How to Get a Chinese Visa – Index
- How long does it take to get a Chinese Visa?
- Do I need a Chinese Visa?
- How much does a Chinese Visa cost?
- Where can I get a Chinese Visa?
- What are the basic requirements for getting a Chinese Visa?
- Do I have to file my fingerprints to get a visa for China?
- What are the different types of Chinese Visas?
- What information does the invitation letter have to contain?
- What Visas must be converted into a Resident Permit?
- How do I read a Chinese Visa?
- Can I extend/change my Visa once I enter China?
- What happens if I overstay my Visa?
- Frequently asked questions
Before you begin
This article is a complete guide – updated frequently – on how to get a visa for China. First of all, I recommend that you don’t get discouraged if you still don’t know which visa is best for you, or if you still don’t understand which documents you need to get one.
The article is divided into sections (see the index below) and, moreover, we explain the difference between all types of visas and which documents are required to get the visa you need (in fact, the required documents vary according to the visa you intend to apply for).
If you prefer to use an agency to apply for your Visa, click here to find out more about this option.
To conclude, if after reading this article you still have doubts or questions, you can always leave a comment at the end of the article. We respond to all of them!
How long does it take to get a Chinese Visa?
If you have all the necessary documents and hold a passport with at least six months’ validity and two blank pages, it should take between two (if you apply for the express service) to four working days to get a Chinese Visa.
Note that the rush service (one business day) is only available in some countries (the US, for instance) and only for cases of extreme urgency, upon the approval of the Chinese Consular Office.
The best time to apply for a Chinese Visa is between two months and fifteen days before your departure. You can’t apply for your Visa too early because if you don’t use it, the Visa will expire after 90 days (or 180 days, in some cases), starting from the day you obtained it.
Do I need a Chinese Visa?
Yes, generally speaking, you do. However there are several exceptions. You don’t need a Visa if:
- You hold a passport from Singapore, Brunei or Japan and you’re staying in China for less than 15 days.
- You hold a passport from Bahamas, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Mauritius, Seychelles, Serbia, Tonga and you’re staying in China for less than 30 days.
How much does a Chinese Visa cost?
The price varies from 30 to 140 USD depending on your nationality, the type of Visa, the country where you apply and the number of entries.
Usually, it’s cheaper for European people, whereas American people are usually required to pay the full fee of 140 USD.
Where can I get a Chinese Visa?
In many countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada and EU countries, you must apply through the CVASC (Chinese Visa Application Service Center).
However, if in your country there is no CVASC (click on the link above to see the complete list), you shall still apply at the Chinese Consular Office that serves your province. This is also the case of people living in the USA (you can click here to see where you shall apply if you are a US resident).
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 on the right sidebar of this page.
People that are already traveling or working in Asia may also apply in Hong Kong (at the moment, only through an agency, as applying for a visa at the consular office is only possible for Hong Kong residents). Click here to read our guide to getting a Chinese Visa in Hong Kong.
Keep in mind that the government may abruptly decide to restrict or change Visa requirements in any moment, just like they did in 2008 (before the Olympic Games in Beijing) and in 2013. I don’t want to scare you; just be prepared to deal with the unforeseen.
In practice, you can also apply in other countries, but do so at your own risk, as it’s possible (probable?) that your application will be rejected. It also depends on your passport: Italian and German people, for example, seem to experience much fewer problems than French and American people. It usually depends on how good (or bad) the relationship between China and your country is. Since July 2013, even in Hong Kong, they have started to reject a lot of applications. Click here for the details.
Update: Since 2016, if you have a passport form one of the countries listed on this page, in some cases it is possible to get your Chinese visa directly online. Click here to learn about about this possibility.
What are the basic requirements for getting a Chinese Visa?
The basic requirements for getting any kind of Chinese Visa are the following:
- Your original passport with at least six months of validity and two blank pages;
- A black and white photocopy of the passport page with your photo, and of the pages that contain any past Chinese Visas that you have obtained (only applicable if you have already been to China);
- A recently-taken color passport photo (48mm x 33mm) with light background;
- A photocopy of previous Chinese passports (only applicable to foreign citizens who were once Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship);
- Proof of legal status in the country where you’re applying for the Visa, such as a resident permit (only applicable if you’re applying for the Visa outside your country of citizenship);
- An Application Form completely filled in, printed and signed (click here to download the application form provided by the CVASC of London and here to download the application form provided by the Chinese Consular Office in the US – if you prefer you can download a similar document on the CVASC website or from the Chinese Consular Office in the country where you’re applying for the Visa);
- The Declaration printed and signed (only needed if you’re applying through the CVASC, click here to download the declartion for the CVASC of London);
- A printed copy of the appointment receipt (only applicable if you’re applying through the CVASC – you will be able to make an appointement directlly on CVASC’s website).
An invitation letter issued by a relevant entity or individual in China. The invitation letter is only needed if you’re applying for a C Visa (unless you have a letter of guarantee issued by a foreign transport company), F Visa, L Visa (unless you have proof of a hotel reservation for the whole duration of your stay in China), M Visa, Q Visa, S Visa or Z Visa. See the next section for details on the different types of Chinese Visas.
Although normally the invitation letter can be in the form of a fax, photocopy or computer scanned printout, in some cases, you may be required to submit an original invitation, provide other supporting documents, or schedule an interview with the consular officer. Click here to find out how to write an invitation letter and what documents must be attached to it.
Important: All the requirements listed above are necessary but not sufficient for obtaining a Chinese Visa. This is because depending on the type of visa you’re applying for, you’ll have to submit some additional documents. Read the next section for the details.
Finally, note that if the applicant is a child born outside China to a Chinese parent, the Visa requirements are different. Click here to learn more about this.
Update: When applying for the visa in some Consular Offices, travelers with passports issued after 01/01/2015 must include their previous passport, along with their current passport.
If you don’t have your previous passport anymore, or you have a gap between your old and new passport (for instance your old passport expired in May and you got a new passport in July), then you shall include a statement explaining the situation.
Note: as said, for now, the old passport doesn’t seem to be required everywhere, it depends on where you apply for the visa. Thus, the best you can do is to ask your Consular Office, before you apply.
Update: We received several comments from readers that claim being denied a Chinese Visa because they had a previous entry stamp from Turkey in their passport. Further, this problem may also happen when having passport stamps from other Middle East countries, besides Turkey.
Do I have to file my fingerprints to get a visa for China?
Starting from November 2019, there is an obligation to deposit your fingerprints at the CVASC Center or the Chinese Consulate at the time of the presentation of the visa application for China.
Here in cases that are exceptions, and therefore it is not necessary to present fingerprints:
- People under 14 or over 70 when applying for a visa;
- Members of official government and diplomatic delegations;
- Applicants who have deposited their fingerprints in the same location and with the same passport within the last 5 years;
- Applicants for whom depositing fingerprints is physically impossible.
What are the different types of Chinese Visas (and the additional requirements for getting them)?
Here is the complete list of Chinese Visas (after the table we list the additional required documents for each types of Visa):
| Visa Category | Description |
|---|---|
| C | Issued to foreign crew members of aircraft, trains, and ships, or motor vehicle drivers engaged in cross-border transport activities, or to the accompanying family members of the crew members of the above-mentioned ships. |
| D | Issued to those who intend to reside in China permanently. While in the past getting a D Visa – and thus being able to require a permanent resident permit – was rare, it seems that things are moving forward and the Resident Permit is getting easier to get (although still difficult). |
| F | Issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours, and other activities. |
| G | Issued to those who intend to transit through China (however, before applying for a G Visa, I suggest you to verify if you can get a 72 hours Visa exemption). |
| J | Issued to resident foreign journalists of foreign news organizations stationed in China. You shall apply for a J1 Visa if you intend to stay more than 180 days and for a J2 Visa (short-term) if you intend to stay in China less than 180 days. |
| L | Issued to those who intend to go to China as a tourist. |
| M | Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities. |
| Q | Issued to those who are family members of Chinese citizens or of foreigners with Chinese Permanent Resident Permit and intend to go to China for family reunion, or to those who intend to go to China for the purpose of foster care. |
| R | Issued to those who are high-level talents or whose skills are urgently needed in China. |
| S | Issued to those who intend to go to China to visit the foreigners working or studying in China to whom they are spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 or parents-in-law, or to those who intend to go to China for other private affairs. |
| X | Issued to those who intend to study in China. You shall apply for a X1 Visa if you intend to stay more than 180 days and for a X2 Visa (short-term) if you intend to stay in China less than 180 days. |
| Z | Issued to those who intend to work in China. |
Note that regardless of what you are applying for, the Chinese Consular Office reserves the right to refuse your Visa or to grant a different validity, duration of stay and/or number of entries for your Visa.
Below, we list the additional requirements for each type of Visa.
C Visa – Foreign crew members and their family members
The only additional requirement is a letter of guarantee issued by a foreign transport company, which is only needed if you don’t have an invitation letter.
D Visa – For permanent residents
The only additional requirement is the original and photocopy of the Confirmation Form for Foreigners Permanent Residence Status issued by the Ministry of Public Security of China.
F Visa – For exchanges, visits, study tours, and other activities
The new F Visa is issued to people who come to China for non-business purposes such as educational, scientific, cultural, health or sporting reasons. Before July 2013, the F Visa was the same thing as a business Visa.
The basic requirements, including the invitation letter, should be enough in most cases.
G Visa – For transit through China
The only additional requirement is an onward plane (train or ship) ticket with a confirmed date and seat to the destination country or region.
J1 and J2 Visas – For journalists
The only additional requirements are a Visa Notification Letter issued by the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and an official letter issued by the media organization for which you work.
Be aware that you should contact the press office of the Chinese Embassy/Consulate General in advance and complete the appropriate formalities.
You should apply for a J1 Visa if you intend to stay more than 180 days, and for a J2 Visa (short-term) if you intend to stay in China for less than 180 days.
L Visa – For tourists or visits to relatives
The basic requirements listed above were once usually enough. However, since July 2013, you’re also required to provide a copy of your return trip plane ticket for China (click here to read our guides on how to buy a plane ticket for China) and a copy of a Chinese hotel booking for the whole duration of your stay containing the full names of all the people that are applying for the Visa (click here to read our guide on how and where to book an hotel in China).
If you intend to stay at your friend or relative’s house, you won’t need to book a hotel. However, your friend/relative will have to send an invitation letter to you (scroll down for more details on the invitation letter).
Sometimes, the consular office employee may even ask you for proof of your ability to financially support yourself before accepting your Visa application. Therefore, before going to the Visa office, be sure to ask via email or to call them to be sure of the documents that you need to bring.
The most common tourist Visa is the Single Entry Tourist Visa (that is, you can’t leave China and then enter again with the same Visa) which has a validity of between 30 days. The Double Entry Tourist Visa (2 entries, 30 days each), is also common.
Note that U.S. citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry Visa. In this case, the remaining validity of your passport must be more than 12 months.
You can apply for this visa even if you don’t have an American passport but are still a resident of the United States. In this case, you’ll also have to present your “green card”. Usually, you’ll also be asked to present your old passport (expired), if you have one.
Note that, despite the visa lasting for 10 years, this doesn’t mean that you can remain in China for 10 consecutive years.
Each time you enter China, you can stay for a period between 30 and 60 days (the length of each visit can vary, the Chinese Consulate will decide). Be very careful to leave China before it expires (which can be between 30 or 60 days).
After leaving China, you can re-enter and stay for another 30 (or 60) days.
In general, the costs and time to get a 10-year visa are the same for getting a multiple entry visa of shorter lengths.
To conclude, at the moment you can also apply for a 10-year visa with Canadian, Australian or United Kingdom passports as well. The conditions are similar to those for a 10-year visa with an American passport, even though the details can change (I recommend that you always verify the details with the consulate, the CVASC or the agency you went to in order to obtain the visa.
If you are planning to go to Tibet, be aware that in addition to your Visa, you need a special entry permit issued by the Tibetan Tourist Bureau. Currently, you can only enter Tibet with a travel agency. Click here if you want to learn more on Tibet permits.
M Visa – For business and trade activities
This is the new “business” Visa and it’s issued to people who come to China for business and trade activities. You are required to provide an invitation letter issued by a registered Chinese company or organization (for example, a trade fair).
Note that U.S. citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry Visa. In this case, the remaining validity of your passport must be more than 12 months.
A 10-year business visa has characteristics that are very similar to a 10-year tourist visa, which we discussed in one of the previous sections of this article. The main difference is that in this case, the maximum length for each entry can also be for 120 days (depending on the visa you get), while in the case of a tourist visa the maximum length of stay is 60 days.
While many people use Business Visas to work in China, this is illegal. If you want to legally work in China, you need a Work Visa. Click here to read our complete guide on Business Visas for China.
Q1 or Q2 Visa – For family reunions or foster care
The Q Visa is issued to people who intend to visit their relatives or friends in China for a period longer than 30 days (for less than 30 days you can simply apply for an L Visa).
For the Q2 Visa, which only allows you to stay for a maximum of 180 days, an invitation letter issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent residence permit who lives in China should be enough.
For the Q1 Visa, which is needed for stays longer than 180 days, in addition to the invitation letter, you’ll also need to provide further documentation.
For family reunion purposes, you’ll have to provide the original and photocopy of the certificate (marriage certificate, birth certificate, certificate of kinship issued by the Public Security Bureau or a notarized certificate of kinship) showing the family relationship between the applicant and the inviting individual. Note that “family members” refer to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters or parents-in-law.
For foster care purposes, you’ll have to provide a large number of documents and, in my opinion, you should contact the Chinese Consular Office in your country before starting to collect the documents.
Note that U.S. citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry Visa. In this case, the remaining validity of your passport must be more than 12 months.
R Visa – For high-level talents
You’re required to submit relevant certifications in order to meet the requirements of the competent authorities of the Chinese government on high-level talents and individuals with special skills urgently needed by China.
The requirements, in this case, are quite vague, due to the fact that “talents” and “skills” may vary greatly.
S1 or S2 Visa – For family reunions or private affairs
The S Visa is issued to people who intend to visit their (foreign) relatives or friends in China for a period longer than 30 days (for less than 30 days you can simply apply for an L Visa). It may also be issued for “private affairs”.
For the S2 Visa, which only allows you to stay for a maximum of 180 days, in addition to an invitation letter issued by a foreign citizen with a Chinese temporary residence permit who lives in the country, you’ll have to provide the original and photocopy of the certificate (marriage certificate, birth certificate or notarized certification of kinship) showing the family relationship between the applicant and the inviting individual. “Family members” refer to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters or parents-in-law.
For private affairs, in addition to the invitation letter, you’ll have to provide documentation identifying the nature of the private affairs. The term “documentation” is left purposely vague, as the nature of private affairs may vary greatly.
For the S1 Visa, which allows you to stay for longer than 180 days, in addition to an invitation letter issued by a foreign citizen with a Chinese temporary residence permit who lives in the country, you’ll have to provide the original and photocopy of the certificate (marriage certificate, birth certificate, certificate of kinship issued by the Public Security Bureau or a notarized certificate of kinship) showing the immediate family relationship between the applicant and the inviting individual. “Immediate family members” refers to spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 or parents-in-law.
Note that U.S. citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry Visa. In this case, the remaining validity of your passport must be more than 12 months.
X1 or X2 Visa – For students
You are required to provide the JW201 (or JW202) form issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education (only necessary for the X1 Visa) and the notice of admission from your school. Your school should obtain these documents and send them to you.
You may also be required to provide a medical certificate, depending on the duration of your stay.
If you want to study in China for less than 180 days, you’ll have to apply for an X2 Visa. However, if you want to stay longer, you’ll need an X1 Visa.
Note that U.S. citizens may be eligible for a 5-year multiple entry X1 Visa. In this case, the remaining validity of your passport must be more than 12 months.
Z Visa – For working
Important: Holding a Z Visa is the only way to work legally in China.
In addition to the Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by the relevant Chinese entity, in most cases, you will have to provide a Foreigner’s Work Permit issued by the State Bureau of Foreign Experts.
There some special cases in which a different document is required; however if you have a “normal job”, such as teacher, engineer, etcetera, the Foreigner’s Work Permit shall be enough. We still recommend that you double-check the requirements with your employer.
Since 1 April 2017, foreigners that work in China has been divided into 3 classes: Class A (high-level talents), Class B (professional personnel), Class C (foreigners who are nontechnical or service workers hired on a temporary/seasonal basis).
There are several criteria that are used to rate the applicant: salary, education, Chinese language skills, experience, etcetera.
If you reach at least level C, then your employer can apply online for your Foreigner’s Work Permit.
