Tourist Visa Requirements

The tourism visa requires your passport to be valid for at least 6 months and it must have at least two blank pages. You must also have an invitation letter from a china travel agency or an individual or round-trip tickets and a hotel booking.

​

Passport

You must provide your actual signed passport, including one copy of the personal information page of your passport. Your passport must:

• Be valid for six months beyond the length of your requested visa (for example, if you are requesting a 12 month visa your passport must be valid for 18 months )

If your passport has less than 1-year validity remaining, you must provide a signed letter stating you are aware that the consulate will not grant a visa greater than 6 months validity. Your passport must have at least 6 months validity remaining upon entry into the country.

• Have at least one blank visa page (amendments and endorsement pages cannot be used to fulfill this requirement)

• Not be frayed, torn, separating, or altered in any other way

​

Photograph(s)

The Chinese Consulate requires a photograph that meets very strict requirements. We strongly recommend that you submit your photograph electronically to China Visa Service Center so we can ensure it meets the stringent characteristics mandated by the Chinese Consulate. 

All electronic photo submissions must be taken within the last six months against an all-white background. It must show a full frontal view of your head, face centered in the middle, the tops of your shoulders, and display a neutral (non-smiling) expression with eyes open, mouth closed, and ears visible. No background light or shadows are permitted. You may not wear eyeglasses, jewelry, or headwear except for religious purposes. Do not wear a white shirt. 

Should you elect to submit an actual photograph then it must meet all of the above criteria and:

• Be exactly 48 mm tall by 33 mm wide 

• Be printed on high-quality photo paper

• Not be affixed to your application, with no evidence of adhesive tape or staples

Note that most passport photo vendors produce photos that are 2 inches by 2 inches and are not acceptable. China Visa Service Center cannot submit applications with incorrectly formatted photographs.

• You may not wear jewelry in your photograph.

• Both ears must be showing in the photograph.

​

Copy of Passport Bio Page

You must provide a copy of your passport bio information page.

​

Letter of Invitation

To fulfill the Tourist visa invite requirement, you must select one of the following options:

• A copy of your round trip airline ticket and hotel reservation, or

• Itinerary and Airline Confirmation: A copy of your day by day cruise itinerary or if on a tour, your tour itinerary including hotel information for each day. In addition you must provide a copy of your confirmed airline reservations showing all segments of your flights from state of residence in the US to China and returning to the US to your state of residence. Your itinerary and flight information must include your full name as it appears on your passport, or 

• A copy of an official letter of invitation from a governmental agency or individual sponsor. The letter must be original if obtained from a governmental agency.  If you obtain a letter of invitation from an individual sponsor in China, the invitation must include the following:

  • Your name, gender, date of birth

  • Purpose of applicant's visit

  • Date of arrival and departure

  • Places to visit, specific names of cities required

  • Details of your flight itinerary and hotel reservation

  • State who will bear the cost of the applicant's lodging while in China

  • Information on the sponsor: name of the unit, phone number, address, copy of both the sponsor's passport AND ID

  • Have company or organizations seal/stamp

  • The signature of the sponsor and the date

If your invitation is from a non-governmental sponsor your letter must include your job title/occupation, passport number with issue and expiration date. The relationship of the applicant and sponsor must also be stated. If the individual inviting you is in China on a work permit then you must provide a copy of the inviter's residence permit

The invitation may be a copy, fax, or printout but the Consular office may request the original.

To fulfill the Tourist Invitation requirement, you must provide:

• A copy of the enclosed China Visa Service Center tour itinerary. Write your full name as it appears on your passport at the top of the first page.

• A copy of your round trip airline ticket

To fulfill this requirement, please provide a copy of your roundtrip airline ticket as well as a formal cruise itinerary showing your entry and exit dates into China. This itinerary must include your full name as it appears on your passport. If you are doing any pre- or post-cruise stays in China, please include a hotel confirmation that covers all dates of your stay in China.

​

Visa Application Form

One fully completed and signed visa application form.  The application must:

• Be completed online

• Include answers for all required fields

• List the name of the traveler exactly as it is written in the passport

• Be printed single-sided

• Be dated and signed in blue or black ink

• Be enclosed with all other documents in your visa application kit

• Have your signature on the declaration confirmation page, as well as in section 9.1A

​

Proof of State Residency

You must provide a proof of your current address of residency. The document must either be a copy of the front and back of your driver's license or government ID, or a utility bill. The document must:

• Display your name as it appears on your passport

• Display the current residence address as provided on your visa application

Please note, if you must submit a utility bill the consulate requires electric, gas, or a water bill; phone and cable bills are not accepted.

​

​

Former PRC Nationals or Individuals Born in Chinese Territories

If you are a former PRC passport holder or were born in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macau:

• You must write your name in Chinese characters for question 1.6H on the visa application form

• You must present copies of any previously issued China visas in your current or expired passport, as well as the expired passport

• If you have never been issued a China visa you must submit your original passport and birth certificate showing your name in Chinese characters

• If you are a minor who was adopted from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macau you must also include your original adoption papers and a copy of them as well

• If applicable, include a copy of your naturalization papers and U.S. birth certificate.

• The Chinese Consulate may request an additional form for first time visa applicants.

​

​

Travel to Hong Kong or Macau

Visiting Hong Kong or Macau is considered leaving China. You must obtain a multiple entry visa if you leave Mainland China to visit Hong Kong and Macau with the intention to re-enter the mainland before finally departing from China.

​

Travel to Tibet

If your itinerary includes Tibet, travel to the region of Tibet requires a permit.  This permit is mandatory and will be secured by your tour operator on your behalf. The requirements and instructions in this application kit are intended to guide you through the process to secure your China visa only.

​

​

Hotel Confirmation

An official hotel confirmation letter is required. The letter must:

• Be on an official hotel letterhead

• Display the full hotel address

• Include the dates of stay

If you will be staying in multiple hotels during the course of your stay, then you must provide the confirmation letters from all hotels that you will be staying at in China.

​

Children 18 and Under

All minors under the age of 18 traveling to China must:

• Provide a copy and an original of their birth certificate

• Provide a copy of both parents' driver's licenses or state IDs (if the minor does not have a state ID)

• Provide a copy and an original of both parents' passports

• Provide a copy and an original of the parents' proof of U.S. residency status (if not U.S. citizens)

• Provide a notarized letter of consent from both parents (if the parents are not accompanying the minor on the trip) that states the child has permission to travel. 

• On page 4 of the application, both parents must complete and sign sections 4 and 5.

• Above the signature at section 4.3 the parents must write the minor's name as it appears on the passport.

​

Previous Visas

If you have visited China before, you must provide copies of previous China visas. You must submit an the actual passport if holding a valid China visa. If you do not have copies, then you must provide a letter of explanation.

​

First-Time Applicants

If you are a first-time applicant who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, please provide a copy of your naturalization certificate.
 

​