Updated: 14/04/2008

Tourist Visa (L Visa) is issued to an alien who comes to China for sightseeing or visiting family members or friends.

         I. Basic Requirements 

1.       Passport: Your valid passport must have at least six (6) months of remaining validity with at least one blank visa page in it.

2.       Application form: One completed Visa Application Form (Q1)

3.       Photo: one passport photo (black & white or color is acceptable) glued or stapled on the application form.

4.       Non-US passport  bearers shall provide documents that entitle them to reside or work for an extended period of time in the US.
5.       An applicant who was born in China is required to submit his /her Chinese passport or last foreign passport with a Chinese visa when he/she applies for a Chinese visa with a new foreign passport.
6.       Tourists to China shall provide round trip air tickets and hotel reservation.
7.       Applicants visiting friends and family members shall provide round trip air tickets and certificates of kinship.

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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  

                                                                                         Visas for U.S. Citizens

 

                                                                                   Visas for Non-U. S. Citizens

 

Please pay in cash, money order, or bank check. The payment should be made payable to "Chinese Consulate".  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 6 months, with the duration of stay being up to 60 days.



Notes

1. The Chinese visa is generally valid for 6 months from the issue date to enter China. Please apply for your visa within 6 months of entry into China according to your travel itinerary, and avoid expiry of visa, or extra cost of urgent fee due to lack of application process time. Please also decide the duration of stay in China. The permitted duration of stay of Chinese visas are generally up to 60 days. If you need to stay longer, please apply to the local public security bureau in China for visa extension.

2. 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.

3. 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.