Most visitors to China will need a Chinese Travel visa, or L visa for short, assuming they don’t meet China’s visa waiver policy. You can travel freely as Travel in most parts of China. A passport, application form, and documents showing the itinerary or a letter of invitation from China are essential application documents.
In most cases, Travels can obtain a single-entry L visa for a stay of 30 days. Citizens of the UK, USA, Canada, and Argentina can obtain a 10-year multiple-entry Chinese Travel visa.
If you are traveling with an organized tour group, you may not have an individual visa in your passport. Instead, the tour group will receive a group Travel visa with the names of all its members on it. In this case, provide your details to the tour operator beforehand and you won’t have to worry about anything.
If you are traveling independently, you will need to handle the visa matters yourself. If you follow the guidelines below, the process is not complicated.
China Travel Visa Requirements and Documents
Passports
Your passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity and available blank pages, and a copy of your passport data page.
Application Form
An accurately completed China Travel Visa Application Form. Please fill in each column of the application form and use “N/A” if not applicable. Failure to complete the application form truthfully, completely, and legibly may result in delayed processing or rejection of the application.
Recent photos
A recent passport size color photo with a white background attached to the application form.
Round-trip airfare plus hotel reservation or invitation letter from China.
Documentation of your trip, including proof of round-trip airline reservations and hotel reservations.
Alternatively, if you have been invited to China, you may submit an invitation letter from the inviting party (whether an organization or an individual) with the following information.
a. Information about the applicant, including full name, gender, and date of birth.
b. Information about the planned visit, including arrival and departure dates, and the location of the visit.
c. Information about the inviting person, including name, contact number, address, official seal, and signature of the organization or legal representative of the inviting person.
Other supporting documents
a. If not applying from the country of nationality, proof of legal residence or residence status is required.
b. In some cases, the applicant may be required to submit a letter from the applicant’s employer with the following details: the employer’s Name and contact number, the applicant’s income statement, or the applicant’s original bank statement for the last 6 months.
c. Applicants wishing to travel to Tibet must obtain a Tibet Travel Permit, which can be obtained by the travel agency from the TAR Tourism Bureau.
Visa Requirements for China Travel Visa
With all the required documents, you can visit a Chinese embassy, consulate, Chinese diplomatic mission, or a Chinese visa application center ( (CVASC) (if available in your country) to submit your application in person. If you can’t go in person, you can ask someone else, such as a travel agent or visa agency, to do it for you. An appointment is not necessary. Most Chinese embassies and consulates do not accept applications by mail and will refuse to accept applications. In countries where CVASC is available, applicants can apply by mail or make an appointment online through CVASC’s website at Submitting Applications.
China Travel Visa Processing Time
It usually takes four business days to process a Chinese Travel visa. For expedited service, an additional fee of $20 will be charged for two or three business days of service. For expedited service, an additional fee of $30 will be charged for same day service.
China Travel Visa Fees
Visa fees vary depending on nationality and number of entries. However, under the Visa Fee Abolition Agreement, nationals of the following countries can obtain visas free of charge, but must pay for courier services, expedited Cost of service or postal service. Pakistan, Maldives, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia and Micronesia. Fees for major countries are listed below.
China Travel Visa Extension
If you need to stay in China for longer than your Travel visa allows, you can contact China 7 days before your L visa expires. Apply for an extension at your local immigration office. To submit your application you will need your passport, a visa application form with a recent colour photograph of you, a temporary residence registration form and your travel itinerary. If your application is approved, you may be granted an extension of stay for a period of time not to exceed the original duration of your visa.