Yes. You need visa to enter China. Chinese government
requires that your passport must be valid for at least
six months after the expiry date of your visa.
You'll need at least one-entire blank page in your
passport for the visa. Your country's embassy or consulate
can usually add additional pages to your passport
if need be.
Losing your passport is very bad news indeed. Getting
a new one takes time and money. However, if you will
be staying in China or any foreign country - for a
long time, it helps tremendously to register your
passport with your embassy. This will eliminate the
need to send telexes back to your home country to
confirm that you really exist.
If you lose your passport, you should certainly have
some ID card with your photo many embassies require
this before issuing a new passport. Some embassies
will accept a driver's license, but others will not
- an expired passport will often save the day.
What
do you need before your travel to China?
All travelers to China are required to hold a valid
visa. If travel in-group, the visa will be kept by
the accompanying guide and for individual traveler,
visa, which is insert into the passport, should be
kept by himself.
Passports are also needed, as it will be the prime
means of identification. You will have to show them
when you cash travelers checks, make plane or train
reservations, exchange money or establish the holder's
identity.
A
Brief Introduction to Chinese Visa
Chinese visa is a permit issued by the Chinese visa
authorities to those foreigners who want to enter
into, exit from or transit through the Chinese territory.
According to the applicants' identity, visiting purpose
and passport type, the Chinese visa falls into four
categories, namely, diplomatic, courtesy, service
and ordinary visas.
The ordinary visa consists of nine sub-categories,
which are respectively marked with Chinese phonetic
letters F, L, Z, X, C, J-1, J-2, G, and D.
Visit / Business Visa (F): Issued to those foreigners
who are invited to China for visit, research, lecture,
business, scientific-technological and cultural exchanges
or short-term advanced studies or intern practice
for a period of less than six months.
Tourism Visa (L): Issued to those who enter China
temporarily for touring, family visiting or other
personal affairs (multiple-entry is not granted for
this category).
Working Visa (Z): Issued to foreigners who are to
take up a post or employment in China, and their accompanying
family members.
Study / Student Visa (X): Issued to those who come
to China for study or intern practice for a period
of six months or above.
Crewmember Visa (C): Issued to crewmembers on international
aviation, navigation and land transportation missions
and their accompanying family members.
Journalist Visa (J-1): This visa is for journalists
who are posted to China for at least one year.
Journalist Visa (J-2): Issued to foreign correspondents
on temporary interview mission in China.
Transit Visa (G): Issued to those who transit through
China.
Residence Visa (D): Issued to people who are going
to live in China permanently.
The Chinese visa authorities overseas include Chinese
embassies, consulates, visa offices, and the consular
department of the office of the Commissioner of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. If a foreigner
intends to enter into, exit from or transit through
the Chinese territory, he shall apply to the above-mentioned
Chinese visa authorities for a Chinese visa. For further
information, please consult the nearest Chinese visa
authorities.
Detailed information of Chinese visa
| Visa Categories |
Entries of Visas |
Validity |
Duration of Stay |
| Journalist Visa (J-1) |
Single |
3 months |
/ |
| Journalist Visa (J-2) |
Single |
/ |
/ |
| Study / Student Visa (X) |
Single |
3 months |
/ |
| Residence Visa (D) |
Single |
3 months |
/ |
| Tourist Visa (L) |
Single / Double |
3 months |
1-60 days |
| Crewmember Visa (C) |
Single / Double |
3 months |
1- 30 days |
| Transit Visa (G) |
Single / Double |
3 months |
7 days |
| Visit / Business Visa (F) |
Single / Double / Multiple |
3 months 6 / 12 months |
1-60 days |
Basic
Requirements for Applying for a Chinese Visa
When applying for a visa, foreigners are required
to present relevant documents and go through the following
formalities:
----Your original valid passport with at least 2
blank visa pages and six months validity left before
expiration
----One fully completed visa application form with
your passport photo attached
----Sometimes, documents, which explain and prove
your reason to enter China, are needed for visa application
All the incomplete and false information in the visa
application form would lead to the failure of application.
