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Visas for China

Visa Travel International

Important information for China

KEY INFORMATION UPDATE

 January/February 2026

 1- Due to the Chinese New Year, we inform you that the Chinese Visa Application Centre will be exceptionally closed from February 16th to February 20th, 2026.

Application submissions and withdrawals will resume on February 21st, 2026.

 2- To facilitate the process for Chinese visa applicants, from today until December 31, 2026, the relevant Chinese consular authorities in France will not take fingerprints from applicants for short-stay Chinese visas (less than 180 days).

 3- Like the 46 countries listed below, the United Kingdom and Canada are (as of February 16th) exempt from visa requirements for China (same conditions as those noted below)

 Applicants for D, J1, Q1, S1, X1, or Z visas, and all other visas requiring a residence permit upon arrival in China, must still have their fingerprints taken in accordance with current regulations.

 November 2025

China has announced the extension of its visa exemption policy for another year for 46 countries, including France. The measure is therefore extended until December 31, 2026.

As a reminder, citizens of the following countries and territories can enjoy a 30-day visa-free stay in China for specific reasons (M, L, family visits, transit):

Germany, Andorra, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Cyprus, South Korea, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Uruguay.

Please note that certain reasons for visiting are still excluded from this exemption and travelers will still need to apply for a visa (please contact us if unsure).

Since November 20th, all travelers must complete an electronic arrival card to enter China https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/entry-registation-home

China requires all travelers to complete an electronic arrival card (“Arrival Card”). This replaces the paper information sheet previously distributed on the plane or at the arrival airport.

The fully digital procedure applies to all travelers, regardless of nationality, visa holders, adults, and minors, and is valid for all points of entry into China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau).

Currently, this new mandatory formality can be completed up to three months before departure. This allows travelers to plan ahead, provided their information remains the same (flight number, etc.). Furthermore, it is only valid for the declared arrival date. This means it must be completed for each new arrival in China.

The application process is completed online and in English on the dedicated website (Note: several documents are required).

 July 2025

A new online application submission procedure (prior to submitting the application to the visa center) came into effect in April.

We recommend that you ask us to complete the form ourselves (to do this, complete and return the China VTI Visa Form) as this allows us to more easily track the approval progress online (before submitting the physical application).

If you choose to complete the application online yourself, we will not be able to follow up and follow up if the deadline is too tight.

From the moment your file is complete and submitted online by us, please allow an average of one week to obtain approval to submit the application and therefore, following this, the deadline proposed by the Consulate (3 days in Urgent mode and 7 days in Standard mode) begins to run.

NB: Until at least 31/12/2025, citizens of the following countries and territories will be able to enjoy a 30-day visa-free stay in China:

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Brunei, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay

This decision was announced by Chinese diplomacy, which is taking the opportunity to add exchange visits (type “F”) as a purpose for authorized visa-free stays.

It should be noted that this will likely have the side effect of an even greater increase than today’s (already high) number of visa-free travelers and the risk of further lengthening wait times upon arrival.

 

From November 30, 2024 till December, 31st 2025, citizens of the following 38 countries and territories will be able to enjoy a 30-day stay without a visa in China:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, South Korea, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland

This decision was announced by Chinese diplomacy, which took the opportunity to add exchange visits (type “F”) as a purpose of authorized stay without a visa.

It should be noted that this will certainly have the side effect of an even greater increase than today (already high) in travelers without Visa and the risk of waiting on arrival even longer.

NB: a new online application submission procedure (prior to submitting the application to the visa center) came into effect since April. We recommend that you ask us to complete the form ourselves (to do this, complete and return the China VTI Form) as this allows us to more easily track the progress of the approval online (before submitting the physical application). If you choose to complete the application online yourself, we will not be able to track and follow up if the deadline is too tight.

 

IMPORTANT: for travellers from Province, please contact our team on contact@visatravel.fr or at 01.42.25.13.65 to consider a possible deposit of fingerprints on the parisian Chinese visa centre (one and only in France). We will assist you in filling and checking your application, making appointments and preparing your appointment at the visa center.

