Types of Visas for China

Types of visas

Chinese visas are classified according to the purpose of your stay in China (such as tourism, study or employment). For a long-term stay in China, you need documentation from an organization (i.e. a university or company), which is necessary to prove to authorities that you will not be staying in China longer than your visa allows.

At the time of writing, the following visa types were available:

L – Luxing (Travel): L visas are tourist visas that typically allow you to stay in the country for 30 days, although longer requests may be granted. You can also get a multiple-entry L visa, but this is more difficult to obtain.

F – Fangwen (Visit): F visas are for short-term studies or business visits. To obtain an F visa, you need an invitation from a Chinese institution or host company. Most F visas are only valid for stays up to 6 months, however there are also longer-running F visas and multiple-entry F visas available.

Z – renZhi (Job/Post): Z visas are issued to those who come to China for employment. To obtain a Z visa, you need a letter of invitation from your employer and a work permit or foreign expert licence obtained by the company you will be working for.

X – liuXue (Long-term study): X visas are issued to long-term students and interns staying in China for more than 6 months. They require an enrolment letter and an application form from a Chinese school or a Chinese company.

D – Dingju (Residence): D visas are residence visas for stays of up to 10 years and are issued to those expecting to permanently reside in China. D visas are extremely difficult to obtain and are normally only rewarded to those who have already lived in China for some time and have made significant contributions to the country. To obtain a D visa, you must first get a permit from a local government in China. You will also have to submit a considerable amount of paperwork and amongst it a physical exam certificate.

J – Jizhe (Reporter): J visas are issued to foreign journalists and are available in short-term (J-2) and long term (J-1) versions. They require a letter from both an employer and from the Foreign Affairs Office. Engaging in any journalistic activities without a J visa may result in being sent to prison.

G – (Transfer): G visas are transfer visas and only allow you to pass through a Chinese airport on your route to another country.

Changing visas

It is illegal to work in China on an L or F visa, so students or tourists are not permitted to take up employment. If discovered, you will be fired, fined and often deported, so don’t take the risk. However, you can change visa types if you happen to find a job in China. In most provinces, you can switch visa directly at the local PSB (Public Security Bureau). Although some local PSB's may require that you leave the country to obtain a new visa.

Applying for a Chinese visa

Visa applications must be submitted to your nearest local Chinese embassy or consulate. You will need some or all of the following documentation for your visa application:

·           A passport with at least 6 months validity

·           A formal application form

·           A passport photo

·           A letter of invitation from your host institution or company

·           A medical examination certificate

The exact documentation depends on the type of visa you apply for; check beforehand what you need as exact requirements are subject to constant change. Besides your documents, you will also have to pay a fee for your visa application, which will be dependent on the type of visa you apply for.