China - Apply for Chinese Tourist Visa (L Visa)

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Procedure

How to Apply

1. You can come to the Chinese Embassies, Consulates and other Chinese diplomatic missions to submit application in person; if you can't come personally, you can entrust someone else, a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf. No appointment is required. Applications by mailing are not acceptable and will be refused at most of Chinese embassies or consulates.
2. Submit your application to the Visa Office of Chinese Embassy/ Consulate General based on your State of residence.
3. Pay the visa application fee at the Visa Office and pick up your visa.

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Required Documents

• Passport

Original signed passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, and a copy of the passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate.

• Visa Application Form (Form V.2013) and Photo

One completed Visa Application Form with a recently-taken color passport photo (bare-head, full face) against a light background attached

• Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to non-U.S. citizens)

You must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying.

• Photocopy of previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas (applicable to foreign citizens who were Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship)

If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you should provide your previous Chinese passport held and a photocopy of its data page.

If you have obtained Chinese visas before and want to apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed foreign passport that does not contain any Chinese visa, you should present the photocopy of the previous passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate, as well as the previous Chinese visa page. (If your name on the current passport differs from that on the previous one, you must provide an official document of name change.)

• If the applicant is a child born in the U. S. to a Chinese parent, the visa requirements are different. Please click to see detailed info.
• Documents showing the itinerary including air ticket booking record (round trip) and proof of a hotel reservation, etc. or an invitation letter issued by a relevant entity or individual in China. The invitation letter should contain:
  • Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
  • Information on the planned visit (arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, etc.)
  • Information on the inviting entity or individual (name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual)

Office Locations & Contacts

People's Republic of China Ministry of Public Security
Address: No. 14 East Chang An Avenue,
Beijing Zip: 100741
http://www.mps.gov.cn/
Contacts for Municipal Public Security Bureaus of China

Chinese Missions Overseas

Eligibility

L Visa is issued to those who intend to go to China as a tourist.

Fees

The fees vary enormously depending on your nationality and number of entries. However, according to the Visa Fee Abolition Agreement, the nationals of following seven countries are free of the fees, but they need pay for the express service, rush service or mail service: Pakistan, Maldives, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovakia and Micronesia. Application by mail is not accepted by most Chinese embassies or consulates, but in countries with the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC), applicants may be able to apply by post, or submit applications based on online appointment via CVASC's website.

Validity

It is usually issued for up to 60 days stay per visit and multiple entry valid up to 10 years for US passport holder, while it is usually issued up to 60 days stay per visit but only for single or double entry valid for 3 or 6 months for non-US passport holder.

Documents to Use

Chinese Visa Application Form (Form V.2013)

Sample Documents

Sample invitation letter

Processing Time

It regularly takes 4 working days for processing.

Related Videos

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Instructions

A visa is an officially approved document issued by authorized bodies for the government, in accordance with the laws of the country, to foreign citizens applying to enter, leave or transit through the country.

Based on Chinese laws and regulations, Chinese consular officials may decide on the type of visa, number of entries, validity period and duration of stay, and may also refuse a visa application or revoke an issued visa.

Required Information

• Personal Information
• Travel Information
• Other Information
• Declaration& Signature
• If the application form is completed by another person on the applicant's behalf, please fill out the information of the one who completes the form
• The invitation letter should contain:
  • Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
  • Information on the planned visit (arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, etc.)
  • Information on the inviting entity or individual (name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual)

Need for the Document

Most visitors to China will only require a tourist L which will allow them to travel freely in most parts of China as tourists. If your situation is not described by one of the other visa types, then this should be the one you need.

China Tourist visa is Issued to those who intend to go to China for touring and sightseeing. It is usually issued for up to 60 days stay per visit and multiple entry valid up to 10 years for US passport holder, while it is usually issued up to 60 days stay per visit but only for single or double entry valid for 3 or 6 months for non-US passport holder. 10 years visa is not guaranteed. Chinese Consulate may issue you a visa with limited entry, shorter duration and validity at their discretion. In order to apply for China Tourist Visa, please prepare and send in your application according to the detail requirement explained below.

Information which might help

Chinas Visa Authorities are:

• Chinese diplomatic missions, consular posts, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao Special Administrative Region, and other resident organizations abroad authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are responsible for handling visa applications by foreign citizens for entry into and transit through mainland China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the local foreign affairs offices authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are responsible for issuance, change and extension of diplomatic and service visas and for issuance of residence permit to holders of diplomatic and service visas.
• The Ministry of Public Security and the local public security authorities authorized by the Ministry of Public Security are responsible for inspection on entry and exit of foreigners, issuance of visas at the port of entry, extension and change of ordinary visas, and issuance of residence permit to holders of ordinary visas, who are already in China.
• The Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is responsible for matters relating to foreigners entry into and exit from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Its Website address: http://www.immd.gov.hk
• Macao Public Security Police Force Immigration Service. Unless visa exempted according to bilateral agreements, a foreigner may apply for a visa to enter Macao upon arrival at the Port of Entry. Website address of the Macao public security police force: http://www.fsm.gov.mo/psp/cht/main.html

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Most visitors to China will only require a tourist L which will allow them to travel freely in most parts of China as tourists. If your situation is not described by one of the other visa types, then this should be the one you need.

External Links

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China

Chinese Ministry of Public Security

The State Council of the People's Republic of China

Visa for China

Others

A letter of invitation must explain the relationship between the host and the applicant and must include detailed information about the applicant, including full name, gender, date of birth, and passport number. The letter must also state the purpose of visit, where the applicant will stay, and the date of arrival and departure from China. The letter must indicate who will be responsible for the cost of the applicants accommodations in China and information about the inviting host: name of the unit or individual, phone number, address, and if applicable, seal and signature of the legal represen