Beside the basic requirements and the Foreigner’s Work Permit, in order to get the Z Visa you will also have to provide the following documents:
- Curriculum Vitae (in English or Chinese language);
- Original copy of bachelor (or higher degree) diploma. If the diploma has not been issued in China, then you shall also provide an authenticated copy, which can be obtained in a Chinese Consulate or Embassy in your country (or in the Embassy or Consulate of the country that released the diploma, if you are already in China);
- Original reference letter from one or more non-Chinese companies that prove you have at least 2 years of full-time working experience (after graduation) in the industry you intend to work in China;
- On top of that, you may also be required to provide a medical certificate and /or a clean criminal record check issued by your country of citizenship (check the details with the CVASC or the Chinese Consular Office in your country);
However, note that, if you fall into Class A (high level talent), then the requirements are much less strict (read this article for more details).
Be aware that not all employers can get you a Work Visa. For instance, small, private English schools often can’t. This is the main reason for which they often try to convince you to come to China and work under a Tourist or Business Visa.
Do this at your own risk because it’s illegal. If you get caught working with the wrong visa, you risk paying a fine that ranges between 5,000 and 20,000 Chinese Yuan, and may even end up in prison (from five to fifteen days). Afterward, you’ll be asked to leave the country or, depending on the conditions, will be deported (at your expense). If you’re deported, you won’t be able to get a new Chinese Visa for a period that ranges from one to ten years.
Having said that, many firms and public organizations (universities, for instance) are accredited to employ foreigners and can help you get a work visa as long as you qualify as a “foreign expert.”
Depending on the field, you may need to prove you have English as first language and hold a Bachelor’s Degree (if you want to teach English) or provide a Ph.D. degree (if, for instance, you want to become a university professor).
The logic behind this rule is the following: you have to prove that you are useful to China by bringing some skills and expertise that the country needs. If you can’t do anything, why should a Chinese company hire you instead of a Chinese person?
So, if your employer is accredited to employ foreigners and you qualify as a foreign expert, it can apply for your Foreigner’s Work Permit
The work Visa also allows you to bring your wife, husband or children to China. They will only need to provide a marriage or birth certificate. However, your wife can’t legally work unless she gets her own Z Visa.
What information does the invitation letter have to contain?
The invitation letter should contain:
- Information on the applicant: full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etcetera;
- Information on the planned visit: purpose of the visit, arrival and departure dates, travel itinerary, the relationship between the applicant and the inviting entity or individual, the source of funds for expenditures;
- Information on the inviting entity or individual: name, contact telephone number, address in China, signature of the inviting individual or of the legal representative (if you’ve been invited by a company), and an official stamp (if you’ve been invited by a company).
An invitation letter may only be issued by a Chinese citizen, a foreign citizen with a Chinese Resident Permit who lives in China or a Chinese entity (for instance a Chinese company or trade fair).
If you’ve been invited by an individual, he/she must also attach a copy of his/her Chinese ID, or a copy of his/her passport and Resident Permit (if he/she is not a Chinese citizen). Note that if you’re applying for a Q Visa, the inviting individual must be a Chinese citizen or hold a Permanent Resident permit (Temporary Resident Permits are not allowed for Q Visa application invitation letters).
In the case you’ve been invited by an individual, he/she shall also attach a copy of his/her Chinese ID, or a copy of his/her passport and Resident Permit (if his/her is not a Chinese citizen). Notice that if you’re applying for a Q Visa, the inviting individual must be a Chinese citizen or hold a Permanent Resident permit (Temporary Resident Permit are not allowed, for Q Visa application invitation letters).
If you’ve been invited by a Chinese entity, the company’s business license – or other applicable documents – must be attached to the invitation letter.
Finally, if you’re applying for a Z visa, the Invitation Letter must be issued by a “Duly Authorized Unit”; in other words, your Chinese employer must have a permit to hire foreign workers.
What Visas must be converted into a Resident Permit once I enter China and how to do so?
Be aware that D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z Visas are only valid for 30 days starting from the day you entered in China. Then you should transform it in a Temporary Resident Permit (or Permanent Resident Permit, in the case you’ve been granted a D Visa) at the PSB (Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit Administration Office). Your employer/school should help you to do so, at least in the case of Z and X1 Visas.
In order to get the Resident Permit, which must be renewed each year, you will have to provide a bunch of documents and a Health Certificate issued by China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau or HK public hospitals.
How do I read a Chinese Visa?
With respect to the image above:
- 1. Visa Category: For instance, L Visa is a touristic Visa while Z Visa is a working Visa (see the table above for reading the explanations of each category);
- 2. Expiration Date: You must enter China before this date or the Visa will expire;
- 3. Issue Date: This is the date on which the Visa was released. As you can see, the Visa on the photo had a validity of six months (from 29 May to 29 November);
- 4. Full Name: Your full name;
- 5. Date of Birth: Your date of birth;
- 6. Number of Entries: The number of times that you can enter and exit China with the same Visa. “1” means that you have a single entry Visa; that is once you exit China the first time the Visa becomes invalid (going to Hong Kong or Macau counts as an exit); “2” means that you can entry and exit China twice before the Visa becomes invalid; “M” means that you can enter and exit China as many times as you want, as long as your Visa is still valid and you don’t overstay it (see point 7);
- 7. Duration of Each Stay: The number of days that you can stay in China after each entry; if for instance, you have a double entry Visa with duration of each stay equal to 30 days, you must exit China within 30 days after your first entry; afterward you can enter China a second time (you must enter before the date of expiration) and you can stay for other 30 days. Notice that for Visas that require a Resident Permit (D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z Visa), the duration is often 000. This means that you have 30 days starting from the date of entry to apply for your Resident Permit; if you fail to do so, the Visa will expire;
- 8. Place of Issue: The place where the Visa was issue;
- 9. Passport Number: Your passport number.
Can I extend/change my Visa once I enter China?
Yes, you can require to extend or change your Visa at the PSB (Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit Administration Office) at least 7 days before the date of the expiration of your Visa. However, there is no guarantee whatsoever that the PSB will accept your Visa extension or change request (they’ll decide case by case, according to your nationality, your situation and the documents you’ll provide).
What happens if I overstay my Visa?
The law states that for illegal residence of aliens, warning shall be given; in serious cases, a penalty of 500 Yuan per day shall be imposed on illegal residence, not to exceed a total of 10,000 Yuan, or detention period shall be between 5 and 15 days.
As usual, Chinese law is somewhat vague and it’s difficult to assess what a “serious case” is. Our suggestion is to avoid any overstay and always exit the country before the visa expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
To enter China, you must have a visa. There are however a few exceptions that you’ll find here.
In general, the answer is yes. Some agencies manage to get you the visa even without those documents, especially if you request the visa in Hong Kong, but the situation is evaluated on an individual basis.
If you have all the necessary documents, from 2 to 4 business days.
No, the only way to be able to work legally in China is by getting a work visa (Z visa) and change it into a residence permit within 30 days of entering the country.
The length depends on the type of visa you’ve been issued. Click here to learn how to read a Chinese visa.
[Photo Credits (Creative Commons License): www.flickr.com/photos/upton/, www.flickr.com/photos/cucchiaio/, www.flickr.com/photos/hendry/]
Hi,
My UK friend is coming to Hong Kong and wants to visit China through Shenzhen for less than 5 days. I am happy to see the “show up at the border with passport and HH$150” bit but I could find no Chinese official info about this. I asked China Travel Services and they say visa is a absolutely must and will charge over HK$2000 for visa application and will take 7 working days.
Where can I find the official answer?
Thank you.
Here you can find a guide. Notice that local goverments can decide to change the rules without previous notice.
I am planning to work in Hangzhou. My problem is if I can get a work permit if I have hepatitis b. Ive been working in shandong and they issued me a work permit and visa. I am curious about Hangzhou if they will do the same. Please reply. Thanks
We can be sure about this as it will appear in your medical evaluation and can be a reason to deny your work permit
hi there,
im a philippine passport holder who is currently having a visiting relative visa here in japan for about 2 months and two weeks now. my cousin who is my guarantor wants to extend my stay here. And just today we try to extend my visa on the immigration for another 3 months hoping for the immigration to grant our request.. but then the result is they just give me 1 month to stay… earlier this month im already thinking of visiting my friend there in china only to realize that i need to do this ASAP now beacuse of the unexpected changes.
my question is..
1. Can i apply for a tourist visa in china here in japan? (so meaning i will be flying from here japan to china directly)
2. do i need to get a visa or passport is enough?
3. where do i need to inquire so i could provide early all the necessary documents needed for my tour?
Thank you so much in
advance hope you could help
me asap with my querries
You should ask directly to the Chinese embassy in Japan
Hi, I’m a US citizen planning on visiting an academic collaborator in China for a few days as well as doing some sightseeing. He has offered to write me an invitation letter so I suppose the F visa is the most appropriate one. However, my spouse will be joining me on this trip too as a tourist. It wouldn’t be possible for him to get an F visa using the same letter too, would it? (I could ask for his name in the letter too maybe…) Is it just better for us both to just apply for L visas instead? Or do we each have to apply for a different visa for our trip together?
You can apply for a F and L Visa or two L visas. I don’t thing it will be correct for your wife to apply for a F Visa. Anyway if you have doubts you can contact the consulate or the CVASC
Hello,
It’s a great website with lots of useful information! Thank you
Have I some questions regarding the Z visa (not sure if I misunderstand the content)
Read from the previous question, your reply was if the person was unable to receive Temporary Resident Permit the Z-visa will be expired. So, if the person intend to continue work, the person would need to leave the country and apply for the visa again?
Whereas, if the person successful received the permit, which means the person would be able to continue stay in china without leaving or every 30days the person would need to exit china to “renew” the z-visa?
What is the relationship between z-visa and Temporary Resident Permit?
After obtaining the permit, the person would be able to leave and enter again the country multiple times? or no?
Last, do I apply myself for Z visa or my employer should do the application?
As reading from some other website it said z-visa can be applied without the company letter. So kind of confusing.
Appreciate the reply.
Hi,
Would like to add on, from the china visa website, for the z-visa it is listed as short term working visa and the individual shall not working for more than 90days…May I know what does it mean？
The Z2 to visa is for short time jobs and you don’t need to apply for a resident permit
Hi SDC,
Thank you so much for your reply! The difference of Z1 and Z2 visa are clearly explained!
Just wondering do you happen to know about the tax system? Do Z2 (since it’s a short period of time, would required to pay for tax?
Again, thanks!
Hi there, it depends, and we are not tax experts. We suggest to talk with your boss and/or an accountant!
1) The Z1 visa expires after a month during this time you need to apply for a resident permit, if you don’t do it you have to reapply the visa outside China
2) Once you get the resident permit (normally last for one year) you can renew it without leaving the country
3) Z-visa is what allows you to enter to the country for working and resident permit is what allows to live in China for working, studying or other reasons
4) The resident permit allows you to exit and reenter the country as many times as you want during the validity
5) You have to apply yourself the Z visa but your employer have to provide you some of the documentation.
6) If you don’t have Chinese origin, you can’t work (or apply the Z visa) without a sponsor (i.e employer invitation letter)
I have plans to live and work in China. I somehow misplaced my passport. I can get a new one, but when you say six months validity, do you mean remaining validity or issued at least six months ago?
remaining validity
Hi!
I am currently living in China and I already have all my documents ready to get a Z Visa, however I need to get out of China to do the application and I would not like to go back to my home country to do it as it’s quite expensive.
Is it possible to do the Z Visa application in Vietnam as a tourist? Because most of the countries with a Chinese Visa Center do not allow tourists to make Work Visa applications if you’re not a resident and in Vietnam the application is directly at the Chinese embassy.
Thanks
I don’t think it’s possible, but I have no information about the embassy in Vietnam. The only place I know some people managed to get the Z visa is in Hong Kong. You can try to contact a visa agency in Hong Kong to ask if they can help you
Hello,
I am trying to complete the visa application for myself, my husband and my 2 children, I have a few specific questions:
-I do not work (am a mother/housewife), so when I answer – who will pay for this travel? Do I say ‘self’, or put my husband’s name (who is travelling with me), as he currently earns the monry.
-My mother will be meeting us in China and travelling with us whilst we are there, so do I include her in the list of people I will be travelling in China with, even though we do not arrive to the country together?
-The application does not have a space for middle names, I am putting it with my given name, but when I print out a draft it appears as if this information is missing, can you let me know why?
-When I print out a draft, I get a space for photos of my travel companions for this travel, but there is nowhere to upload these when I enter the application.
Thanks!
Amanda
Hi Amanda, I don’t know where are you applying your visa, but for your questions I can guess that you are trying to fill-up the CVASC online form.
Please call them if you have any question
I carry a Palestinian passport
American Travel Document and Green Card
I live in Los Angeles
Can I get Business Visa for China?
You can get it if you have an invitation letter. Anyway, contact the closest Chinese embassy to know the exact requirements.
Mountain of debts , focus on them and the troubles you have put people in . Shame on you and your sons
good day sir i want to ask if i can change my visa stay i already have Q2 60 days of stay multiple entre but can i change my stay into 180 days because my live in partner want me to born our second baby in China . can i possible to change
i its my 4 times to come here in China and her parents want me to born our baby here in China too . can i change my 60 into 180 days or not ?
but the expireof my visa is next year can i change it or better to get temporary residence PERMIT ? how to get PERMIT residence here what are the requirements ?
please sir/maam help me. my first is son also have temporary residence we get at PHILIPPINE immigration
It’s better if you try to apply for a resident permit, I don’t think you can change your Q2 visa in China
Hello Furio Fu,
I am a banchelor’s degree student from Italy already graduated at Nankai University. On July 25th I will be back to Italy, and I am looking for jobs before going back to my country.
According to your article I need at least 2 years of work experience (post graduation) in order to work legally in China, but if I want to work for an Italian or any other European country in China is the process gonna be the same?
In my current situation, is there any Chinese Visa which allows me to work legally in China? Even if the employer wants to hire me, is it still impossible to work in China without these 2 years of work experience?
Yes the process is the same, as this company have to justify why they are hiring you instead of a Chinese national, and this have to be reviewed by the Foreign Expert Office.
Having said that, it is still possible to work in China but can be difficult.
An other option is to get an arrangement with a university so you can legally work under a student visa (but can’t be full time, they only part-time permits, as far as I know)
Thanks a lot for replying me!
I see, so basically I can’t work full-time legally right? The only way is to gain 2 years of work experience into another country, and then going back to China?
Basically yes, but as you know in China there’re always exceptions to the general rule
hello,
so I am currently working in china. however, there were changes in the company so they need to let me without finishing our contract. I have 3 months left before my working permit expires,, and I want to continue working here in china. is it possible for me to extend it without going home if I can find a new employer ?
It is posible but difficult.
Hello
Can I study on a spouse (Q) visa? Within 30 days of entry, this visa will be converted to a resident visa but I don’t know if I will have to change to an X1 visa or not. I will be getting a bachelors degree in Chinese.
Thanks
Hi Russ,
I don’t think it’s a huge problem, but you shall ask to your school / PSB for the details
Thank you
hello , sir
i am kamal from nepal , i need some help
i am boxing player at nepal , many times i get the good achievement of national game , only i have to know that how can get the visa for china because i want to continue my game in china with good training an work . please suggest me an tell me how can i get invitation letter from china .
thank you
Hi there,
we talk about it on the article. Also, you must know somebody in China to get a letter of invitation
Hello,
I am a swiss citizen and I am currently on a X2 visa studying in here in China (I got 180 days until I have to leave which will be in early August).
I would like to go to Hongkong in mid Juli, and then get back into China on a Tourist Visa. But there is something that bothers me: 6 weeks ago I have been in a club the city I study, and there was a police raid, where the police tested everyone for drugs (urin), and they got our personal information and passport numbers. Me and my friends we all tested negative, however I believe that there is somehow a record linked to our passport number, since my friend left China the day after the incident, and the pass control took a bit longer and superiors had to come.
Now, I don’t know whether I should go to Hongkong now, as I am afraid the consulate in HK could reject my visa application so I would be stuck in HK, although I did nothing wrong.
I have two questions now:
First, do you think the cited incident above will be an issue to reenter China from Hongkong on a tourist visa or even apply for a tourist visa?
Second, is it possible to extend a X2 visa for more than 180 days or could I apply for a tourist visa at the Entry-Exit Bureau from within China?
Thanks in advance
Best regards
Marcel
Hello Marcel, I’m sorry but we have no idea how this could affect your visa application
Hello, for F – Type visa, we are required to submit bank statement of last 6 months. I’m a student and have very low balance. Can i show bank statement of my father?
