China Visa

Chinese Visa Introduction
China visa is the must document for a visit to China unless you meet the policies of Chinese Visa Exempiton. Following is a sample Chinese Visa. Apart from the sections of catagory (visa type) and personal information, you should pay attention to the definations of the Number of Entries, Validity and Duration of Each Stay.

Number of Entries
The Chinese visa has set the number of entries to China, usually consists of single-entry visa, double-entry visa and multiple-entry visa. You can choose the number of entries when filling the application form, but the final number of entry and duration of stay is determined by the China embassies or consulates.

Single-Entry Visa
The Single-Entry Visa is mostly used, but allows you to enter China only once. The period of validity of China single-entry tourist visas is usually 3 months after being issued, and a maximum of 30 days is permitted to stay in China. For another return back to China, you need to apply for a new visa.

Double-Entry Visa
A double-entry visa allows you to enter mainland China twice. Each visit can stay up to 30 days. You should know that Hong Kong and Macau require their own visa or entry permit, so if you visit China mainland first, then proceed to Hong Kong or Macau, and then come back to mainland China again, in this case, you will need a double-entry visa.

Multiple-Entry Visa
If you have a multi-entry visa you can enter and exist as many times as you like within the validity period, usually a maximum of 12 months. The duration of each permitted visit is usually 2 months (may be shorter). And there is no limitation to the gap between two individual entries.

Duration of Each Stay
The Duration of Each Stay, right section after the Enter Before, is the permitted maximum days that the visa holder can stay in China during each entry and exist. It is valid from the next day after entry, till to the 24:00 (Beijing GMT +8:00) of last day of the Duration of Each Stay.

The Duration of Each Stay differs by the visa types. A regular stay for the tourist visa L is 30 days. Overstaying beyond the permitted duration is against the laws of China. If you necessarily need to stay longer than the duration, you need to apply for the extension from public security authorities at least one week before the expiration of the permitted duration.

Please distinguish carefully between the Validity (Enter Before) and Duration of Each Stay. The former indicates the valid period of your visa, while the latter refers how long you can stay in China after entry.

China Visa Types
Before applying a Chinese Visa, you should understand there are different visa types to apply according to the purpose of your visit to China. Follow us to check which visa type is the most appropriate for your application and what kinds of documents you should prepare for.

Description of ordinary Visa
 C:Issued to foreign crew members of means of international transportation, including aircraft, trains and ships, or motor vehicle drivers engaged in cross-border transport activities, or to the accompanying family members of the crew members of the above-mentioned ships.

 D:Issued to those who intend to reside in China permanently.

 F:Issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other activities.

 G:Issued to those who intend to transit through China.

J1:Issued to resident foreign journalists of foreign news organizations stationed in China. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.

J2:Issued to foreign journalists who intend to go to China for short-term news coverage. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days.

 L:Issued to those who intend to go to China as a tourist.

 M:Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities.

Q1:Issued to those who are family members of Chinese citizens or of foreigners with Chinese permanent residence and intend to go to China for family reunion, or to those who intend to go to China for the purpose of foster care. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days. "Family members" refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law.

Q2:Issued to those who intend to visit their relatives who are Chinese citizens residing in China or foreigners with permanent residence in China. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days.

 R:Issued to those who are high-level talents or whose skills are urgently needed in China.

S1:Issued to those who intend to go to China to visit the foreigners working or studying in China to whom they are spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 or parents-in-law, or to those who intend to go to China for other private affairs. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.

S2:Issued to those who intend to visit their family members who are foreigners working or studying in China, or to those who intend to go to China for other private matters. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days.

X1:Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of more than 180 days.

X2:Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of no more than 180 days.

 Z:Issued to those who intend to work in China.

How to Get a Chinese Visa
You can come to the Chinese Embassies, Consulates and other Chinese diplomatic missions to submit application in person; if you can't come personally, you can entrust the others like your friends and families, a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf. No appointment is required. Applications by mailing are not acceptable and will be refused at most of Chinese embassies or consulates.

Chinese Visa Requirements

Passport
Firstly, the remaining validate of your original passport must be beyond 180 days. Secondly, your passport must have two blank visa pages. If the data page or the photo page is spate from your passport, prepare a copy of both of them.

Visa Application Form
Download the latest version of the Visa Application Form from the official website of China embassy or consulates in your country.

Photo
One recent color passport photo (full face front view bareheaded and against a plain light colored background, approximately 48mm*33mmProof of legal stay or residence status

Valid certification or visa of current legal residence, employment, student status or other legal staying, issued by the authorities of the country where you are staying, is required.

Processing Time
It regularly takes 4 working days for processing. For express service, additional fees of US$ 20 will be charged for second or third working day releasing. For rush service, additional fees of US$30 will be charged for the same working day releasing.

Visa Fees
The fees vary enormously depending on your nationality and number of entries. However, according to the Visa Fee Abolition Agreement, the nationals of following seven countries are free of the fees, but they need pay for the express service, rush service or mail service: Pakistan, Maldives, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovakia and Micronesia.

72-Hour Visa-free Transit in China
From January 1, 2013, China implemented the 72-Hour Visa-free Transit policy for citizens of certain countries who meet the criteria to via and travel some certain China Cities, Including Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenyang, Dalian, Xian, Guilin, Kunming, Harbin, Xiamen, Wuhan, Tianjin, Qingdao and Changsha, in total of 15 cities (until August 22, 2016). 

72-Hour Visa-free Transit or 24-hour Direct Transit
According to different passengers, China offers different transit policy without visa for 72 hours or 24 hours permitted stay. By judging the main difference, you can choose either one easily.

72-hour visa free transit: only allowed for permitted airport entering China, suitable for passengers who have enough time and plan to travel China within transit period.

24-hour direct transit: Valid passport holders from any country can enjoy this policy by any way to enter China's territory (by air/train/ship). With 24 hours limited stay area in either port of entry, you may just wait for transit without any required documents needed to apply. This kind of direct transit is suitable for passengers who come from nearby country and have budget of time and money.