Requirements for Chinese Visa Application

Requirements for Chinese Visa Application

(Not suitable for entering Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan)

A Brief Introduction to Chinese visas

Chinese visas fall into four types: diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, service visa and ordinary visa. Ordinary visa is further divided into the following eight categories each marked with a letter:

(1) Tourist and family visit visa (L-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for tourist purpose, family visit or other personal affairs.

(2) Business Visa (F-visa ) is issued to a foreign citizen who is invited to China for visit, research, lecture, business, exchanges in the fields of science, technology, education, culture and sports, or attending various kinds of trade fairs or exhibitions, or short-term study, intern practice for a period of less than six months.

(3) Student Visa (X-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for the purpose of study, advanced study or intern practice for a period of six or more months.

(4) Work Visa (Z-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China to work and his or her accompanying family members, or who is to give commercial performances, implement aid or cooperative projects in China.

(5) Transit Visa (G-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who is to transit through China on his or her way to a third country (or region).

(6) Crew Visa(C-visa)is issued to crew member performing his/her duties on board of international train, or on an international airline, to a sailor on board an international ocean-liner or freighter.

(7) Journalist Visa (J-visa)is issued to foreign journalists. J-visa has two categories: J-1 visa and J-2 visa. J-1 visa is issued to resident foreign journalists in China and their accompanying spouses and under-age children, J-2 visa to foreign journalists who visit China for temporary news coverage.

(8) Permanent Residence Visa(D-visa)is issued to a foreign citizen who has been approved by China's public security authority to reside in China permanently.

Tourist and family visit visa (L-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for tourist purpose, family visit or other personal affairs.

i. Please provide the following documents:

(i). Original passport with at least two blank visa pages and a photocopy of their current passport (photo page only). For single entry visa, your passport should be valid for at least 6 months; For double-entry or multiple-entry(six-month) visas, your passport should be valid for at least 9 months; For one year multiple-entry visa, your passport should be valid for at least 15 months;

(ii). One completed Visa Application Form with a recently-taken colored passport photo (no hat, no veiling) affixed on it; all the items on the application form should be completed neatly with genuine information; if the applicant has a Chinese name, the Chinese name should be filled in. False or incomplete information and illegible handwriting may lead to refusal of a visa. Religious and media personnel need to declare that they shall not engage in any activities relating to religion and news reporting during the period in China in Section 5 of the application form.

(iii).Applicants who apply for tourist visa should provide tour ininerary or flight and hotel booking. If you are going to China for visiting family, relative or friends, you should submit a letter of invitation and a copy of inviter's ID. For the requirements for the invitation letter please see

(iv). Applicants, who have been granted Chinese visa before, should provide copies of recent Chinese visa with entry record. In case they are not on the current passport, copies of the previous passport with the above data are required.

(v). Foreign nationals who once held Chinese nationality,

1) who apply for Chinese visa for the first time, should submit the former Chinese passport (the Consulate General will cancel its validity), HK/Macau SAR passport, Taiwan travel document.

2) who have been granted Chinese visa(s) before, should provide previous passport.

(vii). Non-Australian passport holders, besides meeting the above points, should provide valid Australian visa as well as entry record, both the original and the copy. Applicants who are in Australia free of visa or with ETA and electronic visa, Australian entry record should be provided, both the original and the copy. .

(viii). Applicants planning to travel in Tibet Autonomous Region may join a tourist group organized by an authorized travel agency. If you go to Tibet individually, you may contact the Tourism Administration of the Tibet (Tel: 0086-891-6834313; Fax: 0086-891-6834632) in advance and ask for its approval.

(viiii). Applicants applying for a special tour to China should provide a visa notification issued by China National Tourism Administration or the tourism administration of related province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government. Special tours include self-driving, hiking, cycling, horse-riding, hot air balloon, or other expeditions.

(X)Any other documents which the Consulate officer may request.

ii. Method of application and Time for processing

(i) Method: An applicant may submit his or her visa application to the Consulate in person or entrust someone or a travel agency to submit on his or her behalf.

(ii) Visa processing time: Regular pick-up time is the fourth working day. The Consulate offers express service or rush service. For express service, visa will be ready for collection beteen 9:00am and 12:00pm on the third working day. For rush service, visa is ready for collection between 9:00am and 12:00pm on the second working day.

(iii) Mail service is not provided.

iii.Visa fee, period of validity and duration of stay

(i) For visa fee please see 'fee table'.

(ii)visa and service fees will be paid when collecting passport; money order,bank cheque,company cheque and credit card (Visa and Master card) are acceptable. Cash and personal cheques are not acceptable. Please make cheques and money orders payable to Chinese Consulate in Perth.

(iii) Generally, a single-entry visa is valid for three months, and a double-entry visa valid for six months,.

iv. Please Note:

(i) Please apply for a visa about one month in advance of your intended date of entry into China, and do not apply three months earlier. You should take upon yourself any consequences resulting from your failure to submit visa application at an appropriate time, which may lead to either your already-issued visa becoming expired or it would be too late to get a visa before your planned departure date.

(ii) The visa application form should be fully filled in and signed by the applicant upon completion (application for an applicant under 16 years old should be signed by one of his or her parents). Items which are not applicable should be filled in with N/A.

(iii) Whether applicants come to the Consulate by themselves or consign others for the visa application, the applicant should sign on the application form (except the under-16-year-old children). Any information correction by the consignee is supposed to be confirmed by the applicant.

