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Chinese Visa Information

School of Transnational Law provides administrative assistance to its faculty in support of their Chinese Visa Applications.

FAQ

  • General

    Do I need a visa to visit China’s mainland?

    Foreign citizens generally need a visa to visit China’s mainland with the exception of visa-free entry according to relevant agreements and regulations.

    How do I read and understand my visa?

    “Entries” refers to the number of times you are permitted to enter China. It can be single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry and good through the validity of your visa.

    Validity (“Enter Before”) of a visa begins from the date of issue and good through 24:00 Beijing Time of the “Enter Before” date unless the number of entries is used up or the visa is revoked by the Chinese government.

    Duration of Each Stay is the maximum number of days you are allowed to stay in China on each entry, calculated from the date of entry into China. While in China, you may find your date of departure from China will exceed the “Enter Before” date. You will not be punished as long as your total stay on that entry is within the limit on the “Duration of Each Stay”.

     

     

    Note: Please take notice of the Remarks if any on your visa. All Z, X1, Q1, S1, D visa holders are required to proceed  to and apply for a residence permit from the local Public Security authorities within 30 days upon arrival in China.

    I get a new passport, but I have a valid Chinese visa in my old passport. Can I travel with both passports to China without applying for a new visa?

    Yes, you may travel with both passports provided that your visa is still valid and the personal details including your name, sex, date of birth and nationality on both passports are exactly the same.

     



  • Submission and Application Documents

    Where should I apply for a visa? Must I appear in person to submit my application? May I use a visa service?

    You may apply for a visa at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in your resident country. You need to complete and sign the visa form and prepare necessary supporting documents and have your friend or a visa service help submit your application. You don’t have to appear in person unless required by a consular officer.

    How long does it to process my application? What is the right time to submit my visa application?

    Normally it takes 4 business days to process a visa application although some applications require longer processing time.You are advised to submit your visa application about one month before your planned travel date in China.

    How to Apply Chinese Visa?  

    STEP 1: Select a visa category that best describes your trip to China and prepare your visa application including necessary supporting documents accordingly.

    Please select a visa category based on your purpose of visit to China and Click to check basic requirements for usual Visa Categories you may meet. For more detailed information about visa application, please visit https://www.visaforchina.org/to get more information.

    Generally, long-term/full-time employees are advised to apply for Work(Z) Visa that can eventually transfer to a Residence Permit for Employment Purpose; visitors can apply for non-Business (F) Visa; relatives of long-term/full-time employees for the purpose of long-term visit are advised to apply for S1 Visa; accompanying members of visitors are suggested to apply for a Tourism(L) visa or other category that fits into major purpose of the visit.

    STEP 2: Submit your application to the Visa Office of Chinese Embassy/ Consulate based in your resident country.

    STEP 3: Pay the visa application fee at the Visa Office and pick up your visa.

     



  • Other

    Why I was granted a different type of visa with what I applied for?

    The consular officers will determine whether or not to grant a visa and its category, validity and permitted duration of stay. The decision is final unless there is an technical error on the visa.

    I will be traveling to China on company business. I will also meet my friends in China. What type of visa is most appropriate for me?

    If you travel to China on multiple purposes, you may submit your application based on your main purpose and provide supporting documents accordingly.

    What should I do if I lose my passport during my stay in China?

    You should report the loss to local public security authorities as soon as possible and go to your country’s embassy or consulate in China to apply for a replacement passport or travel document. After that, you must go to the local public security authorities to apply for a new entry and exit visa.

    I am now in China on a Z visa and have received my residence permit. Can I leave China and come back as often as I wish?

    You may use your residence permit (placed on your passport and similar to a visa) issued by the local public security authority to enter and exit China during the validity of the residence permit. No other visa is needed.

    If you are a Chinese Permanent Resident Card holder, you don’t need a visa to enter China during the validity of your Permanent Resident Card.

    What is the Residence Permit for Foreigners?

    The Residence Permit is issued by PRC Ministry of Public Security.A Foreign citizen entering China on a D, Z, J1, Q1, S1 or X1 visa must apply for a residence permit at local public security authorities within 30 days of entry into China. Once approved, the permit holder is allowed to stay in China or enter/exit China multiple times for the duration of the validity of the permit. No visa renewal is necessary.



For further inquiries, please contact Vidya WANG at wangwei@stl.pku.edu.cn.