How to Get China Travel Visas
Applicant can obtain visas for china travel as fast as the same day if you are in an emergency situation. There are instructions about how to do this towards the end of this article but let’s begin by looking at the several types of visas for China travel and their respective requirements.
Types of Visas to China
There are eight different Chinese visas each represented by a letter of the alphabet. For example, those who go to China for tourism should submit the application for the "L" visa. Those who go to engage in business will apply for an F visa. Crew visas are represented by the letter C, work visas by the letter Z, student visas by the letter X and resident visas by the letter D.
Foreign correspondants should apply for either a J-1 or J-2 visa depending on whether they intend to stay long-term or short-term respectively.
The Chinese consular services offer single-entry, double-entry and multiple-entry visas. Validity for single-entry or double-emtry visas can be either 90 days or 180 days. Those who apply for a multiple-entry visa have the option of a validity of 6 months, 12 months or 24 months. The 24 month vailidity visa is not listed on the application and has special requirements if you want to get one.
How to Apply for China Travel Visas
The application process to apply for a China visa is pretty straightforward. You are required to present a valid passport when applying for a visa. The passport has to have at least six months of validity remaining beyond your time of stay in China.
A single downloadable application form is available for all visa types. It is only two pages long and is divided into seven sections. Section 1 requests personal data such as complete name, birth date, passport number and occupation. You will complete Section 2 with information about your visit to China. It is here that you choose the type of visa you want, the intended number of entries and validity.
Section 3 asks six questions about your health condition and Section 4 is reserved for contact information. The fifth section provides space for any special declarations you believe you should include while the sixth section only needs to be filled in if the form is done by someone other than the person traveling to China. Lastly, you sign and date the form in Section 7.
It is very important that you complete the application form correctly and legibly. Any errors can cause delays in the process or, even, rejection of your request. There is a place on the application for affixing a recent passport-style photo which must be a full-face front view with a light colored background.
This and the payment are all that is required for a tourist visa. Other types of visas require additional documents when applying. For example, applicants who apply for a business visa to China must also submit an Official Business Visa Notification, a business letter with the name of visiting firm in China and a letter of invitation from a company in China.
The recommendation made by the China government is that travlers submit visa applications one month before their planned travel date. The Chinese consular services does offer express (2-3 business days) and same day visa processing. All you need to do is make the request and pay an additional fee.
Note, applications sent by mail are not accepted.
Therefore, you either have to submit the China travel visa application personally or submit the application through a professional China visa expediter.
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