Hi there,
honestly I don’t know, because it also depends on your country. You shall ask these questions at the Chinese consular office / CVASC where you intend to apply for your visa
Hi,
I am going to apply for a z visa to teach in China. I am concerned bc I have a pacemaker and they will require a physical exam , will I be rejected because of this? Thank you
Hello Lisa,
they usually require an ECG. However, I have no direct (or indirect experience with it), so can’t provide a “final” answer
Hi there, how long i cant stay in china with an F visa? it’s possible to extend it ?
I think you can get up to 6 months. I assume there are ways to extend it, but I don’t know the details.
Hi,
I hope you can help me, I have my visa appointment in the Chinese consulate in Manchester on Friday the 12th April. I was initially intending on staying with a friend and so I put that on my visa application (her address etc) however now I have booked a hotel and I am staying there so my application is different to my changed plans.
Will this be a problem?
I have the hotel booking confirmation.
Thank you!
Hello Katie,
if you didnt apply for the visa yet, you could just inform the chinese consulate of the change
Hi,
I have already applied and submitted my visa and so i’m worried it will be rejected because of the change, my appointment is tomorrow in the consulate.
It doesn’t look so bad… I mean, in the end what China cares about is that your address is registered at the local police office (PSB). Hotels register you by default, so practically speaking it’s not an issue. Then of course, we aren’t an official authority, and speak only for experience!
I work in a tech company in US full time and I am doing my part-time MBA. I have an opportunity to come to China as an exchange student for 5 months. My company has an office in China. There might be occasional meetings in China office but work will be mostly remote. I will be under US payroll. I believe I will be in X2 Visa for my international exchange program. Do you see any problems here?
Hi there, it’s borderline, if you are working there.
Thanks for the reply. I have a US work visa in my passport. Does this change anything?
Also, would it be better if I get a work visa and attend college? Not sure what the safest way is.
Hi there,
I don’t think that your US working permit will make a difference, although I don’t have personal experience with it.
Well, if you have a working visa I guess you can join a school, although I’m not really sure about universities. Also, getting a working visa won’t be possible, unless a chinese company truly hires you and pay you in china
I will attend an academic conference at Beijing. Which type of visa is required for this? It seems that F is most relevant. However, in many cases (for other countries), traveler’s visa (L for China) is sufficient for conference talk. I would like to see if China specifically demand F visa for those who attend and present at an academic conference.
Hi Josh,
probably an F visa in this case it’s better
Hi Team,
Please two things, I want to know if i need invitation for personal tourist visa to china?
Second is it possible to convert tourist visa to work permit?
Thanks,
Tunde
An invitation letter is not compulsory, although it may help you to avoid providing full itinerary / hotel booking
We dont know if you can convert a tourist visa into a working permit, this is a grey area and must be evaluated case by case
How do I apply or even find more information about the 5 year Chinese ancestry visa. Since the news release Feb 2018, there have been no official word about this in any official websites (at least i don’t see them).
Hi there, there are info on the web: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-to-issue-5-year-visas-for-foreigners-of-chinese-origin
Hi, I am holding a US passport. If I go to Shen Zhen from Hong kong (for 1-2 days), do I still need to get a China Visa? Thank you
Hello Michelle,
yes, I think so.
I’ve heard that now also US citizens can apply for the visa on arrival (ie. you can get it at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen).
However I don’t have any direct experience and I heard it’s quite expensive, so I suggest you to do further research on this.
Hello, I’m currently working in China, my residents permit expires soon and I haven’t found a new job yet, what type of extension can I get and is this something I can do on my own?
Also, If I decide to take a break from teaching for a few months, will I need to submit a new criminal background check when I do decide to start working again? Thank you.
Hello Bob,
if your resident permit expires, you will need to find a new job and get a new resident permit, with the new company. I’m not sure about criminal record!
Hi there,
I was wondering if I come in with an M-Visa, do the number of days I’m allowed to stay vary or they’re set on either 30 or 60? Is that number known before I come to China or once my passport is stamped?
Once you get the visa you’ll know how many days you can stay. The maximum number of days they usually give is 90 days; however normally they only give 30 days with one or multiple entries.
Is a background check required when converting a Q1 visa to a residence permit inside China? Are you asked about your criminal background on the residence permit application form?
Hello dear
I’m from Cambodian but I have Japan visa did I can get invited from Chinese people ??
Sorry if Chinese people invited me to marry in China did I can???
Thank you
Hi there, we don’t know how it works for Cambodian citizens that live in Japan. I suggest you to get in touch the Chinese consular office
Hi im from philippines.,i have an invitation letter for my chinese boyfriend .,he wants me to have a vacation their.,its my first time going out to different country.i just want to know if i really should provide a documents of my work field here and about a bank certificates?,thank you.
Hi there, sorry but we can’t reply to specific country about filipinos passports as we have no direct experience with it. The best suggestion I can provide to you is to contact the CVASC in Hong Kong (see details in this article).
Hi, i would like to know if i can apply for a x2 student Chinese visa in HK, since i will be there soon and i don’t have time to do it in my home country (argentina ). i have already all the papers from Chinese university. IM NOT HK RESIDENT, JUST TOURIST. thanks
Hi there,
in principle I guess you can apply (many people did that with success). In practice, there is no guarantee of getting the visa.
Facundo, i am in the same situation. I wonder if you can write to me. I am from Argentina too.
my wechat is maolixiu16
I am also trying to get student visa in HK can I add you , do you have any information?
Hi, I have a job offer in Beijing and want to take my fiancé ( we are not married) with me to China. Can she apply for S visa?
Thanks
Ali
If you guyes aren’t married, it’s a great area. It’s possbile that she will have to settle for an L visa
Thanks for your reply, can she stay 90 days with L visa and then go out of China and back again?
I don’t know, because I don’t know what kind of visa duration she will be granted!
Hi, thank you for making such a helpful content. My agent told me that after they apply for a work permit (or work pemit notice online, I’m not sure what it’s exactly called), they will need me to send them original authorized papers via FedEx or something. Is there anything wrong with selling them original documents and it’s a bad idea, or should I sell them true copies of them, or what? Thanks in advance for your reply.
I think you need the originals, in order to apply for a Z visa. Just make sure that you can trust your agent!
Thank you. I thought it was a scam.
Hi there. I entered China with a M visa which will expire soon after I get my residence permit. Do I need to exit and enter China again to activate my residence permit?
Thanks!
No, you don’t need to activate the resident permit, it’s not a visa.
Hi there,
I don’t understand. An M visa doesn’t give you right to any resident permit, for which you usually need a Z, X1, Q1, S1 or similar visa. So, if you want to get any feedback from us, you shall explain better what’s your situation.
I have a job in Shenzhen and the company is applying for a work visa for me. I submitted all the required document and a receipt was handed to me. The problem here is, the officer who attended to me cancelled the required date of collection and wrote await notice
What could be the problem?
Hello Dee,
I’m sorry but we can’t know what the problem could be. I suggest to contact them (and asking help to your company, if necessary)
Hello; thanks for providing an excellent resource.
I’ve been working in China for a whiIe. I have a Z visa which will expire Dec 2018. It won’t be renewed because my certificate from the Bureau of Foreign Experts won’t be renewed due to having reached retirement age.
Can I change my visa to L visa while in mainland China?
Thank you
Hi David,
I’ve heard this is possible, but usually people that are able to do so, use a visa agency located in their city. The other option is to travel to Hong Kong and get a tourist visa there.
Note that if you are American, Canadian or Australia, you could apply a 10 years visa (multi entry), see the article for the details.
Hi im lyn from Philippines, can i ask if its really needed to have bank statement if im going to apply for tourist visa to china? Even if its my boyfriend from Canada who’s going to work in china will provide all my expenses when im there?
Hi there,
I don’t know any specific info about Philippines. I suggest you to contact the Chinese Consular Office in your country.
does united stated citizens need bank statements and personal credit checks for a work visa ?
Never heard of it, but the required documentation might vary according to nationality and province where you apply
Thanks for the article!
Have you heard anything about recent changes which allow students on X1 visa to work part time or do internships?
Hi, i am also interested in this question! Thanks
Yes, although I don’t know much. What I heard is that you need a special permission from the school, if you want to work part-time while in a X1 visa.
As said, I don’t know much about it, I suggest you to get in touch with your school
Hello dr I’m a cameroonian but waiting for my employment letter from China so how long possible can it takes to come out because is almost taken me a month and a half for the z visa
Hi there,
I’m sorry but we can’t know that
I have been sent an admission letter and an invitation later from a university in beijing , is it a must for me to take an interview ?
I guess you need the letter, in order to get an X visa
Hello, I have a X1 chinese visa type, but I have not residence permit yet, it will be making about 21 days, but I need to leave China in those 21 days. In which case I can leave China ? (Maybe there is possible to make residence permit faster or take another document for leaving China )
Thank for help…
Hello Mary,
I think you must get the resident permit before. If you leave China with an X1 visa before converting it into a resident permit, I think the X1 visa will expiry, if I remember well. Also, it may happen the same thing if you don’t get the resident permit within 30 days after you enter china.
I want to ask you I’ve applying for work permit invitation ,but my graduation and working period is same , so mostly requirements i should show working experience after graduation , Is this any issue for my company to take out my work permit Invitation letter from china Immigration center , Thanks
Hello Habiba,
sorry but I don’t even understand the question. In any case, the best thing to do is to ask to your company and Chinese consular office where you intend to apply for your visa
Assalam o alaikum Dear,
i want to ask you about M type visa. I have filled all application form i need just one information about annual income (which income i will mentioned in application Personal or Company annual income?)
Please guide me in this regard
Thanks
I guess it’s personal, but I’m not sure. It shall be clear by having a look at the form
Please I applied for an X1 visa through an agent in China, now the school is Kunming but seal on it is a laioning seal, is this usable?
Hi there, I’m sorry but these are not questions to which we can provide an answer
One of my friend was staying in china on x1 student visa,but now he has overstayed about 1year.what is the consequences, if he want to leave china now?
I don’t know about exact consequences, however I suggest to fix the problem asap as I don’t think it’s legal at all to overstay your visa, in any country
Hello There,
First of all , thank you for such detail article.
My problem is quite different from the previous inquiries. I have been living in China since September 2014 with my family under a student visa. Two of my three kids were born in China but never exit the country. Last year, I was able to renew my kids visa along with my visa without a problem.
I just learned from a friend who’s kid was also born in China and never exit that it is no more possible to renew the visa unless the kid exit and apply for a S1 visa.
Can any one confirm this information?
Does this new law applies for everyone?
Hello Sky,
I’m sorry but I don’t know the answer, as this is very, very specific.
Hi, thank you very much for posting such a useful article. Do you happen to know how many days it takes to get a working permit? I’ve been waiting for that paper for a month and it is kind of a torture for me these days.
If you mean the documents necessary to apply for the Z visa, it can take 1 month or longer, it depends in so many factors!
The whole visa process is like a full-time job for me. I meant the number of days for getting only working permit without preparing all the stuff. Getting done my degree, police check, medical check and so on already took me 2 month.
Yes, it takes time
Hi, I’m from Tanzania finished my degree in china this July. Currently I’m in the Philippines,is it possible to apply for an x2 visa from the embassy in Manila?
I guess it’s possible, if you have all the required documentation
Hi there, do you know the consequences if you leave china without cancelling your Z visa?
A Z visa expires within 30 days.
Maybe you mean leaving China without cancelling your resident permit. In this case, I have no idea bout the consequences
I’m posting from Nigeria. I got a scholarship from a prestigious university in China, I received my admission letter on the 23rd of August, proceeded for my online visa application and was booked for submission appointment on the 31st of August, I finally submitted my documents and was booked for an interview on the 26th of September. The problem is, I’m supposed to resume in school on the 10th of September. Please is there any other way I can have my interview sooner? The date is too long, my school may not approve an extension, please help me
Hi there,
you shall ask this to the Consular Office that booked your appointment
hello. most of the schools in shanghai keep telling me that i can go to shanghai with a tourist or business visa and they can convert it into work visa z in shanghai because it is easier for them. is it possible?
Hi George,
we can’t recommend it… maybe they will keep their word, but what happens if they don’t?
In that case you will be faced with a difficult choice: either go back home, or work illegally (which of course wouldn’t be very smart/safe)
Hi, great article!
Can I go to China on a tourist visa and then go to HK, Thailand or Korea and apply for a X2 visa after I get the admission notice in China? If so, will my tourist visa be cancelled?
Thank you
Hi John,
yes, it’s possible to apply for a Visa in another country (Hong Kong is probably your best bet). Yes, if you get a new visa, the old one will automatically expires
Hello,
I have a Q2 visa, but am doing business getting paid by an American company. None of my salary touches China. I live in a Chinese city that is away from my relatives who I am visiting on the Q2 visa. Is there anything I should be doing like registering with authorities or the such? Any comments or tips you could make would be great.
Hi there,
as far as I know, working in China without a working permit isn’t allowed. However, your situation is atypical so I don’t know much how to do in this case
Nice information posted and even in detailed manner, Keep posted .
: )
Hi,
I need to apply for a Chinese M Visa in Houston, Texas. I am an American Citizen. Do I need my Plane ticket before applying? Also, those my “ invitation “ letter from China has to be an original? Or could it be fax to the Chinese Consulate?
Thank you,
Sonia G
Hello Sonia,
in principle you need the return plane tickets. Personally, I remembered I obtained the visa with a faxed invitation letter. However, I suggest to confirm all this with the Chinese Consular Office in Houston
Hi,
I went to china last year and got my Visa in Paris (I am holding an Australian passport). I intend to go back to China in October this year and get my Visa in Bangkok. (will be in Bangkok on a 30 days visa exempt stamp).
I known all formalities regarding documents required to get the Visa.
I will be flying to Kumming from Bangkok but I will be flying back to Ho Chi Minh from Hong Kong not mainland China ( will get to Hong Kong from Shenzhen – Luohu border). I will provide my hotel voucher in Shenzhen.
1>Any problem to get the Visa if you flying back from Hong Kong instead of mainland China???
2>Any problem to get the Visa if you flying back from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)instead of Bangkok. My question is : Because my outward flight to China departs from Bangkok should I return from China to Bangkok( any cities in Thailand) or could I flight back from China to viet nam ot Malaysia or Europe…
Hello Bernie,
I don’t understand your question. I don’t think that the Visa applicationis related to the country you land next.
Thanks,
I was not sure about that because I send an email to China Visa application center and was told “Dear Sir / Madam
10. Flight ticket (round trips) **”
As I was flying to China from Bangkok I was thinking I needed to fly back to Thailand not Viet Nam
I’m a British citizen and applied for a Chinese visa at the London consulate for a business trip. I didn’t use a broker and my travel dates are 3 working weeks away. I’m worried I won’t receive the visa on time. I have a French colleague also who has applied. Is the 4 day waiting time still accurate?
It shall still apply, however make sure to contact the office where you applied for a visa, if you don’t get it within the “promised” day
I’ve applied for a university in china and the university sent me X2 visa(for six months). But I’m going to study for 4 years. So can I extend my visa or change it to X1 category. Is there any charges which I’ve to pay..?
You always pay when you get a Chinese visa. The exact price will depend on the kind of visa, your nationality and the place where you apply for your visa
Hi,
Thank you so much for this article, and I can see all of the replies to the hundreds of questions above, so thank you in advance!
I am a British national and my company has an office in Shanghai. We are in the process of applying for a work visa for me to go to work there. However, I only have 2 years of work experience (also a bachelor’s degree in physics). My work is software engineering and I’ll be doing the same in Shanghai.
I read many scary articles about falling into the C category; C = no visa, and if I add up my points, I just about fall short of the B category.
How likely would Shanghai accept me at this time? Are they in need of any foreign software developers?
Thanks,
Alex
Hello Alex,
there is no answer to this question! The best you can do is to apply and hope for the best
Hi
Is it possible to apply for visa for China in Fukuoka embassy / consolate? With out going home to home country ( Sweden) ?
Best regards jimmy
I guess it’s possible, If you was you I would contact the Fukuoka consolate, and see what they say.
Hello, hope you are able to help me. How do you apply for a Z-Visa by post? I am unable to attend the Visa center and there is not much information on their website. Do I need to book an appointment either way if I send my documents by post? Many thanks in advance
Hi there,
it depends on each visa center (sometimes is not even possible). I suggest you to call or send an email to the visa center where you intend to apply for the visa
Hello! I have a doubt respect about the following thing:
I have a tourist visa, which expires on July 15th, with exit of mainland China each 30 days, with which I have fully complied, but my return flight will be on July 17th. My boyfriend was in immigration office at the city we are and they told him that as my last entry to China was on June 21st., I wouldn’t have any problem in exit two days after my visa expires, because for they is important the day of entry. However, I would want to ask you, won’t I have any problem the day that I leave China, in spite of my visa will expire two days before my return flight or would it be better ask a visa extension for the two days more that I will be here?
