FXZL - Up-to-date visa Information for China

How to... use this website

2015-01-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

This website features comprehensive How-to instructions for different visa types and how to get supporting documents. A list of all guides can be found in the left-hand column. For questions which are not answered in any of the posts, please use the "Ask a question" page.

If you don't know what visa you should apply for in the first place, here's a very short guide:

You come to China as a tourist for up to three months? You should apply for a tourist or L visa, even if during your stay you visit a trade fair or meet a client. Have a look at "How to get a tourist visa" if you're staying at a hotel, and an additional peak into "How to... get a private invitation letter for a tourist (L) visa" if you're staying at a friend's or family member's house. L visa are usually issued for 30 days and may be extended in China if you can prove you have sufficient funds to stay.

You come to China on a business trip - that is, a temporary project with a China-based company that invites you? If this company has the right to invite foreigners, they might want to have a look at "How to... get an invitation letter for a business (F) visa" and you at "How to... get a business (F) visa". Depending on your position, the company size and some other factors business visas are issued for a period between 30 days and 12 months. Recently, F visas have been extremely hard to get so you might want to have an alternative option prepared!

You come to China to work, be it for an internship, a long term position, a Chinese or a foreign company? The Z visa which will grant you the right to a residence permit is your friend. Getting it is a tough and long procedure, but absolutely worth the hassle. The residence permit gives you a completely legal status in China, allows you to buy a house, pass the driving license and many more benefits. Have a look at "How to... get a Z visa" to get familiar with the procedure which requires a lot of help from your employer, you undergoing a health check and, at times, a dedicated agency. Residence permits have a standard duration of ne year and can be extended pretty easily.

You come to China to study with an official university or school? They will provide you with all the documents you need to apply for a study (X) visa. Like the Z visa, it is subsequently changed into a residence permit (still time to get that Chinese driving license!).

In all of the above situations, once arrived in China, you will have to register with your local police station within 24 hours of your arrival. Don't take this responsibility lightly!

You cannot find your situation in any of the above descriptions?

You work here, but your company is too small or can for other reasons not apply for a work permit / Z visa for you?
Your internship is so short you reckon applying for a year-long Z visa is not worth the hassle?
You're self-employed, but cannot set up your own company?
You study, but your school cannot provide the official university documents for you to apply for an X visa?

Right now, these are some of the grey areas where your situation may require a longer stay in China, but you cannot get the visa which was intended for your situation.

In the past, agents were able to provide invitation letters for long term F visa, issued by no name companies, for small amounts of money. Nowadays, getting one of these precious letters is rather difficult, and even if they're issued, they are often only good for a 30 days F visa. To extend their stay in China to a maximum amount of time, many people resort to kits made of multiple extensions of visas issued in Hong Kong. The current situation is that short term F and L visas are still being issued in the Special Administrative Region, but while 30 day L visa are pretty straightforward to get (see here for details), 60 or even 90 days (be it L or F) uninterrupted stay in China are quite hard to achieve.

(Jan 9th, 2009) Attention: Please note that the conversion from L/X/Z to F visas is currently NOT POSSIBLE in Beijing through any agency! We still have to find out if this measure is temporary or permanent.

Agencies can help you with this process, but be aware that policies change quickly and call them before you go! It is also possible to apply for L visas in other countries surrounding China - recent positive experiences have been reported from Seoul, Delhi and Bangkok.

Currently, tourist visas can be extended twice in Beijing, up to a total duration of stay of 90 days. Check here for details!

Ask a question

2008-07-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

Dear visitors,

for professional reasons, I am currently living in India, which makes me unable to follow the latest visa regulations in China and answer your questions regularly. Please refer to the visa section of thebeijinger where you can post your inquiries.

Thanks!

You've read all relevant posts and are still clueless about which rules apply to your specific situation?

This page is there for questions of any kind concerning your visa application. You can post your questions as comments; I will try to answer them as quickly as possible but please don't forget you might be in a different time zone and I won't be online a lot on weekends.

For comments on specific blog entries (which don't require an answer from my side), you are welcome to post them directly on the pages.

If you have comments or questions about this site in general, please use the "Contact" button.

Thanks!

How to... understand your visa

2008-07-07T23:27:00.000-07:00

A Chinese visa consists of different factors, and some of them might confuse people when it comes to validity of their document. We will first have a quick look at what the numbers on your visa mean and then explore some "What if...?" scenarios that will help you understand their meaning. In the following explanations, I am referring to L (tourist) and F (business) visas. Slightly different rules apply to X (student) and Z (work) visas because they are changed into residence permits upon arrival in China.

