The tourist (L) and transit (G) visas are the only ones that you can apply for without assistance from a business, government or academic institution.
Most visitors to China will only require a tourist visa which will allow them to travel freely in most parts of China as tourists or to visit or accompany Chinese family members. If your situation is not described by one of the other visa types, then this should be the visa you need. If you marry a Chinese person and want to live in China, unless you are eligible for another visa type, you are normally granted a tourist visa with a longer validity.
If you are travelling in an organised tour group you might not have an individual visa in your passport. Instead, the tour leader will have a general one for the whole group. In such situations you will supply your details to the organiser before you travel and then you have no further concerns. If you are travelling to Hainan province in an organised group you might also find that no visa is required.
Requirements
1. Applicant' passport with at least 6 months remaining validity and available blank pages for visa;
2. One properly completed Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China
3. A recent passport-size color photo with white background stuck on the visa application form
For tourism, applicants also need provide the below required documents.
4. Under some situations, the original and copy of Chinese Hotel Booking and Return Air Ticket are required.
5. For applicants who will travel into Tibet, they must obtain a Tibet Travel Permit. This can either be obtained by joining a group or by obtaining the permit from Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region (Tel +86 891 6834313 or Fax +86 891 6834632).
For family visit, applicants should provide the following documents besides the first three items listed above:
6. Proof of Relationship, such as Marriage License, however, the applicants who were born in China (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) as shown on the passport are exempt from this proof.
How to Apply
You can come to the Chinese Embassies, Consulates and other Chinese diplomatic missions to submit application in person; if you can't come personally, you can entrust someone else, a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf. Applications by mailing are not acceptable and will be refused at most of Chinese embassies or consulates. No appointment is required.
Processing Time
It regularly takes 4 working days for processing. For express service, additional fees of US$ 20 will be charged per visa for second or third working day releasing. For rush service, additional fees of US$30 per visa will be charged for the same working day releasing.
Visa Fees
The visa fees vary enormously depending on your nationality and number of entries. However, according to the Visa Fee Abolition Agreement, the nationals of following seven countries are free of Chinese visa fees, but they need pay for the express service, rush service or mail service: Pakistan, Maldives, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland, Yugoslavia and Slovakia. Visa application by mailing is accepted at some Chinese embassies or consulates, such as China Embassy in Canberra, Australia.
| Visa Types | Australian Citizens | American Citizens | Citizens of Other Countries |
| Single-Entry Visa with 3-month Validity | AUD 40 | AUD 155 | AUD 50 |
| Double-Entry Visa with 6-month Validity | AUD 60 | AUD 155 | AUD 75 |
| Multi-Entry Visa with 6-month Validity | AUD 80 | AUD 155 | AUD 100 |
| Multi-Entry Visa with 12-month Validity | AUD 120 | AUD 155 | AUD 150 |
Copyright© 1998-2009 TravelChinaGuide.com, All rights reserved.
Travelers' Voices on China Tourist Visa
1.
Nov. 8,2009 11:36 Reply
Mrs.Sheryl Sjonbotten(philippines) said:
Hi my husband is working in Yantai do i have a chance to visit him.im from philippines i wanted to know what kind of visa i need and requirement.thank's a lot
Nov. 9,2009 20:05
Ms.HELPER(Canada) replied:
How long will you stay in China?
Nov. 17,2009 21:09
Mrs.Sheryl(philippines) replied:
hi my plan is stay for one month.thank a lot
2.
Nov. 15,2009 02:34 Reply
Ms.Emma(Philippines) said:
good day..
i am holding a philippine passport, i am planning to visit hongkong for 2 days and 2 days in china (to visit the great wall of china with my brother who is also holding a philippine passport). if we apply a visa upon arrival, are we qualified and what are the requirements and how much would the charge.
regards,
emma
3.
Nov. 13,2009 13:16 Reply
Mr.OMERLUTFI(Pakistan) said:
Hi...I like to know that my friend is in china can you tell me that how long can I stay at my friends place at shanghai can I stay there for 2 months??? and I want just to visit him....I am living in Pakistan....and I am a student...
Nov. 13,2009 19:56
Mr.Joshua replied:
The duration of a single entry China tourit visa is 30 days, but you can apply for extension of stay at the local public bureau in China if you want to stay longer.
4.
