China Visa on Arrival

Foreigners are likely to get a China visa on arrival or port visa at designated entry ports. At present, Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Zhuhai, as special economic zones, issue Special Economic Zone Tourist Visa at a cost of CNY 130 for citizens of many countries. Hainan Province specially issues the 30-day Visa-free Access for 59 countries which can also be deemed as a port visa and can be applied for at all open ports in Hainan free of charge. The validity of port visa counts from the day following your entry and only one entry is allowed. Once you exit, the VOA expires. 
 

 Kind Reminders:
1. Citizens from over 60 countries, including France, Italy, Australia, and Malaysia are eligible for China Visa-free Policy, which means they can enter China, including the above Shenzhen and others, without a visa, saving the trouble and money of applying for a VOA.
 See also: How to Travel to China without a Visa

2. The visas issued on arrival only allow holders to travel within that administrative region. For example, the Shenzhen VOA only allows activities within Shenzhen administrative region and the holder cannot travel across to visit Guangzhou or other places in China.

3. Besides the Hainan 30-Day Visa-Free Access, Hainan in the near future will also issue a 30-day port visa for more countries which has established diplomatic relationships with China and the allowed stay area will be expanded to whole Chinese Mainland. 
 

Except for Hainan 30-day Visa-Free Access eligible for 59 countries, passport holders of most countries can easily get a VOA in the three cities above, such as the US, Canada, and UK.

Some may apply for it by showing passports with proof that they have been issued a Chinese visa before by embassies and consulates, like the Philippines and Indonesia. It is helpful but some may still be rejected. 

Countries not eligible include Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, India, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Sudan, Turkey, and Yemen.
 

To apply for Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Xiamen VOA, you  just complete the application form at the VOA office at the border, take a photo and pay the fee. The visa will be issued within 5 to 10 minutes. You may need to wait longer if the room is busy. What you need for the application is just a valid passport. The VOA for tourism purpose cost CNY 130 for all countries. 

Hainan 30-Day Visa-free Access has no visa to be given, so it costs none but requires round-trip tickets arriving in and leaving from Hainan, and hotel bookings and travel itinerary in Hainan.

There are nearly 10 ports linking Shenzhen with Hong Kong, while tourists can only get the Shenzhen VOA from Luohu, Huanggang, and Shekou. Please be cautious when travelling to Shenzhen from Hong Kong to find the right port.
 

China eases the port visa application to offer more convenience to foreigners who urgently seek to visit China for non-diplomatic or nonofficial purposes, such as business activities, private affairs, family unions, or exchanges and visits. Foreigners in emergency who are unable to obtain a visa beforehand in time now can apply for a port visa on arrival with an invitation letter or other supportive documents. Now, 99 ports scattered in 72 cities has started port visa service.

This always requires an invitation from an accredited Chinese organization which explains the emergency, mostly related to business purposes that from the Chinese perspective it is important that you be admitted without delay, or that you are in a life-and-death situation.

 Warning: Not all applicants are guaranteed to obtain a landing visa, thus it's advised to get a visa in advance if time permits. See details on how to apply for a China visa.