China Holidays, Tours of China and the Far East

A Chinese visa is a permit issued by the Chinese visa authorities to an alien for entry into, exit from or transit through China. The Chinese visa authorities may issue a Diplomatic, Courtesy, Service or Ordinary Visa to an alien according to his status, purpose of visit to China or passport type. The Ordinary Visa consists of eight sub-categories, which are respectively marked with Chinese phonetic letters C, D, F, G, J-1, J-2, L, X and Z.

C Visa: Issued to crewmembers to perform duties on board an international train, airliner or other vessel, and their accompanying family members.

D Visa: Issued to an person who comes to reside permanently in China.

F Visa: Issued to a person who is invited to China for a visit, an investigation, a lecture, to do business, scientific-technological and culture exchanges, short-term advanced studies or intern practice for a period of no more than six months.

G Visa: Issued to a person who transits through China.

J-1 Visa: Issued to foreign resident correspondents in China.

J-2 Visa: Issued to foreign correspondents who make short trips to China on reporting tasks.

L Visa: Issued to a person who comes to China for sightseeing, family visiting or other private purposes.

X Visa: Issued to an person who comes to China for study, advanced studies or intern practice for a period of more than six months.

Z Visa: Issued to an person who comes to China for a post or employment, and his or her accompanying family members.

The overseas Chinese visa authorities are Chinese embassies, consulates, and other offices authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. If a foreigner intends to enter into, exit from or transit through Chinese territory, he/she shall apply to the above-mentioned Chinese visa authorities for a Chinese visa.

Visas are not required of aliens, who hold final destination tickets and have booked seats on international airliners flying directly through China, and will stay in a transit city for less than 24 hours without leaving the airport.

Visas are not required of Citizens of the following countries, who transit through Pudong Airport or Hongqiao Airport of Shanghai, provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked seats, and stay in Shanghai for less than 48 hours: Republic of Korea, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece.

No visa is required for ordinary passport holders from Singapore,Brunei and Japan to visit China for up to 15 days for business, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends or transit.

L Visa is issued to an alien who comes to China for sightseeing or visiting family members/friends.

Mainland China L Visa Requirements:

• Your valid & actual passport which must have at least six (6) months of remaining validity with at least one blank visa page in it.
• One completed Visa Application Form with one passport photo (black & white or color is acceptable).
• An applicant who was born in China is required to submit his/her Chinese passport or last foreign passport with a Chinese visa when he or she applies for a Chinese visa with a new foreign passport.

• To apply for a Multiple Entry 'L' Visa, a written explanation for the purpose of visit is required.
• A foreign Chinese may apply for a Multiple Entry 'L' Visa valid for 24 months.

The visa application form shall be filled out completely, correctly and legibly, otherwise this can cause a delay in processing or the refusal of the requested visa.

How to apply

• You must come to the visa office of the Embassy or Consulate - General in the consular jurisdiction in which you live to submit the application; or
• If you cannot come personally, you may entrust someone else or a travel / visa agent to come to the visa office of the Embassy or Consulate - General in the consular jurisdiction in which you live for the application process.

• Mailed applications are not acceptable and will be refused. Mail back service is available. Make sure you read Instructions for Application Mail Service.
• No appointment is required.

Visa fee for the individual applicants will be $130 per person, regardless of the types of visa applied for.

The regular processing time is 4 working days. For express service, additional fees of $30 for 1 working day processing (applications presented before 11:30am may be picked up between 2:30pm-3:00pm on the same day), or $20 for 2-3 working days processing will be charged.

Please pay by Visa, MasterCard, Money Order, Cashier's Check, Company Check or Cash. Personal checks are not acceptable. Please make the check or money order payable to the Chinese Embassy.

Usually the validity of a Single Entry or Double Entry ’L’ visa is 90 days or 180 days from the date of issue. This means the holder of the visa shall enter China no later than 90 days or 180 days from the date of issue, otherwise the visa is expired and is null and void. The duration of stay of a ’L’ visa is 30 days, which means the holder of the visa may stay in China for up to 30 days from the date of entry. The visa officer may extend the Duration of Stay if the applicant needs and requests a stay in China for more than 30 days.

Any person suffering from a mental disorder, leprosy, AIDS, venereal diseases, contagious tuberculosis or other such infectious diseases shall not be permitted to enter China.

Where to get your Chinese Visa

The People's Republic of China currently maintains one Embassy in Washington D.C., five Consulates-General in the following U.S. cities: New York, NY; Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX.

Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
Address: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 338-6688, (202)5889760
Fax: (202) 588-9760

Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, IL
Address: 1 East Erie Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611
Tel: (312) 573-3070/3071
Fax: (312) 803-0122

Chinese Consulate General in Houston, TX
Address: 3417 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006
Tel: (713) 520-1462
Fax: (713) 521-3064

Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, CA
Address: 443 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Tel: (213) 807-8088
Fax: (213) 807-8091

Chinese Consulate General in New York, NY
Address: 520 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Tel: (212) 244-9392
Fax: (212) 465-1708

Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, CA
Address: 1450 Laguna Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: (415) 674-2900
Fax: (415) 563-0494

NB. The Chinese ask that all visa applications be made no later than 2 weeks prior to departure.