CHINESE VISA APPLICATION GUIDE
If you are planning to visit Tibet, you will need Chinese visa. Below is the information on how you can apply for a visa. If you have any questions regarding the process, please, contact us»
The processing time varies depending on the Consulate. Typically the regular service takes 5 business days, and the express service takes 2-3 business days.
The visa fee also depends on the nationality and is different for regular and express services.
WHO NEEDS TO APPLY FOR CHINESE VISA
There are several countries that enjoy visa-free entry to China. Please, always check the current information on the official website of the Chinese Embassy, before booking your tour.
up to 15 days visa-free stay: Singapore, Japan, and Bruney
up to 30 days visa-free stay: Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Equador, Fiji, Grenada, Serbia, Seychelles, Tonga, and UAE
up to 60 days visa-free stay: Mauritius
up to 90 days visa-free stay: Bosnia and Herzegovina and San Marino
Citizens of all other countries need to apply for a visa before traveling to China.
WHERE TO APPLY FOR CHINESE VISA
You can apply for the visa in your native country or in the country of your current residence.
You can submit an application yourself or through one of the agencies. In some countries, Chinese Embassies accept mailed applications. For detailed information on the addresses of the Embassies, work hours and details on how to submit an application, please, visit the website of the Embassy in your country.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The required documents will be different for various visa types (ex, work, student, tourist visa).
Documents required for tourist (L) visa:
- Filled out, signed and dated application
- Passport and copies of passport page with photo and previous Chinese visas if you have them
- Documents confirming your itinerary: two-way flight tickets and hotel bookings
- Passport photo
Below you will find detailed information and requirements.
CHINESE VISA APPLICATION
Embassy accepts printed application. You need to download the application file and fill it out. The consul will not accept any marks on the application. If there is a mistake, please, print a correct version. If some of the fields on the application don’t apply to you, you can write “N/A”, “Not Applicable” or “None”.
PASSPORT REQUIREMENRS
Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date when you trip ends. There also should be an empty page for your visa. Please, include a copy of your passport’s page with a photo with your application.
If you had a Chinese visa before, also include the copy of the page with a visa.
If you had a Chinese visa in your previous passport, bring your old passport along with the new one. And make a copy of the visa page.
If you are applying in a country different from your national country, you also need to submit a proof of your legal stay in the country.
ITINERARY CONFIRMATION
For the tourist visa (L), you need to include documents, confirming your itinerary in China. It includes plane tickets for your arrival and departure from China and hotel reservations.
It is important not to use any hotel bookings in Tibet. Only submit hotel bookings in any of the Chinese cities for the entire duration of your stay in China. You can later cancel this hotel reservation. You do not have to follow the itinerary on your application. Once you have a Chinese visa, you are free to travel within the country.
PASSPORT SIZE PHOTO
You need to submit a photo of a front view, where the entire head, face, and ears are visible. You will need a recent photo (taken within the last 6 months).
The face should be clearly visible, glasses are allowed only if they don’t obscure the face (no glare, shadow, etc.). You can wear the hat or other covering if it is for religious reasons and it should not obscure the features of your face.
Size: 33mm (width) x 48mm (height). For USA applicants: the Consulate typically accepts the standard for USA passport size photo (2″ x 2″).
Background: white or very close to white, without any borders.
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