Visa Complications

Visa Complications
The talking point around the ex-pats circles in Yiwu over the past few months has been the visa restrictions for foreigners here in the lead-up to the Olympic Games. Many foreigners are struggling to renew their visas beyond a thirty day holiday visa, with many big company customers not able to obtain business working visas – even for 10 day visits. One Australian customer was only able to obtain the holiday visa after weeks of trying to get business and factory invites through the Chinese Government for approval. The process was just too difficult and in the end he elected to take a “Working Holiday” through the factories here in Yiwu and Guangzhou.
Many South American friends living here have to take 2 day trips to Hong Kong to re-apply for holiday visas every 30 days as that’s the only visa available to them. It’s hurting their work and is also costing them a lot of money to stay in China legally.
One good Algerian friend told me last week that his business has taken a battering from the fall in his customers (predominantly from the Middle-East). His business relies on buyers coming in and purchasing from the many goods on offer in the Yiwu Markets, but this has all stopped as the customers aren’t getting past the visa office in his country. He believes things will change post Olympics and will have to ride the storm out till then.
We have now figured out the best ways around this and are still busy with the flow of customers coming through the Futian Markets. Wired Imports have a hassle free process for customers holding “China Friendly” passports, making for a smooth tour through all markets.

Qualified Suppliers of the Yiwu Futian Market

Yiwu has changed significantly over the past 10 years so it’s no wonder that only the top level of factories will survive China’s competitive markets. This week we start a look into the people that make our trips to the markets enjoyable and learn what inspires them to produce for the world. In Chinese culture, money is all important, so this week I have chosen a business owner that has earned a well known local reputation as a shrewd businesswoman.
Provided you speak Mandarin or the local dialect Yiwunese, Judy (shop 1328 – Futian 1) will always be up for a chat and a coffee. Judy has been in the Futian Markets since they opened. Her factory manufactures high quality children’s educational toys and exports to most developed countries including Australia, USA, Canada, Israel, France and Spain. I have dealt with many suppliers and factories over the years producing similar products and have found her to be the only factory who can deliver perfect product every time.
I’ve learnt quickly that the most successful factory owners in China are the ones that understand the need for quality product to be delivered every time. Far too often, the factories skimp on quality in order to keep prices lower than their competitors. These guys simply don’t reliably produce the quality of product that can be sold in countries like Australia, Europe and the US, and so we know to stay well away from them. Believe me, when you find a supplier like Judy in Yiwu, you lock her name into your database and stick with her.