In advance, thank you very much for your answer.
Hi, for what I understand:
Expiration Date: You must enter China before this date or the VISA will expire.
Thanks, however, I’m in Spain, and I understand that the notarizations of documents should be done in the Chinese Embassy of the city where the degrees were issued; this is, NYC. With my original question I guess I meant to address the application package to a specific department inside of the embassy with an additional letter, or send it to somewhere online. Things the like. In other words; if exceptions are granted in an embassy, who’d be granting it?
Hi there,
I see. Honestly I don’t have an answer. What I would do: Call the Chinese Embassy at different times until I find somebody that can give me a clear answer.
Hello Furio Fu,
I don’t need Chinese visa for tourist purposes for 30 days (Serbian citizen). I was planning on going to Shanghai for a month and attending job interviews there. If I get a job can I apply there (together with my new company) for Z visa or can I go to Hong Kong or elsewhere while they process my Z visa? Is any of it doable?
Hello Milos,
we heard of people that could apply for Z visa in Shanghai (but you will need a good agency), and we heard of people that could get the Z visa in Hong Kong.
None of these routes are “certain” though, as the standard way is to apply in your own country
Thanks, I’ll give it a try anyway!
good
Hi Furio, I was offered a contract to teach in Xiamen, however, the Chinese embassy in NYC rejected the notarization of my already authenticated degrees due to I can’t provide enough US permanent residency (I’m Italian). However, luckily, I know they have done exceptions in the past. I’d like to have the chance to someone review and reconsider my case to request for an exception. Do you know to whom should I directed and send it to?
Otherwise, where could I get this information?
I appreciate your prompt reply,
Hi there,
your request is very specific and honestly I don’t know the answer. I could try to guess but I risk to simply get you more confused!
If you can’t solve the issue in NYC and you have enough time to send your passport back and forth, you could also think about applying in Italy (using an agency, unless you want to travel to Italy)
Good day.
I just got a scholarship for a two year masters program in china starting September 2018 and I am very excited about it.
However I am married and have an eleven month old son who I really want to come with me in September. What’s the best way to go about this?
Hi, if you got a X1 Visa, I think you spouse and child can apply for an S visa!
Hi, my is Yonina Tamasese and I’m in Beijing for almost 3 years. I’m currently studied in Central Conservatory of Music, Fuxingmen. However, I may not continue to study there and I will transfer into another university (exchange institution and major) in Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) to continue my Bachelor Degree. My type of student visa is X1 and expiration date is on 20th July 2018, next month. I want to stay in Beijing on Summer Holiday to wait for my new Admission Notice and JW201 Form of my next university, and also I want extend my visa because of that. My question is When my Central Conservatory of Music office refused to renew my visa, Is there any other way to extend my visa while I’m still in China and still staying at my school Music University’s dormitory, or…..what should I do?
We can’t answer to this question, as there are too many factors to consider. I can speak more in general:
a.) If your visa expires and you don’t have any relationship anymore with the university, I doubt they will accept to extend your visa. In this case what would I do would probably go to Hong Kong and try my look by applying for a tourist visa for the summer
b.) I have no idea about the dorm, this will depend solely on the school policy, thus you shall ask to them
Would like to ask, I am foreigner in China and will marry a local Chinese. I am holding X2 visa and will expire next month. Do I still need to get visa (family visa)? Or no need if I apply residence permit because I marry a Chinese local.
Hello Maan,
to apply for a resident permit, you will beforehand need a visa! For instance, if you want to apply for a “marriage resident permit”, you will need a Q visa. Note that you can’t work in China with a Q visa.
Hello I am from Ethiopia… does Ethiopians get work visa in china?
I guess it’s possible, I have no idea though
Hey so I’m currently on a student in China and I am hoping to get a work visa/permit soon to start work in the fall. I have my bachelors degree from the US and a powerful (for lack of a better word) international company that wants to hire me. I have passed HSK 5, am planning to work in Chengdu, 22 years old, the only problem I’m worrying about is the work experience. I have 2 years of work experience in the same field except it was during college. I could most likely get them to write me a rec letter. Do you have any idea how strict it is that the work experience has to be after graduating?
Hello Eli,
the truth is that they decide case by case, so there is no much we can tell you beside: try and see if you succeed!
Hi there,
Ive sent all my documents to my school/HR and waiting for my work permit and invitation letter to be sent. Would you know how long this takes? So that I can apply for my Z working Visa.
Kind regards,
Lyndon
Hi Lyndon,
there is no clear time frame for it. It could take a week or a month, there are too many factors involved.
I’m confused which visa to take my daughter to china. I’m from the Philippines and hold a Z visa for 5 years. She is 18 years old. Should I take S1 or Q1 visa. TIA
Hi Alex, she can’t have a Q1 visa because you aren’t chinese
Also being 18 years old can’t have a S1 visa because is not considered a dependent family member. The best you can do is enroll her in a school or University and get a student Visa
Hi I have only 3 months left for X2 student visa. Is it possible to find full time work here?
It is possible to get a job but you’ll have to apply for the Z visa in your home country
Hello,
I’m just looking for some information. I am a Canadian citizen who lived in China from 2014-17, due to a clerical era and documentation issues in transferring to my new company I overstayed my visa. I paid the fine and was given a 30 day exit visa. I was told by the police I shouldn’t have any problems re-applying for a new Z visa. I have been recently told that my work permit application has been approved. Is there still a chance that the visa could be rejected based or is it a formality after being approved to work?
Hi there,
you can’t never be 100% sure that you will get a chinese visa, because they decide case by case. However, if you have all the right documents, your chances to get the visa are quite high
Hi,
I am a university student in India and I am going to Beijing for 2 months research attachment, Shall I apply for F type visa. A professor is providing me funding and accommodation for the duration. I also wanted to know what are the documents required, I would prefer to talk personally with someone who has information regarding it.
my gmail – [email protected]
Thank you for the help.
Hello,
if you are getting paid in China, from a Chinese entity, probably the Z visa is better for you. However, we aren’t a visa agency and we can’t reply to specific questions as yours. I advice you to discuss the matter with either a visa agency or the chinese consular office where you intend to apply for your visa.
Hi Furio!
I am a UK citizen who has been living in China on a Work permit for the last 2.5 years. I have now left my job and my visa was changed to an exit one- which expires this week.
I had planned to go to Hong Kong to apply for an L visa but the agency I was using advised that there was ‘no guarantee it would be approved’. I was nervous about this because my girlfriend needs to stay in China to work out her contract (she cannot leave before the beginning of August). I therefore plan to make the application from the UK and have a flight booked that leaves the UK in early May, with the return flighty for early August (not more than 90 days). We will do some travelling around Asia during those 3 months during her weekends off work, but I do need to be able to stay here until early August so that I can help pack our apartment and move our pets.
I contacted a UK visa agency and they suggested that my application should be for a Private visit not a Tourist visa but my understanding of this has always been that I cannot do this because my girlfriend and I are not married/have no children etc. However I do not want to apply for a Tourist visa and then be rejected as they think I have filled out the wrong form. I also want to make sure that I give myself the best chance of being granted the longest possible visa, even if I have to keep leaving and re-entering the country every 30 days.
Do you have any advice you can share about the Visa I should apply for please? Any suggestions you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark
Hello Mark,
I’m sorry to hear that… I was in the same situation in 2012 and personally I chose to apply for a tourist visa in Hong Kong. Honestly, nobody can guarantee you that you will get a visa. The best you can do is to apply and hope your application won’t be rejected
A friend’s daughter had an au pair position through an agency who had arranged for her to do a mandarin course in Shanghai. She fell out with the agency, left them and is now living with the family and is not doing the mandarin course, she never signed up for it. She has a residency permit in the city she is living in.
She thinks her Visa is still valid, we don’t – any idea if it is valid or not? If it’s not are we right she is now an illegal alien? Any advice on what she should do in this cae would be welcome
Hello Pamela,
we don’t have enough info for replying to your question. If she has doubts about the validity of her visa, she shall contact a visa agency / the consular office of her country, in order to learn more and fix the problem.
Note that staying in China without a valid visa is illegal!!!!
hi.
I have work(z) visa for china and last 10 months i am already staying and working here in china. I am going to marry in the first week of April. And want to take my wife to china with me on her dependent visa . I will apply her visa in the first week of April itself after getting all the documents like legalized and attested marriage certificate and invitation letter . On 29th April we both will be in china. Because my visa will be expired on 5th of May. And my company will start my visa renewal process from 30th April. So my question is what about my wife visa status?? will her visa also got expired on the same day , my visa get expired. Looking for you guidance. I will be thankful to you.. …
Your wife visa is dependent on yours so you will have to renew it together
Hi Furio,
Thank you for wonderful website and info.
A friend of mine is from South Africa and he wants to apply for a Chinese tourist visa or business visa which has a single stay of 90 days. Is this kind of visa easy to obtain? Or should he refer to some agency?
Thanks!
Karen
Depends on the embassy or consulate you are applying for, some places is easy some is impossible.
Thanks. He is actually going to apply through the Chinese visa center
He can contact them directly, this company knows exactly what type of visa they can get.
Hi!
Thanks for the helpful info. I have heard that Chinese visa is a bit harder to get nowadays, and I would like to know if we can get it in our situation. We are leaving on a world bike trip at the end of March this year with my boyfriend. I am Hungarian, he is from Denmark. Neither of us will have residency, as he is already without an address, I will deregister before leaving. According to our calculations we would arrive to the Pamir highway in the late summer of next year, and we would enter into China to get to Pakistan first. Later on we would plan to enter again to go north (planning to go to Japan), but that is after spending some time in India. Originally we wanted to go through Mianmar and then Laos/Vietnam before reentering, but I’m not sure about the current situation in Mianmar, if it’s safe and/or doable.
My main question is where and when to apply for the Chinese visa for the both of us? Is it doable in Iran or Tajikistan? Is it even possible without having residency anywhere? And can we enter at this border with bikes, or should we hitch-hike a transport through the border?
Hello Dora,
honestly I don’t have an answer for you as I don’t have personal experience with these borders (which are all tricky and regulations are changing all the time).
For instance, when I was in Xinjiang, the border China – Pakistan wasn’t open for foreigners, in fact I couldn’t even enter the province that is at the border with Pakistan.
The fact that you have no residence may also be a problem, although I don’t get how you can’t have a residence at all (but this is another problem)
Hi all
Im wondering if someone can help me out. I am from south Africa. I am currently awaiting my Z-visa for china as I am moving to work in China (teaching). This has taken over 3 months now and thus Im still waiting. My dilemma is- my family booked a trip to visit me in China in the anticipation that I was supposed to be over there a little while ago. If my Z-visa does not arrive in the next couple days, Is it possible to apply for a tourist visa in order to go over to china to travel/ vacation with my family? while still awaiting the Z-visa. I understand that I might/ probably will have to come back to SA to get my Z-visa and go back to China for work, if so be. i don’t mind doing that.
Long story short- will I be compromising my Z-visa application if I apply for a tourist Visa at the same time? and is this even possible :/
Pleaseeeee help!! Thankyou :)
Hello Tash,
I don’t think it shall compromise your application, as long as you get back to South Africa and apply again for the Z visa. I would recommend you to ask to the Chinese consular office where you intend to apply for both visas
I am a UK citizen living in Naples, Italy until the end of June. I need a Toursit visa for travel on 11 July. Is 10 days long enough to get the visa, should i return earlier to UK to apply or can i do it from Italy?
Hello Daniel,
10 days shall be more than enough. I think you can apply at the Rome CVASC, as I’m Italian myself and successfully applied for my visa in London! However, just to make sure, I suggest you to call the CVASC beforehand.
Hi,
Website is wonderful and had very well information.
I am from India, deputed on China for project work with work permit & residence permit (Z visa). I would like to invite my family here for visit. My spouse and child would like to stay around 40 days. So, S2 visa looks appropriate for them. However, for my parents and parents-in-law who would like to travel for 10-12 days (in similar period), it is understood there is requirement of ‘Certification of kinship’ if they travel by S2 visa. Considering this, L visa looks appropriate for parents and parent-in-laws. They all would stay along with me in apartment provided by my company.
As there are two different visa for different people, should I need to issue separate Invitation letter? For parent & parent-in-laws, do you recommend to indicate ‘source of funds for expenditures’ by them or by me?
Also, can advise some important points to be noted or considered for this case if any?
Hi, for these details, I suggest you to get in touch with the Chinese consular office where you intend to apply for the visa
Hello everyone!
Has anyone recently obtained a Chinese double entry visa from a travel agency in Hong Kong? I heard that the rules in Hong Kong have just changed, there’s a new official visa agency that’s been set up in the city which foreign passport holders have to use to get visas.
Does someone know about it? Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated!
Hi everyone, im from philippines and my husband is working as an ESL teacher there, he will be our sponsor for our travel in Beijing with our son, how much have to be in his bank account to sponsor, we plan to apply S1 visa..Thank you for paying attention to it..😊😊God bless you
I’m not sure about the specific requirements, as they might be different depending on the official that reviews your application. Anyway I think that the most important is how much your husband earn and if they consider it’s enough for supporting 3 people
Hello, I have valid 2 entries Chinese Visa which says enter before 11 MAR 2018 so just wanted to know if i arrive at guangzhou Airport at 12.30 am on 11th March 2018 will it be ok or i need to enter China anytime before midnight of 11 march 2018. As if i enter at 12.30 am on 11th march will it be vaild as it says enter before 11th so is it that i need to enter china on 10th March 2018 ??
Hello Hardik,
I’m not sure because I never had such a situation myself. I would ask advice to the chinese consular office that gave you the visa
NEED HELP!
I will be traveling to Tibet but will be staying 2 nights in Beijing. I know that you cannot mention Tibet in Chinese visa. I am trying to fill out the visa and in section 2.6 it asks for Chinese itinerary – what do i put??
I’m sorry but we I don’t know what to answer to this.
Hello,
I’m currently a student in China, my visa will expire on March. I want to stay here to travel for a month and then go home. In the other hand, my boyfriend has a working permit and also want to apply for a tourist visa in Beijing. Is it possible for me to obtain a tourist visa here in Beijing? If so, which documents should I present in the PSB?
Hello Nur,
I have no idea. It’s probably possible, but I have no direct experience.
Hello,
My wife is living with me in China (Hangzhou) with S1 visa since June 2017. We are Indians and I am holding a work visa (Z), resident permit. My wife recently got a job offer from a University and will get her work permit paper by end of January. The questions are, Does she need to go to India to apply for Z visa and then enter to China to get a resident permit for work? Can she directly apply for a work resident permit in China without actual Z-visa issued by home country?
Thanks for your time!
-Devan
She must go back to India to apply for the Z visa, you can try to apply in China directly but I don’t think she’ll be able to get the resident permit
I am from Pakistan living in Finland holding a PR.(permanent residence permit) I went to Chinese embassy to apply tourist visa(L) while my husband and daughters have Finnish citizenship but Chinese embassy said i can only get group visa and for this i can ask to any travel agent but the travel agent said it is not possible to get tourist visa. I am very confused because we have tickets and hotel reservation already. Please help and guide. Thanks in advance
I will be travelling from Sydney Australia to Tashkent Uzbekistan (staying 12 days) and return via Guangzhou. Is it allowed to stay in Guangzhou using 72 hour visa in both directions.
Flights between Guangzhou and Tashkent make 1 or 2 transit stops within China. Does this affet the visa.
Hello Bob,
I’m not sure if you can enjoy the visa exemption in Guangzhou, if you stop in China after landing in Guangzhou
Hello guys,
my name is Mark and I am currently working as intern in China on an X visa. I signed just an agreement with no mention of end or beginning date, not a real contract so to speak. Unfortunately, I don’t like my current situation and I would like to quit earlier. What would happen if I leave without saying anything to anybody? Disappearing basically form one to the other. Could I still be able to visit China in the future? Will I have any legal consequence when I return back to my country (Austria) ?
Thank you and keep up the good work!
Hello Mark,
I’m sorry but we aren’t lawyers and we don’t know the answer to this question. First of all, I would contact a serious visa agency in the chinese city where you are, to know what think. I would also ask advice to the embassy of my country in China. They may have already some experience of somebody that did the same.