(Click to enlarge)

The "Number of entries" refer to the number of times the visa holder is allowed to enter China before the "enter before" date. In case your visa has single or double entry, the entry/ies will be crossed out by the Immigrations Officer when you arrive in China. If you get a single entry visa in China, you can therefore leave the country and come back once - the mere fact that the visa was issued in China does not make your entry invalid. Traveling on a visa with no valid entry left results in refusal of entry at the border.

The "Enter before" date on your visa is pretty much self-explanatory - you have to use up all your available entries before or on that date. This date is often referred to as validity of your visa, which some may find misleading. What is important to know is that you can still stay in China after the "enter before" date if you don't exceed the duration of your stay.

The "Duration of stay" refers to the maximum days visa holder is allowed to stay in China each time, counted from and including the date of entry. Even if you arrive in China at eleven in the evening or leave the country at 01.00am, both will count as full China days.

Q: What if... my enter before date is August 20th and my duration of stay is 30 days, and I want to enter China on August 15th and stay for a month?

A: Even if your date of exit is beyond the "enter before" date, you can use up your full thirty days as long as you enter the country before that date.

Q: What if... I have a double or multiple entry visa and extend it in China? Will I still have as many entries left?

A: When you extend your visa, you are technically always issued a new document. In most cases, this new visa will either have zero or one entry.

Q: What if... I overstay my visa?

A: Overstaying your visa is not a petty crime in China. You will be fined 500 RMB for each day you overstay, up to a total amount of 5000 RMB. Even if you need only one or two more days, go talk to the PSB and see if you can extend with them.

Q: What if... I have to renew my passport?

A: When you renew your passport, you will usually take it to your embassy which will cut a corner of your old passport. Take that (now invalid) passport and the new one to the PSB within ten days from the issue date of your new passport and ask them to transfer your visa.

Sometimes, when you pick the new passport up from the embassy, the issue date will already be more than 10 days ago. In that case, you will need to ask your embassy to certify the date you picked up your new passport; otherwise, the Chinese authorities will not transfer your visa.

Downloads

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Example of an F visa invitation letter

The official invitation letter which you need to get an F visa. Note it has been chopped by a Chinese ministry and clearly indicates where the application for the F visa should take place.

Health Check Form for Foreigners

In case you need to pass the Health Check abroad, take this form to the hospital recommended by the Chinese Embassy in your country. You do not need to bring the form if you do the Health Check in China!

Personal invitation letter form

This is the form you need when you apply for a tourist visa and are not staying at a hotel, but at a friends' or family member's place. Please note that some countries won't allow you to use a personal invitation unless you are direct family of the person inviting you. The form can be filled out on screen. Please note you'll have to provide additional documents - check this post for details!

Hotel booking confirmation template

This is how the hotel booking confirmation should look like when you apply for a tourist or business visa. It has to cover the complete duration of your stay!

PSB Info: How to extend your L visa (page 1)

PSB Info: How to extend your L visa (page 2)

This is the PSB's leaflet on how to extend tourist visas in Beijing, published in May 2008.

Visa application form

The general visa application form for all visa types, for English speaking applicants.

Visa Links

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Rare, but official information about news and legal changes can be found at

Beijing Public Security Bureau (the authority that extends visa and will define policies to ensure public security)
Commissioner's Office in Wanchai, Hong Kong (the visa issuing office in Hong Kong)
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Remarks (updated quite regularly, concerning all kinds of questions raised by all kinds of journalists)

Agencies and service providers are often directly affected, and some of them work hard to keep their clients up to date:

LEEO (a Beijing based agency)
Visaexpress China Page (the Berlin based agency with tremendously good guanxi to the embassy - in German)
CIBT Visum Centrale (Present in 4 German cities - in German)

Often, discussion forums are the best place to find recent experiences, inquire about specific situations or search for people with similar cases:

Thebeijinger Forum - Visa section
Shanghai Expat
Guide to getting your Z visa (also on Shanghai Expat)

Other websites that keep track of recent developments include:

If there are any other websites you know are helpful with visa issues and should be added to this list, let me know!

About Me

2008-07-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

Being a moderator of multiple discussion boards for Chinese visa as well as an employee of a company that frequently deals with visas for foreigners, I've been monitoring developments in visa policies and assembling success and failure stories over the past troubled months.

Instead of speculating on the why and how, this blog concentrates on what current regulations are, how they are being enforced and what the best way is to successfully arrange your stay in China.

If you have questions about specific visa types, you're welcome to use the "Ask a Question" page ; for questions or comments concerning this site in general, drop me a mail!

