Contents
Part 1. Visa Category
Part 2. Visa Application Processes
Part 3. Supporting Documents Based on Visa Category
Part 4 . Special Reminder
Part 1. Visa Category
Visa Types
Description
Issued to foreign crew members of international aircraft, trains and ships, or motor vehicle drivers engaged in cross-border transport activities, or to the accompanying family members of crew of the above-mentioned ships.
Issued to those who intend to reside in China permanently.
Issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other activities.
Issued to those who intend to transit through China.
Issued to resident foreign journalists of foreign news organizations stationed in China. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.
Issued to foreign journalists who intend to go to China for short-term news coverage. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days.
Issued to those who intend to go to China as a tourist.
Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities.
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.
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.
I ssued to those who are high-level talents or whose skills are urgently needed in China.
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.
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.
Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of more than 180 days.
Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of no more than 180 days.
Issued to those who intend to work in China.
Part 2 . Visa Application Processes
1. Complete Visa Application Form Online
Please complete China Online Visa Application Form on the China Online Visa Application website ( cova.mfa.gov.cn ). Print out all pages of Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China and Confirmation of Online Visa Application which generated automatically.
1) Your application will be declined, or you can be refused entry permission to China if you provided inaccurate, false, or misleading information.
2) You need to upload an ID photo of yourself, and it must meet the visa photo requirement. Your application will be declined if you uploaded a photo of someone else.
3) Applicants must sign on the Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China and Confirmation of Online Visa Application.
2. Submit application in person
After completing the online application, applicants need to submit the following documents to the Chinese Embassy in person.
1) Visa Application Form and Confirmation Form of Online Visa Application.
2) Passport . Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, and a photocopy of bio-data page of the passport.
3) Photo . Must be a recent coloured ID photo, facing forward and with white coloured background, and bareheaded.
4)Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to non-Samoa passport holders applying for Chinese visa in Samoa).
5)Original and photocopy of previous Chinese passport and photocopy of naturalization certificate (applicable to applicant who was of Chinese nationality and this is the first time to apply for Chinese visa after naturalization in a foreign country). If the name on the current passport differs from that on the previous one, an official document of name change is required.
6)For children born in Samoa with Samoa Citizenship and Chinese descent applying for Chinese visa for the first time, applicants shall also submit the original and photocopy of birth certificate, the photocopy of parents’ passports and permanent residence permits.
7)Original or photocopy of supporting documents. (Please refer to Part 3)
3. Biometric collection
Applicants are required to have biometric information collected when submitting application at the Embassy.
The following applicants are exempted from collecting fingerprints:
1) Applicants who under the age of 14 or over 70.
2) Diplomatic passport holders, or applicants who are eligible for diplomatic, official and courtesy visas.
3) Applicants holding the same passport with fingerprints collected within 5 years. (The exemption will only be granted when the biometric sticker visa is still identifiable)
4) Applicants with all ten fingers mutilated or all ten fingerprints unable to collect;
5) Between 10 August and 31 December 2024, eligible applicants applying for single or double-entry visas under the categories of business, tourism, short-term family visit, transit, and crew membership are exempt from the fingerprint collection requirement.
4 . Payment and Pick-up
Applicant should proceed to an ANZ Bank counter with the Pickup Form issued by the Embassy, deposit the fee into the Embassy's bank account in accordance with the fee indicated on the Pickup Form, and fill in the Pickup Number in the reference field.
Once the payment is successful, applicant can collect visa from the Embassy on the date specified on the Pickup Form with the original Pickup Form and the Bank Payment Receipt.
Part 3 . Supporting Documents Based on Visa Category
C-Visa
A letter of guarantee issued by a foreign transport company or an invitation letter issued by a relevant entity in China.
D-Visa
The original and photocopy of the Confirmation Form for Foreigners Permanent Residence Status issued by the Ministry of Public Security of China.
F-Visa
An invitation letter issued by a relevant entity or individual in China. The invitation should contain:
1) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.).
2) Information on the planned visit (the 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).