Nov. 13,2009 03:34 Reply
Mr.Vinoth(India) said:
I am an Indian Pasport holder got an Schenzen Visa. need information on to buy Visa to go to UK... can anyone guide me. Thanks in advance
Nov. 13,2009 19:54
Mr.Michael replied:
You can apply for the Uk visa from the local Uk Embassy or Consulate.
5.
Nov. 12,2009 21:01 Reply
Mr.Erik G. Joergensen(Denmark) said:
Hello all,
I have a girlfriend in China and i wish to apply for a visa there will make it possible for us to live together in China, this is the first time i am relocating to a other country so i dont know what i need to do to obtain the so called D-Type Visa. Can anyone her tell me what i need to do to get it and if possible tell me what documents i need for this?
Sincerely,
Erik G. Joergensen
Nov. 13,2009 01:18
Mr.Lester replied:
I don't think you can apply for a China D visa, only a person who has lived 5 years in China and is a desirable person may obtain a D visa.
I think you can pnly apply for a China tourist visa to stay in China for 30 days.
6.
Nov. 11,2009 05:15 Reply
Mr.OMERLUTFI(Pakistan) said:
Dear Sir/ Madam
I like to visit my friend in china who is living in Hangzhou studing there in a university, He is going to be free from the month of JAN 2010 till the end of Month FEB 2010 I would like to visit him I am living in Pakistan for 5yrs now before that I was living in Saudi Arabia with my parents now my father has retiered from his job in Saudia thats why we are back to paksitan. I have my old passports with me and my overseas ID card also with me I am pakistani national small problem is that my passport is about to expire soon and I will get it renew by the end of DEC this yr. And I am a student of Fashion Designing I have asked my friend to show me some institutes in shanghai so that I can join them but 1stly I will visit my friend and see around that if it is okay for me to stay there or not like if its cheap or expensive from the students point of view can I do that if I get any interest in getting admition in any of the institutes I will have to get another visa and then exit from china and back on that student visa right? now please tell me 1stly that I have to visit him only only for 3 months or 2 months wat im documents are needed from my side and his side so that there will be no probkem in visiting my friend to china... plz reply back awating your reply...
Mohammad Omer
Nov. 11,2009 20:47
Mrs.Caara replied:
For your student visa, I'm afraid you have to apply for it in your home country pakistan.
For your trip to China, I don't think you can stay in China for as long as 3 months, since the duration of a single entry China visa is 30 days.
7.
Nov. 11,2009 04:31 Reply
Ms.mhai(philippines) said:
hi..im a filipina and planning to get a china tourist visa to visit my friend and see beautiful places in china.this would be my first time to be out of the country.how much do u think it will cost the single entry visa and the one way fare to china?where should i inquire about the expenses and the processing matters? thanks !
Nov. 11,2009 20:40
Mr.Abdul replied:
A single entry China tourist visa is PHP 1,400 for filipinos if applied in Philippines.
China embassy usually require travellers have at least 100 Us dollars per day for their travel to China.
You can enquire the China Embassy in Philippines to get the exact answer.
8.
Nov. 8,2009 09:25 Reply
Mr.Rudi(Italy) said:
Hi, there! Going to HK next february, I'd like to visit Macau too, and then take a plane to Hanoi, stay 10 days in Vietnam and come back to HK to fly to Italy. Do I need any visa (Vietnam visa I'll do need, I know)?
What about if I take a train to go to Vietnam? In this case I think I've to get a Chinese Visa, but one or two? Could I have a chinese visa when leaving HK and the other one when I'll come back?
Thanks a lot for your attention...
Nov. 8,2009 22:37
Mr.leeovisa(China) replied:
It is 90 days visa free for Italian citizens to visit both HongKong and Macau.
If you want to take a train to Vietnam, you have to apply for a China visa. You can simply do it in HK, as HK is almost the easiest place to apply for China visas.
9.
Nov. 6,2009 07:32 Reply
Mr.shoaib akhtar(pakistan) said:
hi im shoaib i can just apply for a China worak visa from the China
Nov. 6,2009 20:25
Ms.Alina replied:
Could you please clear your meaning?
10.
Nov. 3,2009 23:35 Reply
Mr.T.P.S Thapa (India) said:
dear sir ,
I do job in hotel now my boss sending me beijing china for fifteen days for hotel work. now i want china but without medical report of myself i am not able to get visa of china .so please tell me from where can i get my medical report to get my china visa. tell me one more thing without medical report can i not take visa of china ?
Nov. 4,2009 02:14
Mr.Philip replied:
If you will just go to China for 15 days, no physical report will be needed for the China visa application.