provider will determine what vaccinations and medication you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. For more information on travel requirements, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/mongolia.aspx
COUNTRY INFO
Capital: Ulaanbaatar.
Government: Republic. Declared independence from China in 1921.
Language: Khalkh Mongolian is the official language. Kazakh is spoken by 5% of the population. There are also many Mongolian dialects.
Religion: Buddhist Lamaism is the main religion, although there is no state religion.
Time: GMT + 8. Bayan Ulgii, Uvs & Khovd Aimags in western Mongolia: GMT + 7.
Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz.
Telephone: Country code +976. Area codes: Ulaanbaatar: 11, Darkhan: 01 372, Erdenet: 01 352, Khovd: 01 432. International calls can be made from telephone exchanges and hotels in Ulaanbaatar.
Mobile Telephone: Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone operators. Coverage is limited to urban areas.
Internet: Access is available in Ulaanbaatar at business centers (often located in hotels), Internet cafes and at the telephone exchange on Suhkbaatar Square.
Travel tips of Russia
VISA/PASSPORT
To enter Russia for any purpose, a U.S. citizen must possess a valid U.S. passport and a bona fide visa issued by a Russian embassy or consulate. Canadian citizens using a Canadian passport also require a visa to visit Russia. It is impossible to obtain an entry visa upon arrival, so travelers must apply for their visas well in advance. Processing generally takes 20 working days along with a visa processing fee of approximately $75 for a single-entry visa and approximately $130 for a multiple-entry visa. Under Russian law, every foreign traveler must have a Russian-based sponsor, which could be a hotel, tour company, relative, employer, university, etc. Even if a visa was obtained through a travel agency in the United States, there is always a Russian legal entity whose name is indicated on the visa and who is considered to be the legal sponsor.
Citizens of other countries may require a visa. Please ask your Sales Advisor. These requirements change often and therefore it is best that you check with the Embassy of Russia for the most up to date visa information.
HEALTH
Health insurance is required. Medical facilities are poor quality and not widespread. We recommend that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. The doctor or health-care provider will determine what vaccinations and medication you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. For more information on travel requirements, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/russia.aspx
COUNTRY INFO
Capital: Moscow.
Government: Republic since 1991.
Language: Russian is the official language, although there are over 100 other languages. English is widely spoken by younger people as well as some educated older people.
Religion: Mainly Christian with the Russian Orthodox Church being the largest Christian community. Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish minorities also exist.
Time: The Russian Federation is divided into 11 time zones. Kaliningrad: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan: GMT + 3 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Izhevsk and Samara: GMT + 4 (GMT + 5 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Perm, Ekaterinburg, Surgut: GMT + 5 (GMT + 6 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Omsk and Novosibirsk: GMT + 6 (GMT + 7 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Abakan, Norilsk, Tura: GMT + 7 (GMT + 8 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Bratsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude: GMT + 8 (GMT + 9 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Mirnyy, Tynda, Yakutsk: GMT + 9 (GMT + 10 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno- Sakhalinsk: GMT + 10 (GMT + 11 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Magadan, Chirskiy: GMT + 11 (GMT + 12 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Anadyr, Petropavlosk-Kamchatskiy: GMT + 12 (GMT + 13 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; Russia uses a standard two-pin European plug.
Telephone: Country code +7.
Mobile Telephone: Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. All major cities are covered by at least one operator. Handsets can be hired from some companies and local SIM cards are easily purchased for use within Russia.
Internet: Public access is available in hotels in larger cities and in Internet cafes.