As of January 8, 2023, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the US will adopt the following new requirements for Chinese visa application.
(Please note: At the current stage, multi-year multiple-entry visas issued before March 26, 2020 are still suspended of use. If such visa holders need to go to China at this stage, they can apply for a new visa according to the requirements of this notice. Visa applications for tourism and medical treatment in China are temporarily not accepted.)
1.Visa Types and Required Documents
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Visa Type |
Visa Description |
Required Documents (include“A.Basic Documents”and“B.General Documents”) |
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A. Basic Documents |
B. General Documents |
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M |
Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities |
Documents on the commercial activity issued by a trade partner in China (Please refer to Annex 3 for the contents of the invitation letter) |
1.Passport (The remaining validity must be more than 6 months with at least 1 blank visa page) *If the previous multi-year multi-entry visa is on the old passport, the old passport is required to be submitted. 2.P hotocopy of the bio-page of the passport
5.Proof of Residence (eg, driver’s license, utility bill, bank bill) 6.Where You Stay Form (Please see Annex 4, handwritten signature required) 7.If the applicant is a foreigner in the US, they need to provide a photocopy of green card, visa, I20, or I94 to prove their legal residence in the US. 8.If the applicant was of Chinese nationality, this application is the first Chinese visa application after naturalization in a foreign country, please provide 2 photocopies of the bio-page of the Chinese passport. In addition, the last physical Chinese passport is needed for the visa application.
9.If the applicant’s name has been changed, and it is the first time to apply for a Chinese visa after the name change, a photocopy of the name change document is required. 10. For the visa application by a minor of Chinese origin born in the US, please follow the guidance. |
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F |
Issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other activities |
An invitation letter issued by a relevant entity or individual in China (Please refer to Annex 3 for the contents of the invitation letter) |
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Z |
Issued to those who intend to work in China |
Notice for the Work Permit for Foreigners |
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S1 |
Issued to those who intend to go to China to visit the foreigners working or studying in China to whom they are spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 or parents-in-law, or to those who intend to go to China for other private affairs. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days. |
1.An invitation letter fromthe inviting individual (a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies) (Please refer to Annex 2 for the contents of the invitation letter) 2.Photocopies of the inviting individual’s passport bio-page and and residence permit 3. Original and photocopy of certification (marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc) showing the relationship of immediate family members between applicants and inviting individual. *In case of other personal affairs, relevant supporting materials shall be provided upon request |
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S2 |
Issued to those who intend to visit their family members who are foreigners working or studying in China, or to those who intend to go to China for other private matters. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days.
“family members” refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law. |
1.An invitation letter from the inviting individual (a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies) (Please refer to Annex 2 for the contents of the invitation letter) 2.Photocopies of the inviting individual’s passport bio-page, residence permit or visa. 3.Photocopy of certification (marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc) showing the relationship of immediate family members between applicants and inviting individual. *In case of other personal affairs, relevant supporting materials shall be provided upon request. |
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Q1 |
Issued to those who are family members of Chinese citizens or of foreigners with Chinese permanent residence and intend to go to China for family reunion, or to those who intend to go to China for the purpose of foster care. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.
“Family members” refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law. |
1.An invitation letter issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent residencepermit who lives in China.
(Please refer to Annex 2 for the contents of the invitation letter) 2.Photocopies of Chinese ID (front and back) of the inviting individual; Or photocopies of the bio-page of the foreigner’s passport and the permanent residence permit (front and back). 3.Original and photocopy of certification showing the relationship of family members between applicant and inviting individual. (eg, marriage certificate, birth certificate) |
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Q2 |
Issued to those who intend to visit their relatives who are Chinese citizens residing in China or foreigners with permanent residence in China. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days. |
1.An invitation letter issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent residencepermit who lives in China; (Please refer to Annex 2 for the contents of the invitation letter) 2.Photocopies of Chinese ID (front and back) of the inviting individual; Or photocopies of thebio-page of the foreigner’s passport and the permanent residence permit (front and back). |
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R |
Issued to High-level talents |
Confirmation Letter for High Level Foreign Talents |
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C |
Issued to Crew member |
Guarantee Letter from transport company |
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X1 |
Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of more than 180 days. |
1.Original and photocopy of the Admission Letter issued by a school or other entities in China. 2. Original and photocopy of ”Visa Application for Study in China” (Form JW201 or Form JW202). |
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X2 |
Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of no more than 180 days. |
Original and photocopy ofAdmission Notice issued by a school or other entities in China. |
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D |
Issued to those who intend to reside in China permanently. |
The original and photocopy of the Confirmation Form for Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Status |
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G |
Issued to those who intend to transit throughChina. |
An onward air (train or ship) ticket with confirmed date and seat to the destination country or region. |
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J1/J2 visa should refer to the requirements of the competent authority |
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2. Who do not need to apply for a new visa
1)Foreign nationals who subject to mutual visa exemption agreements, or 2)holding valid APEC Business Travel Cards (Virtual ABTC excepted), 3)all kinds of valid residence permits, 4)valid foreign permanent resident permit ID card, or 5)under the 24-hour Transit Visa Exemption Program are allowed to enter the Mainland of China with no need to apply for new visas.