Hi,
All the comments above are very useful. I have a quick question for the S1 visa does the marriage cert photocopy need to be authenticated ?I emailed the embassy in my country but they never replied ://
Probably you need to authenticate it, or show the original one. It depends on the place you are applying for
Great website. I am a Canadian teacher and have been teaching in Shanghai for 15 years. Now the requirements for a Foreign Expert Certificate dictate I only have 56 out of the needed 60 points. So the Z visa won’t be renewed Dec. 31, 2017. I need to fly to HK to get an L visa to come back and get back pay, bonuses etc. in February and ‘close up shop’.
Is it hard for someone to get the L when they have been so long a Z? Do I need some kind of Shanghai to Hong Kong (back) to Shanghai back to _Canada_ plane ticket(s)?
I am offered the work still, but I think beginning in January I will become a legitimate ‘tourist’ so that I will be less vulnerable and have enough time to sell off and mail home all the stuff I have amassed in the last decade and a half.
Hello Charles,
I’m sorry to hear that : (
Although nobody can guarantee that you will get a L visa in Hong Kong, generally speaking your case seem ok. Usually they refuse visas to people to ask 2 / 3 short visas in a row, to avoid that people do visa runs and work illegally.
Having said that, the only way to know for sure is to go to Hong Kong and apply for the visa.
Usually you do need a flight to exit China (it doesn’t matter if it’s for Canada) and hotel reservations for the whole duration or your stay (or a letter of invitation from a Chinese person or a non-Chinese with resident permit). Sometimes, if you use an agency, some of these requiremetns aren’t compulsory.
i need a information
my visa going to expire on 25th October
i have just re-entered china 10 days back
am i eligble to stay in china for more 90 days from the day i re-entered or should i apply for new visa ??
please respond fast
We have no idea. We aren’t the Chinese consular office. Also, we don’t know what kind of visa you have etc.
Hi Furio,
Thank you for all the information provided.
We plan to go for a long trip with my wife next year. We will travel in Asia and we would like to visit continental China.
Do you know whether it is doable for French citizens to apply for a Chinese tourist visa directly in Singapore (with the Chinese visa centre)? We will be in Singapore as tourists/non resident. I heard that now it is difficult for non resident to get a Chinese visa from Singapore? Do you have any information on this process?
Thank you for your help!
Chris
Hi, it shall be possible, but I have no first-hand experience.
Applying in Hong Kong is quite easy though.
Hello,
I will like to apply for a buisness visa from USA, can i apply straight for one year visa, i will also like to know if i can use the visa whenever i’m ready like May/June. I read somewhere online that visa will expire if not used in 90days from the day it was granted. Thank you.
Visa expires. In my opinion, it’s too soon to apply for the visa, if you plan to travel on April. A year visa can be obtained, it depends on your situation, travel history etc.
Hi,
We are British citizens and will be going on a cruise from Shanghai in about 4 weeks time. We know that we can get a 144 hour transit visa if we just visit Shanghai. But we would really like to fly to Beijing to see the Great Wall and then get the train from there to Shanghai. For this I think we will need a tourist visa. However, my husband travels a lot with his job (including to China) and can’t spare his passport for the time it takes to get the visa in London.
If he goes to China befopre our cruise, can he take my passport with him and apply for the tourist visas inside China? If so, can this be done instantly and how much does it cost?
Hi,
yes, you will need a tourist visa. No, I don’t think you can apply for a tourist visa “on arrival”.
Note that you can usually apply for a rush visa in your country of residence, ie. they keep your passport only 1-2 days.
I have been issued a 30 day Z work visa. Upon arrival I must take a medical test then apply for a 1 year work visa. After that I can apply for a residence permit. I will be arriving a week before the National Day holiday (Oct. 1-8). I am concerned about whether or not I will be able to apply for the residence permit in time, as 5 working days will be “wasted” due to this holiday.
Hello Cris,
you already have the work visa! You just need to take the medical test and then apply for the resident permit at the PSB. 3 weeks shall be enough. Make sure to discuss beforehand with your employee and to get detailed instructions on all the steps!
This actually answered my problem, thank you!
: )
Re Turkish tourist visa stamps in your passport being an issue. Absolutely true. After living in China for two years NOW this becomes an issue. Crazy and true. I’m currently a victim of this Big Brother mess to confirm its happening
Yes it’s a nightmare, China is scared of people returning from Síria
BUSINESS VISA ?
My wife is Chinese and I got my PR, we are thinking to start a FOOD CHAIN in China, but not so sure what kind of visa do i required to start this business, i do not have any business visa at this moment but only my PR. Does anyone help me in this case?
Appreciate your help! thank you
P.S I’m Pakistan National !
Hi, if you want to start a business in China, you need to open a company there. Then, the company can provide you with a working visa
Hi guys
Where in HK can I get my diploma verified?
Vesna
Hello Vesna,
I guess the Consular Office of your own country is your best bet
Hi Furio
Wondering if you can help with this –
I am currently preparing docs for Chinese Z visa and got my degree certificate etc. notarised, but on my current passport. This will run out before I go to China so I’m in the process of renewing it. The passport number on the new one will be different to the old, and therefore different to the one which was used as ID to get my docs notarised.
Do you think this will cause an issue when taking the docs to be legalised in London Chinese embassy? I’ll have new passport by then, but was thinking to bring old and new – think I’ll encounter any issues?
Thanks,
June
Hello June,
1. I don’t know if this will be an issue. Contact the CVASC in London, if you intend to apply for the VISA there
2. For sure bring your old passport (and a photocopy of it).
Hi Furio Fu
Do you have to get hotel bookings for your entire trip to China (I plan to travel approximately for 3 months in China), or can you have hotel bookings for only some of your trip (lets say 3 weeks) without the Chinese visa expires after those three weeks? If you have to have bookings for the entire 3 moths, can you just book a couple of hotels and then cancel those without problems?
Best Regards
Hi there,
for a tourist visa, the law says that you shall have hotels for all the duration of the trip. However, try to discuss with the consular office / CVASC where you intend to apply for the VISA and see what they said (as your trip seems pretty long).
Hi, we are planing a tourist trip to China. My girl friend and I had no problem with our visa application, but her parents were a different story. The lady at the consulate was very rude and pretty much no help at all. All she could tell us was that we need a name change document, but couldn’t tell us what that is. The parents were born in China and became U.S. citizens about 50 years ago. I believe the problem was that the dad’s citizen paper name didn’t match his passports (his Chinese name was changed to his middle initials, so he picked an American name Bart and added KM for kuiman). The mom’s US paper work all matches, but her Hong Kong ID is her original maiden Chinese name. We already changed our September trip and are going to try again for April, but at this point we are almost ready to forget China. Does anybody know what name change documents the lady was talking about?
Hello Mark,
personally I don’t know… maybe passport must match ID card?
Did you try to contact another Chinese Consular Office, or the US Consular Office in China?
if I have 4 days residence visa remaining can i enter in china.
Hi,
I’m not sure I understand your questions. Generally speaking, if your visa has not expired it shall be possible to enter the country
how can i get my visia from Nigeria to china and live in china and work in Chinese company?
You must beforehand find a Chinese company that sponsor your visa, then get the visa at the Chinese consular office in Nigeria
can a company in china help a 16yrs old boy process a 3month Z viisa ..and how much will it cost?thank you
No, a 16 year old foreigner can’t work in China
Hi! I am British, I have a job with a private high school, I have been granted Cat B Status and been issued with a “Notification Letter of Foreigners Work Permit in the PRC” Form complete with a barcode. So I have been granted a work permit but now need to leave China to get it. I’m on an L, which will be cancelled once I leave China, will I be able to get this new Z visa in Hong Kong now that everything has been approved? Medical done, all docs notarised, checked and accepted by the Chinese Hunan government already. I literally just need the thing in my passport. Doing it in HK will save me a lot of time and money. Can you confirm this? Thank you in advance, Dan.
We can’t confirm this , there’re people who manage to get a Z visa in Hong Kong but theoretically you should apply to your country of residence.
Hey Furio
Wanted your two cents. I’ve accepted a role in Shanghai, and am in the process of applying for my z visa
A question on work experience: On my proof of employment, it was reflected that I took up an internship and got converted to perm between Feb 15 to April 17 – which gives me 2 years and 2 months of continuous full time experience.
However, I graduated in June 15, and got my job before I officially graduated. Do you think this will be a point of contention? Technically if you start counting only from my graduation, I would have 1 year 10 months experience.
Hi there,
it’s difficult to assess. What I can say is that Chinese are quite flexible usually
Hi Furio
Thanks for the reply! At least I can feel somewhat good now… You’ve a really great blog with v helpful and relevant content. As someone who is seeking for information, thank you for these!
N
Hi N,
I think you should be fine.
Had a similar situation as you, I have more than 9 years of work experience but only finished my undergrad studies in 2015. When I applied for the visa I theoretically would have had only 1.5 years of experience after the undergrad degree. However the Chinese authorities recognized the previous work experience and granted me the tier “B” work visa status.
All the best
Thank you Adi for sharing
: )
Hi!
I was offered a position teaching English in Foshan, and have a quick question about the z-visa requirements. My work experience is as a part-time library desk clerk. I have had this position for 4 years (September 2013 – August 2017), and worked during my studies (graduated June 2017). Since most of my work experience is not post graduation, will this disqualify my application?
Thanks for your help!
Hello Gen,
generally speaking, I’m afraid the answer is “yes”
However, in China they are often flexible. Talk with the company that wants to hire you and see what they say / how they can help
Hello,
If you re x2 visa holder,do ı have to register with the police station after I arrive to Chine within 24 hours? Because when ı arrive first,I wont be in the same city where my x2 issues for a while.The registering with local police in another city than where visa is belong to ,would be problem?And 2. question, as I know x2 visa doesn’t need a residence permit since already written 180 days on the visa ,is this true?3.question;Will I do physical examination when I arrive to China.if no res. permit given,I don’t think so but want to know clearly.
Thanks in advance
Hello,
1. Unless you stay in a hotel / school dorm, you always need to register yourself at the PSB (local police office)
2. Usually for short term visa, a physical examination is not required. However, in these cases, we always advice to contact the school / organization that sponsored your visa. They shall know the requirements
Hello,
Thanks for answer,but maybe my question wasn’t that clear sorry.My x2 visa will be from X ctiy and I will not register myself at the local police station in the x city but the z city.Would it be problem and would they follow it for any reason?,
Thanks
I think you shall register in the city where you shall study, however I don’t know if they allow exceptions if you are just staying for short term in a different city. I advice you to talk with the consular office or CVASC where you got the visa
Hi there, I’ll try and explain this so it’s not overly confusing haha.
Starting a rtw backpacking trip. Booked flight from Australia to Beijing already. Plan to stay there for a week, then head on into Mongolia for 3-4 weeks taking the budget bus/train option . I also plan on getting my Mongolian Visa in Beijing,as it will save me about $150.
After 3-4 weeks in Mongolia I head back into china via train/bus. Then want to travel inland and all the way down to Hong Kong 2 weeks later,where I have booked a flight already to go to the Philippines.
Therefore,I need to apply for a double entry China Visa back here. However I won’t have a Mongolian Visa until i get to Beijing,so will they give me a double entry visa if I just show Mongolian accommodation bookings? I also won’t have any booked flights in and out of Mongolia as I will take the bus/train which is a lot cheaper. Also is a flight leaving from Hong Kong to the Philippines enough to show onward travel?
So I guess I have 2-3 queries there on whether I will receive a double entry visa…
Thanks
Ben
Hello Ben,
in order to get a tourist visa (either single or double entry) you’ll need to show:
1. Travel Itinerary in China, including hotel booking for all nights you spend in China
2. Tickets that prove you can leave China in the days indicated by your itinerary
I don’t think you need to show any info about Mongolia.
Hi
I have a son applied for English teaching post in January 2017. he had his degree,matriculation certificate and police clearance all authenticated and certified by the Chinese Embassy all done by Feb 2017.- it’s now May and still he has not got his work permit visa- the agency says that he has a post already but with the new system with the visa’s it’s been delayed. I was made to understand that the new system is going to improve the visa application -but not for so long. they now sent him another application form with a barcode. would you be able to tell me how long more does this process take.They told us to wait until 12 May 2017.How will I know if this process is being done?
Hi there, this doesn’t sound normal.
No, we aren’t able to tell you how long it will take on your specific case, as it depends on too many factors
Thanks for your response- we got an answer from China requesting him to renew his police Clearance now- yet it’s not his fault that they took so long!!! it’s costing us unnecessary costs because to get a police clearance we have to go to another province. I would like to know if we need to authenticate and certify the police clearance again with the Chinese Embassy.
Hi there,
we can’t reply to these: the requirements change from city to city, and often also depending on who is applying etc. I suggest that you contact the Chinese Embassy
Hi Furio,
My husband and I live in New Zealand (although I have an Australian passport).
We are both currently out of the country and not near a Chinese embassy or consulate. We arrive in Hong Kong on the 15th May. Our tickets to Beijing are booked for 21st – 24th May and Shanghai 24th – open and depart Beijing 29th May. Our hotels are also confirmed. Is there anywhere in Hong Kong that we would be able to organise tourist visa’s. You mentioned Forever Bright a few years ago? Kind regards Annabel
Hello Annabel, we still recommend Forever Bright, in Hong Kong
Dear Furio, hope you are well.
Since the 17th April 2017, In France where i live actually, the process to get a Z visa seems to became very hard.( translation and certification of diploma etc.. At the French ministry of foreign affair in Paris)
In 2014 I get my Z visa in Hong kong to work in Shenyang, was quiet easy at that time.
Do you think it is still easy ? I will have official invitation letter to do a Z Visa from Hong Kong.
Thanks
I don’t know Frederic, we can’t keep track of all countries, unfortunately. We only talk for what we experimented in person or for what people share here in the comments
Hi! I recently got a visitor (L) visa valid for 9 years, I didn’t read anything about this long-term multiple-entry visa on saporedicina, and wanted to share my experience for others.
I’m Canadian, and this LTME type of L visa is a bilateral agreement between Canada and China since Feb 2015, so I don’t know if any other countries’ citizens have this option. I found out about it on the travelchinaguide – Chinese Embassy in Canada webpage, https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/canada.htm
I first went on an exchange trip to Chengdu, Sichuan a couple years ago (between my university and SWUFE). The schools gave me all the special documents I needed. I just graduated (BA, unspecialized), and want to go back ASAP. I met my girlfriend (from Gansu) there, she still lives in Chengdu.
So I applied for an L visa with the forms on the Toronto CVASC website, along with a short invitation letter from her (basically saying only that I could financially support myself but she would support me if I needed, pretty sure it was a standard letter she copied from somewhere). They wanted a photocopy of my previous visa, usual ID (BC and DL), and a photocopy of her residence permit (my first attempt at submitting, I thought “Chinese ID” meant her hukou, but they refused that). I stated I wanted a short visit now and to visit at least once per year during Spring Festival, and that I am unemployed (quit my PT school job before applying, bad idea, took about 7 weeks total). 2 weeks to schedule an appointment x3 for not having the right paperwork twice, only 5 days to process/pick-up the actual visa!
I thought the process was extremely easy, I didn’t have to book any flights beforehand or answer any questions other than the standard form, or provide any proof of finances or education. The visa is valid 9 years (as long as my passport, rounded down) with 60 day visits. In my ‘trip itinerary’ I only stated Chengdu with my gf’s address.
Hello Yahnny,
thank you for sharing your experience : )
These agreement at the moment are fairly rare; so far I’m only aware on Canada and US – US citizens can get a 10 years L visa (and we mention this in the article).
Hi sir,
I wanted to stay in China for 6days. As stated above that i need to have a bank statement to prove that i am able to fund my stay in China. I just wonder if how much to I must have in my account so they will approve my visa application. Thank you!
The prove is only needed in some countries, just ask to your closest Chinese embassy
Hi, Furio,
Firstly thank you for making this wonderful site. My question is: I currently hold a residence permit for purposes of work in Beijing. This residence permit expires June 30 as well as my current work contract which I have the residents work permit through. I don’t intend to renew my contract with my current company or any company at the present time. Instead I would like to get a Q1 visa since I am married to a Chinese citizen Who has Hukou in Beijing. My question is where do I go in Beijing to apply for the Q1 visa is it the public service bureau near Yonhegong or somewhere else . Additionally do I have to provide some proof of financial resources in addition to the other documents listed in the application process . thank you for your time sir .
Hi Matthew,
sorry I don’t know these details are for the visa Q1 they are different in each province. I suggest you to ask this to the consular office of your country in beijing
Hi thanks for all the wisdom you being sharing. I wanted to know how long does it take local government to process an invitation letter in China?
Hi Lawrence,
I don’t understand your question. The invitation letter is issued by the inviting person / business. So, the goverment doesn’t have to process. Once you get the letter from who is inviting you, you can apply for the visa.
