My father was sick and I engaged them for emergency visa in January for me and kids. I specified in application and to the travel agent I can only bring kids in July. She made an executive decision for my kids to get a visa issued expiring in May. $800 for both kids. Completely wasted. They have stopped responding to my chat massages. Never responded to any compensation. The wave of rushing back to China will eventually pass. My need of having help with visa will continue to stay. I will take my business elsewhere. This is not a place worthy of trust. read more

They helped me get my china visa in time for my flight despite delayed processing at the embassy. They were always on top of things. I highly recommend them! read more

TLDR: Betty is amazing. Process is straightforward. Price is so worth it. The visa application usually is $140 and she charges only $175 for everything! Only $35 extra! Found Betty with Bay Area Holiday on Yelp. We shop at Marina market all the time and until now haven't needed a travel visa to China. After doing some research especially after hearing that now in 2019 that the visa application process is untenable (4 hour wait, get a number like the DMV, hope you filled out the form and brought everything you need and go back to pick up passport and visa since they've stopped mailing things out starting in 2019), we knew we were going to need help. To do the research, it is important to remember that you must live near the local Chinese consulate. For example, if you wanted to do this for a family member that lived in LA, you can't since you have to make sure you have copies of each person's drivers license. So that family member would be on their own trying to figure out how to get a visa in the LA area. Although I had filled out the individual visa applications from the online pdf template with my best efforts and level of detail for each of my family going on our trip next month, there were a few issues I had to address before finally being able to turn in to Betty. She was so helpful and her goal is to make sure that your application gets accepted without issue or delay. The turn around these days is 10 business days and that is how long it took ours. A few fun facts: As of February 2019, it can be unpredictable as to how long of a travel visa you will be awarded. Betty always recommends trying to get the maximum 10 year visa but she has seen 6 month or weirdly 5 year ones. If you're born in Taiwan or China, you must write out (I'm sure she will help if you don't know how to) you actually Chinese name written in Traditional characters in the application in the appropriate box with the entire application typed out in the PDF and not completed in a handwritten fashion. Oh and she will have you write out your Chinese name on a post it note to be placed inside your passport. If you're been to China in the past, you need to bring any expired passports that show the visa for those trips. Good news is is that if you're born in China, you can get a 90 day stay one whereas US born can only have 60 day visas. You must have a copy of your current drivers license to be turned in. This is not on the website. I know someone who went to the consulate to turn in the application themselves and he had to get quarters from another person in line to copy his drivers license to turn in with his application. It would not have been accepted if he had not done so. This event took place just in October 2018. Your travel receipts such as airline tickets and hotel stays must have your FULL name as seen on your passport (not just first and last name as most printouts show). Otherwise, they won't be accepted. Ask Betty to help with that. She takes care of things like that. Oh and the passport photo... just go to the nearest Fedex and pay the fee for real photos. Despite my color laser printer, photo paper and fancy smartphone camera, they just didn't pass her discerning eye and thus the consulate would just have turned me away. In the photos, no jewelry, no teeth showing so barely any smiling, and ears must be showing (my wife had to really tie up her long hair that she usually doesn't do). Don't wear a light colored shirt or blouse so it doesn't blend into the white background. Contrast is best with dark colors. The required dimensions for the photo submission is slightly different from us passport photos but she will help trim them accordingly. Anyway, everyone tells us that having someone do all the legwork and checking for you is really worth it. I completely agree. Betty really knows what she is doing and is so experienced. We each got out 10 year multi entry visas without any issues. She made a very seemingly painful, foreboding and clearly bureaucratic process so seamless and worry free. It was very reassuring to have her help with everything. She is wonderful! Very highly recommended! Location: Inside on the right as you enter the Marina Market in San Mateo just off 101 on Hillsdale Avenue. Hours: Monday - Saturday 9am - 5:30pm. Ask for Betty! read more

This place is absolutely the BEST!!!! WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! My wife and I had 3 weeks until our trip to China and we both are very busy people. I tried going to the China embassy in San Francisco during my lunch break to quickly get our Visas sorted and the line at the embassy is insane! Going to the embassy is an ALL DAY task and from most reviews online, the embassy is a multiple visit process with all the bs you have to deal with. Betty is absolutely wonderful and a delight to work with! She's on top of everything and she is very responsive. Bay Area Holiday handles EVERYTHING for you and they make trips to the embassy themselves to process the paperwork. We just got our passports and visas, and they had to go the embassy at least 3 separate occasions for a variety of issues but again, this company handles it ALL for you. The service cost includes the China Visa fee and then there's a small service fee on top but it is absolutely worth it!!! I highly recommend!! The service fee is totally worth the avoided headaches and time waiting at the embassy. read more

Got the multiple entry tourist visa for my kid within two weeks through them, without any issue. They check the application and fix anything that's not properly done, and provide itinerary needed by the application. They unfortunately don't do business visa. They tell you that it will take 15 business days but I got it within 10 days, however the stamp on my visa was the 4th day after my submission. Might be worth it to call them after one week to check the status, in case they get it back already. read more

Allow me to introduce Bay Area Holiday to the world of Yelp! I didn't want to go through the hassle of taking time off of work and standing in a long line at the consulate office so my search for a travel visa agency had begun. I was referred to this company by a colleague of mine after searching through a short list agencies on Yelp. While the other agencies charged an arm and a leg for the regular turn around time, Bay Area Holiday charged me less than half of what the others charged (I paid $35 for the service + $140 for what the consulate charges for the visa). This business is located inside the Marina market. Enter through the sliding doors on the right and their kiosk is to your right. Ask for Betty. She's polite and professional and she'll thoroughly go over the application process with you. I was in and out of there in about 10 minutes. You can fill out your application ahead of time by downloading the form from the consulate's website. I received my Visa one week later. So easy and convenient. I highly recommend this company! Happy travels my fellow Yelpers! Zàijiàn read more

If you're looking to get a Chinese visa, this is the best place to go. Betty will make the application process the simplest thing ever, and you can pick up some groceries after too! I reciewed my visa five days after giving giving Betty my application. I highly recommend Bay Area Holiday! read more