What is a China Tourist Visa
Officially known as the L Visa, standing for Lǚyóu which translates to tourism in Chinese, the Tourist Visa is designed for individuals who are traveling to China for tourism purposes, such as sightseeing, exploring cultural attractions, or visiting friends and family. This visa is typically granted to allow individuals to explore the cultural, historical, and scenic attractions within the country.
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Who Needs a China Visa?
The list of nationalities that are required to obtain a China Tourist Visa is constantly changing, so it is important to check your country’s embassy’s official website for the most up-to-date information regarding whether or not you are required to obtain a visa before arrival.
Citizens of almost all countries are required to apply for a China Tourist Visa if they are visiting the country for tourism purposes. The only exceptions for entering the country for tourism purposes traveling without a verified tour group are Singapore, Brunei, and Japan. These nationalities are an exception and they must hold a valid passport and wish to visit for tourism purposes, business, or transit. Citizens of these countries may enter China without a visa but they are not eligible to stay in the country for longer than 15 days.
There is an exception for citizens of 59 countries if they are coming to China on a group tour (no less than five persons) and will be staying in the Hainan Province for no longer than 30 days. The tour must be organized by international travel services that are approved by the National Tourism Administration of China and be registered in Hainan Province. The 59 countries that can enter the country visa-free within these circumstances are: Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Monaco, and Belarus.
China Tourist Visa Application
Depending on your nationality and the Chinese embassy or consulate you are using, the steps to apply for a China Tourist Visa may vary, but typically several specific steps are followed. The following is a general guide, but please be sure to check with your specific embassy or consulate to ensure the details do not vary slightly.
Ensure you meet the criteria for a China tourist visa. This includes holding a valid passport, having proof of travel arrangements, and various other documents.
Once you have ensured that you are eligible for the China Tourist Visa, you need to download and fill out the visa application form. You can find the most recent version of the form on the official website of the Chinese embassy or consulate where you are applying. You must sign and complete the visa application form accurately and truthfully. Be sure to provide all required information. Once completed, you must submit the visa application form as well as print it out to bring with you to your designated embassy or consulate.
Gather all of the necessary documents required from your specific Chinese embassy or consulate. This will likely include your completed visa application form, a recent passport-size photo, a valid passport with at least six months of validity, a round-trip flight itinerary or tickets, and accommodation details. You may be required to provide additional information based on your nationality and any specific circumstances.
Check whether your local Chinese embassy or consulate requires applicants to schedule an appointment for visa submission. If this is a requirement, follow the designated procedure to schedule one.
Attend the Chinese embassy or consulate in person on the scheduled date. Make sure that you bring all of your required documents. It is advised to have everything neatly organized for easy access.
At your appointment, submit all of the required documents. Here, you will pay the visa application fee. This may vary depending on your nationality. Be sure to collect the visa receipt or collection slip. Keep this in a safe place as you will need it to collect your passport after your visa has been processed.
The processing time for a China Tourist Visa may vary, but it typically takes multiple business days. Check your local Chinese embassy or consulate on processing times and their notification system. They may notify you when your passport is ready to be picked up or you may be given a date at your initial appointment to return for pickup.
On the specified date, return to your Chinese embassy or consulate to collect your passport. Be sure to bring your payment receipt or pick-up slip to ensure a smooth pickup process. Verify that the visa information is correct and matches your travel plans.
China Tourist Visa Requirements
There are a number of requirements you must submit in order to obtain the China Tourist Visa. The requirements for the visa can vary based on your nationality and the policies of your specific Chinese embassy or consulate so be sure to check the official website of your Chinese embassy or consulate to determine the specific requirements. Below is a list of the general requirements that are commonly needed in order to obtain a China Tourist Visa.
Passport
You must have a valid passport in order to apply for a China Tourist Visa. Your visa must have at least six months of validity beyond your intended stay in China and have at least two blank pages available.
Visa Application Form
You can find the visa application form on your Chinese embassy or consulate’s official website. The form is typically available for download and you can submit it online, but it is also required to print it out and bring it to your appointment in person. You must sign the form and fill out all of the information truthfully and accurately.
A Passport-Size Photo
When submitting your application you must provide a recently taken passport-size photo. It must meet the requirements of the Chinese embassy or consulate. Typically, it is required to be taken in color and with a white background with your face and head clearly shown.
Proof of Travel Arrangements
You are required to submit proof of your round-trip airline tickets and an itinerary that shows your entry and exit dates from China.
Confirmation of Accommodation or Invitation Letter
You will be required to provide proof of your accommodation reservations throughout your entire stay in China. Alternatively, if you will be staying with friends or family or have some sort of invitation from a Chinese host, you must be able to provide your invitation letter as well as a copy of their Chinese ID, or their foreign passport with their residence permit.
Financial Proof
You must be able to provide proof that you have the financial ability to cover the cost of your entire stay in China. You may prove this with your bank statements for the last three to six months or an employment letter with details about your current income.
