Travel and Leisure

How to Get China Travel Visas

Applicant can obtain visas for china travel as fast as the same day if you are in a hurry. You can find out how to do this at the end of this article but first let’s look at the different types of Chinese visas and the basic requirements to apply for them.

Types of Visas to China

The Chinese government categorizes their visas into at least eight different types which are represented by letters of the alphabet. For example, those who go to China for tourism should submit the application for the "L" visa. Those who go to engage in business will apply for an F visa. Crew visas are represented by the letter C, work visas by the letter Z, student visas by the letter X and resident visas by the letter D.

Foreign correspondants should apply for either a J-1 or J-2 visa depending on whether they intend to stay long-term or short-term respectively.

The Chinese consular services offer single-entry, double-entry and multiple-entry visas. Validity will be either 90 days or 180 days for the single-entry and double-entry visas. There are three validity options for applicants who request a multiple-entry visa which are 6 months, 12 months and 24 months. The 24 month vailidity visa is not listed on the application and has special requirements if you want to get one.

How to Get a Visa to China

The application process to get a Chinese visa is pretty straightforward. Of course, you have to submit a valid passport in order to get a visa. The passport has to have at least six months of validity remaining beyond your time of stay in China.

There is only one application form that can be used for every type of visa. It is only two pages long and is divided into seven sections. Section 1 requests personal data such as complete

name, birth date, passport number and occupation. You will complete Section 2 with information about your visit to China. This space is provided for you to to select the type of visa you need as well as the the validiity and number of entries you desire.

There are six questions about the state of your health that you must answer in Section 3 and provide your contact information in Section 4. The fifth section provides space for any special declarations you believe you should include while the sixth section only needs to be filled in if the form is done by someone other than the person traveling to China. Finally, Section 7 is where you sign and date the application.

It is very important that you complete the application form correctly and legibly. Mistakes on the form can result in delays or denial of your visa application. There is a place on the application for affixing a recent passport-style photo which must be a full-face front view with a light colored background.

This and the payment are all that is required for a tourist visa. Other types of visas require additional documents when applying. An Official Business Visa Notification, a business letter with the name of visiting firm in China and a letter of invitation from a company in China are all required documents for anyone requesting a Chinese business visa.

The recommendation made by the China government is that travlers submit visa applications one month before their planned travel date. The Chinese consular services does offer express (2-3 business days) and same day visa processing. You have to ask for this service and include payment for it.

Note, the Chinese consular services does not accept application forms by mail.

Therefore, you either have to personally deliver the Chinese visa application form or apply through a private China visa service.

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