(iv) Once submitted, the visa application can not be corrected or cancelled. No visa application documents will be returned, please copy it yourself in advance if necessary.

(v) Consular Officers decide on whether a visa is to be issued or not, what type of visa is to be issued, the visa's period of validity, duration of stay and number of entry in the light of China's laws and regulations. Consular Officers may request an applicant to provide additional supporting documents or have an interview with the applicant when needed. The applicant should submit them as soon as possible. Therefore, the visa collection date will be postponed as well. Chinese Consulates General is not responsible for any related economic losses and legal consequences if your visa application is rejected.

Business Visa (F-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who is invited to China for visit, research, lecture, business, exchanges in the fields of science, technology, education, culture and sports, or attending various kinds of trade fairs or exhibitions, or short-term study, intern practice, for a period of no more than six months.

i. Please provide the following documents:

(i).Original passport with at least two blank visa pages and a photocopy of their current passport (photo page only). For single entry visa, your passport should be valid for at least 6 months; For double-entry or multiple-entry(six-month) visas, your passport should be valid for at least 9 months; For one year multiple-entry visa, your passport should be valid for at least 15 months;

(iii). For general business activities, please provide a letter of invitation from a Chinese company/unit(neither the email letter or no stamp/ signature letter can be accepted); an applicant who has made an investment in China or signed contracts with a Chinese company, please provide the copy of the Chinese business license carrying the name of the applicant or the contract. For the requirements for the invitation letter please see When it is needed, applicants may be requested an Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by the authorized Chinese unit(Chinese governmental departments, companies and organizations authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. If you need more information, please contact the foreign affairs office of the local government).

(iv). Applicants who have been granted Chinese visa(s) before, should provide copies of recent Chinese visa with entry record. In case they are not on the current passport, copies of the previous passport with the above data are required.

(v). Foreign nationals who once held Chinese nationality,

(a) who apply for Chinese visa for the first time, should submit the former Chinese passport (the Consulate General will cancel its validity), HK/Macau SAR passport, or Taiwan travel document.

(b) who have been granted Chinese visa(s) before, should do as point "(iv)" requires

(VI). Non-Australian passport holders, besides meeting the above points, should provide valid Australian visa as well as entry record, both the original and the copy. Applicants who are in Australia free of visa or with ETA and electronic visa, Australian entry record should be provided, both the original and the copy..

(VII). In addition to the above-mentioned documents under (i),(ii), (iv), (v) and (vi), applicants intended to study for less than six months in China should also provide:

(a) Admission Notice (original and copy) and Visa Application for Study in China (Form JW-201/JW-202, original and copy, which indicates the period of study being less than six months) or

(b) Visa notification issued by a relevant Chinese unit.

(VIII) Any other documents which the Consulate officer may request.

ii. Method of application and Time for processing

(i) Method: An applicant may submit his or her visa application to the Consulate in person or entrust someone or a travel agency to submit on his or her behalf.

(iii) Mail service is not provided.

iii.Visa fee, period of validity and duration of stay

(i) For visa fee please see 'fee table'.

(iii) Generally, a single-entry visa is valid for three months, and a double-entry visa valid for six months,.

iv. Please Note:

(iv) Once submitted, the visa application can not be corrected or cancelled. No visa application documents will be returned, please copy it yourself in advance if necessary.

Student Visa (X-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for the purpose of study,advanced study or intern practice for a period of six months or more. A foreign citizen who is to study in China for less than six months should apply for a business visa (F-visa).

i. Please provide the following documents:

(i) Original passport which has more than six months left before it expires from the date of application for a visa and at least 2 blank visa pages and a photocopy of their current passport (photo page only).

(ii) One completed Visa Application Form with a recently-taken colored passport photo (no hat, no veiling) affixed on it; all the items on the application form should be completed neatly with genuine information; if the applicant has a Chinese name, the Chinese name should be filled in; false or incomplete information and illegible handwriting may lead to refusal of a visa.

(iii) Applicants, who are over 18 years old and will study in China for more than 180 days, need to provide a valid physical examination record.

(iv) Applicants who have been granted Chinese visa(s) before, should provide copies of recent Chinese visa with entry record. In case they are not on the current passport, copies of the previous passport with the above data are required.

(vi) Foreign nationals who once held Chinese nationality,

a) ① who apply for Chinese visa for the first time, should submit the former Chinese passport (the Consulate General will cancel its validity), HK/Macau SAR passport, Taiwan travel document.

b) ② who have been granted Chinese visa(s) before , should do as point "(iv)" requires.

(vii) Non-Australian passport holders, besides meeting the above points, should provide valid Australian visa as well as entry record, both the original and the copy. Applicants who are in Australia free of visa or with ETA and electronic visa, Australian entry record should be provided, both the original and the copy. .

(viii) Visa Application for Study in China (Form JW-201 or Form JW-202, original and copy); and

(ix) Admission Notice (original and copy)

(x) Accompanying family dependents of a student should apply for L-visa. If accompanying family dependents submit their applications together with the student's visa application, they need to provide proof of kinship, e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc. If the student is already in China, the accompanying family dependent applies for visa separately, besides the above-mentioned documents, the copy of the student's X-visa as well as Residence Permit are also required

ii. Method of application and Time for processing

(i) Method: An applicant may submit his or her visa application to the Consulate in person or entrust someone or a travel agency to submit on his or her behalf.