Mostly, a visa is a permit granted before travelling to enter a country, usually for a fee. However, it is only an indication to immigration officials that you have satisfied certain conditions. On arrival, the immigration official has the power to approve or disallow your entrance. Below are the basic documents and supporting documents needed for apply for a visa in China.
I. Basic Documents
(1) Passport. Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, and a photocopy of the passport’s data page and the photo page if it is separate.
(2) Visa Application Form and Photo. One completed Visa Application Form with a recently-taken color passport photo (bare-head, full face) against a light background attached.
(3) Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship).
Note: If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying.
(4) Photocopy of previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas (applicable to foreign citizens those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship)
Notes: (i) If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you should provide your previous Chinese passport held and a photocopy of its data page.
(ii) If you have obtained Chinese visas before and want to apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed foreign passport that does not contain any Chinese visa, you should present the photocopy of the previous passport’s data page and the photo page if it is separate, as well as the previous Chinese visa page. (If your name on the current passport differs from that on the previous one, you must provide an official document of name change.)
II. Supporting Documents
L-Visa
Documents showing the itinerary including air ticket booking record (round trip) and proof of a hotel reservation, etc. or an invitation letter issued by a relevant entity or individual in China. The invitation letter should contain:
(1) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
(2) Information on the planned visit (arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, etc.)
(3) Information on the inviting entity or individual (name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual)
M-Visa
(1) Documents on the commercial activity issued by a trade partner in China, or trade fair invitation or other invitation letters issued by relevant entity or individual. The invitation letter should contain:
a) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
b) Information on the planned visit (purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, relations between the applicant and the inviting entity or individual, financial source for expenditures)
c) Information on the inviting entity or individual (name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual)
S1-Visa
(1) An invitation letter from the inviting individual (a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies) which contains:
a) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
b) Information on the visit (purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place of intended residence, relations between the applicant and the inviting individual, financial source for expenditures, etc.)
c) Information on the inviting individual (name, contact telephone number, address, signature, etc.)
(2) A photocopy of the inviting individual’s passport and residence permit
(3) Original and photocopy of certification (marriage certificate, birth certificate, certification of kinship issued by Public Security Bureau or notarized certification of kinship) showing the relationship of immediate family members between applicants and inviting individual.
We kindly remind you that:
Holders of S1 Visa shall, within 30 days from the date of their entry, apply to the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level in the proposed places of residence for foreigners’ residence permits.
S2-Visa
For visiting family members for a short period, the following documents are required:
(1)An invitation letter issued by the inviting individual (a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies) which contains:
a) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
b) Information on the visit (purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, relations between the applicant and the inviting individual, financial source for expenditures, etc.)
c) Information on the inviting individual (name, contact telephone number, address, signature, etc.)
(2) A photocopy of the inviting individual’s (a foreigner who stays or lives in China for work or studies) passport and residence permit
(3) Photocopy of certification (marriage certificate, birth certificate or notarized certification of kinship) showing the relationship of family members between the applicant and the inviting individual.
Z-Visa
One of the following documents:
(1) Foreigners Employment Permit of the People’s Republic of China issued by Chinese government authorities for Human Resources and Social Security, as well as Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Entity or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by relevant Chinese entities.
(2) Permit for Foreign Experts Working in China issued by the State Bureau of Foreign Experts as well as Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Entity or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by relevant Chinese entities.
(3) Registration Certificate of Resident Representative Offices of enterprises of foreign countries(regions) issued by Chinese authorities of industrial and commercial administration, as well as Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Entity or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by relevant Chinese entities as well as Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Entity or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by relevant Chinese entities.
(4) An approval document for commercial performances issued by the Chinese government authorities for cultural affairs or Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Entity or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by relevant Foreign Affairs Office of provincial governments of China.
(5) Letter of Invitation to Foreigners for Offshore Petroleum Operations in China issued by China National Offshore Oil Corporation;
We kindly remind you that: Holders of Z Visa shall, within 30 days from the date of their entry, apply to the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level in the proposed places of residence for foreigners’ residence permits.
Contact Us
If you have further inquires, please do not hesitate to contact Tannet at anytime, anywhere by simply visiting Tannet’s website english.tannet-group.com, or calling Hong Kong hotline at 852-27826888 or China hotline at 86-755-82143422, or emailing to tannet-solution@hotmail.com. You are also welcome to visit our office situated in 16/F, Taiyangdao Bldg 2020, Dongmen Rd South, Luohu, Shenzhen, China.
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