The visa application process may take up to 4 working days
Hi,
I currently have 6 Chinese visas: 3 student, 1 tourist + extension and an F which issued between 2013-2015. I’ve now bought a return ticket to go back to China see friends/ travel to different places and wonder if I will find it complicated to get another tourist visa. I have a British passport and will be applying to the London embassy.
What are your thoughts here… is this going to be difficult you think?
Thanks.
Hi there,
it’s difficult to assess as they decide case by case. However if your visa are from 2013-2015 it shall not be an issue. Usually the problems arise when you have too many visas in the same year!
Hello Furio,
I am currently in China on a 30 day Business M Visa in Shanghai, and I have to stay here for another month and a bit in order to finish my Business trip. So I would like to get a 2 or 3 month extension
Can I try to get an extension at the local exit-entry bureau in Shanghai?
Leaving the country for just one more month of visa seems very expensive and not worth it.
Thank you for your answer.
Yes, you can try. Although it’s not sure you will get the extension!
Okay thank you, so I’ll try to go for a 30 day extension. And it just depends on the goodwill of the employee at the bureau? Also, when I apply exactly 7 days before my current visa runs out, and the procedure of the bureau takes around 8 days, will the start date of the new visa be the pickup date of the new visa? Or will the 30 days start on the day that I apply for an extension?
Hi,
not only on the “goodwill”, also on the documentation you provide, including the reason for the extension, and the number and kind of your past Chinese visa.
I’m not sure when the renewal period will start, I think from the day in which they grant you the permit
Hello, thanks for all the information.
Do you need a degree if you want to apply for a Z visa to teach English in China? This is a question I hear often and here is why. There are a lot of misleading information on the web and the information is usually not up to date, for example, China is on the list of top 6 countries to teach English in without a degree. I figured out this is far from the truth. So my Question to you is, are there any websites you can give me the links to, other than this current one, that states that you need a degree to teach in China or maybe a link to the new policies for Foreigners teaching in China. I’ve also learned that now you need to get your Degree stamped ( verified ) by Chinese embassy before sending it to your employers in China for them to apply for your work permit and invitation letter which you need to then apply for your Z visa. Any information and links you have on this will be greatly appreciated
If you or anyone can provide me with updated websites with factual information I can put it on my blog for future or current English teachers to read and spread the news.
Thanks for your time
Hello Chantell,
China is more complex than that. Officially, I do think you need a degree. And this rule is enforced in many cities. However, in second / third tiers cities, we heard of many people that were able to get the Z visa also without degree.
Basically, if the school is able to secure you a Foreign Certificate Expert, you will get the visa
Hi, I have been offered a work position in China, however from their side of things it’s been a little all over the place. In short, I now have very little time before I fly out, and I’m wondering whether a British national can apply for a z-visa from Hong Kong.
I am currently waiting for the government issued invitation letter. Can this be delivered to Hong Kong for me to apply for my visa from there? I have a non-permanent Hong Kong ID (HKID), and I have previous visas to China over the past few years in my passport.
I was told by my employer to apply for a business visa, and that we would work on a z-visa on my arrival, however from all my sources I have been told that’s not possible, and I would end up having to fly home after 90 days to repeat the application.
Personally, I don’t mind doing that, as I believe my employer would help fund the travel, but I would personally not like to go through all that stress. Do you know whether I could apply for either the Z-visa, or the F/M Visa
Thanks
Apply for those visas in Hong Kong*
Apply for a F/M visa is still possible in Hong Kong but I don’t think isn’t always possible to get a Z visa there, it’s possible that you’ll have to go back home for that. However if your HK ID is still valid you can apply for a any type of Chinese visa in Hong Kong
I’m due to go to Beijing on a L visa, but plan on applying for a Z visa as I have accepted a new job there. Do I need to leave the China (E.G. go to HK) to apply for a Z visa? Or can it be done in Beijing?
Unless this is a very special case (in which case your company shall tell you), you need to leave China in order to apply for a Z visa
I am Sumit from bangladesh. I was admitted to an University as PhD student in Anhui,hefei,China. But working on that lab i become sick. So, i will change my major to a different university and give up my scholarship.
Do i need to apply again for X1 visa if i got the scholarship(as i have residence permit for anhui province and my new university will be in Tianjin. Can I change my Visa in Tianjin by going to PBS of Tianjin).
Please help me, i am earnestly seeking help from you.
Hi there, I’m afraid you must change your resident permit, not sure you need another visa though. Your new university in Tianjin shall guide you and provide all necessary documentation.
I want to get the 10 year tourist visa for US passports but I am in Southeast Asia. I have heard that most China consulates in SE Asia, if they give you a 10 year visa, will only give you 30 day duration of stay, not 60 days like you can get if you apply in the US. But some people have reported getting the 60 day duration with a 10 year visa in Thailand. Do you know what the facts are about this? What duration of stay do they give you in Vietnam? Or Hong Kong? Thanks if you can help.
Hi Ben,
the law doesn’t say anything about this. So, the truth is that nobody knowns. I suppose they just choose case by case. Just go/call to the Consular Office and ask
Hi,
I currently have a Residence Permit For Foreigners that is expiring soon (the Permit was issued in Shanghai after I came into China with a Q2 visa). I am married to a Chinese Citizen.
I am out of China right now but cannot figure out how I can renew my Residence Permit after the Permit Expires. Can I renew the Residence Permit outside of China..for example at a China embassy in the US? Or do I need to be in China? Can I travel to China on the expired Residence Permit? (I would think not..but not sure). Any guidance would be appreciated!
Best,
WH
Hi there,
1. I don’t know if you can renew a residence permit in US. You shall contact the Chinese consular Office there
2. No, I don’t think you can enter China with an expire resident permit
Hi Furio,
I am planning to visit China and have a tourist visa. My inviter is a friend and her boss who have business company in China are most likely to finance me in my tour there. He is living in USA but visiting china with a multiple entry visa to work there and supervise this friend who will be my inviter. I have a round ticket already and one hotel reservation only good for 4 days but i will be staying there with my fiance and my friend for 30 days single entry visa. Will I need to submit a bank statement of my friend who is a Chinese or the bank statement of my fiance? What do you recommend? My flight ticket is already on Febraury 21, 2017. Please advise. I need your help
Thank you.
Blessings,
Ly
I don’t understand the question, if you already have a tourist visa why you should provide more documents?
Hello Ly,
sorry but I didn’t understood the situation as you claim to already have a visa
Here how it works, in order to get the visa:
1. if a Chinese person or a foreigner with a resident permit send you a letter of invitation, you dont need an hotel (see details on the article for how to draft the letter)
2. Usually you dont need a bank statement, but if you think you may need it, just print it out and bring it with you when you apply for the visa
Hi,
I’m going to be visiting China as a tourist in a few months time. I’ve read that to get a tourist visa you need a round trip air ticket. Does this mean that I have to buy a return ticket to my departure country (e.g. fly from UK and return to UK)? Or can I buy a departure ticket to another country (e.g. fly from UK and then fly to Vietnam when leaving China)?
If only the first option is possible, is there any way around this?
Thanks for your help.
Hi there, you can fly from and to any country! The important is that you have a ticket to leave China
awesome, thanks for your help!
Hi there, I am currently studying chinese in ningbo with an X2 visa, and i was wondering if can extend it within china for another 6 months or even 3 months, as it will save me a huge expense.also if not possible you think its possible i could do it in hong kong with no problems? its the only chinese visa i have ever had.
Hi, only your school can reply to thsi!
Hi Furio,
My husband (Indian Passport Holder) is working as a consultant for Huawei Shenzhen. So, he has to keep coming to China. In last 1 year, he came to China at least 5-6 times and stayed much as 14 to 30 days. He was only granted with Double Entry Business Visa.
Each time, we submit all documents including Invitation letter from Huawei.
Do you have any idea why is it so hard for them to grant a multiple one?
Cheers!
Business visa’s are getting more and more restrictive in China because the government want to avoid that people use this kind of visa’s to work illegally
All these great postings about Visas miss one HUGE hurdle for US citizens.
Every document that’s required by an employer (diploma, teaching certificate, background check) all need to be certified authentic through a notary, then apostilled (certified for China) at each individual state they came from, and THEN taken IN PERSON to the SEPARATE consulate locations where they are then authorized (or rejected).
Do the visa agents factor in multiple consulates in their services? And, I’m against letting my passport out of my hands, so I’m leary of giving it to any visa agent ever. So, that sucks.
thank you for the comment Ana. Yes, nobody says it was easy : )
The VISA posts are written to be useful regardless your nationality. We may write a specific posts for US nationals in the future. At the moment many consulates outsource the visa management to the CVASC so no way you can avoid a visa agent
Hi there
I am completing my TEFL course and was wondering with regards to getting a Z visa in China, would a 3 year national higher diploma from one of the top universities in South Africa qualify? Or does it have to be a 4 year degree?
I look forward to your feedback
If you have experience teaching English a 3 years degree might be enough, anyway if you can accept going to smaller cities the requirements are going to be less strict.
Thanks for the useful info. I plan to visit China and Hong Kong this summer and I’m very excited. I hope there won’t be any troubles with visas (some unexpected things).
Good luck with your trip
I would like to know about Work Visa Policy?
I’m 22 ,graduated 2015 March and i have 1 year 8 months experience.
the new visa regulations is strict or liberal ?
Im already having bunisess Visa M and i’m trying to convert it to Z visa.
Let me know something about this case.
Thanks in advance.
The Chinese visa laws are quite open to interpretation
Hi! My daughter will be studying at a Shanghai University with her US university professor for two months (all approved). She would like to intern at the same time (does not need to be paid), but I keep seeing that she cannot apply for a permit to work with an X2 visa. Is that the current state of Chinese immigration law? Are there any exceptions? It would be for a large US company that has an office in Shanghai. Thank you for answering this!
Hello Chris,
you can’t legally work in China with an X2 visa, correct. However, are you sure that you’re working, if you aren’t pay? I can’t give a definitive answer, however I think it’s worth to ask to the school / consular office. Maybe this is legal (if you aren’t paid)
Hi am a bachelor student here in china and graduating in january 2017,however my university only gave us visa till 15 january which is too short for us to be able to do anything.I have applied for another school in beijing and got the admission,the documents are being processed but the problem now is that the program starts in march and they can only give me permit from march.now between 15th january till march i will have no visa which is a problem for me,i tried speaking to both school and they are unwilling to give me a short stay permit till march..is there anyway i can apply for a short stay(say two) permit from the immigration? or how can i go about it since i want to be here till the next program begins
Hello Marcel,
if I was you, I would go to Hong Kong and try to get a tourist visa
My husband is British and is currently teaching in China. I am South African and currently work in the UAE. I would like to stay with him and was told that I need to apply for an S1 Visa. However, I have been on to the sight for the Chinese Embassy here in Abu Dhabi in the UAE and there is no mention of an S1 Visa, only a D-Visa. Could you please advise.
Thanks
Hello Chantal,
correct, you need to apply for an S visa (D visa is totally different, and extremely difficult to obtain). You can read this article for the details.
Hello i am from india i have 6 months multiple entry visa , visa validity for 30 days , on 30 days which are country easy to travel from shangai ?? is their any country doesn’t required visa ?? which country is safe to travel ??
Hong Kong is the easiest, not sure if as an Indian passport holder you need a visa though.
Hello,
I have been teaching in China for about 7 years with a Z Visa…my contract is due for renewal … I have heard rumblings regarding an age limit policy…is there in fact such a policy …if so what is the maximum age limit to obtain a Z Visa?..
Hello,
I suggest you to ask the details to your school
55 is the upper age limit for teachers.
Hello,
I’m looking for an invitation letter of duly authorized unit to obtain a business visa
Anyone can help?
Hi, you need a real business to invite you for real business reasons.
Hi, I have seen I can apply for a 10-year multiple entry Visa as a US citizen. On the visa application, it asks for supporting documents, including air travel itinerary and hotel stay. I haven’t bought airline tickets and wanted to wait until I got a visa. Is it OK to submit a visa without having purchased airline tickets with a 10-year multiple entry application, or do I need my specific trip planned out and tickets purchased before?
There are many variables to consider: what kind of visa you want, where will you apply, whether you have a letter of invitation or not etc. I suggest you to get in touch with the Chinese consular office where you plan to apply for the visa
I am travelling with my family to China.In the documents to be submitted should each individual member show 1.7 lakh rupees in their bank account?
You should get this information in the Chinese embassy as it’s a requirement specific for your country.
Hello Furio, today we had a mess up in tarvel I was doing with two People (customers). In Ecuador from were we are, we don’t need a chinese visa but one of persons had happened to be from Venezuela. He never informed us and never took care of finding out if the visa was a requirement for Venezuela. He was left behind in San Francisco where the Last part of out trip to Shanghai started and today is Sunday. We were only going to be there at Shanghai until Friday, do you think he will get the visa in one Day through the Rush service you mention above.
Hello Paul, no idea. I’m not expert on visas for venezuela nationality. Sorry
Hello,
Thanks for a helpful website. My partner and I are travelling for one year through Asia and we’re currently in Japan, heading for South Korea and then, hopefully, China. As we left home too long ago to apply for a Chinese visa there, we would now need to apply for a 30-day tourist (L) visa in either Fukuoka or Nagasaki in Japan or Seoul or Busan in Korea. We carry EU passports (Finnish and Belgian) and are currently on a 90-day landing permit in Japan (ie, we are tourists, not residents). We’ll have a similar status in South Korea.
Basically, my question is whether we can apply for a Chinese visa in Japan or South Korea? If so, can we do it directly at the consulate/embassy or do we need to use an agency? If we have to go through an agency, which one?
Bonus question: We’d ideally like to take a ferry from Incheon in Korea to Qingdao in China, exiting by rail into Hong Kong. Not flying, that is. What would you advice us to do when proving that we will enter and leave China? Book plane tickets, which are probably more common, and cancel them later? Or get actual ferry and rail bookings done early (even though ideally we’d like to do that later, to allow flexibility)?
I realize this is probably difficult to answer, but we’d be grateful for any help as we’ve hit a bit of a language wall here… We don’t speak Japanese, Korean or Chinese and we have yet to get anyone speaking much English on the phone. Online I find contradictory information and I’m uncertain what is up to date.
Thank you very much for your help in advance.
Kind regards,
Ellen
Hi Ellen,
I have no idea if the Consular Office in Korea or Japan will grant you a visa. In Hong Kong it would certainly be easier.
Yes, you shall get a flight ticket for Hong Kong.
Good luck!
F
Hello pls I need help.I’m a student in Ghana and hav gotten admission to study in China, however I was not able to apply early enough and ended up applying a week to the deadline of registration. also I did not receive the confirmation letter and am not sure if it was sent to the embassy .anyway my application was rejected but the school has agreed to send an extension letter over for me ….so i can apply again, I’d really like to prevent a rejection the second time around. …could you please tell me which of these factors wer responsible for the rejection? because apart from that my documents are flawless .thanks
Be on time and submitted all the required documentation.
Contact me for any assistance if you need,also a Ghanaian studying in china.(whatsapp:+8615566074153)
Hello helpful beings!
I am a Filipino and trying to obtain a Chinese working visa. I am already scheduled for an interview. Do you have any idea what are the possible questions and what am I going to do to pass it?
Your help will be deeply appreciated. XOXO
Thank you very much!
Hello Cherry,
not really as I never went through an interview for a Chinese VISA. However I guess they will ask you some general questions about your background and projects in China
Hi Furio,
first of all, fantastic website, very useful.
Secondly, I have one question. My wife has a Z visa and I have a S1 visa. She decided to quit her job, but I would like to stay and convince her to get back here when I get a job. Is it possible for me to stay on S1 visa or is it a dream that will never come true.
Thank you.
N
Hi there,
I’m afraid that your S1 visa is linked to the resident permit of your wife. However you shall ask this to your Embassy / the Chinese Consular Office of your country as I’m not 100% sure
Hi,
Do you think they china will give residence permit to those HIV+. I have an offer right now though still doubt to pursue it or not.
Hi there,
I think it’s very difficult but I don’t have any direct experience so I can’t give you a clear answer on this
Hi Furio: I am a Canadian citizen living in the Philippines. I have an invitation letter to teach at a highschool in Guizhou. I am told by the school that I can fly to Hong Kong on a one way ticket to get my L visa and then travel on to Guizhou. They say I can get it right at the Chinese consulate in Hong Kong. Can you tell me if that is true? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hello Henry,
the L visa is a touristic visa; you can’t teach under that visa, it’s illegal. You need a Z visa, if you want to work legally in China
Hi, Furio Fu. I’ve read that it is required for visa Z applicants to submit and/or reveal if you have a criminal record. Is this true? This is what I got from another website regarding obtaining a visa in China: “Question 3.3 on the new China visa application form, Q-2007, specifically asks “Do you have any criminal record in China or any other country?” No distinction is made about whether that record must include a conviction or if the crime was a misdemeanor (minor crime) or a felony. Technically, for example, a charge of DUI (driving under the influence; a misdemeanor for the first offense) that was later reduced to reckless driving in which the defendant pleaded “no contest” would still constitute a criminal record.”