And all the consequences arising there from shall
be born by the applicant himself.
How
to apply for a tourist visa?
Traveling in China requires a tourism visa (L). L
Visa is sub-divided into two kinds: group visa and
individual visa. If you are a part of a group, the
tour operator will often obtain it. Group visas will
usually be issued for groups with at least 5, and
the guide accompanying your group will keep the visas.
An Individual traveler can apply for one at any Chinese
embassy or consulates, and the procedure is usually
straightforward. China has its embassies and consulates
in most western and many other countries. You can
either get an application form in person at the embassy
or consulate or download one by visiting the website
of Chinese embassies in the foreign countries.
After fully and accurately completed your application,
you submit it to the nearest Chinese consulate and
embassies, either in person or by mail. A standard
30-day, single-entry visa from most Chinese embassies
abroad can be issued in three to five working days.
Rush processing of 24 hours issue or same-day is also
available (additional Embassy fee applies).
When
apply for a tourism visa, some extra documents are
required sometimes besides the basic requirements:
1) For individual tourism visa, a letter of confirmation
of the tour arrangement made by a travel agency
in China or letter of reservation of hotel in China
is required
2) For group tourist visas, a confirmation letter
from a provincial tourist bureau or a government-authorized
Chinese travel agency; a name list of the whole
group in triplicate and one copy of the information
page of each passport are required
Foreigners from countries which have visa agreements
with China, are treated in accordance with these
agreements.
Visitors who want to Tibet need to acquire the consent
of the Tourism Administration of the Tibet Autonomous
Region or any one of its foreign representative offices.
Foreigners requesting to visit Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Xiamen
and other Special Economic Zones may apply directly
to visa authorities in these zones for tourist visas.
Foreign tourist groups from Hong Kong for a 72-hour
visit to the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone are exempt
from entry visas.
Tourist visas are usually valid for three months,
but can be extended for an extra month at the Foreigners
Section of the Public Security Bureau. Passports must
be valid for at least six months before you travel
to China.
Chinese Embassies in Different Regions and Countries
Extension
of Visa
Foreigners who want to stay in China beyond what
their current visa allow need to apply for an extension
to their visa with appropriate reasons.
The extension application should be made at the municipal
public security bureau 7 days before the visa expires.
Multiple visas cannot be extended.
Foreigners who wish to apply
for extension or alteration of visas or certificates
need to provided the relevant documents:
1) A valid passport and visa as well as the documents
regarding accommodation registration
2) An fully completed application form for extension
or alternation
3) Documents and papers supporting reasons for extension
or alternation
The duration of visa extension:
1) F Visa: the total extensions add up to no more
than 1 year and each extension should be less than
3 months
2) L Visa: The L visa held by visitors could be
extended once with the duration no more than 1 month;
L visa held by family visitors could be extended
three times with each duration under 3 months
3) C Visa: C visa only could be extended once with
the total duration less than 7 days
Foreigners who are disallowed
to extend:
1) Foreigners whose duration of stay is shortened
and those whose residence right are deprived
2) Individual travelers who have no sufficient traveling
expenses
3) Family visitors who has no special reason for
extension when their visa expires
How
to obtain business, work or student visa?
In addition to the above-mentioned documents, the
followings are required:
For visitor / business visa (F), an official invitation
letter or telegram with a seal and code from the Chinese
Government or Government-authorized Chinese companies
(institutions) is required.
For study / student visa (X), an application form
for international students (JW202 or JW 201) issued
by the Chinese Ministry of Education and an admission
from the receiving college are required.
For working visa (Z), an employment license or a work
permit or an official visa notice from authorized
Chinese organizations is required.
Besides, all applicants for "Z" and "X"
visa should provide a physical examination record.
How
to obtain transit visa?
For transit visa (G), applicant should provide a
valid visa to or from the destination or visiting
country. Sometimes, an air ticket or its copy is also
required.
