Visa China

For entry into China a Chinese visa is required. A visa for China cannot be issued on Chinese territory, but must instead be applied for before making the trip to China.

In the following you will find helpful information and additional links for application for a Chinese visa. The information is mainly aimed at applicants for a China visa from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. For application from other countries please see our list of Chinese embassies and consulates in Europe.

Depending on the purpose of your entry into China, you must apply for the correct visa:

• For a study stay at a university, that would for example be the student visa (X visa)
• For taking up a job or deployment, a work visa (Z visa)
• For a short stay like a China vacation, a visit or a conference, the Chinese tourist visa (L visa) is sufficient.
• If however goods like expensive samples or trade show articles will be imported or exported, a Chinese business visa (F visa) is required.

Details about the individual visas:

• Tourist-Visa
• Visitor-Visa
• Business-Visa
• Family member visa
• Internship-Visa
• Student-Visa
• Work-Visa

Application for a China visa can take place personally or by mail with the visa service centers of the Chinese embassy or through a representative from a visa agency (like for example www.china-visum-express.com). If when booking a China trip the procurement of a visa is included, the trip organizer will handle the interaction with the agency or embassy.

Costs
The costs of a visa for China are standardized and are determined by the processing time and method, as well as the desired number of possible entries into China.

Applying for a visa for China is also possible for foreigners who have registered a residence in Germany (EU citizens) or who possess a residence permit (valid for at least another 180 days). The visa fees for some visa types are between 5 and 10 Euros higher than for Germans. A photocopy of the registration certificate or the residence permit must be included with the visa application.