This Article will show you about the guide on how to apply for Chinese working and student visa. Keep Reading to find out how to apply for Chinese Student and Working visa.
Do I need a Chinese VISA?
Yes, generally speaking, you do. However there are several exceptions. You don’t need a VISA if:
·You are in transit in one of the cities enumerated in this article for less than 72 hours;
·You’re going from Hong Kong to Shenzhen for less than 5 days or from Macau to Zhuhai for less than 3 days;
·You’re going to Hainan with an organized tour of a minimum five people for a maximum of 15 days;
You hold a passport from Singapore, Brunei or Japan and you’re staying in China for less than 15 days.
How long does it take to get a VISA?
If you have all the necessary documents and hold a passport with at least six months validity and two blank pages,it should take between two (if you apply for the express service) to four working days to get a Chinese VISA.
Note that the rush service (one business day) is only available in some countries (the US, for instance) and only for cases of extreme urgency, upon the approval of the Chinese Consular Office.
The best time to apply for a Chinese VISA is between fifteen days and two months before your departure.You can’t apply for your VISA too early because if you don’t use it, the VISA will expire after 90 days (or 180 days, in some cases), starting from the day you obtained it.
How much does it cost?
The price varies from 30 to 140 USD depending on your nationality, the type of VISA, the country where you apply and the number of entries.
Usually it’s cheaper for European people, whereasAmerican people are usually required to pay the full fee of 140 USD.
Where can I get a Chinese VISA?
In many countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada and EU countries, you must apply through the CVASC (Chinese VISA Application Service Center).
However, if in your country there is no CVASC (click on the link above to see the complete list), you shall still apply at the Chinese Consular Office that serves your province. This is also the case of people living in USA .
If for some reason you don’t want to, or you can’t show up personally, you can use an agency to get your Chinese VISA. This will have a supplementary cost, but it may still be cheaper than the cost of the trip to the nearest CVASC or Chinese Consulate).
In this case you’ll have to send your passport (and other necessary documents) to the agency and they will handle everything.
At the moment we recommend VISA HQ, a reputable agency that charges 79 USD for its Chinese VISA service.
People that are already traveling or working in Asia may also apply in Hong Kong (at the moment, only through an agency, as applying for a VISA at the consular office is only possible for Hong Kong residents).
Keep in mind that the government may abruptly decide to restrict or change VISA requirements in any moment, just like they did in 2008 (before the Olympic Games in Beijing) and in 2013. We don’t want to scare you; just be prepared to deal with the unforeseen.
In practice, you can also apply in other countries, but do so at your own risk, as it’s possible (probable?) that your application will be rejected. It also depends on your passport: Italian and German people, for example, seem to experience much fewer problems than French and American people. It usually depends on how good (or bad) the relationship between China and your country is. Since July 2013, even in Hong Kong, they have started to reject a lot of applications.
What are the basic requirements for getting a Chinese VISA?
The basic requirements for getting any kind of Chinese VISA are the following:
·Youroriginal passportwith at least six months of validity and two blank pages;
·A black and whitephotocopy of the passport page with your photo, and ofthe pages that contain any past Chinese VISAs that you have obtained(only applicable if you have already been to China);
·Arecently-taken color passport photo(48mm x 33mm) with light background;
·Aphotocopy of previous Chinese passports(only applicable to foreign citizens who were once Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship);
·Proof of legal statusin the country where you’re applying for the VISA, such as a resident permit (only applicable if you’re applying for the VISA outside your country of citizenship);
·AnApplication Formcompletely filled in, printed and signed
·TheDeclarationprinted and signed (only needed if you’re applying through the CVASC);
·Aprinted copy of the appointment receipt(only applicable if you’re applying through the CVASC – you will be able to make an appointement directlly on CVASC’s website).
·Aninvitation letterissued by a relevant entity or individual in China. The invitation letter is only needed if you’re applying for a C VISA (unless you have a letter of guarantee issued by a foreign transport company), F VISA, L VISA (unless you have proof of a hotel reservation for the whole duration of your stay in China), M VISA, Q VISA, S VISA or Z VISA. See the next section for details on the different types of Chinese VISAs.
Although normally the invitation letter can be in the form of a fax, photocopy or computer scanned printout, in some cases, you may be required to submit an original invitation, provide other supporting documents, or schedule an interview with the consular officer.
Important: All the requirements listed above are necessary but not sufficient for obtaining a Chinese VISA. This is because depending on the type of VISA you’re applying for, you’ll have to submit some additional documents. Read the next section for the details.
Finally, note that if the applicant is a child born outside China to a Chinese parent, the VISA requirements are different.
The Tourist and Business Visa
F VISA – For exchanges, visits, study tours, and other activities
The new F VISA is issued to people who come to China for non-business purposes such as educational, scientific, cultural, health or sporting reasons. Before July 2013, the F VISA was the same thing as a business VISA.
The basic requirements, including the invitation letter, should be enough in most cases.
L VISA – For tourists or visits to relatives
The basic requirements listedabove were once usually enough. However, since July 2013, you’re also required to providea copy of your return trip plane ticket for Chinaanda copy of a Chinese hotel booking for the whole duration of your staycontaining the full names of all the people that are applying for the VISA .
If you intend to stay at your friend or relative’s house, you won’t need to book an hotel. However, your friend/relative will have to send aninvitation letter to you (scroll down for more details on the invitation letter).
Sometimes, the consular office employee may even ask you for proof of your ability to financially support yourself before accepting your VISA application. Therefore, before going to the VISA office, be sure to ask via email or to call them to be sure of the documents that you need to bring.
The most common tourist VISA is the Single Entry Tourist VISA (that is, you can’t leave China and then enter again with the same VISA) which has a validity of between 30 days. The Double Entry Tourist VISA (2 entries, 30 days each), is also common.
Note that U.S. citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry VISA. In this case, the remaining validity of your passport must be more than 12 months.
If you are planning to go to Tibet, be aware that in addition to your VISA, you need a special entry permit issued by theTibetan Tourist Bureau. Currently, you can only enter Tibet with a travel agency.
M VISA – For business and trade activities
This is the new “business” VISA and it’s issued to people who come to China for business and trade activities. You are required to provide an invitation letter issued by a registered Chinese company or organization (for example, a trade fair).
Note that U.S. citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry VISA. In this case, the remaining validity of your passport must be more than 12 months.
While many people use Business VISAs to work in China, this is illegal. If you want to legally work in China, you need a Work VISA.
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