Please note:
*The United States and Canada are transitional members of the APEC travel card program, and the APEC business travel cards issued by the United States and Canada do not have visa functions, and visas are required to go to China.
*Please contact the immigration inspection agencies of the intended destination for the application of the 72 and 144-hour Transit Visa Exemption Program.
3.Visa applications should be submitted in accordance with the consular jurisdiction of Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the United States(Link to consular jurisdiction map). Please log on to the website of the corresponding Embassy or Consulate-General for specific application steps.
For the visa application steps in the Embassy jurisdiction (including the jurisdiction of the former Houston Consulate-General ), please click the guidance.
Annex 1 Important Tips for online COVA visa form filling
(1) Please carefully read the prompts and requirements of the COVA form system, and complete the entries of the visa application COVA online form step by step, making sure that the information is true, accurate and complete. Please note: Once the application form has been submitted, it cannot be modified in any way.
(2) The“location“option for submitting the visa application should be in line with the consular jurisdiction.
(3) Basic personal information. Surname, given names, gender, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport type, etc. must be exactly the same as those on the passport information page, otherwise your visa application will be returned.
(4) If you were born in China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), please note:
1. Application form 1.1E The native language name must be entered in Chinese with the Chinese character input method, please do not fill in “Chinese”, “Chinese”, etc.
2. In the application form 1.6G, select “Yes” for “former nationality”, and then select the nationality information.
3. Item 1.6H of the application form is required. If the applicant is applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, this entry will be automatically generated during the form filling process; but if the applicant has previously applied for a Chinese visa, this entry will not be displayed when filling in the online form, and the form must be printed out and supplemented by hand-written Chinese name and other information. This Item cannot be empty.
(5) Completely fill in the work experience and educational background
1. Please fill in the complete work experience after graduation from school.
2. The “position” and “duty” of the application form 3.3D and 3.3E must be filled in completely.
3. Please fill in the complete learning experience since high school in 4.2, and the diploma/degree and major in 4.2C and 4.2D must be completed.
(6) Completely fill in each address
The address of the spouse in 5.5A of the application form, and the addresses of the parents in 5.5B and 5.5C must fill in the address of the current location, not the address of the place of birth. The address must be filled in completely, including street, city, state, and country.
(7) If you choose “not applicable” for any entry in the form, you need to state the reason for “not applicable”.
(8) Printing and signing. After completing the COVA online form filling, you must print out a full set of application forms, including the “Confirmation of Online Visa application” and “Visa Application Form of the People’s Republic of China” (depending on the individual filling situation, a total of 9 to 10 pages will be generated). All the pages of the forms must be printed to turn in, the signature and date on the Confirmation Page and the 8th page of Visa Application Form of the People’s Republic of China must be handwritten by the applicant him/herself. Visa applicant under the age of 18 is signed by their guardian, and meanwhile add a handwritten signature in the “For person filling in the application on the applicant’s behalf”.
Annex 2 Contents of S1, S2, Q1, Q2 Visa Invitation Letter
Inviter’s name XX, gender X, date of birth: XX, Chinese ID number XXX (or foreign passport number XX, Chinese permanent residence card number XX), current address in China is XX, contact phone number XX, email XX.
I hereby invite the following relatives to visit China for a short-term visit/long-term residence. He/She plans to go to China on XX, and stay in China for XX days.
Invitee information: name XX, gender X, date of birth XX, nationality XX, passport number XX, and the relative relationship with the inviter is XX.
Inviter’s signature: Date:
Annex 3 Contents of M and F Visa Invitation Letter
(1) Personal information of the invitee: name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.
(2) Information about the invitee’s visit to China: reason for coming to China, date of arrival and departure, place of visit, relationship with the inviting unit or inviter, who will pay for the travel, etc.
(3) Inviting party information: inviting party name, address, telephone number, official seal, legal representative or inviter’s signature, date, etc. (the information must be included in the text of the invitation letter)
Annex 4 Where You Stay Form (Download)
Please note: According to the visa application requirements, if the applicant is not in the United States, he cannot apply for a visa to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General in the United States.)