Visas to China

Visas to China

Most travelers will need a visa to visit mainland China. In most cases, this should be obtained from a Chinese embassy or consulate before departure. Hong Kong and Macau each issue their own visas from a Chinese embassy or consulate. However, citizens from majority of counties do not need visas to visit Hong Kong and Macau. See those guides for more information.

The most notable exception to this rule is transit through certain airports. Most airports allow a 12-hour stay without a visa so long as you do not leave the airport, but Shanghai Pu Dong International and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airports permit a forty-eight hour stay without a visa.

Nationals of Singapore, Brunei and Japan do not need a visa to visit China for a stay of up to 15 days, regardless of the reason of visit. To visit mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau residents of Chinese nationality need to apply at the China Travel Service, the sole authorized issuing agent, to obtain a Home Return Permit, a credit card sized ID allowing multiple entries and unlimited stay for 10 years.

Citizens of Taiwan (Republic of China) may obtain entry permit (valid for 3 months) at airports in Dalian, Fuhzou, Haikou, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen and China Travel Services in Hong Kong and Macau, visitors must hold Republic of China passport, Taiwanese Identify Card and Taiwan Compatriot Pass (Tai Bao Zheng; may obtain for single use at airports in Fuhzou, Haikou, Qingdao, Sanya, Wuhan and Xiamen). Fee is CNY 100 (plus CNY 50 for issuing Taiwan Compatriot Pass for single use). Travelers should check reliable information before traveling.

Getting a tourist visa is fairly easy for most passports as you don't need an invitation, which you do for business or working visas. The usual tourist single-entry visa is valid for 30 days, though up to 90 days is possible too, at least for citizens of some countries. A double-entry tourist visa must be used within six months after it was issued, until recently it was within three months. Single entry tourist visas must be used within three months.

Holders of most passports can get Chinese visas in Hong Kong or Macau. In Hong Kong, visas can be obtained directly from the The Commissioner's Office of the PRC in Hong Kong or from various intermediary travel agencies such as China Travel Services. Some hotels also offer visa services. Waiting times at the Commissioner's Office can be up to three hours on submission and an hour or two on collection, especially if you arrive right as the office opens — the wait can be avoided at travel agencies, although you'll pay at least 100 HKD for them to submit on your behalf. A list of costs by nationality is available. Rush visas are available in Hong Kong Airport [2].

Some travelers will need a dual entry or multiple entry visa. For example, if you enter China on a single entry visa, then go to Hong Kong or Macau, you need a new visa/multiple entry visa to re-enter mainland China. In Hong Kong, multiple entry visas are officially available only to HKID holders, but the authorities are willing to bend the rules somewhat and may approve three-month multiple entry visas for short-term Hong Kong qualified residents, including exchange students. It's recommended to apply directly with the Chinese government in this case, as some third-parties will be unwilling to submit such an application on your behalf.

Obtaining a visa on arrival is possible usually only for the Shenzhen or Zhuhai Special Economic Zones, and such visas are limited to those areas. When crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen at Lo Wu KCR station, and notably not at Lok Ma Chau, a five day Shenzhen-only visa can be obtained during extended office hours on the spot for 160 RMB (Oct 2007 price) for passport holders of many nationalities, for example Irish or New Zealand or Canadian. Americans are not eligible, while British nationals have to pay 450 RMB. The office now accepts only RMB as payment, so be sure to bring sufficient cash.

However there may be restrictions on visas for political reasons and these vary over time. For example:

• As of April 2008, visas issued in Hong Kong are generally limited to 30 days, same day service is difficult to get. Multiple-entry visas have also become much harder or impossible to get.

• Indian nationals are limited to 10 or 15 day tourist visas, and have to show US $100 per day of visa validity in the form of traveler's checks (US $1000 and US $1500, respectively), likely owing to the contested border and migration fears.

It used to be common for people entering China to work to arrive on a tourist (L) visa and then have the employer obtain a working {Z} visa for them. Now the employer typically obtains a Residence Permit for them instead. This is effectively a multiple-entry visa; you can leave China and return using it. Some local visa offices will refuse to issue a residence permit if you entered China on a tourist (L) visa. In those cases, you have to enter on a Z visa and getting that requires an invitation letter from the employer, and perhaps a trip to Hong Kong or Korea. In other cases converting an L visa to residence permit is OK; it depends which office you are dealing with and perhaps on your employer's connections.

If you are not staying in a hotel you are required to register your abode with the local police within 24 (city) to 72 (countryside) hours of arrival. The police will ask for (1) a copy of the photograph page of your passport, (2) a copy of your visa, (3) a copy of your immigration entry stamp, (4) a photograph, (5) a copy of the tenancy agreement or other document concerning the place you are staying in. That agreement might not be in your name but it will still be asked for. It might be a good idea to bring extra passport-sized photographs with you because it is possibly easier to get them in your own country than after arrival in China.

Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/China