Nadine

Disclaimer

As Chinese visa rules are changing at the speed of light and it is close to impossible to find official press releases, I cannot guarantee for the validity of the information collected on this site.

I will do my best to keep it up to date but advise any visa applicant to get in touch with the relevant Chinese authorities to inquire about her/his specific case and the rules which might apply.

All How-to guides

2008-07-06T23:04:00.001-07:00

How to... choose the right visa

How to... get a tourist (L) visa

How to... get a business (F) visa

How to... understand your visa

How to... extend my visa in Beijing

How to... get an invitation letter for a business visa

How to... get a private invitation letter for a tourist visa

How to... get a new visa in Hong Kong

How to... find a reliable visa agency in Hong Kong

How to... get a Z visa

How to... get a health check in Beijing

How to... register with your local police station

How to... register with your local police station

2008-06-26T01:07:00.000-07:00

Foreigners in China need to register with their local police station. While this won't apply to most tourists as hotels automatically register them upon check-in, it is crucial to register yourself if you're staying at private accomodation or live here permanently, within 24 hours upon your arrival in China.

There are local police stations or 派出所 (pàichūsuo) all over the country; if you ask anyone on the street I'm sure they can point you to the nearest one.

If you rent an apartment, this is what you'll need to take along:

your passport
the lease contract with your name on it
your landlord's contact details
a copy of your landlord's ID card

The final "registration form of temporary residence" should look something like this:

(click to enlarge)

Now, different police stations seem to have very different opinions about what is and what is not necessary when you register with them. Some of them will require that your landlord comes with you to the police station when you register for the first time. Others ask for a letter from your compound management that confirms that you live where you live. Others again might even ask you to provide a statement about tax being paid by your landlord. Some speak some English, some don't; some will need five minutes to print out the registration, some fifty.

Don't let this mess discourage you from registering! It is your responsibility to always be in possession of a valid police registration, and with the Olympics approaching quickly, police check-ups in residential compounds have increased dramatically. Also, in case you ever want to extend your current visa or apply for a new one in China, you will have to provide a copy of your police registration.

A police registration will usually be issued for the same duration as your visa and is strictly tied to it. This means that whenever you extend your visa, get a new one or have it changed (for example from a Z visa to a residence permit), you will need to register again!

There are alsoa number of police stations which will require that you register with them not only when your visa changes, but every time you travel back to China from abroad. Some of them are satisfied if you just give them a quick call; some ask you to drop by saying you're back; and some (very, very rare ones) have even been reported to issue only 30 days registrations that will force you to extend them on a monthly basis. My advice would be to ask your police station what their specific requirements are and hope for the best.

If you don't register in time and are caught, you might face any punishment between a warning, writing of a self-accusing note and a hefty fine of up to 5000 RMB. It's not worth running this risk!

For tourists staying short term at a private accomodation, there is no need to provide any lease agreement. Just ask your host to take you to the nearest station, bring your passport and tell them for how long you're staying, and you should be out of there in no time.

Please also note that by law, you are required to carry your original passport and original police registration with you at any time in China. Police checks are frequent and might occur anywhere. Copies are often not accepted.

How to... get a Z visa

2008-06-25T02:57:00.000-07:00

The Z visa is the only legal way to constantly work in China, be it for a Chinese or a foreign company. It's also the appropriate visa if you are a freelancer in China, while you have to understand that such thing as freelancing doesn't really exist - you'll have to set up a (albeit one man) company and appoint yourself as its boss.

The Z visa constitutes the basis for the residence permit - and this is where confusion starts. When people say they're here on a Z visa they're technically wrong, because a Z visa is issued for only a short period of time which will allow you to change it into a residence permit.

Let's look at the process of getting a Z visa*:

Most people will be in China on another visa and then switch to a Z visa. We will therefore assume you're in China and have decided to pop the question to your employer. He is responsible for applying for a work permit for you and will need to hand in a bunch of documents. Those are:

a) Counterpart of business license of the enterprise (original and one copy)
b) Approval Certificate (copy)
c) “Application for Recruiting Foreign Worker in China” (form provided by agency / employer)
d) The letter of intention for employment (provided by agency / employer)
e) Board resolution and articles of association required for the position of managing director (with company chop)
f) Your personal resume (Chinese Version), original and one translated copy of each diploma and certificate of vocational qualification

