Visas China

You will Need a visa for China unless you are a citizen of one of the following countries:

Singapore, Brunei and Japan citizens can visit China for up to 15 days without a visa for business, tourist, private or transit purposes.

Transit visas are not required of Citizens of the following countries who transit through Pudong Airport or Hongqiao Airport of Shanghai, provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked seats, and stay in Shanghai for less than 48 hours:

Republic of Korea, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland.

Types of Chinese Visas

(1) Tourist and family visit visas (L-visa) are issued to foreign citizens who travel to China for tourist purposes, family visits or other personal affairs.

(2) Business Visas (F-visa ) are issued to foreign citizens who are invited to China for  research, lectures, business, exchanges in the fields of science, technology, education, culture and sports, or attending various kinds of trade fairs or exhibitions, or short-term study, intern practice for a period ofless than 6 months.

(3) Student Visas (X-visa) are issued to foreign citizens who come to China for the purpose of study or advanced study for a period of six or more months.

(4) Work Visas (Z-visa) are issued to foreign citizens who come to China to work and his or her accompanying family members, or to give commercial performances in China.

(5) Transit Visas (G-visa) are issued to foreign citizens who are transiting through China on his or her way to a third country (or region).

(6) Crew Visas（C-visa) are issued to crew members performing his/her duties on board an international train, or on an international airline, to a sailor on board an international ocean-liner or freighter, and also to their accompanying family members.

(7) Journalist Visas (J-visa) are issued to foreign journalists. J-visas  have two categories: J-1 visa and J-2 visa. J-1 visa is issued to resident foreign journalists in China and their accompanying spouses and under-age children, J-2 visa to foreign journalists who visit China for temporary news coverage.

(8) Permanent Residence Visas（D-visa) are issued to a foreign citizen who have been approved by China’s public security authority to reside in China permanently.

There are two services available for processing Chinese visas standard 4 working day service and express 3 working day service.     

Remember to allow yourself enough time to obtain your visa and to make your travel arrangements 

To obtain your visa you will need to submit the following documents: 

Passport

You need to lodge your actual passport, which will remain at the Consulate until the visa is granted. Your passport should be valid for six months after your exit date from the country. Two empty pages are required to place the visa.

Passport-Type Photo

Please provide 1 recent passport-type photo on a light or white background

Visa Application Form

The Chinese Visa Application Form should be completed, printed out and signed. If the form is completed incorrectly the application will be rejected.

Additional documents required:

Business Visa

A Letter of invitation from a company or institution in China (The letter of invitation cannot be an email, and needs to include the full name, nationality and passport number of the applicant as well as the purpose and the duration of the visit) or an Invitation letter of Duly Authorized Unit or a Confirmation letter of Invitation issued by an authorized unit in China (An Invitation letter of Duly Authorized Unit or a Confirmation letter of Invitation refers to theletter issued by the Chinese government departments, companies and social organizations authorized by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. For detailed information, please consult the foreign affairs office of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where your host is located. An Invitation letter of Duly Authorized Unit or a Confirmation letter of Invitation cannot be an email, and needs to include the full name, nationality and passport number of the applicant as well as the purpose and duration of the visit. This letter should be used within 6 months of the date of issue)

Tourist Visa

You will need to fully complete the name address and telephone number of where you will stay whilst in China on the application form.

UPDATE: 03Jan12 All passport holders will need to provide a full daily itinerary, copy of your travel tickets and confirmed hotel booking.

Transit Visa

A valid onward visa and international air ticket to your country of destination.

Other documents required:

All non UK passport holders should provide the original and a copy of his or her permanent residence or work permit which should be valid for at least 6 months (except for those who are visa or permit exempt from residing or working in the UK).

French passport holders will need to provide copies of travel tickets and a confirmed hotel booking along with a day to day internal itinerary this can be either hand written or a tour operator itinerary.    

We provide a visa lodging service here in London, UK and can lodge your application on your behalf for a fee of GBP50.00 + VAT plus the relevant consulate fees listed below:  

Chinese Consulate fees (LONDON, UK)

LATEST NEWS: 10 May 2012 China Same Day Visa Service Ends

Visa Fee + Application Fee = Chinese Consulate Charge

Fee category		Amount GBP
		UK Nationals	US Nationals	All Other Nationals*
Visa Fees	Single entry	£ 30	£ 70	£ 20
	Double entries	£ 45	£ 70	£ 30
	Multiple entries / 6 Months	£ 90	£ 70	£ 40
	Multiple entries / 1 year	£ 180	£ 70	£ 60
	Express Service fee	£ 15 (3rd working day collection)
* different fees apply for Romanian and Serbian nationals - please call for details

Application Service Fees	Regular Service (4th working day collection)	£ 36.00 (VAT inclusive)
	Express Service (3rd working day collection)	£ 48.00 (VAT inclusive)

Notes:

1, The total amount of fees to be paid include the visa fee, application service fees and the ctms service charge.

2, Visa fees are collected on behalf of the Chinese Embassy or the Consulate General; Application Service Fees are charged by the Centre.         

If you require assistance or have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at:

visas.uk@ctmstravel.com