Contents of Post
China is one of those countries in which most, if not all, foreigners need a visa to even get a layover (transit visa) much less visit. If you are feeling brave, you can always attempt to get a transit visa or 5-day visit visa on arrival. However, I know far too many people who have ended up stuck for days because they didn’t have a visa prepared in advance.
There are two different ways of going about getting the tourist visa. Essentially an “easy” way and a “hard” way. Either method you choose you have the option to go to a consulate/embassy with visa services to apply for in a lot of cities. In Canada at least, there are certified visa locales in which you can apply. I went with the latter and applied through Gold Mountain Travel Services in Edmonton, Alberta. (At time of writing this I am unsure if they still offer this service or if they are still in business).
The Easy Way
There is a sort of easy way of getting a Chinese visa or really a visa for any country when it comes to either a working holiday or tourist visa(for the countries that require them). If you know someone in the designated country, in this case, China, you can ask them to write a letter in either English or their language. This letter basically is stating that you have an initial place to stay with them and they are inviting you to their country for tourist purposes, complete with their information (ID Number and address in most cases attached with a copy of their ID).
Take all of the things sent to you from your friend, along with the required visa forms to either the embassy or a travel agency for China with visa privileges (the latter of which can be easier).
The Hard Way
Overall this way isn’t necessarily harder per se, but going this way has a tendency to have the visas accepted less often. Although it is possible, it tends to happen far less often from what I have experienced and heard.
The “hard” way is to take the required visa forms with a proof of the following:
- Where you will be staying your first few nights in China (or whatever other country you’re visiting).
- This can be through hotel confirmation or rental agreement (dependent on type of visa/ if necessary)
- A return flight ticket or enough money to afford one.
- A bank statement showing that you have enough money in your accounts to support yourself during your travels.
Either way you decide to go, if you are from Canada or the US (and a few other places) you are eligible for up to a 10 year visa of different types for China. The Types are as follow:
| 10-year China Visa Categories | Maximum Stay Length per Entry |
| Tourist (L) | 60 days |
| Business (M) | 60 days |
| Family Reunion (Q2) | 90 days |
| Private Visit (S2) | 120 days |
The work(Z) visas are not included in the 10 year visas unfortunately.
Requirements for a Chinese Visa.
The required documents include:
1. A Chinese visa application form with the applicant’s recent photo attached is required. The application form should be typed not handwritten(These are required for all types ). When filling the form, you need to tick Other in Section 2.2 and specify the amount of time in the space after(up to 10 years depending on the visa).
2. A valid passport is required. For US citizens, the remaining validity should be at least one year. For Canadian citizens, the remaining validity should be longer than the expected length of the visa by about 6 months. This also pertains to the other types of visas. (I am unsure exactly how this works with the 10-year visas as I am fairly certain there aren’t passports for longer than 10 years so I’m not 100% sure on the rules for this being accurate to those.)
3. Documents to support your entry purpose. For example, if you apply for a tourist visa, you may need to provide round-trip air tickets and hotel booking records for the first entry. That or an invitation letter from your friends or family members in China (“hard” or “easy” ways).
To apply either go to your nearest Consulate/Embassy or tour agency with visa services.
For Canadians the price is around 110 Canadian dollars. For Americans, it is around 140 U.S. dollars.
A lot of the information, including the table and sample picture, that was not first-hand experience was found through Travel China Guide
When you have received a visa and make your way to China you must always keep your passport with the visa on your person.
What are some experiences you would love to have or are looking forward to in China?
