Do I Need Visa For China
Traveling to China is usually a fun experience. Chinese people are known for their friendliness, great food and being one of the best tourists in the world. However, there are some things that you should know before you decide whether or not to travel to China. There are various visa types, where and how to apply, if you will be allowed to work while in China and what are some neat things you should keep in mind. I have prepared a list of top ten tips that will help you navigate your way through visa requirements and will help you have an enjoyable time in China.
Many people are not sure about their visas for China. They have never been outside their home country, and don’t know what is required when it comes to travelling. This article will go through the visa process, and hopefully answer your questions.
Do I Need Visa For China
Whenever you read stories in foreign travel magazines about the best places to visit or whenever there are headlines on your favorite travel-related television programs, have you ever wondered whether you can visit …
Do I need a Chinese visa
You need to apply for a visa unless you meet the following visa exemption requirements:
1. According to bilateral agreements, citizens of some countries (List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption between the P.R. China and Foreign Countries) holding appropriate passports may enter China without a visa.
2. Citizens of Singapore, Brunei and Japan holding ordinary passports may enter China without a visa through the ports of entry open to foreigners provided that they come to China for tourism, family visit, business or transit, and intend to stay in China for no more than 15 days. However, the following personnel of these three countries must apply for a visa in advance if:
(1) They are holders of ordinary passports, and come to China for tourism, family visit or business, and intend to stay more than 15 days;
(2) They are holders of ordinary passports, and come to China for study, employment, permanent residence or on a news reporting mission; and
(3) They are holders of Japanese diplomatic and service (official) passports (according to the bilateral agreements, the diplomatic and service passport holders of Singapore, Brunei can stay in China for no more than 30 days without a Chinese visa).
3. Foreigners holding ordinary passports of the countries having diplomatic relations with China and on a tour to Hong Kong or Macao, and participating in group tours to the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) Delta Area for a stay of no more than 6 days organized by the travel services legally registered in Hong Kong or Macao do not need to apply for a visa. The Zhu Jiang Delta Area refers to the administrative area of the following cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, and Huizhou. For going on a tour to Shantou, the aforementioned group is required to stay within the administrative area of Shantou and leave China from there directly.
4. Foreigners who have confirmed onward tickets and seats on international flights and directly transit through China and stay for no more than 24 hours within the airport boundaries do not need to apply for a transit visa. However, anyone desiring to go beyond the airport boundaries temporarily should obtain permission from the immigration authorities at the airport.
5. Citizens of 45 countries with valid international travel documents and air tickets for a connecting flight with confirmed date of flight and seat for a third country (region) can apply for the 72-hour transit visa exemption at ports of entry in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. For details, please click the link http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n84147/n84196/3912430.html.
6. Citizens holding ordinary passports of the following 21 countries and on a group tour (minimum of five persons) to Hainan Province for a stay of no longer than 15 days, organized by international travel services approved by the National Tourism Administration of China and registered in Hainan Province, do not need to apply for a visa: Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Citizens holding ordinary passports of the following three countries and on a group tour (minimum of two persons) to Hainan Province for a stay of no more than 21 days, organized by international travel services approved by the National Tourism Administration of China and registered in Hainan Province, do not need to apply for a visa: Republic of Korea, Germany and Russia.
7. Foreigners holding a valid Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card of the PRC or Residence Permit for Foreigners in the PRC may enter China without a visa.
8. Foreigners holding an APEC Business Travel Card may enter China without a visa.
Visa Policy for China
The Chinese visa policy outlines the regulations and requirements that foreign citizens from all over the world need to meet to travel to the People’s Republic of China.
The two Special Administrative Regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau, maintain their own independent border control policies and thus have their own separate visa requirements.
Citizens of most countries or regions in the world need to apply for a visa to enter mainland China, but citizens of some countries can enter China without visas for a limited period of stay if they meet certain conditions.
Visa-exempt nationalities are permitted to enter China for different periods of stay depending on their nationality, but are nevertheless required to register with the local Public Security Bureau (BSB) in their destination if planning to visit for more than 24 hours.
All other nationalities are required to obtain a visa for China from a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad before traveling to the country, whether the trip is for tourism, business, to work or study, or for other purposes.
When applying for a Chinese visa from an embassy, these travelers are required to indicate the purpose of their trip and indicate the length of the intended stay in China on the visa application form.
Travelers who are unable to leave China as planned after entering the country are required to go to a local public security entry-exit administration department to apply for a visa extension before the expiry of their permitted stay.
Find below a complete list of visa requirements to travel to China for your nationality.
Tourist Visa Policy for China
In order to travel to China for tourism purposes, it may be necessary to obtain a visa from an embassy in advance, although some foreign citizens are granted a short visa-free tourist stay.
Visa-exempt foreign citizens are able to travel to China visa-free for tourism for stays of between 15 up to 90 days, depending on their nationality.
However, according to the current visa policy of China, travelers from over 220 countries are currently required to obtain a tourist visa at the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate in their country of residence before they can travel to China for tourism.
A consular appointment for a Chinese embassy visa for tourism should be made well in advance of the intended date of arrival in the country, to ensure sufficient time for processing and approval.
It should be noted that residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan cannot directly use their passports to enter mainland China for tourism. Unless they are connecting at a specific airport for less than 24 hours) they need to apply for the relevant travel pass.
Please browse the boxes below for more information about tourist visa requirements for China for your nationality.
China
Visa on Arrival
Embassy or Consular Visa Required
Visa Not Required
Embassy or Consular Visa Required
Regardless of the purpose and duration of their trip, the majority of foreign citizens must obtain an approved embassy visa from a Chinese diplomatic mission in their country of residence before they can travel to the People’s Republic of China.
Applicants for a Chinese embassy visa must ensure that the passport used for the application is valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into China and contains at least one blank page.
At the moment, only a few Chinese embassies have set up online appointment services for visa applications. Therefore, it is usually necessary to contact the relevant consulate directly to set up an interview.
It is necessary to bring a range of supporting documentation to the approved visa appointment depending on the type of Chinese travel document required, whether this is a tourist visa, business visa, student visa, work visa, or other visa option.
It usually takes between 4 to 5 working days for a Chinese embassy visa to be approved from the date of submitting an application, However, in some cases, the processing time may take longer and we recommend submitting a consular application at least one month before the planned entry date.
If you need your Chinese visa to be processed urgently, please inform embassy officials when submitting your application at an embassy. As long as there are reasonable reasons, urgent processing will usually be granted, although it is necessary to pay an additional fee.
As Hong Kong and Macau SAR maintain independent border control policies, it should be noted that ordinary Chinese visas are only valid for mainland China, and not for these Special Administrative Regions