I have been charged with public intoxicated; however, I was not convicted of the crime and the charges were dismissed. Even though I had the charges dismissed, the arrest record and the case dismissal appears on my background check. Will this affect my chances of obtaining a work visa in China? I’ve read conflicting information regarding this topic. Some people claim that only some provinces require a background check and others don’t, but how is this true if it is not possible to enter the country with a Z visa in the first place?
Any information regarding this issue will be much appreciated. Thank you.
Hello David,
yes, information are not so clear on this topic. I think it’s true to say that some Province requires the criminal record and other don’t. You shall get in touch with your future employer (the one that sponsor you Z visa) and ask if you need that in his Province.
Is it possible for me to have a family member collect the china visa in the uk and mail it back to me?
I know that it’s cheeky, but can it, and has it been done before?
Yes, I think it’s possible. Ask the details to the CVASC!
According to the CVASC, it is not permitted:
But who’s to say that they have to be privvy to me not currently residing in the UK, particularly if I just submit my passport to an agency based in the UK?
Like I said before, I know that it’s cheeky but it seems as if it’s possible..
Hello,
My contract will end soon and so my residence permit. I’ve been staying with my wife who’s on a spouse visa. Is there any way to stay a couple extra months in China after the end of my reseidence permit by applying to another visa (L,F,…?) without getting out of China (I’m a French national and my wife holds a passport it’s difficult to come back to China with) ? Thanks
You shall talk with an agency in your city and see if they can “change” your visa. It doesn’t look that easy though
Hi Furio,
Thank you for taking the time in making this blog. It’s been a huge help. I have an Argentine passport. Currently, I have a student visa that expires in the next few months. If I go to Hong Kong, or somewhere else that is not my home country, to convert my student visa into a tourist visa or business visa, is it very complicated? I know recent regulations have been more strict. Before my obtaining my student visa, I had a tourist visa. What is the process like in changing a current visa to another?
Hello,
you can go to Hong Kong and apply for a new tourist visa. You shall stand decent chances to get a new one, although it’s never sure
This message was placed on the website of the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in the Netherlands:Urgent Notice(23AUG16）
Urgent Notice
Due to technical reasons,effective from 24 August 2016,applicants of all countries for Chinese visas are requested to make appointments beforehand online(www.visaforchina.org) and then submit the application documents in person to the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in the Hague where they should at the same time be interviewed. As soon as the technical problems are solved, the normal procedures will be recovered. We regret for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.
23AUG16
I have already bought an air ticket to Guangzhou on September 3rd, but the first option to make an appointment for the application is September 23rd!!
What kind of possibilities are there to get a visa in Hongkong (perhaps I can change my flight to Hongkong)
Hello Huub, you do have a good chance to get a visa in HK (although it’s not sure). For the details, you can read our article on how to get a Chinese visa in HK
Hello , This is Ali Saranjam I am an Iranian citizen I would like to ask how can I get a chines visa here in my country. Thanks
Hi Furio,
I’m an Australian wanting to apply for a tourist L visa for China, but does the letter of invitation need to be written in English, Chinese, or does it not matter? I can’t seem to find information about which language to use anywhere…
Thanks so much
Hello Bunter, English will be fine
Hi Furio,
thanks for your detailed advices. Do you know if I can obtain the work authorization with a VISA for family reunion?
No, you can’t.
If you want to work legally, you need a Z visa, which must then be transformed into a Residence Working Permit within 30 days
Dear Furio,
Could you please give your much valued opinion about the following? I work for a Dutch company with the HQ in the Netherlands. We are exploring the options to extend business to China. Could you make a suggestion under what visa my partner and myself can work and live in Shanghai? The first year I will be employed by the Dutch branch and if the business continues to grow we will explore the possibilities of a WFOE.
Much appreciated and keep up the good work!
Willem
Hello,
if you are paid by a Dutch company in the Netherlands, I think a business visa (M visa) shall work in your case. I suggest you to also ask an opinion to the CVASC or Chinese Consular Office where you’re applying for the visa!
Hi there
I have a tourist visa L with 20 days stay, 3 months length. My question is – Can I change the type of visa when in Shanghai, China to one with 6 months stay, because my boyfriend will be working there with a work visa and I want to stay with him for the whole period of 6 months.
You can try, but there are no guarantees as these decisions are taken by evaluating case by case
I have a question about my particular Visa situation. I will be speaking at an academic conference in Wuhan in October and my husband and I (both US citizens) are planning to do some traveling beforehand. I need a plane ticket to/from China to be reimbursed by work BUT to avoid the mess of Golden Week travelers we’re planning to arrive in Shanghai and then immediately fly out to Vietnam for a few days. After the Golden Week is over we’ll fly back to China for some typical tourist travel, attend my conference and then fly from Wuhan back to the US. (Traveling after the conference is impossible due to my husband’s work schedule.) My questions – Is it possible to use a 72 hour Visa free stay for this first arrival in China or will we need double entry visas? We would be flying into Shanghai on Delta but then out of Shanghai to Vietnam on a different airline, I’m not sure if that complicates things or not. Alternatively, is it possible to get a double entry F Visa for me in this situation (only 1 entry is actually academic)?
Thanks for the help!
Fly from the US to Shanghai on airline #1 Oct 5, land Oct 6.
Oct 6 fly to Ho Chi Minh City on airline #2
Oct 10 fly to Xi’an, etc and do typical tourist things.
Oct 19-23 attend Conference in Wuhan
Oct 24 fly from Wuhan back to the US on airline #1.
Hello, it seems possible as you’re technically transiting through China (by going to Vietnam).
However I’m not sure that you can get the transit if you have a valid visa in your passport. I explain: the guy at the custom will see your visa and problably stamp it, unless you are able to explain you are in transit etc
Sir,
I am Mrs. Jeeva Jothi Kumaravel from India. I am in china for last four months. I came here as dependent visa of S1 type. Now I got the Post doctoral position in Beijing. So I need to change the VISA S1 to VISA Z type. Is it possible to change visa from china or else have go back to India to change my dependent visa(visa type S1) to working visa (visa type Z)
Ask to your employer!
Love this website and found all the comments and replies to be so useful. Have been in China working legally on a Z visa for more than 3 years. I was offered a new job but within a different industry than my current employer, but the new job is relevant to my previous working experience and also to my current working experience. I was told by one visa agency that it’s not possible for foreigners to switch employers within China if they are in different industries despite having relevant experience. The agent was quick to say this though and later said it’s possible if we pay extra. Seems like a total scam to me because I know plenty of people who have successfully changed industries, and if you apply from your home country for a fresh Z visa without showing your old alien employment permit, then all you need is two years of relevant experience. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing regarding not being able to change industries even if you have relevant experience and the nature of the job is very similar? I would think that whoever processes visas focuses on content of the CV as compared to the new company. I don’t feel comfortable changing employers having heard this and possibly ending up without a visa at all and having to leave China and find a way to get back. Advice?
Hi Laura,
it’s certainly possible. There are two ways to do so:
1. Get a new foreign expert certificate, applying for a new Z visa in your country and then get a new resident permit (basically what you did the first time)
2. Switch to a new resident permit directly in China. This will still require help from your new employer, even more that the previous way because, altough we did hear of people that were able to successfully pull this off, it’s not the “usual” way to do
Hello Furio Fu,
I would like to visit China in exploring import/export opportunities between China and India. Which Visa is suitable to me? I would like to visit 3-4 times to know more opportunities. I’ve a friend in China who can assist me during my stay.
Regards,
Veer
Business (M) visa
Hi,
If I apply for a Z visa with multiple entries for one year, do you think it will lessen my chances of getting the visa itself… is it more likely it will be given if I don’t apply for multiple entry or doesn’t matter?
Hello,
you can’t apply for a “multiple entry Z visa”. The Z visa always has 1 entry and, once you enter China with it, you have 30 days to transform it on a resident permit (which is multiple entries).
If you don’t get a resident permit within 30 days or exit China before getting the resident permit, the Z visa expires.
Great, thanks for clearing that up.
Also do you know if its possible to get a tourist visa again after you’ve already obtained 1 plus and extension in the past. Do you know what the policy is there.
Thanks
Alex
The policy is not clear: we only know that if you get too many in the same period, they will not issue tourist visa anymore for you
Hi
Furio fu,
I’m from Africa i want to live in china because all my family members both friends are into business no way to buy goods from China except if one of us are living in china which will help our business grow, which type of visa should I apply? that will contain one year to stay
A business visa I guess
Hi
Just an inquiry I have applied for my Z Visa to teach in China, and on the application it says do you have a criminal record? Will that effect my application if I say no? As I do over 10 years ago which was a traffic offense?
Please let me know.
Thanks-Naz
Hello,
by the law you shall report it unless it has been amended (10 years seems like a long time). I’m not sure if a traffic offense can affect your application, it looks rather small
Hi Furio Fu,
I am from India and applying for M visa with multiple entry valid for 6 months, but I never travelled to china.
We are planning to buy furniture from an agent(trader) in several shipments and he provided the invitation.
Visa service agent said that, Consulate don’t issue M visa with multiple entry for the people never travelled before. Is this true?
Thanks,
Durga
Yes, it’s possible
i have applied for L visa and undergo appointment in the Chinese consulate in my area. everything went smoothly and i went home. ( applied for L visa trough agency with invitation letter done by them) paid some amount of money. today 5 days exactly before my trip went to the agency to pick up my passport with the visa, yes they glued the visa. and NO,,theres a huge CANCELLED stamp on my visa. what the hell happened . can i just go to the consulate again tomorrow to re apply..or should i flip them off and never visit china for my whole life. ( for your info my trip is to enter china trough mongolia by local train. im starting my journey on this 10th of july. and now i feel like punching an elephant .
Hi there,
sorry to hear that. I’d call / visti the Chinese Consular to understand why they cancelled your visa
Hello, at the moment I am on M-type visa that expires on this 18th July, I am working for a company as an intern unpaid, only they are providing accommodation and utility bills. I got this M-type for 30 days from India. And now I would like to extend for maximum time possible. As the company wants me for 6 months on a project. I want to know which type of visa should I now apply for? For how many days? Or should i have to with M-type extension? and for how much time? Also, I am working in Zhuhai, Can I apply from zhuhai, or I have to apply from hongkong or do I have to go back to India?
I think the best solution is to go to Hong Kong.
This may be a really isolated case, but If you are applying in Bangkok for a Z visa and an S visa for your trailing spouse, then you need to have not only your original marriage certificate, but also a copy authenticated by the Canadian Consulate FIRST and then the Thai Foreign Affairs office. The original Canadian one and a normal photocopy apparently will not do. Spent an entire day running all over BKK to do this. Nowhere does it say this is a requirement. And we had a working permit and letter of invitation for myself and my husband issued from Beijing already that accompanied our application. Absolutely gobsmacked at this ‘regulation’.
Hello Lynne,
yes, the regulation may change if you apply on another country. That’s why is usually “easier” to apply in your own country.
Hello, I wondered if someone could help me. I am currently applying for a Chinese Visa from Canada. I will enter Beijing and then travel to Hong Kong. My return flight to Canada leaves from Hong Kong but I have a stop over in Beijing of 2 hours.
Do I need multiple entry or can I use the 24 hour transit visa in Beijing on my return home?
Do I need to tell them I will be back in Beijing at the end of my trip on my visa application or will they see I am just transiting through on my flight details?
Thank you very much.
Hello Nicola. If your flight back is Hong Kong -> Canada with a 2 hours stop in Beijing, in principle you don’t need another visa. However, I recommend that you ask for a confirmation to your flight company
Hi Furio,
Yes we leave Hong Kong land in Beijing at 11:40am and fly out to Vancouver at 13:00pm.
I have to show the flight details when I apply for the visa and it says connection time 1h20m. But just to confirm you think I should ask for a letter that says it is just a connection flight from Air China? That’s a good idea, I will contact them. Thanks
Hi Furio,
Your article has been very helpful. This is the latest update on Chinese Visas, all over the web! Thanks a lot.
I have a question (though it has probably been addressed several times) i would like some specific details.
My husband got a job in shenzhen. We are Indian citizens living in Singapore and now venturing to China. They have offered him a Z visa and an S1 for me. He is a Roboticist and I am a Software Engineer, we both have 3 years of work experience.
1. Is it possible for me to find a job there with no mandarin background?
(I am really excited to learn it though)
2. Is it possible to convert this spousal visa to a work permit? Does it require me to cancel my S1 and go to my home country?
3. Do we have any Recruitment firms in Shenzhen which could guide us?
Thanks a lot!
Hello Prathyusha,
1. Yes, it’s certainly possible
2. Yes, converting an S1 visa on a working permit is possible sometimes. However it’s not sure, it really comes down to your specific situation and to how efficient is the company that will hire you. The worst case scenario is that you have to go back to India to apply for a Z visa and then convert it into a resident permit.
3. No, unfortunately I don’t have any specific suggestions on this
Dear Furio
This article is really helpful. So thank you very much
I am from Sri Lanka and have a question like this,
My wife is doing her PhD in Wuhan. she has awarded a full scholarship. when her first visit i also accompany with her. they issued me a S1 visa for 30 days. but i returned within one week and now planning to go back and stay with her for next three years.
Her university already offered me an invitation letter. but my concern is if they issue me a S1 visa can i extend it from there. and after been there, i’m planning to find a job in china. I have 15 years working experience in an international company in Sri lanka. if I find a job can I apply for a Working visa from there.
Thanks
Prabath
You can, but it’s not sure you will get it there. It’s possible that you will have to go to Hong Kong or Sri Lanka, to get the Z visa
Thanks for the update Furio…
Hi,
I want to do my internship in China in hotel industry for 6 month. I am from Indonesia. Do you know what type of visa I should process? And what should I prepare for processing the visa?
Thankyou
Hi, if the Chinese pay you, it shall be a Z visa. Conversely, it could also be an F visa. For internships it’s always tricky to understand what visa is the best
Thankyou for your reply.
Yes is a paid-working
So there is chance for me to get the visa right? Because in some website I read that need 2 years working experience to get working visa in China. And the internship period is 6 month.
May I know what the embassy need for processing the visa?
Hello,
there is a chance but it’s not a given at all. I mean, the fact that they want to pay you doesn’t mean that they will be able to provide a working visa. You must talk with the company
Hi,can you Please give me a website i can use to apply for a teaching job in china?am a graduate of English language,very fluent and competent in oral/phonetics.thanks
You shall find a school. There is not such a website!
Hi,
This article is extremely helpful, so thank you!
I have a situation which I need clarification on and you seem to be in the know.
I am a British citizen, currently living and working in Hong Kong. (fully legal, work visa, HKID and everything.) I was working legally in China on a z-visa from 2014-2015 before coming to HK. I will now be moving back to the mainland.
I have a job lined up in Beijing and am in the process of applying for a work visa. My company has applied for the permit to hire me and I have until it arrives to prepare the documents I need to apply for the z-visa at the consulate here in Hong Kong. There are 2 potential problems in terms of the criminal record check and the medical check.
1. Do I NEED to have a medical check done before I apply for the visa? Is it possible to have the check done after I arrive in China?
I have read differing advice on this, the general consensus being that that I can do the check after I have arrived in China. Is this true?
2. If I need to do the medical check in advance, can I do it in Hong Kong? Or do I need to return to my home country (UK) to have the medical check done there?
There are no hospitals in the UK which specialise in medical checks for Chinese visa applications and when I applied for my last Chinese Z-visa (2014) nobody knew what I was talking about when I asked for a health check with the required tests. In the end I asked my doctor to fill in the blanks and he just went through ticking boxes. Inevitably I had to have the test re-done in China.
3. If I can do it in Hong Kong, where?
There are no approved hospitals or medical facilities listed by the Chinese govt. and I fear I will encounter the same problem I faced in the UK.
4. Regarding the CRC, Does it NEED to be from my home country?
My Hong Kong SCRC is still valid and allows me to be employed in Hong Kong. Can I use this document in place of a Basic Disclosure from the UK?
I would appreciate any help that you can give!
