China Tourist Visa Eligibility and Requirements

Foreigners who come to China for tourism, family visits or other private affairs should apply for an L visa.

1. Foreigners who apply for an L visa must answer relevant inquiries and provide the following materials:

1. The original and copy of the valid passport and L visa;

2. Fill in the “Foreigner Visa and Residence Permit Application Form” and submit a recent 2-inch half-body front-facing barehead color photo;

3. Provide a  accommodation registration certificate.

4. All fill in with a fountain pen or carbon pen, and the provided copy materials should be on A4 paper;

(I) Tourists

1. Apply for a personal visa and provide an official letter from the receiving unit. If there is no receiving unit, provide financial proof that can guarantee living expenses in China (cash, traveler’s checks, bills of exchange, cash cards, calculated at US$100 per day), and you can obtain a zero-entry or one-entry visa with a validity period of less than 1 month, and you can apply for a maximum of two times.

2. Applications for group visas will not be accepted in principle. For force majeure reasons, an official letter from the receiving unit must be provided. You can obtain a zero-entry group visa with a validity period corresponding to the actual situation, but only once.

3. Apply for group visa separation and provide an official letter from the receiving unit. The separated personnel can obtain a zero-entry visa with a validity period of less than one month.

4. Apply for a reissue of a group visa and provide an official letter from the receiving unit and a copy of the group visa for this entry. You can obtain a zero-entry visa with the same stay period as the original visa.

(II) Relatives

1. Chinese citizens and foreign spouses, parents and children under the age of 18 who have a “Foreigner Permanent Residence Permit” in China apply for a visa:

① Foreign spouses must provide a marriage certificate; ② Foreign parents must provide a kinship certificate; ③ Foreign children must provide a birth certificate or a kinship certificate; ④ Visiting overseas Chinese and residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must provide a permanent residence certificate of more than 6 months; ⑤ Relevant certificates issued by overseas institutions must be authenticated by our embassy or consulate abroad.

(1) To visit a resident of mainland China, you must provide the local household registration booklet and resident ID card of your relative;

(2) To visit an overseas Chinese, you must provide the Chinese passport and overseas residence certificate of your relative;

(3) To visit a resident of Hong Kong or Macao, you must provide the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents or the Homecoming Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Compatriots;

(4) To visit a resident of Taiwan, you must provide the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents or the Travel Permit of the People’s Republic of China;

(5) To visit a foreigner who has a Permanent Residence Permit for Foreigners in China, you must provide the Permanent Residence Permit for Foreigners of your relative;

2. Visa application for the foreign spouse of a foreign student, the foreign student’s parents or overseas guardians of their children under the age of 18:

① The official letter of the school where the foreign student is studying and the foreign student’s passport or residence permit must be provided; ② For a foreign spouse, provide a marriage certificate; ③ For a foreign child, provide a proof of kinship; ④ For a guardian, provide a letter of authorization from the foreign student’s parents;

3. For a foreign spouse who is over 60 years old, you must provide a marriage certificate; ③ For a foreign child, provide a proof of kinship; ④ For a guardian, provide a letter of authorization from the foreign student’s parents;

4. Foreigners aged 60 or above who have no direct relatives abroad and rely on their direct relatives in China can apply for visas:

① Must provide the household register, ID card or “Foreigner Permanent Residence Permit” of the Chinese citizen being relied on; ② Notarized proof of kinship and proof that the person relying on has no direct relatives abroad; ③ Notarized proof of economic source of the person relying on or proof of economic guarantee of the person being relied on; ④ Notarized proof of house rental or property ownership of the person relying on or the person being relied on; ⑤ Relevant certificates issued by foreign institutions must be authenticated by Chinese embassies and consulates abroad;

4. Foreign Chinese aged 60 or above who purchase real estate in China and their spouses and children under the age of 18 can apply for visas:

① Must provide proof of real estate, proof of economic source (bill of exchange, passbook, cash card, etc.) or notarized economic guarantee or economic self-insurance; ② Foreign spouses, provide marriage certificates; ③ Foreign children provide birth medical certificates or proof of kinship; ④ Relevant certificates issued by foreign institutions must be authenticated by Chinese embassies and consulates abroad.

5. Foreign children under the age of 18 who are fostered in China by overseas Chinese or overseas Chinese:

① Provide the applicant’s birth certificate;

② Provide a copy of the applicant’s foreign parents’ passports; if both parents or one of them is Chinese, provide a copy of the residence certificate;

③ Provide a notarized authorization letter from the applicant’s parents (specifying the guardian, foster care period, scheduled departure, etc.);

④ Provide the identity certificate of the fosterer or guardian and a written guarantee notarized by a notary office. The written guarantee may state that the foster child’s parents have entrusted the foster child to take on the responsibility of raising and guarding the foster child and guarantee that the foster child will leave the country on time;

6. Other relatives:

(1) To visit mainland Chinese residents, provide the relatives’ local household registration booklet and resident ID card;

(2) To visit overseas Chinese, provide the relatives’ Chinese passport and overseas residence certificate;

(3) To visit Hong Kong and Macao residents, provide the relatives’ Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents or Homecoming Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Compatriots;

(4) To visit Taiwan residents, provide the relatives’ Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents or Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents Travel Permit of the People’s Republic of China;

(5) To visit a foreigner who holds a “Foreigner Permanent Residence Permit” in China, provide relatives, “Foreigner Permanent Residence Permit”;

(6) Relevant certificates issued by overseas institutions shall be authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate abroad;

(III) Other personnel:

1. To apply for a visa to see a doctor in China: provide a diagnosis certificate from a county-level hospital or above;

2. To apply for a visa for other private matters: provide relevant materials;

II. Notes

(I) Foreigners applying for visas must pay fees in accordance with the relevant regulations of the competent departments of the Chinese government.

(II) Foreigners holding L visas are not allowed to hold positions or employment in China. The public security organs will punish foreigners or persons responsible for illegal residence (stay) in China or other illegal acts in accordance with the law.

(III) The validity period and number of visa entries for the above-mentioned visas shall be subject to the final approval of the exit and entry administration department of the public security organs.

(IV) The exit and entry administration department of the public security organs has the right to refuse to issue visas and certificates to foreigners in accordance with the law, and has the right to revoke or declare invalid the issued visas and certificates.

(V) Application time limit: within five working days from the date of acceptance.

The above information comes from the official website of China Information. If you don’t understand, you can check it on the official website of China Information. Link: FAQs on applying for a visa to China