3) Information on the inviting entity or individual (name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, a signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual).
G-Visa
An onward air (train or ship) ticket with confirmed date to the destination country or region.
J1 /J2 -Visa should refer to the requirements of the competent authority.
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. For invitation letters issued by individual, photocopies of Chinese ID (front and back) of the inviting person must be included. The invitation letter should contain:
1) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, 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, a signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual).
M-Visa
Documents on the commercial activity issued by a trade partner in China, or trade fair invitation or other invitation letters issued by a relevant entity. The invitation letter should contain:
1) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.).
2) Information on the planned visit (the purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, relations between the applicant and the inviting entity, financial source for expenditures).
3) Information on the inviting entity or individual (name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, a signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual).
Q1-Visa
For family reunion, the following documents are required:
(1) An invitation letter issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with Chinese permanent residence permit who lives in China. The invitation letter should contain:
1)Information of the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.).
2)Information on the visit (the purpose of visit, intended arrival date, place(s) of intended residence, intended duration of residence, relations between the applicant and the inviting individual, financial source for expenditures).
3)Information on the inviting individual (name, contact telephone number, address, a signature of the inviting individual, etc.).
(2) Photocopies of both sides of Chinese ID of the inviting individual or foreign passport and permanent 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 family members between the applicant and inviting individual.
"Family members" refers to spouses, parents, parents-in-law, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons and granddaughters.
For foster care, the following documents are required:
(1) Foster entrustment notarisation issued by Chinese Embassies/Consulates General in foreign countries or Foster Care Power of Attorney notarized and authenticated in the country of residence or in China.
(2) Original and photocopy of the consignor's passport(s), as well as the 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 between parents or guardians and children.
(3) A letter of consent on foster care issued by the trustee living in China who has agreed to provide foster care services and a photocopy of the ID of the trustee.
(4) A photocopy of the certificate indicating the permanent residence status abroad of the parent(s) when the child was born, provided that either or both parents of the child are Chinese citizens.
Q2-Visa
(1) An invitation letter issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent residence permit who lives in China. The invitation letter should contain:
1)Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.).
2)Information on the visit (the purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, relations between the applicant and the inviting individual, financial source for expenditures).
3)Information on the inviting individual (name, contact number, address, signature etc.).
(2) Photocopies of both sides of Chinese ID or foreign passport and permanent residence permit of the inviting individual.
R-Visa
A photocopy of Confirmation Letter for High Level Foreign Talents.
S1-Visa
(1) An invitation letter from the inviting individual (a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies) which contains:
1)Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.).
2)Information on the visit (the purpose of visit, intended arrival date, place(s) of intended residence, intended duration of residence, relations between the applicant and the inviting individual, financial source for expenditures, etc.).
3)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, or notarized certification of kinship) showing the relationship of immediate family members between applicants and inviting individual.
"Immediate family members" refers to spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 and parents-in-law.
S2-Visa
For visiting family members for a short period , the following documents are required:
(1) An invitation letter from the inviting individual (a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies) which contains:
1)Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.).
2)Information on the visit (the 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.).
3)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) 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.
"Family members" refers to spouses, parents, parents-in-law, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters.
For private affairs, documentation identifying the nature of the private affairs should be provided as required by the consular officer.
X1-Visa
1) Original and photocopy of the Admission Letter issued by a school or other entities in China.
2) Original and photocopy of "Confirmation Form for Study in China" (Form JW201 or Form JW202).
X2-Visa
Original and photocopy of Admission Notice issued by a school or other entities in China.
Z-Visa
Notice for the Work Permit for Foreigners
Part 4 . Special Reminder
(1) The invitation letter may be in the form of fax, photocopy or computer printout, but the consular officer may require the applicant to submit the original of the invitation letter.
(2) If necessary, the consular officer may require the applicant to provide other proof documents or supplementary materials, or require an interview with the applicant.
(3) The consular officer will decide on whether or not to issue the visa and on its validity, duration of stay and number of entries in light of specific conditions of the applicant.