Everything you need to know about getting a Chinese Mainland visa

Travelling somewhere new can be both exciting and stressful – especially when it comes to travel documents. If your dream holiday includes Hainan’s temperate palm-lined beaches, Sichuan’s magnificent Jiuzhaigou National Park or the ancient hutongs of Beijing, then you’ll likely need to apply for a Chinese Mainland visa.

To help you get there, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide that covers everything from the types of visas available and the application process to the documents required. Whatever your reason for travelling to China, be it sightseeing, visiting family or business, we’ve got you covered.

1. First, check to see if you need a visa

Passport holders of select countries are allowed visa-free entry into the Chinese Mainland for up to 15 days, and those arriving from Singapore and Thailand can stay for up to 30 days without a visa. This list is constantly being updated, so it’s best to check the official website  or with your local Chinese embassy to see if your country is exempt from visa requirements.

If you are transiting through China with a stopover of less than 24 hours and have a confirmed connecting flight, you don’t need a visa. Select Chinese mainland cities and their surrounding regions, including Beijing, Shanghai and their respective provinces, even allow transiting visitors from 54 countries to apply for a 10-day visa exemption so you can stay longer to explore.

Visiting Hainan? You may be in luck. Passport holders of 59 countries can stay on the island for up to 30 days visa-free – all you need to do is submit your travel information (including your passport, round-trip tickets, hotel reservation and itinerary in Hainan) to a local travel agency 48 hours before arrival.

Meanwhile, non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macao can apply for a mainland travel (or home-return) permit, which is valid for 5 years. The permit allows travellers multiple visits to the Chinese Mainland, for up to 90 days at a time for tourism, business, visiting relatives, seminars and more. Find more details on how to apply on China Travel Service’s website .

2. Decide which visa you need

If you’re going on vacation to the Chinese Mainland, you’ll likely want to apply for the tourist visa (L visa).

The M visa allows business travellers to engage in commercial and trade activities, while university students studying abroad in China can apply for one of the two X visas, depending on the length of their study period. Visiting family for an extended period? Apply for a Q or S visa (based onwhether the person you’re visiting is a permanent resident), which allows for a longer stay.

These visa types all have their own application requirements. The rest of the guide will cover what you need when applying for a Chinese Mainland tourist visa (L visa). If you’re travelling for another purpose, you can find out more here , on your regional Chinese embassy website or at the China Consular Affairs’ website . 

3. Prepare the necessary documents for your visa application

This includes a valid passport or travel document that will not expire for at least 6 months after your date of arrival and has two blank pages for the visa. You’ll also need a physical copy of a recent photo taken on a white background measuring 48mm x 33mm.

Depending on your city of origin and nationality, the other required documents will vary. For example, you may need multiple copies of your flight booking and hotel reservation, or an invitation letter from an individual or an entity in China containing your personal information and where you’ll be staying. Alternatively, if you’ve previously had a Chinese visa, you may have to submit a copy of it.

You should also be ready to provide legal proof of residence if you’re applying for the visa in a place where you don’t hold citizenship. 

As every country of origin has different requirements, we recommend checking your regional Chinese embassy website or the online Chinese Visa Application Service Centre for more detailed information.

4. Fill out the visa application form and bring it to your local visa office

Once you’ve completed the online form, print it out and provide a physical signature where indicated. Prepare hard copies of your other required documents and passport photo.

Applications should be submitted at your local visa office – check if appointments are required or if you can simply walk in and join the queue. Some offices may even allow you to submit your application by mail. 

The regular processing time for a visa is four working days. If you need your visa urgently, express service can expedite the process to three days for an additional fee. You can apply no more than three months before your trip as the tourist visa is only valid for 180 days. 

When you pick up your visa, make sure that all the information is correct. You can pay onsite with the methods listed by the visa office. As always, make sure to read up on the latest travel requirements and recommendations for your destination before you go.

This article was originally published in November 2024 and updated in December 2024.