***AVOID USING THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS. "CONCIERGE" PROMISES NOT MET AND NO FULL REFUND. IT WILL BE CHEAPER AND FASTER FOR YOU TO JUST GO TO THE CONSULATE YOURSELF.*** This was my first time using Travel Visa Pro. I decided to give it a shot because I had a last minute business trip come up that required me getting my China visa. I had about 30 days to do it. When I put in my application, and paid extra for the "concierge services," my agent John Sisson told me I could expect around a 2 week turn around. He also gave me a list of documents to submit, which I did. I should also note, HE insisted I sent my expired Taiwanese passport, which I (and even the resolutions manager, Ruta, who admitted it to me over the phone) believed messed up my entire application. After the 2nd week mark, I started getting multiple strange requests for more and more documentation. This included a "statement" for 1) a "travel" document 2) "name change," which I've never had... 3) AND THEN, John came back and said they also wanted my birth certificate AND copies of both my parents' passports. This was ludicrous - all my Taiwanese American friends, along with my Taiwanese dad who has done visas for my family - never encountered this. They were all stunned that this was happening. The core problem is that I'm estranged from my biological mom's side of the family. I've also never had a birth certificate since I've kept a US passport all my life for I-9 employment, travel, identity verification, etc., and never had the need a birth cert. Never mind that it would be IMPOSSIBLE for me to get a copy of my biological mom's passport (assuming she even has one, or is still alive), I came to find after placing an order for a birth cert with California that it could take up to 14 weeks or more to receive. Since I couldn't afford to wait 14 weeks, I told Lester Sisson my situation. His response was basically, "Well, too bad, that's what the consulate wants." Then I told him and John I needed a refund since their service caused me to cancel my trip. After having to follow up a few times, they put me in contact with Ruta Stankus, the resolutions manager. I discussed everything with Ruta, and how upset I was about this whole situation. And that's where she told ME that she agreed we never should have sent the consulate my expired Taiwanese passport. She (and Lester, in writing) also said that recently, Travel Visa Pro has had lots of issues recently with getting dual Taiwanese-American citizens their China visas. She told me over the phone that she would get my passports back, along with a full refund. I did get my passports back, but they refunded me "the consulate fee" and "10% of the service fee." I asked them for a full refund, but Ruta basically blamed it on me and said YOU withdrew your application, so basically it's your fault. Needless to say, I am REALLY upset. I paid for "concierge" services and because of THEIR delays and incompetence, I had to cancel an overseas business trip. My bigger concern is, if Lester and Ruta are telling me they're seeing China visa delays with dual citizens "all the time," THEN WHY WAS I NOT WARNED BEFOREHAND THAT IT COULD TAKE LONGER THAN 2 WEEKS? It's as if they were surprised that it did, and then when it did, and I subsequently had to cancel my trip, and then withdrew my application, they blamed it on me for not just waiting another 14 weeks to maybe hopefully get my birth certificate. Who knows if I would have gotten random mysterious requests for more documentation and that a birth certificate, 14 weeks from now, would even settle it? So, I've wasted one month, had to cancel/rearrange a bunch of my business plans, and pay for the agency's dishonesty/incompetence with the turn around time. They also stopped responding to my emails asking for a refund. DO NOT USE AT ALL COSTS. THEY WOULD RATHER STEAL YOUR $400 THAN PAY FOR THEIR OWN FAILED SERVICE. I only used them to save myself a trip from having to fly to the consulate myself, but now it would have been faster and cheaper to have just done it myself. read more

I was very nervous about using a third-party service to get my Visa, but I also couldn't afford to go spend four days in Washington, DC. Every step of the process, Travel Visa Pro was thorough and communicated so well. It was amazing, and their pricing is also fair and far less than some other services. I'll totally use them again. read more