The old commercial visa (F visa), now called M visa
Business Visa for China – Index
- What is required to obtain an M visa?
- Where can I apply for an M visa?
- How long is the M visa good for, and how many entries can I get?
- Can I renew my M visa in China?
- How much does an M visa cost?
- How can I read an M visa?
- How can one get an M visa on arrival at the Shanghai Airport?
- How can one get a 5 day visa on arrival at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen?
- Can I work in China with an M visa?
The business visa (or M visa) is issued to those coming to China for commercial activity.
If you’re interested in finding out more about tourist, student or work visas, click here to read our guide to Chinese visas. If instead you’re interested in a visa to visit relatives (your husband, son, etc) then click here. If you’re interested in obtaining a visa for Taiwan, click here.
What is required to obtain an M visa?
- An original passport valid for at least six months
- Two photos 4.5cm*3.5cm with a blue background
- An invitation letter from a trade fair such as Canton Fair or from a Chinese firm (in the event that you get your visa through a Chinese agency, it’s possible that they will be the ones to procure the letter for you)
- A copy of the Chinese firm’s business license
- A business card with your company’s name and contact information (telephone, email, etc)
The invitation letter should contain your information (name, date of birth, etc), details about your trip (purpose of your visit, dates of arrival and departure, where you will be visiting, etc) and information about the firm that granted you the invitation letter.
If you intend to apply for – in Hong Kong, – a visa that will permit you to stay in China for six months or more, you will also have to meet the following criteria:
- Your passport must contain at least two Chinese visas issued outside of Chinese territory (those visas have a green background instead of blue or gray)
- Among your last three Chinese visas, one of them must have been issued in your country
Where can I apply for an M visa?
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. To apply for a visa service through an agency you can use the form above on the right.
The other option, which is frequently used by those who are already in Asia, is to apply for the visa in Hong Kong. Click here to read our guide about to how to apply for a Chinese visa in Hong Kong.
How long is an M visa good for, and how many entries can I get?
American citizens can also apply for a 10 years multi entry M visa (maximum 60 day for each stay).
Can I renew my M visa in China?
How much does an M visa cost?
For Europeans it’s usually cheaper, while Americans are often required to pay more than 100 USD.
If instead you apply for the visa in Hong Kong the cost depends on the length of stay (from 450 to 1,550 Hong Kong Dollars). Click here to find out the details.
How do I read an M visa?
- Category: M
- Entries: 1, 2 or M ( “M” multiple entries)
- Enter Before: XX-XX-XXXX (the visa’s expiration date)
- Duration of each stay: XX days after entry
- Issue date: XX-XX-XXXX (date the visa was issued)
How can one get an M visa on arrival at Shanghai Airport?
Even in this case you should have an invitation letter that serves to confirm the emergency situation that justifies your entry into China. In order to issue an invitation letter with the purpose of obtaining an M visa on arrival, the company doing the inviting must have at least a million Yuan in capital and be registered in one of the following provinces: Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui or Guangdong.
In addition, you can only obtain this type of visa if you land at either Shanghai Pudong or Shanghai Hongqiao airport. To conclude, if you hold a French or American passport you cannot apply for this type of visa.
How can one get a 5 day visa on arrival at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen?
This visa is only valid for the special economic zone of Shenzhen, namely the cities of Shenzhen, Shekou and the factories dispersed throughout the surrounding countryside.
The visa is called “Tourist visa to Shenzhen Special Economic Zone” so, technically, it’s a tourist visa. However it is also convenient for those who come to Shenzhen, the world capital of electronics, for business purposes.
If instead you’re in Macau you can apply for a similar visa for the Zhuhai area (in this case for a length of three days).
Can I work in China with an M visa?
But if you’re paid by a Chinese company or you’re paid by a foreign firm but will be working in China for over three months, then you will need a work visa (called a Z visa).
[Photo Credits (Creative Commons License): Tricia Wang – 王圣捷]
Hello there,
I‘m a German citizen studying in Shanghai, so I got lot of X-Visas in my passport. Recently, I would like to apply for M visa to go back to China and got the PU letter from a company in Shanghai already. But I‘m scared that the Chinese Embassy may deny my application, if I don’t fill the application correctly, because first of all I‘m a student and second of all I don’t have any work experience in a (trade) company or something. I’m curious, is there a high chance that I will be rejected?
Thanks!
Hi,
Thanks for the tone of knowledge you share on this website! I am a Polish citizen staying in China on a double entry, 30 days maximum duration of stay, M visa. It is my first M visa, but I have quite a few student visas in my passport (it’s practically Chinese visas only, from page one to almost the last ;) ). I am planning on applying for a new M visa and considering Hong Kong and Taipei. Would you say that one is better than the other, or the process should be equally smooth in both places? The other question is my chances for multiple entry, one-year visa. Is it really that rare to get one-year M visa and if so, what are the ways to improve my chances to get one? I am working in education, representing a foreign company providing training in cultural institutions, but occasionally help other companies in contact with business partners in China. In general, I work on various projects and therefore I was thinking that maybe providing a sort of work itinerary in the letter from the inviting company would be a good idea?
Would appreciate some thoughts!
You don’t need to provide any details of any work with your M visa application form. The invitation letter should include arrival date and departure date and I suggest you pick dates no more than 90 days apart because that is the common maximum stay on an M visa. If you apply in Hong Kong you will not get more than 30 days. Your home country or country of residence are always the best locations to apply from.
Is there a limit on the number of M visas you can be granted in a given time period?
In the last 2 year or less, I have been granted (and in the following order), 1x single entry (30 day), 1x single entry (15 days), 2x multiple entry (6 months), and 1x single entry (30 day) visa.
Out of the past 12 months, I’ve been staying in China for roughly 10 months in total. Last time, I applied for a 1 year M visa but was only given a single-entry 30-day visa.
I’m a Swedish citizen but I’ve applied for visas in the Philippines (where I used to reside).
I have business interests in China but I do not by definition work in China, so an M visa has always been my to-go choice as I travel frequently between China and HK.
Given my track record of being given several M visas in a short period of time, would perhaps my chances of successfully getting another 6-12 month visa be higher if I provide a more detailed itinery in the application form?
I think it will be difficult for you to get a one year visa. They may think that you are working/living in China instead of doing commercial or trade activities.