Thank you,
Grant
Hello Grant,
1. General consensus doesn’t work very well when applying for a Chinese visa as there are too many variables. I had to do the medical check before applying, for instance. What I suggest you to do is to go to the Consular Office in Hong Kong and ask explicitely if you need to do the medical check BEFORE and AFTER or only AFTER you get the VISA and enter China.
2. There are no “approved hospitals for Chinese VISA medical check”. Any hospital will do as long you get tested for STD, get a chest x-ray to avoid TBC risks and an ECG (these at least are the tests I did). Then your medical in HK shall sign the form attesting that you don’t have STD, TBC etc. Note that, as said, there is no “standard” way to do this. I still suggest you to contact the Consular Office so that you don’t do all that tests for nothing.
3. Yes, I think you can’t skip the medical tests in China as these are not for the VISA, they are for the resident permit and, once you are in China, you do have to do them in specific hospitals approved by the government (ask your company for guidance).
4. I have no direct experience with the Criminal record from another country. I assume that the one from UK shall be fine as you live in HK. However, again, please contact the Consular Office.
Ps. I would love to hear back from you once you get the VISA to learn more about the procedure in Hong Kong. It would be an extremely valuable experience for our readers
Cheers
F
Am a graduate of English language from Nigeria,how do i apply for a teaching job in China,please?can u link me up with schools that can sponsor me to china,please?thank you
Hello,
please read this
Hi,
I want to know if I can work while I’m studying in china
If you have an X1 visa you can ask to your school to allow you to work part-time. If they agree, then it’s fine. If they don’t agree, then you cant work legally in China under an X1 visa.
I dont think you can work under an X2 visa
I ended up using govisas.co.uk and it saved me a lot of time since you don’t have to book an appointment with the Chinese embassy. Another good thing is that they deal with the paperwork which saves you the headache.
greeting,
I have a question on the visa application with regard to gay couples. I am a Chinese citizen, and my husband, a U.S. citizen. he is going (with me) to visit my family in China this August.Therefore, right now he needs to apply for a visa to China.
now, we are uncertain about:
1- in the tourist L visa application they ask if you travel with someone else, relatio ship… can we openly say we are a married gay couple without being discriminated?or better to say we are just friends? (it is not a lie, above all, we are the BEST FRIENDS EVER)
2 – which type of visa we SHOULD we apply: the tourist visa (L) , the Q1 Visa or the Q2 Visa. Any suggestion is appreciated.
Hello,
1. Honestly I dont think they would discriminate you for this. However I can’t be 100% sure as I have no direct experience on this matter
2. If you’re going to stay in China for a short period, definitely L visa. Q visa is for people that want to move to China and are married with a Chinese person
Hi,
We will ask for the L, we want to stay only for a couple of weeks.
Thanks a lot.
Best, S.
Hello
I am a french Sofware engineer and i want to telecommute from China less than half a year i order to stay with my (chinese) wife when she is working in China ( she works in China and in France)
My stays will consists of multiples stays from 3 to 6 months. I will always stay more than 6 months a year in France, in order for me to stay a French Resident, and so i will pay taxes in France.
My work consist of the following :
– Programm software on my computer for my franch company
– Meet clients ( potentially in china)
– Give courses to trainee ( Potentially in China)
– No plan to hire any chinese people (yet)
Do I need a working visa (Z) to do that ?
Could a Familly Visa ( Q/S ) work ?
Or Even a Business/Affair visa (M/F) ?
Will I be sure that the chinese governement will not ask me or my compnay for taxes ? is there anything (legal document, chinese gov website ) that could help me proving that to my company ( thet do not want to take any risks ).
Thank you very much for any help.
Hello Mathieu,
this is extremely tricky as, if you are in China with Q/S visa, you can’t technically work from China. In another hand, you can’t get a Z visa if you work for a French company that has no interest in China. Also, if you get a Z visa, you shall pay taxes in China.
The M/F visa looks difficult because, as for what I understand, you wont be doing any business in China, just staying there because your wife is there.
Bottom line: I suggest you to speak with a tax advisor that has experience with Chinese tax laws
I am applying for an L visa for this summer. I traveled to China in 2009 but that was with my old passport. Do I need to photocopy my old China visa and submit with my application even though it’s not in my current passport?
Hi Julie, you can provide them if you want but there’s no need
I heard the new law states all teachers outside of China must have their degree notarized. I was teaching for 5 years and took a break to visit family back in Canada. Is it true my degree must be notarized now before they can apply for an invitation letter and then I must take the letter and notarized degree to Chinese embassy here in Canada to get the z visa?
If this is true is it province to province that it changes or nation wide?
[email protected]
Hello Mark, we are not updated on this detail. Where did you hear this? If you have a source, we will go ahead to verify this fast; if not, it may need to wait the next update of this article!
Good morning. I have got a job in China and the company are in the process of getting the documents for me to get a Z Visa. Do I apply for my wife’s S visa at the same time as my Z visa or does she have to be included on my Z visa in order to travel out with me?
Best regards,
Hello,
according to what we know, your wife can apply at the same time: http://www.saporedicina.com/english/chinese-visitor-visa/
However, I suggest you to get in touch with the CVASC or the Chinese consular office in your country to make sure this is the case
That’s great. I’ll check with them. Thank you. Great work on the site/guide.
Hello,
I am from the Netherlands and I will finish my Master’s Degree in Business Administration this June. Starting from September, I am planning do to an (unpaid) internship for around 6 months (the specific time frame is not yet set in stone) in Shanghai at an international company that is headquartered in the Netherlands.
Now I have run into some problems with what kind of visa I need for the internship. I have doing a lot of research on the Internet and it seems that currently there is no specific visa for internships in China. Also the company in Shanghai that I want to join is not certain what we can do. I could really use your help and suggestions!
From the information I have found there are basically two options for me:
– Go with the Z-visa (work visa). When I contacted the Chinese Visa Bureau in the Netherlands, the woman advised me to apply for a Z-visa. However, this can be a problem for me. Following the employment license regulations of the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, (see under Legal Basis, bullet point 3): , the applicant needs to “have professional skills, proper academic background required for the job of the intended employment and more than two-years relevant work experience”. Since I will graduate in June and I am only 21, I will not have the required two-years “relevant” work experience. Now, I spoke with somebody of my age (thus he also didn’t have the two-years relevant work experience) and the said that he successfully applied for the Z-visa but that he has a “foreign expert certificate”. According to the Shanghai Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs (see and then ‘3. requirements’ bullet point (5) it applies to “outstanding specialist” in for example economics. I have been on an advisory board of another big Dutch multinational so we could be able to argue that this is the case. Well the interesting thing is that the work experience is not necessary for specialist in economics (thus bullet point (5)), see the end of ‘3. requirement’. Do you have any experience with interns who went to China with a foreign expert certificate? Do you think this would work?
– Go with the M-visa (business visa). According to what I found, the M-visa applies in case of “working short-term in branches, subsidiaries and representative offices”. Since the company is headquartered in the Netherlands, another option would be that they hire me here in the Netherlands and that I will be invited to China by the company’s subsidiary in Shanghai. Of course, the invitation letter should not mention that I am invited as an intern. The problem with this visa is that I don’t know for how long I will be able to stay in China. Is it still possible to apply for a 90-days multiple entry M-visa that can be extended? If so, how should I extent the M-visa? And also, what do you know about interns who went to China on a M-visa?
Thanks in advance!
Hello Jan,
I think the correct visa in this case is the Z visa. As for the “2 years of work experience”, is quite relative in the sense that we heard from a lot of readers that, as your friend, got the Z visa without the experience. The idea we got is that they will evaluate and decide case by case.
As for the M visa, if you are paid in The Netherlands by the Dutch company, it could be legal, although borderline. In this case, the duration will be decided by the Chinese Consular Office and it’s pretty difficult to forecast what kind of duration you’ll get.
Yes, it’s possible to extend an M visa, however in this case too a forecast is not possible
Hi Furio!
I have a similar issue.
I am Italian, I have graduated in the UK in June 2015 (studied my whole degree there, 4 years). I am 25 though, thus I have worked before and after my degree and got references that proves it. (I also give the employer the 2 main references).
I got offered a job as marketing manager due to my vast experience. My employer started the application but he said that there might be an issue as sometimes the government only considers “work experience” whatever has been done after the degree. So now, we’re both waiting anxiously. Apparently they will take 2 weeks to give him whatever he needs and an update!
Do you think they will reject ? In that case, we will have to find another solution, maybe a business visa (M) as in the long term the employer would like me to become a partner of the company, so he could say I am going for “business” purposes as well. Do I have any chances to get the Z visa though?
Ciao Valentina,
I think you got a chance, but it’s not sure that you’ll get the Expert Certificate necessary for the Visa. I can’t give you a definitive answer as the law is quite vague and they decide case by case.
Note that, if the Chinese company pays you (especially if it pays you in China), then working under an M visa could be illegal
Thank you so much sir for your vivid explanations on some complicating issues about china visa.
May i ask this,i just came back from china with an “M” visa.I was charged hail by my agents in Nigeria to secure this and it was my first time of being in china . A legitimately registered company that i had a business dealing with has finally accepted to offer me with a letter of invitation.
1.IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF ME BEEN TURNED DOWN?
2.CAN I BE GIVEN VISA CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT I JUST CAME BACK FIVE DAYS AGO
3.HOW DO I TELL THE COMPANY TO PRESENT THE INVITATION SO I CAN BE OFFERED A YEAR VISA TO ENABLE ME HAVE AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS CONNECTIONS.
THANKS.
hello,
1. Yes, there is always this chance. It’s never sure that you will get your visa
2. I dont think this is a big issue, as long as you have a valid letter of invitation
3. I dont think you can get 1 year, it seems a bit too long
Thanks for sharing this informative blog. it seems very helpful.
Ciao furio, ti posso chiedere se sai quanto tempo ci vuole per estendere un visto di lavoro in Cina ( abito a Shanghai) e se nel mentre e` possibile viaggiare all`estero ( forse con un foglio rilasciato dalla polizia ??)
Sino a 7 giorni lavorativi, dipende dalla città! No, non penso proprio sia possibile viaggiare all’estero senza passaporto!
Hello there in adance, I’m Cambodian, I would like to apply Shanghai Visa to visit my friend.
But now right I’m visiting Thailand arround one month. Can you apply for Visa to there in Thailand. If can what document I need, please let me know thanks
It’s unlikely that you can apply in Thailand, you should apply in Camboya.
Hello there and Thanks (in advance) for your help.
I am an American Expat retired in Thailand and have been offered a job at a university in China. I have not been to the USA in over 8 years. I have 2 questions please.
!: Which would be best for me to get my Zvisa? Getting it while I’m in China on a Business or Tourist Visa. Getting it in Hong Kong. or Getting it in Thailand
My next question is about the Police record check? I have read this is not a requirement in many places in China but also, that more places are asking for it.
I have also read that this is supposed to be from the place you reside? If so, would a police record check from Thailand be accepted because I am retired here and have been here for 6 years?
If not and one is needed from the USA, does it have to be from the FBI or can if be from a state or local police in the USA?
If I go to China for work and didn’t obtain the police record check in advance
(because the school said I didn’t need one). Would the China police require that for my work permit?
I have received many conflicting bits of information regarding all of this and I really need to know exactly what to do so I can take this job without any problems?
Hi Rich
1) If you have a resident permit in Thailand you can apply there if not you should go back to US
2) About the Police Record if the employer don’t ask it you won’t need it, this requirement is to get the Z visa not the resident permit.
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Hello. i am Iranian and i work at a university in china and have Z visa. one of my friend who is from US and used to work in china before wants to come here and visit me. could you tell me how can send an invitation letter to her for getting her tourist visa?
All the details are on the article
I am from the United States and have an opportunity to work for my same company in China. I graduated college with a bachelor’s 10 months ago and only have 9 months experience with my current company. I know they’ll be able to answer this question but didn’t know if you would be able to answer sooner. I have heard that you need 2 years experience and be 2 years out of undergrad to get your Z visa. Is this correct? The office is in Shanghai. Thank you.
Hello Michael, if the company is yours (ie. you have a WFOE in China), then I dont think you need the 2 years of experience.
More in general, what we found from the feedback that we receive, the 2 years of experience are more a guidelines than a fixed rule
I have question . But what visa should i apply to visit my girlfriend in Guanzhou , China .I never traveled before, so if anyone can show me step by step on what I need to do. Thanks in advance
An L visa shall be OK. The step-by-step guide is the article.
i have a question. Currently I am studying in China and have been offered a job with a foreign company. I would like to accept this as it gives me a chance to get real work experience.
My problem is that I do not have a Bachelor’s degree. Is that absolutely necessary to apply? I do have some previous experience for the position I’m being offered. Also is necessary that I go back to my country for the Z Visa or can that be done in China?
Hello,
if they can get you a Foreign Expert Certificate without the Bachelor, that would be enough. However, I’m not sure the company can get that for you.
Often it’s necessary to apply in your country; sometimes it’s possible to do in Hong Kong. You shall discuss with the company that wants to hire you. They are responsible to get all the documents
Hi!!
I am currently living in China (my husband is working in Shanghai). I am looking to start working part time. Do I need to have a job secured before applying for a Z visa? Thank you.
Hello Kathryn,
yes, you need a job offer before you can apply for the Z Visa as is the company that will hire you that shall apply for the Foreign Expert Certificate
I’ve got an awesome job offer in China. I need to do a full medical. I am healthy (NO HEALTH PROBLEMS) but a “little bit” overweight. Will they still give me my work visa?
Yes, I dont think that being overwheight is a reason to deny a visa. they usually deny visas to people that have aids, hepatities and other similar diseases
hi
i am greek by origin and holder of an ordinary greek passport. can i grant a visa to main land china,s from hongkong?
Yes, it’s possible, although, as usual, not 100% sure
Hi,
I am an Australian citizen with a M visa, i have just 1 week remaining so I have to physically leave China to get a new M visa. Everbright in HK told me they are not able to promise success with M visa, said I will need to go to Malaysia as its my safest option, I have also contacted other agencies and they all say Malaysia is my best option.
My question is: they request a fee of 9’000rmb, even though I still need to travel to Malasia. Everbright said they can handle it for that, also another agency had a similar fee, why should I use these agencies as I can go to the Malaysia office myself and the cost is around 500RMB? Do these agencies have more success that if I handle it myself?
You can certainly go by yourself. Agencies just make your life easier, however this has a cost!
Hi,
I wish to apply to a language school in Qingdao to study for six months but they are unable to provide the JW202 form that now seems to be a requirement to get an X2 student visa in the UK. Has anyone obtained an X2 recently without a JW202 form. If so which VAC did you use? Please help urgently!
David the JW202 have been always necessary to get a student visa in UK and in any other country, I suggest you to find an other school that is serious enough to be able to provide this document.
Im currently studying in China and have the study residence permit (from an X1 visa). I have been offered an internship in Shanghai for this coming Sumner, however my currently residence permit will expire two weeks into the six week internship. I’m pretty sure working (even as an unpaid intern?) on the study residence permit is illegal, and since it will run out I will definitely need a new visa. My questions are:
– should I just apply to extend my current residence permit, is this even possible?
– if I need the F visa, can I apply for this within China?
– will I need to go to HK to apply for the F visa?
– would you recommend any other options? Ideally I’d prefer not to have to go to HK/ spend too much money
– I am also considering studying Chinese at a language school in Shanghai in the evenings during my internship, would it be easier to apply to extend my study residence permit/ apply for an X2 visa based on this?
Hi Kate, internships are tricky in China, the visa law approved last year suppressed the F visa for internships (because many people used to work illegally), at the present moment most of the companies get agreement with universities to offer a student visa for interns, and some of them F visas.
1) If you want to get an F visa the only way is going to Hong Kong or to your country.
2) Your company should help you with that
3) If you study Chinese in the evenings you may get a extension of your X2 visa without living the country, but you’ll need to study at least 20h per week.
Hi,
I’m wondering if it’s possible to be able to get a Z visa without the 2 years experience. I’m 25, in the U.K and hold a TEFL but lack the working element ( actually have teaching experience in Beijing but whilst on the wrong Visa).
Do you think i’d stand a chance of it being processed?
Thanks
Yes, you do got a chance. However it’s not sure that you’ll get the Certificate of Foreign Expert. If your school can get the document, then the Visa itself shall not be a problem (you need the certificate to apply for the visa)
Why do you think it is easier to get a Chinese Business visa in Hong Kong than in Bangkok? I heard it is easier to get it in Bangkok.
Because it’s the feedback we have from thousand of people!
Hey! I am currently working in China, teaching university students, and got my working visa last year. However, many people around me are talking about job hunters and agencies that are hiring foreign teachers with a business visa and the promise that they will take care of everything. Any comment or experience about cases like the mentioned above, please?