(Please note that the authorities will take these qualifications as proof you are sufficiently skilled to fill a position that cannot be filled by a Chinese employee. In practice, this means they will check if you are above the age of 25 and below the age of 60, have a relevant diploma of at least bachelor level, a minimum of two years of relevant work experience and so on. They can be more or less strict on these points but applications will usually be tough if your degree is less than two years away. For senior technical staff, companies can apply for a "Foreign Expert Certificate" to circumnavigate the 60 years old / university diploma restriction. Rules may also differ between Shanghai and Beijing.)

g) Passport
h) Physical examination record (Health Check)
i) One photocopy
j) Reference letter from your enterprise. Please provide one official letter paper with company chop. The content will be provided by your agency / employer.
k) Working permit request form (provided by agency / employer)

l) Since June 2008, some Chinese provinces have started requesting criminal record certificates from at least some work permit applicants. Requirements seem to differ on provincial levels. More information can be found here:
Criminal Record Certificates to be Required for China Work Visas

The outcome of this process will be the work permit, an A4 green-ish page with your data on it:

(click here to see a PDF example)

Now comes the tricky part: applications for Z visa are only accepted outside of China, which means you will at least need to go to Hong Kong at some point to apply for your visa. In any case, on the invitation letter you take along the location of application should be clearly stated ("Please apply forthwith... at the Embassy in Hong Kong").

The official regulation states that applicants should apply for visas in their home country - so although visas are currently still being issued in Hong Kong, there's always a little risk involved.

The only exception to this rule is when your position in your company is very high - this will usually apply to GMs and Vice GMs only (Chief Representatives of Rep Offices included) , but your firm's capitalization might play a role in this, too. Beijing will usually only accept domestic applications if the applicant is the legal representative mentioned on the company's business license. If this position of yours is clearly stated in all documents you provide for the application, you can apply for your Z visa without leaving China.

To apply for a Z visa abroad, you will need to provide

the original work permit (外国人就业证)
a copy of your health check, but you need to show the original
an original invitation letter from your company, in the same format as an invitation letter you need for an F visa (工作签证邀请信), stating the right location for application for your Z visa
the visa application form with a picture
your passport
you also might have to provide the booking confirmation for your flight to China

The Z visa you'll be issued now alows you to travel to China within a certain period, where the remaining formalities can be taken care of.

Now, you might be in China, but it's not over yet! If you look closely at the visa your got back from the embassy, you'll notice it says "entries: 1; duration of stay: 000 days" (sometimes 030 days). Don't get scared: this does not mean you'll have to turn around and go back home once you set a foot in the PRC. It means this Z visa is just a temporary document that allows you to enter China and apply for a residence permit. After you arrive here, the first thing you should do is register at your local police station. Within 30 days of your arrival, you can then change your Z visa into a residence permit. To do so, you'll need to ask your employer to do the following:

Apply for a Alien Employment Permit in China with
a) your Work Permit
b) One copy of the counterpart of business license of the enterprise
c) your Passport
d) The original of your Physical examination record (Health Check)
e) Two pictures
f) A Copy of your employment contract
g) The Employment Registration of Foreign Workers in China.

When your employer or his agency successfully applied for your alien employment permit, a little red/brownish book:

(click here to enlarge),

you can proceed to switching your Z visa to a residence permit with

a) Your Work Permit

b) The Counterpart of the business license of the enterprise (original and one copy)

c) The Temporary Residence Certificate your got when you first registered with your local police station

d) Your Passport

e) One picture

f) The Visa and Residence permit application form.

What you'll finally get is a red "cancelled" stamp over your Z visa and a brand new sticker in your passport saying "residence permit for foreigner". The residence permit is usually valid for one year and allow you to travel freely from and to China (multiple entries) during its validity.

As you now have a new document in your passport, don't forget you'll have to register with your local police station again! Your new registration will have the same duration of validity as your residence permit. Make sure you don't forget this last step because in case you'll want to extend your visa at some point you will be asked to provide the police registration!

Congratulations!

* Pretty often, confusion arises between the translations of the involved documents, employment permits, work permit, work licenses, invitation letters and so on. There are certain consensus but to be sure it's helpful to have the Chinese translation ready.

So, what I call a

work permit = 外国人就业许可证
working license = 外国人就业证
invitation letter = 工作签证邀请信
business license = 营业执照副本复印件

How to... get a health check in Beijing

2008-06-24T23:23:00.000-07:00

One of the first steps when applying for a Z visa is the obligatory health check. While you can also do it abroad before your first visit to China, it is rather advisable to do it here if the opportunity presents itself.

If you want to do the health check abroad, ask your doctor to fill in this form, add a photo, your ECG, a chest X-ray and a blood exam (HIV and Syphilis), ask to have each page stamped (preferably with a round red chop) and one additional stamp on your picture, and then send the whole package to your employer in China.

