How to Obtain a Chinese Visa

Mainland China is becoming a more popular tourist destination for the outdoor enthusiast. Foreign visitors to China are required to obtain a travel visa for the country for any visits to the mainland and outlying islands with the exception of trips to Hong Kong. You can visit Hong Kong for up to three months without obtaining permission via a visa. Applying for a Chinese visa is best done through the closest Chinese consulate in your country if it has multiple offices.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Valid passport
Valid passport

Step 1

Ensure your passport is valid for a period greater than six months after your airline ticket departure date. You will not be able to obtain a Chinese visa without airline tickets confirming your travel dates, and the Chinese government will only issue a visa to the expiration date of your passport. If your passport expires within six months of your planned return from your trip, you will need to file an accelerated American passport renewal through the U.S. postal service before proceeding with your visa application.

Step 2

Verify that you have a minimum of one completely blank page in your passport for the Chinese visa stamp. The Chinese government will not provide you a visa stamp for the passport without a full, blank page. If you do not have a full, blank page available in your passport from your past travels, you will need to apply for a new passport before applying for the Chinese tourist visa.

Step 3

Download the Chinese visa application from the Chinese embassy website listed in the resources section of this article. If you leave any blank sections on the form, the Chinese government will reject your visa application. If you are staying with friends or family in mainland China during your stay, they will be required to write a letter for you to include with the visa application stating that you are their guest.

Step 4

Download the Chinese visa application from the Chinese embassy website listed in the resources section of this article. If you leave any blank sections on the form, the Chinese government will reject your Visa application. If you are staying with friends or family in mainland China during your stay, they will be required to write a letter for you to include with the visa application stating that you are their guest.

Step 5

Verify that your visa application is completely filled out before mailing to the Chinese consulate. They will reject visa applications for any accidental omissions such as failing to sign your application. If you are time constrained, you can deliver you visa application in person to the Chinese consulate and pay the rush fee. This will ensure your request is processed within two to three business days.

Resources

Article Written By Jackson Lewis

Based in Memphis, Jackson Lewis has been writing on technology-related material for 10 years with a recent emphasis on golf and other sports. He has been freelance writing for Demand Media since 2008. Lewis holds a Master of Science in computer science from the United States Naval Postgraduate School.

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