China Tourist Visa Fees
The cost of the China Tourist Visa depends on your nationality. The standard visa application fee will likely fall between 30 USD and 140 USD, but this depends on the country that you are a citizen of. Some countries may have a reciprocal agreement with China, causing fees for the visa to be lower. Depending on your Chinese embassy or consulate, you will also typically have the option to expedite the processing time for your visa application. This will add an additional fee to the price of your visa and is generally quite a bit more expensive, but does ensure a quicker turnaround time for your visa. You may also choose to use a visa service center. If you choose to use an agency to assist you with your application, there will likely be additional service fees. The fee for visa assistance varies depending on the service provider. Overall, it is important to check the specific visa fees for your nationality on the official website of the Chinese embassy or consulate where you will be submitting your application.
Where to Apply
You can apply for the China Tourist Visa at the closest Chinese embassy or consulate to you. Depending on your specific consulate or embassy you may or may not be required to schedule an appointment to submit your application. Please note that you are required to bring the visa application form when submitting your application, which you can find available for download on your embassy or consulate’s website.
China Tourist Visa Processing Time
The processing time for your China Tourist Visa varies based on your specific nationality and the Chinese consulate or embassy that you are applying with. It will typically take around 3 to 6 business days to process the visa, but you should check with your country’s embassy to find an exact timeline. It is common for embassies or consulates to provide an expedited service, which costs an additional fee, but ensures that you will receive your passport with your approved visa sooner than the regular processing time. Regardless of the processing time, you should apply well in advance before your trip just in case any unforeseen circumstances arise when processing your visa causing a delay in your approval.
Approved Visa Applications
Depending on your nationality and your specific Chinese embassy or consulate, you will either be given a day when you can return to pick up your passport after visa processing or you will receive a notification when your passport is ready for pickup. Either way, when your passport is ready for pickup, make sure to bring either your payment receipt or your pickup slip and return it to your Chinese embassy or consulate. After you receive your passport, you can find your Chinese Tourist Visa stamped on the inside. It’s crucial to double-check the details to make sure everything is correct. You should check your name, passport number, and visa type, and pay attention to the validity dates and entry/exit conditions that are specified. Once you enter China, it is crucial to comply with the allowed duration of your stay and the number of entries you are permitted to avoid legal consequences.
Chinese Tourist Visa Validity
The purpose of the L Visa, or the Chinese Tourist Visa, is solely for the purpose of tourism. It accommodates those seeking to explore China for leisure, visit family, and overall enjoy the attractions that the country has to offer. It is not the appropriate choice for those traveling to China for other purposes, such as transit, studying, or business. The validity period may differ based on the option you choose for the tourist visa, but the standard option is typically 30-90 days, based on your nationality. While this is the most common length of validity, some nationalities have the option to obtain visas that are valid for up to 365 days. It’s important to note that even though your nationality may have the option to obtain visas that are valid for longer than 30 days, the maximum length of stay you are allowed to stay in the country at any given time is 30 days. If you wish to stay longer than 30 days, depending on your nationality, you may have the option to apply for a multiple-entry visa. If you choose this option, you will have to exit the country after 30 days and re-enter. Depending on your nationality, you may have the choice to opt for single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry visas. Your options will vary for maximum validity and number of entries allowed based on your nationality, so it is important to check with your Chinese embassy or consulate for what citizens of your nationality have access to.
Chinese Visa Extension
The eligibility process for whether or not you can extend your Chinese Tourist Visa and the conditions for the extension depends on your nationality. If you are able to extend your visa, you are only eligible to extend it for a certain amount of days depending on the amount of days you were allotted to begin with. The visa extension process is typically processed through the local Exit and Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau in the city where you are staying. In order to extend, you must submit a completed visa extension application form, your valid passport, a copy of your current visa and entry stamp, a passport-size photo, and supporting documents explaining the reason that you need the extension.
It is important to extend your visa in advance to the day you are required to leave the country. If you wish to extend your visa, you must start the process at least seven days before you are required to exit China. If you overstay your allotted number of days you are allowed in China there will likely be legal consequences, this includes if you are in the process of extending your visa and it has not yet been approved. The extension process takes around seven days, but it is recommended to apply for the extension well in advance of seven days before your required departure from the country in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
Denied Visa Applications
If your Chinese Tourist Visa has been denied, it is typically advised to reapply if you feel like the reason for denial can be addressed. After you receive your denial notice, you should carefully review the reason for rejection. The notice will typically specifically outline the reasons. You should address these reasons, it may be due to missing or insufficient documents or incorrect information which can easily be adjusted. Make sure to check with your local Chinese embassy or consulate if there is a specific period of time which you must wait if your visa is rejected. Some, but not all, embassies and consulates have a specific time frame you must wait to reapply if your visa has been denied. If you can easily correct the reasons for denial, you should submit a new visa application with the corrected and complete documentation. If the reasons for the visa denial are unclear, you may want to consider seeking professional advice. Consulting with a visa service or immigration attorney is the best way to find insights if you are not sure how to address the specific reasons for visa rejection.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not possible to apply online for a Chinese Tourist Visa. While you do submit the visa application form online, you must proceed to bring it to the Chinese embassy or consulate nearest to you and apply in person.
For most nationalities, there are no health or vaccination requirements for a Chinese Tourist Visa, including COVID-19. Depending on your nationality, you may be required to provide a yellow fever vaccination to ensure that persons living where yellow fever is prevalent are not bringing the disease to China. Check with your local Chinese embassy or consulate to provide insight on whether or not you are required to provide this vaccination.
Yes, all individuals that will be traveling to China are required to obtain a Tourist Visa. The price is the same regardless of age.