Until August 31st, health checks were done at Hepingli hospital. Please be aware that according to a notice at Hepingli, all health checks will be handled at Haidian clinic (see below) from September 1st, 2008!

Haidian Clinic
10, Dezhenglu
Haidian District
Beijing
Tel:82403675; Fax: 58648544

北京国际旅行卫生保健中心
北京市海淀区德正路10号

Opening hours: 08.30-11.00 from Monday to Friday

The closest subway stop from the clinic is 西二旗 (xi'erqi) on line 13. A taxi from there should cost about 13RMB.

(Click here to enlarge map)

After the examinations, go to the reception on the first floor, you can have the certificate either mailed for 30 RMB or pick it up two days later.

One last advice, you can get additional copies of this health certificate for about 30 RMB (and you'll have to bring extra photos, too). Depending on who handles your Z visa process and where you apply, you might need up to three original versions, so if you want to be 100% sure that you won't have to go back, those additional 60RMB are money well spent.

The health check certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue.

How to... find a reliable visa agency in Hong Kong

2008-06-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

Although it's perfectly fine to apply for your visa in person at the Commissioner's Office in Hong Kong, many people prefer to avoid standing in lines all day and use agencies instead to get their new visa from Hong Kong. Agencies often deliver visa applications in bulk and get preferential treatment, which results in you getting your visa faster and, sometimes, without having to provide all documents that are usually necessary to get a visa.

While most travel agents in Hong Kong are able to process visa requests, some of them have been continuously pointed out by forum users and frequent travellers. You might therefore want to try one of them:

Forever Bright trading Ltd
RM 916-917,NEW MANDARIN PLAZA TOWER B,14 SCIENCE MUSEUM RD,
TST EAST, KOWLOON HK.
no bookings required
750hkd (EU passport) 1550hkd (US passport) for a double entry 30 day L
TEL:23693188 FAX:23122989
Website

CTS (China Travel Service)
Tsim Sha Tsui (1/F Alpha House, 27-33 Nathan Road, Tsimshatsu, Kowloon, open 9am-7pm weekdays, 9am-5pm Saturday).
The visa hotline number for the CTS is 852-2315-7188.

R'N'B Travel
no bookings required
2 entry L visa for HK$850
Chunking Mansions on the 2nd floor
tel numbers: +852 27393315, +852 27393389

Japan Travel Agency
Tel:+852 2368 7767
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday 08:30-18:00
* Close on Saturday, Sunday and Public holiday
Address:
Room509-513, 5/F, East Ocean Center,
98 Granville Road,Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Website
(According to a comment I received, it seems that misleading information is posted on JTA's website. It says that they can get you a 3 month (2 entry) visa but this is not true - currently, you can only get a 1 month basic L visa.)

Shoestring Travel
Flat A, 4/F Alpha House, 27 Nathan Road, KLN, HK (Entrance on Peking Road)
Tel: 27232306 Fax: 27212085.
Website

Sunrise International Travel Co., Ltd.
Room 4008,40/F.,China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road,Wanchai, H.K.
TEL:(852) 2890 9698 FAX:(852) 2895 3892
Website

Asia Pacific Travel
right by tsim sha tsui subway station very on the Chung King Mansions side ("deluxe" accommodation for a 100rmb a night)
2739 1680

As regulations change quickly and prices may differ, I suggest you give them a quick call beforehand to make sure your request can be processed.

Recent success stories with different agents in Hong Kong can be found here and here.

How to... get a new visa in Hong Kong

2008-06-24T19:32:00.001-07:00

For many people, being unable to extend their visas in China came quite as a surprise during the last weeks. Faced with the sudden need for a new visa, a short trip to Hong Kong is often the economically most advantageous option. Beware of the traps though! The commissioner's office in Hong Kong has considerably tightened the rules for visa issuance, too.

If you are from one of the following countries, your best choice is to apply for a new visa in your home country, as the Hong Kong visa office is very unlikely to process your request.

Afghanistan / Algeria / Bangladesh / Congo / Egypt / Gambia / Ghana / Guinea / India / Indonesia / Iran / Iraq / Kaiakhstan / Kirghiziani / Libya / Malaysia / Mali / Mauritania / Monaco / Nepal / Nigeria / Pakistan / Philippines / Saudi Arabia / Sierra Leone / South Africa / Sri Lanka / Sudan / Syrian / Tajikistan / Tunisia / Turkey / Uzbekistan

Currently, L and Z visas are issued in Hong Kong to all other nationalities, but things change on a daily basis and you'll have to make sure you can extend yours by calling before you leave.

