China - Apply for Visa On Arrival

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Procedure

Individuals apply in person to the port visa administration after arrival at the port. Tour groups apply via the travel agency organizing the tour at the port visa administration.

Institutions/individuals can apply for port visas for foreigners before they arrive at the port at the local port visa administration.

Application Requirements

• your valid passport;
• complete the application form when you are at the port;
• the officer will take a photo of you after you hand over your passport and application form;
• pay for the VOA (in Chinese RMB), and there is a window for currency exchange.

How to Apply

• Complete a visa application card.
• Submit the visa application card and passport, and answer the requied questions.
• Pay the visa fee in Chinese yuan. A foreign exchange service is available at the ports.

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Required Documents

• Valid passport
• Completed Visa or Residence Permit Application
• Recently taken 45x35 mm, unobscured, full-faced photo
• Invitation letter and supporting documents concerning urgent entry into China, written by relevant competent inviting organization/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

People who hold ordinary passports issued by countries which have diplomatic relations or official trade links with PRC as well as letter(s) or telegram(s) from authorized units in PRC, may, under any of the following circumstances where they must necessarily rush to China but have no time for application, may apply at entry ports as authorized by the Ministry of Public Security. The Rules on Visa Issued at Entry Ports are not applicable to the nationals of United States and France.

• They are invited at the last moment by a Chinese host to come for a trade fair.
• They are invited to come to submit a tender or to sign a formal economic or trade contract.
• They come to China by appointment to supervise the inspection of import and export commodities or to participate in a check-and-accept operation in accordance with contracts.
• They are invited to participate in the installation of equipment or in the emergency repair of engineering projects.
• They come to China at the request of the Chinese side to solve a problem of claims.
• They are invited to provide technical advisory services.
• They come to due to a last-minute change in the composition of a visiting group and with consent of the Chinese side after the visas are granted.
• They visit to see patients in critical conditions, or to undertake funeral matters.
• Owing to force majeure, transit G holders cannot leave the country within twenty-four hours by taking the original place or by taking other means of transport.
• Other invited guests who really have no time for application to the aforesaid Chinese resident agencies abroad, and who hold letter(s) or telegram(s) from competent authorities who give the consent for the invited guests to apply for the visa at the designated entry ports.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

The Port Visa Administration shall issue port visas with an entry period of no more than 5 days for individuals and 15 days for groups, and a stay period of no more than 30 days.

Individuals holding port visas should enter China through a specific port, while tour groups may enter China through all open ports.

Under particular circumstances, foreigners should stay in the designated port area and leave from a designated port, as per requirements of the port visa administration.

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

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Instructions

The offices at entry ports shall not accept and handle applications filled out by people who do not come under the aforesaid circumstances.

Some accredited International Travel Agencies incorporated under Chinese laws may apply for group-tour visa at entry ports with invitation letter issued by provincial office of foreign affairs. Visa-issuing departments at port of entry, as authorized by the Ministry of Public Security, are stationed at the following ports: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Dalian, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Xi'an, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Guangzhou (Baiyun Airport), Shenzhen (Luohu, Shekou, Huanggang), Zhuhai (Gongbei), Haikou, Sanya, Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Chengdu, Nanjing, Changchun, Huichun, Hekou, Mohe.

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 visit ( purpose of visit, intended arrival date, place(s) of intended residence, intended duration of residence, arrival and departure dates, relation of the applicant to the inviting entity or individual, and financial source for expenditures)
  • Information on the inviting individual (name, contact number, address, official stamp, signature of the inviting individual, etc.)

Need for the Document

For people who would normally require to obtain a visa in advance there are certain emergency situations which will permit them to get it on arrival. These will always require an invitation from an accredited Chinese organization which explains the emergency, (mostly related to business purposes which from the Chinese perspective it is important that you are admitted without delay) or you must yourself be in a real emergency situation such as a passenger in a plane or ship in mechanical difficulty.

Information which might help

Shenzhen Entry-Exit Visa Administration under the Guangdong Public Security Department is in charge of issuing port (landing) visas. Port (landing) visas are issued at Luohu Port, Huanggang Port, Shekou Port, and Yongfu Port of Shenzhen, open at the following times.

• Luohu Port: 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• Huanggang Port: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Shekou Port: 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Fuyong Port: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Passport holders of most countries can easily get a VOA in Shenzhen, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, Ireland and Spain. Some may apply for it showing passports with proof that they have been issued Chinese visa before by embassies and consulates, such as Indonesians and Philippines. Currently, the fee for most nationals is 168 RMB. The different fees are set on a reciprocal basis. Only RMB is accepted for payment. When you get to the office at the border, just complete the application form, take a photo and pay the fee, so you dont need to worry about the application materials. What you need is just a valid passport. The visa will be issued within a few minutes. You may need to wait longer if the room is busy.

Zhuhai

Three-day VOA are provided at Gongbei Port if you only visit Zhuhai. Upon arriving at the Gongbei immigration building, you can find the office by passing all the duty free shops; it is behind a green door on the right hand side of the immigration building. You shall fill in an application form, pay the fee and have your photo taken on spot. The processing takes about 10 minutes. It costs 168 RMB for applicants of most countries, but UK nationals have to pay 469 RMB. Hong Kong dollars are not accepted. Only RMB is accepted for payment. Currency can be changed at the China Tourist Services Office back downstairs in the immigration hall. Once the visa has been issued, proceed to the immigration hall to complete the immigration process.

Hainan

Compare to Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Xiamen and Shantou, Hainan enjoys more privileges to issue VOA besides Hainan Visa Exemption. Haikou and Sanya can issue 30 days VOA to all tour groups to Hainan and aliens who go to Hainan for sightseeing, family visit or business. If aliens ask for more than 30 days stay duration for family visit, business, study or work, 3 months Chinese VOA can be issued. They can use it to visit other cities within Mainland China and exit from all ports open to foreigners. In addition, the VOA is also available for travelers on international cruise ships who disembark in Haikou or Sanya. The international ships are from Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Portugal.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

China landing visa is for people who would normally require to obtain a Chinese visa in advance, but there are certain emergency situations which will permit them to get their China visa on arrival. These will always require an invitation from a Chinese company which explains the emergency, (mostly related to business purposes which from the Chinese perspective it is important that you are admitted without

External Links

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Others

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