Foreign crewmembers or passengers, excluding citizens of the USA (except for transit in Shanghai) or UK, do not need a Chinese visa if they take a direct transit in China by plane for less than 24 hours without exiting from the airport.

Citizens from the following countries do not need a Chinese visa to transit in Shanghai if they enter and exit from Pudong or Hongqiao airport, stay for less than 48 hours, and hold their valid passport, visa of the destination country, and on-going air ticket with departure date and seat confirmed:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, and USA.


I. Basic Requirements

- Current passport with at least 6 months of validity and at least one blank visa page.
- One completed and signed Visa Application Form (BG-01) with one additional passport photo (black & white or colorful).
- The original and one photocopy of the visa of the destination country, or the air ticket (the original will be checked and returned to the applicant).

Please fill in the application form carefully, completely, and clearly. If not, it may lead to delay in process, or even decline of application.

If necessary, the consular officer will telephone and inform the applicant to provide additional information, such as an invitation letter from your relatives in China, invitation from a Chinese travel agency, and/or air tickets, or travel itinerary.


II. Methods of Application & Process Time

Applicants are required to appear in the visa office to apply. If an applicant cannot come personally, he/she may entrust a relative, friend, or travel/visa agent to come and submit the application on his/her behalf. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates do not accept visa applications by mail.

No appointment is necessary for visa applications.

Regularly it takes 4 business days to process.

The applicant may request expedited process with the approval of consular officers. Additional urgent fee of $20.00 per visa for 2- or 3-business-day process will be charged.


III. Visa Fee, Validity, & Duration of Stay

Please pay in cash, money order, or bank check. The payment should be made payable to "Chinese Consulate". If your application goes to the Chinese Embassy, please pay "Chinese Embassy". Personal checks are not acceptable.

 

Unless the applicant specifies his/her request on the application form and obtains approval from the consular officers, the validity of the visa is generally 3 months, with the duration of stay being up to 7 days.


IV. Instruction on Multiple-Entry L Visas

The applicant may apply for a multiple-entry L visa, if his/her spouse, children, or parents are Chinese citizens, and he/she presents related certificates on relationship or invitation from relatives in China, or if he/she possesses real estate in China, and presents the original and one photocopy of the registration certificate for ownership under his/her name.


Notes

1. Previous Chinese citizens who have obtained foreign citizenship should present their original Chinese passport when applying for a Chinese visa for the first time. In this case, a child should also provide the original and photocopy of passports of both parents.

2. The validity, duration of stay, and number of entries of the Chinese visa are decided at the discretion of consular officers according to related Chinese laws and regulations. The consular officers have the authority to refuse any applications inconsistent with Chinese laws and regulations, and are entitled to change and /or revoke any issued visas, without providing any explanation.


All information listed above is subject to change, without notice, at the discretion and interpretation of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General.