To apply for a tourist (L) visa in Hong Kong, you can either go to the Commissioner's Office yourself:

Address
7th Floor, Lower Block, China Resources Building,
No.26, Harbor Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong SAR
Office Hours
Monday to Friday (except Hong Kong public holidays,)
9:00-12:00 14:00-17:00
Website

You will be asked to hand in all documents you usually need to provide for an L visa application.

For those constantly living in China and for some reason not holding a Z visa, getting hotel and flight bookings often proves difficult. One solution to this problem is to go through one of the many experienced travel and visa agencies in Hong Kong; most of them will take care of all the bookings and deliver a hassle-free visa.

Please be aware that you will most likely only get a 30 days tourist visa for the time being. This can, according to current regulations, be extended twice in China, up to a total duration of stay of 90 days.

Concerning Z visas from Hong Kong, the official information is that Z visas have to be applied for in your respective home country. However, over the past weeks, no applicant with all necessary documents was rejected and we have reason to hope the situation will remain stable.

It is also possible to get visa in other adjacent countries, the most popular ones being Vietnam, India and Thailand. However, embassies might be less experienced in dealing with third country applicants, so please make sure you call ahead before getting stuck. Recently, the Chinese embassy in Korea stated that only applicants with Korean residence permits will be accepted!

How to... get a private invitation letter for a tourist (L) visa

2008-06-24T02:28:00.000-07:00

Tourists who wish to stay with friends or relatives in China (as opposed to those staying at a hotel) are sometimes required to hand in additional information about their hosts.

This includes

copy of the hosts' police registration
copy of the hosts' passport
copy of the hosts' visa page
copy of the hosts' employment license
work and private address in English and Chinese
personal invitation letter (click here to download a template)

Chinese embassies in some countries will only allow tourists to stay at private accomodation if they are directly related to the applicant and may, in rare cases, require a proof of kinship.

For tourists staying with friends in China, please note you need to register with the local police station within 24 hours upon your arrival.

How to... get an invitation letter for a business (F) visa

2008-06-24T02:17:00.001-07:00

If your company needs to invite personnel from abroad for short business missions in China, they will have to apply for an invitation letter for the person to come to make sure he or she can get an F visa. For stays under 30 days of duration, and with only one single entry to China, an informal invitation letter is usually sufficient. For longer stays, companies are advised to get an official invitation letter from the local Bureau of Commerce.

The corresponding authority in Beijing is the:

Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce
Service Hall on the first floor, Counter 11, 190 Chaoyangmennei Daijie, Dongcheng District, Beijng
100010
Tel: 010-6522 1696, 010-6523 6688 ext. 2165
Fee: 400 RMB

You can download the application form for invitation letters online at http://eservice.beijing.gov.cn/ (only in Chinese).

After entering details online (the status of the application can be tracked online), pick up your
invitation confirmation at the Bureau of Commerce.

Required documents are:

Print-out of the online application with company stamp and signature of the CEO
Copy of the applicant’s passport (personal information and any previous Chinese visas)
Copy of the inviting company’s business license
Explanation of the reason for traveling to China with a company stamp: detailed company information and travel itinerary (further supporting documents, such as a project plan, contracts, or information about exhibitions to be visited, etc. are preferable)
Further documents that the Bureau might require to process the application

The final result should look something like this:

(Click to enlarge)

If you have a look at the top of the letter it clearly states at which embassy or consulate the applicant should apply for his visa. If you want to apply in Hong Kong, you will need the appropriate invitation letter saying you should apply there!

Please note it's currently pretty difficult to obtain F visa even if a company manages to get an invitation letter from the Bureau of Commerce! Some companies can only issue letters to GMs from abroad, some none at all. Make sure you think about alternative options in case the employee's application is rejected.

How to... extend my visa in Beijing

2008-06-24T02:04:00.001-07:00

(For a good post on How to extend your visa in Shanghai, visit China Travel Net!)

Your safe haven for extensions of L and F visa is the PSB or Exit and Entry Management Section of the Public Security Bureau.*

Concerning the extension of L (tourist) visa, make sure you check the newest regulations mentioned in the PSB leaflet (page 1 and page 2). Please be aware that restrictions have been tightened and most applicants will need to prove they have sufficient funds on their own Chinese bank account (sufficient funds being defined as 100$/day of stay in China or 25.000 RMB for a one month extension). According to current information, tourist visa can be extended twice in Beijing for 30 days, up to a total duration of stay of 90 days. However, stricter rules apply to nationals of other Asian countries, who may only be able to extend theuir visa once for ten days.

When it comes to finding the perfect timing strategy, be advised that as long as your passport lands on a PSB desk the day your visa expires, you're completely fine. Your new visa will automatically be issued from the day you hand your documents in. If you want to be 120% sure, go the day before its expiry so that you can come back in case you forgot a document.

The Exit&Entry Section is located at
2 Andingmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
(southeast of Beixiaojie Bridge)

If you take public transportation, you can take

Bus number 44, 13, 116, 117, 807 to Beixiaojie Huokou or

Subway Line Number 2 to Lama Temple (Yonghegong) station.

If you're going by taxi, you might want to print out their Chinese address:

公安局出入境管理处

东城区安定门东大街2号（北小街桥东南）

(If your computer cannot display Chinese characters, you can download a jpeg with the address here and print it out)

Click here for a map in Chinese!

A normal extension should take about five working days, but do not forget to consider potential public holidays.

If you need to travel within China while your passport is at the PSB, you can do so with the receipt slip (or "domestic travel authorization") they give you when you hand in your documents. However, be advised that especially in smaller Chinese cities this may lead to confusion at the airport, resulting in longer processing times. I therefore advice you to be at the airport a bit earlier and bring your alien employment permit if you have one.

Travelling outside of China, including to Hong Kong, is not possible without your passport.

The PSB's phone numbers are
(0086 10) 84020101 for the information desk;
(0086 10) 84015316 for the general customer service line.

* Small linguistic remark: there is actually no such thing as a visa extension in the strict sense of the word. When you apply for a longer stay in China and get it granted, you will always have your old visa cancelled and a new visa put into your passport.

How to... get a business (F) visa

2008-06-24T01:44:00.000-07:00

(Apr 20th, 2009) F visas for Beijing are only issued with a duration until September 30th, 2009. This new regulation seems to be related to China's October Celebrations.

(Feb 12th, 2009) L to F conversions are back in the 'Jing, but for maximum 6 months F visa with double entry.

(Jan 9th, 2009) Attention: Please note that the conversion from L/X/Z to F visas is currently NOT POSSIBLE in Beijing through any agency! We still have to find out if this measure is temporary or permanent.

F visas used to be the hassle-free option for business travellers and self-employed expats but are now a lot harder to obtain. You can apply for them abroad or in China and will need to hand in

Flight bookings
Stamped (chopped) hotel reservation OR
Proof of residence in China (lease contract for own apartment), although only very few embassies will accept this
Original invitation letter from a relevant department of the Chinese government, company or institution, under the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China

While in the good old days nearly any invitation letter was accepted, it seems now that very specific requirements need to be met, at least for stays over 30 days duration and/or with multiple entries. Click here to see an example of an official invitation letter. For shorter stays with one only entry to China needed, an informal letter from your company will usually do the trick.

Read my "How to... get an invitation letter for a business visa" post to find out how a company can apply for an official invitation letter.

F visas can sometimes be extended in China if the following situation occurs:

you currently hold an F visa which you got outside of China
you still have a copy of this invitation letter, which needs to have the official format
you can provide the business license of the company inviting you.

In that case, you can take the copy of the original invitation letter and your current visa to the PSB and ask to extend it; however, the duration of the extension will be decided by the officer.
In case your company is unable to get the officially approved invitation letter, you might also want to contact one of China's many visa agencies. They can usually provide 6 and 12 months F visas to people who are already in China.

How to... get a tourist (L) visa

2008-06-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

Tourist visas are issued in Chinese embassies and consulates abroad and may be extended within China. To apply for a tourist visa, most Chinese embassies will only ask you for a completed visa application form and passport-sized pictures. However, some nationals, espcially those from Asian countries, might face tighter requirements and may need to provide

Outbound and return flight booking within the time the visa is applied for (that means that even if you plan to extend your visa in China, you still need to provide a flight within your original visa period).

Stamped (chopped) hotel reservation for the complete duration of stay. In case you or your hotel are not entirely sure about what this confirmation should look like, you can download a form here. Only some embassies will accept online bookings.

Alternatively, if you are staying at a relative's house, proof of kinship (marriage / birth certificate) and copies of his/her passport, visa, residence permit and police registration along with a personal invitation letter (see "How to... get a personal invitation letter") need to be provided. Please note that currently in some embassies, applications for tourist visas are only accepted without a hotel booking if the applicant has close relatives in China!

L visas are usually issued for a period of 30, sometimes of 45 or 60 days. They can be extended twice in Beijing (note the current regulations on how to extend L visas in Beijing, page 1 and page 2), which allows most visitors to stay in China for a maximum of 90 days in a row (assuming they started with a 30 days L visa). Extensions are subject to different regulations in other Chinese cities.

It seems that L visa can only be extended once for ten days in Beijing if you're from another Asian country.

However, if you are married to a Chinese national, you are eligible for a 12 months multiple entry L visa if you hand in your marriage certificate with your application (you can also do this in China). Please note that this L visa does not entitle you to work legally.

China Visa - Facts and Fiction

2008-06-24T00:33:00.000-07:00

(I am copying this previous article of mine in here for reference purposes only, exactly like it was published in thebeijinger on May 23rd, 2008)

An enormous amount of confusion currently exists throughout Beijing's expat community in regard to the Chinese government's apparent, but not officially announced, recent tightening of visa policies. The lack of an adequate response from government departments and spokespeople to the increasing demand for clarification of the gap between the existing regulations and commonly observed practices, has only added to the frustration felt by both business people and those hoping to travel to China during the Olympic period. As applications are being handled on a case-by-case basis, it’s almost impossible to make absolute and irrefutable statements about what’s going on, still, patterns have begun to emerge and below I outline what is known and what can be suspected to be the case in regard to the new visa situation.

What we know for sure:

Since mid-April, additional documents need to be provided to obtain L and F visas:

L (tourist) visa: Outbound and return flight booking and stamped (chopped) hotel reservation for the complete duration of stay. If staying at a relative's house, proof of kinship (marriage / birth certificate) and copies of his/her passport, visa, residence permit and police registration need to be provided.

F (business) visa: Flight booking, stamped (chopped) hotel reservation and original invitation letter from a relevant department of the Chinese government, company or institution, under the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

L and F visas are issued for a standard duration of 30 days, single entry, unless flight bookings (e.g. to Hong Kong) are provided to prove double entry is needed. To obtain a visa for a longer duration, a full travel itinerary needs to be provided. The visa application form has been changed to a much more detailed version.

Extensions of F visa in China are only possible until June 30th, 2008. Interns and short-term project workers are required to apply for a Z visa if an uninterrupted stay in China is required.

The possibility of visa applications in Hong Kong has been severely reduced. Although some 30 days L and F and some Z visas still seem to be issued, the Visa office in Hong Kong requests all foreign passport holders that do not have a Hong Kong residence permit to apply for visas in their respective home country. Expect longer queues and processing times of up to five days. Visa applications in other Asian countries seem to be just as difficult. A list of 33 countries (a list can be found here) whose nationals need to apply for visa in their respective home country has been published; however, restrictions also seem to apply to other nationals.

Z visa extensions, new Z visas and spouse visas have not been affected by the new policies. However, dependent visa that were previously also issued to non-married couples with children now require the provision of a marriage certificate.

Student (X) visas for the summer are only issued by a very limited number of universities and language schools.

The authorities are increasingly tracking down foreigners without valid visas and Registrations of Temporary Residence. Foreigners overstaying their visas are charged any where between RMB 500 to RMB 5,000/day. According to multiple reports, foreigners without a valid visa must expect to be awarded the red “has to leave China within ten days” stamp in their passport, which will make it nearly impossible to apply for a new visa.

Other rumors out there

It seems that staying at private accommodation is no longer an option for tourists from at least some countries as either a hotel booking or a proof of kinship need to be provided. Hotels have received stricter deadlines about the ID registration of their guests by the PSB and are more and more expected to demand full payment upfront to prevent fake bookings.

Concerning L and F visa, it seems extremely difficult to get a visa for any duration longer than 30 days. If 60 or 90 days visas are issued, most of them only allow a maximum duration of stay of 30 days in China.

Extensions of L visa have been reported to be subject to the provision of Olympic tickets a copy of your debit card or a bank account statement showing certain funds (reports range between USD 100 and 150/day of stay in China). It still remains unclear if tickets acquired through the China resident ticket round can be used.

There are still reports about successful applicants of 6 month and 1 year multiple entry F visas, however, none of them could be verified or tracked down to the reasons.

While researching this post, we attempted to get clarification from both the Exit and Entry Management Section of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the current state of visa policies. The lady on duty at the Exit and Entry Management Section of the Beijing PSB informed us that all questions related to the formalities of getting a visa during the Olympic period should be referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When we inquired about the likelihood of being able to extend visas from within China during the Olympics, we were informed that there was no definite policy and she could not provide any firm advice. We called the number for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs supplied by the PSB and were forwarded on twice before being given the number 6596 3788. None of our repeated calls to this number were answered.