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 |
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Travelers' Voices on China Tourist Visa
1.
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?
2.
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.
3.
Nov. 2,2009 19:57 Reply
Ms.ZAINAB(China) said:
hello..
I am from India and student in China, my boyfriend is Austrian citizen and wants to visit me here in China.. i want to know what is the procedure for applying visa and also if he needs any kind of invitation to visit me?? Also does he needs to show any bookings of hotel to show while applying??
thank you ..
Regards
Zainab ..
Nov. 2,2009 22:56
Mr.Hunter replied:
He can just apply for a China Tourist visa from the China Embassy in Austria. You can provide him an invitation letter enclosed with your valid address, contacts as well as copy of your residence permit to help to smooth his visa application.
The hotwel booking may be necessary for the visa application.
4.
Oct. 31,2009 10:29 Reply
Mr.MUHAMMAD NAEEM (PAKISTAN) said:
DEAR SIR / MADAM ,,, I WANT TO VISIT TO CHINA ONLY FOR LOOKING THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES OF CHINA ,,, BUT YOUR WEBSITE DONOT SHOWS CLEARLY ABOUT VISIT VISA INFORMATIONS PLEASE SEND ME ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE SAID VISA . I HAVE MY COMPUTERISED VALID PASSPORT AND I D CARD ... SO PLEASE SEND ME SPECIFICALLY INFORMATIONS ABOUT THE VISIST VISA ,,,
I WILL BE VERY THANKFUL TO YOU ,,,
BEST REGARDS ,,,
YOURS TURLY ,,,
MUHAMMAD NAEEM
MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS GIVEN BELOW ...
muhammad.naeem777@gmail.com
Nov. 1,2009 04:47
Mr.Helper replied:
You can get the detailed information about Chinese visa application on this website http://pk.chineseembassy.org/eng/lsfw/t379810.htm
5.
Oct. 29,2009 04:30 Reply
Mr.Rizwan Ahmed(Pakistani) said:
We are a group of 7 people family member would like to visit Bejing for few days
We are from Pakistani,Do we need a visa ? If yes, can we do everything through a travel Agence?
Thank you very much for your kind answer
regards
Rizwan Ahmed
razzi.virgo@gmail.com
Oct. 29,2009 20:33
Mr.David replied:
You need a visa to Beijing, and you ca only apply for the visa through a travel agency, since China embassy in Pakistan don't accept individual visa application.
6.
Oct. 29,2009 04:18 Reply
Ms.Rochelle(Philippines) said:
My family will be going to HongKong this November and would like to visit Schenzen. Do we need to have a visa or visa will be given on port?
Oct. 29,2009 20:31
Mr.Dave replied:
Filipino passport holders are exempt from visa to Hk fo r14 days. How long will you stay in Shen Zhen?
7.
Oct. 27,2009 21:56 Reply
Mrs.Glory H.(Japan) said:
Iam going to visit the USA. Can I apply for a Chinese Tourist visa in The USA?
Iam parmanent rsident of JAPAN.
Oct. 28,2009 01:06
Mr.Caspar replied:
I think you can, but the China Embassy in USA has the final say.
8.
Oct. 26,2009 12:57 Reply
Mr.DANIAL(PAKISTAN) said:
i just want to know one n easy thing that i am in saudi arabia some body conform me tha how much for just one entry visa for pakistani peopel in ksa some sayes its 250 sr but i think its 120 sr i m not saudi thats way its 120 bt plz some body conform its thanks
Oct. 26,2009 22:04
Mr.Eric replied:
it should be 120 Riyals.
9.
Oct. 25,2009 19:31 Reply
Mr.Alejandra Fernandez(Argetnina) said:
We are a group of 9 people travelling to Hong Kong in December/January, and would like to visit Bejing for three days
We are from Argentina, Ecuador USA and Italy. Do we need a visa ? If yes, can we do everything through a travel Agence?
Thank you very much for your kind answer
regards
Alejandra Fernandez,
alejandra_1206@hotmail.com
Oct. 26,2009 02:27
Mr.Norman replied:
Passport holders of Argentina, Ecuador, USA and Italy can visit Hong Kong for up to 90 days without a visa, so you don't need a visa to Hong Kong. But you all need a visa to Beijing, mainland China. You can entrust a travel agency to apply for Chinese tourist visa on your behalf.
10.
Oct. 22,2009 10:25 Reply
Mr.danial(saudi arabia) said:
its not a big deal a renew my passport first,but the problem is that my my friend is in chine who hosted me so we have no family relations with each other so we dont have any documents, so what can i do for this, and tell me one more thing do u know any of trevel agent who handle my vise prosees, so how much this cost ?
Oct. 22,2009 23:18
Mr.Mike replied:
You can ask your friend in China to provide you an invitation letter enclosed with his/her valid adrdress, contacts and copy of his/her Chinese ID card or residence permit.
I have no idea about the authorized travel agencies by the China embassy in Saudi Arabia, you may contact the emabssy directly for more information.
Oct. 23,2009 04:05
Mr.danial (saudi arabia) replied:
is that must that i have the ticketes then the embassy give me visa or if i just show that i have the reservation of tickets? if i get a visa soo after how many day it wil expires.means how much valid before i reach the china
Oct. 23,2009 04:48
Mr.Brian replied:
You have to present the copy of the sir tickets when applying for the China visa.
A single entry China visa is vlid for 3 months, counted from the date of its issue.
Oct. 24,2009 10:29
Mr.Danial(saudi arabia) replied:
i want just single entry,how much for this
Oct. 24,2009 20:37
Mr.Helper replied:
it is valid only for 3 months before you enter China.