--On Tuesday, August 24, 2010 12:15 -0400 Edward Lewis <Ed.Lewis@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > At 8:24 -0700 8/24/10, Fred Baker wrote: >> In the many times I have visited China, I have gotten a >> business visa once, and it was seriously not worth the >> effort. >> >> I plan to get a tourist visa. >> > > I've done both (as a US passport holder), the difference in > process was negligible to me. (They certainly cost the same.) > > In general, I'd err on calling a conference "work" if there > was any relevance to my day job. > > In some countries I am asked why I arrived, I don't recall > ever being asked this in the Peoples Republic of China. FWIW, I have been asked (although long ago and only once). My "normal" experience has been the one others have reported: check passport for visa, check face and passport, stamp passport -- not a work spoken. However, being very risk-adverse about these things, I recommend Ed's advice unless the sponsor can get a clear statement for us or there is a clear statement on the embassy web site about professional meetings (IIR, there has been from time to time). john _______________________________________________ Ietf mailing list Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf