China Travel Trip Prep: Visas, Formalities & Travel Documentation for China - Practical Info
Updated: Oct 22, 2020
1/2 China Visa and Formalities
To guarantee any trip to China, it’s essential that you obtain your visa for China and all other necessary paperwork before departing. Each region of Greater China, including Mainland China, Tibet, Hong Kong and Macau each have their own rules for what documentation is required to enter the country. Check the headings below to check all the boxes and make sure your trip goes off stress-free without a hitch!
[ CONTENTS ]
- What if I don’t have a passport?
- How do I check my passport is valid for travel to China?
- How do I check the condition of my passport?
- What types of visas can you use to travel in China?
- What type of visa should I get?
- What’s the application process for a China Tourist Visa?
- What are the basic requirements to apply for a Tourist Visa for China?
- Should I still submit my application if my passport has minor damage?
- What are the risks of using a damaged passport?
- How do I renew or replace my passport?
- How long will it take to renew or replace a damaged passport?
- What documents are required for the China Tourist Visa?
- Do minors need visas to travel to China?
- How do I submit my visa application?
- What things might slow down or delay my visa application?
- How long before travelling should I apply?
- When will I receive my visa?
- How much will the visa cost?
Visas for Mainland China
Any person who is not a Chinese citizen must carry a valid passport and current visa to enter China.
Valid Passport
- What if I don’t have a passport?
If you do not currently have a passport, or if your passport has expired or is close to expiry, you must contact the appropriate passport issuing authority to obtain or renew your passport. Examples of passport issuing authorities for western countries include the US Department of State Passport Agency, the Australian Passport Office or the HM Passport Office for British citizens.
- How do I check my passport is valid for travel to China?
For a passport to be valid for entry to China, it must meet the following requirements:
· Your passport must be valid for at least six months after your planned date of return from China (that is, the date stated in your return flight booking)
· Your passport must 1)have a photo page on which everything is clear and legible, and 2)be free from significant damage. Significant damage is any damage which reasonably exceeds the standards of normal wear and tear (e.g. bent photo page/pages, water damage, stains, torn or cut pages).
· Your passport must have at least one blank page stamp page remaining.
- How do I check the condition of my passport?
If you are unsure about the condition of your passport, contact your passport issuing authority to check. It is recommended that you also take the time to check your passport condition with your local China Visa Application Service Center, as different countries may have more or less strict requirements.
If you have a valid passport, then you may begin the process of applying for an entry visa for China to your nearest China Visa Application Service Center.
Current Visa
- What types of visas can you use to travel in China?
- What type of visa should I get?
China divides its visas into four main types: Diplomatic Visa, Courtesy Visa, Service Visa and Ordinary Visa, with Ordinary Visa being further divided into a total of sixteen sub-categories, including C, D, F, G, J1, J2, L, M, Q1, Q2, R, S1, S2, X1, X2, Z.
If you’re coming for a tour with us, then the visa you will be applying for is the L-category visa, also known as the China Tourist Visa. Find detailed information on each Chinese visa category here à < http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/hrsq/>).
- What’s the application process for a China Tourist Visa?
The application process for a China Tourist Visa can be broken down into the following stages to make things easier to keep track of, and here they are:
1) Meet the basic Requirements
2) Gather the required Documents
3) Submit your Application
4) Collect your Visa
1) Check the basic requirements
- What are the basic requirements to apply for a Tourist Visa for China?
Before you begin putting together the application documents, first check that your passport meets the requirements. Specifically, you must confirm that your passport:
· is valid for at least six months after your planned date of return from China;
· is free from damage and noticeable markings or stains (especially on the photo page)
Please note that visa applications containing passports that don’t meet these requirements will be rejected by China Visa Application Service Centers, potentially delaying your trip. A member of staff at the Service Center will generally contact you either by email or phone to notify you if your passport is not valid before processing your visa application.
- Should I still submit my application if my passport has minor damage?
The safe answer is: No.
Here is an example of ‘minor damage’ to a passport that resulted in a China Tourist Visa being rejected by the China Visa Application Service Center in Sydney, Australia.
<image>
If for whatever reason you have no other option than to apply with a damaged passport, you can proactively contact the China Visa Application Service Center to inform them of the situation, and assure them that you understand the risks of traveling with a damaged passport and wish to process with the application regardless.
- What are the risks of using a damaged passport?
It is possible that airlines and border crossing staff may refuse your passport if it is damaged. This means you will not be able to enter the country.
- How do I renew or replace my passport?
If your passport is close to six months from expiry, or if you are unsure about the condition of your passport, it may be best to replace or renew before applying for your visa. To do this, please contact the passport issuing authority in your country.
- How long will it take to renew or replace a damaged passport?
Please note that it typically takes several weeks to renew or relace a passport, however rush services are available in certain countries, which can reduce the time taken for you to receive your passport to less than a week. See your country’s passport issuing authority for details.
2) Gather the required documents
- What documents are required for the China Tourist Visa?
The required documents for a visa application are listed below – we’ve arranged them in order of priority.
First things first:
· one valid passport
· two(2) passport photos.
Things you will have after some trip planning:
· one(1) accurately completed copy of the current China Visa Application Form (find it here [Australian version] à <http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/bg/P020160114417040761211.pdf>)
· booking for flights both to and from China (round-trip or two one-way bookings)
· **hotel reservations covering all nights of the duration of your trip
· **one(1) travel itinerary covering the cities you plan to visit and corresponding dates
Other:
· depending on the country in which you are applying, you may also be required to submit one(1) completed Payment Authorization Form with your application, which you can find here à <http://www.visaforchina.org/CBR_ZH/upload/Attach/mrbj/268680.pdf>
- Do minors need visas to travel to China?
Just as with adults, minors travelling to China will need to obtain visas to enter China.
Minors applying for Chinese visas will need to include additional documents in their applications.
The documents required will differ depending on who the minor will be travelling with: both parents/guardian(s), a single parent/guardian, or alone.
Find the details on the application materials required for minors here à <https://bio.visaforchina.org/MIL2_EN/generalinformation/news/279878.shtml>
**(Note that if your entire trip is through us, we’ve got the itinerary and hotel bookings portion of your visa application covered! Making your travel easy is what we’re here for.)
3) Submit your application
- How do I submit my China visa application?
Once you have all the application documents filled our and ready it’s time to submit your application.
Applications may be submitted directly by visiting the Application Service Center in person, or by post in some countries. For postal applications, remember to account for the speed of the postal system in your country.
- What things might slow down or delay my visa application?
Consider factors such as public/national holidays, which may delay the progress of your application. (Postal speed will become especially relevant if your application is rejected and must be returned, and a second application posted.)
- How long before travelling should I apply?
Once issued, China entry visas will typically remain valid for 90 days, or 180 days from the date of issue. Therefore, in principle you can apply for your China Travel Visa up to three months prior to your trip. However, the China Visa Application Service Center recommends submitting applications around one month before your planned departure date to prevent it expiring before you get the chance to use it
- When will I receive my Chinese visa?
Once the Application Service Center has received your application it will typically take between four and five working days to process. Express (three-day) and Rush (two-day) processing are also available for non-postal applications at additional cost.
Note that for postal applications, your choice of postal service (for example. Standard, registered post, express post) will determine how long it takes for your visa to arrive.
- How much will the Chinese visa cost?
For detailed information on visa prices and Centers in your country, please visit the following links: <http://www.visaforchina.org or http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/>
4) Collect your visa
Once you have your visa, you should have all the documents required to enter Mainland China and begin your adventure!
Other things
Can’t someone else do my Visa for me?
As our agency is based China, we cannot offer direct assistance with any out-of-country visa formalities. We will, however, provide you with all the documents you need from us to complete the visa application by yourself or through an agency.
However, there are professional agencies that make it their business to go through the process of travelling to a nearby Service Center and securing a visa for you. Although this service comes at additional cost, they may be the safer, more secure option, as Application Service Centers rarely deny requests made through such professional agencies.
Disclaimer
Although we stay up to date with changes in the visa application procedure and do our best to provide you with useful, current information, please be sure to double-check on important details that may have an impact of your trip. China’s visa policies change regularly.
Visa procedures in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan
United States, Australian, British and Canadian nationals do not need a visa to enter Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan. Simply present a valid passport at the airport for a 90-day visa-free visit in Hong Kong, or 30-day visit in Taiwan and Macao.
If you plan to visit Hong Kong or Macau and afterwards continue your trip in Mainland China, you will need to apply for a double-entry Chinese visa.
If you visit one of these cities before entering mainland China, then you may have to do additional work to get a Chinese visa.
Tibetan Permits
If Tibet is your desired destination, then prepare yourself for stringent rules and sudden adjustments. There have been situations where overnight the government closes the border to all foreigners entering Tibet, and add last-minute restrictions. We will do everything within our power to make sure your trip is easy and enjoyable and goes ahead as planned, however, some red tape we can’t get around.
Generally, to enter Tibet, you will need a specific permit. By booking a trip to this region with us you don’t have to worry about licensing and fees as it is all included in your trip’s price.
Transit Visa in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian and Shenyang
For a layover of less than 72 hours at these 7 major cities in China, you can leave the airport after presenting your ticket, showing a stop with a ticket and visa for the next country's destination. In these cities you don’t need a visa so we can organize a whirlwind tour of the city and help you register at a local police station(s).
2/2 Other Travel Documents needed for your China Trip
To travel to China, there are some papers you’re going to need. It is beneficial to check over all the expiration dates of your identification materials before traveling.
[ CONTENTS ]
- checking your passport’s validity
- Tibetan entry permits
- processing time
- Regulations and rule change hiccups
- procedures for journalists and diplomats
- our booking form
It is essential that you have a valid passport where the expiration date is at least six months after the trip, and all visas and/or permits necessary are there at the beginning of your journey.
Possession of these documents are your sole responsibility. <Trendy Adventurer> disclaims any and all responsibility if you do not succeed in obtaining the proper travel documentation.
If you go to Tibet, an entry permit is required. We will take care of applying to for the licensing procedures and fees which are included in the price of your trip.
Note that although we strive to bring you a hassle-free trip, we cannot guarantee 100% smooth sailing on Tibetan itineraries. Overnight the Tibetan government may choose to close the entry of Tibet to all foreigners or as well as add other restrictions. We strive to help make your trip hassle free, but at the same time must adhere to all rules and regulations of your destinations.
The processing of your Tibet travel permits will take at least 8-9 business days once started. It is advised that you supply your agent with all the necessary documentation 20 days prior to your planned entry date into Tibet.
Journalists and diplomatic officials must seek approval of the Office of Foreign Affairs and the Tibetan local government.
After you’ve created a tour with us we will request from you a booking information form. This form provides us with all the information we need to make all the proper travel arrangements for your trip, including domestic flights, hotels and trains. The sooner you send it to us, the sooner we can get everything booked and ready for your you.