 

Information and conditions of entry into the country

Documents to be provided

FAQ

General information

To travel to China a Visa is generally not necessary with a few exceptions.

Should you need of wish to have a Visa, the Chinese Embassy has mandated a Visa center (Chinese Visa Application Service Center) to centralize and process all applications and Visa Travel International is an agency approved by this center to be able to support you with their processes and whatever the type of Visa you need.

To this end, you will find on this page all the information and answers to questions that will be useful to you in order to obtain your Visa.
If this is not the case, please do not hesitate to get back to us so that we can give you all the information you need.

Do you need a Visa for China ?

In order to travel to China, a Visa is probably necessary but there are some exceptions depending on your nationality and the type of trip you want to make (cf Information above on Visa exemption)

NB: due to a very high level of visa-free travelers (linked to the exemption in place), you may encounter exceptionally long waiting times upon arrival in China. Also, Visa Travel International can obtain a Visa (Business, Tourism, …) to facilitate your entry into the country. Also note, if you want a Single or Double Entry Visa, you will not need to go to teh visa centre to submit your fingerprints (not necessary) and this makes the procedure all the more simplified.  

Conditions of entry in China

To be able to enter Chinese territory, the traveler must have the required Visa (if needed see Information above) onto his passeport (6 months validity after returning in France) and a return flight ticket.

NB: QR code following chinese health form filling is not required anymore since 1/11/2023.

It should be noted that, even if the traveler is in possession of all the documents requested to validate his entry into China, the Chinese authorities reserve the right to refuse access to their territory without having to justify it.

Understanding the Visa for China

The Visa for China is valid from the day it is issued.
In addition to the identification data of the traveler, the Visa indicates the type of Visa granted by the Chinese authorities (business Visa, tourist Visa, etc.), the number of possible entries per trip (ranging from one entry to several entries) as well as its validity (from three months to one year following the request).

Documents to be provided: Visa Business

 
  • The original passport with at least two pages completely blank of any entry, valid for at least six months after the expiry date of the approved Visa and a photocopy of the passport data page.

To obtain a multi-entry Visa valid for six months, the validity of the passport must be at least nine months.
To obtain a multi-entry Visa valid for one year, the validity of the passport must be at least fifteen months.

● A Visa application form completed ONLINE via the following site Visa for China

Note: we can take care of completing the online form via the Chinese Consulate website on your behalf. To do so, please complete the questionnaire by clicking on the following link Chinese Visa VTI form.
(To deliver this additional service, a fee will then be charged by VTI)

● A COLOR ID photo (without wearing white clothing, without glasses, without earring/piercing, less than six months old), on a white  background, in accordance with consular directives (click here to see consular directives)

● A signed and stamped invitation letter containing all these mentions:

The applicant’s information (name, first name, sex, date of birth, passport number, etc.), information on the planned visit (purpose, date of arrival and departure, places to visit, relations between the applicant and the entity of the invitation, covering costs and repatriation), the information of the inviting entity (name, telephone number, address, email from the inviting person) or a Visa notification issued by a competent Chinese authority.
A company may be entitled to issue an invitation for a single or double entry Visa.

  • For the submission of your application in Lyon, Marseille and Strasbourg: a mission letter from your company signed and stamped containing the same information as the invitation letter
  • For travellers who have been to Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan (stamps/visas in their passport), attach a dated and signed certificate specifying the dates of stay (entry/exit) and the reason for the trip.

● For any European traveller, other than French, an employer certificate and a proof of residency.

● For any non-European traveller, an employer certificate, the original of the residence permit valid for 6 months after the return date.

● For citizens of the Maghreb and the Middle East, an original official invitation letter must be presented. The processing time by the embassy is at least 8 working days. No emergency possible.

Documents to be provided: Visa Tourism

● The original passport with at least two pages completely blank of any entry, valid for at least six months after the expiry date of the approved Visa, and a photocopy of the passport data page.

● A Visa application form completed ONLINE via the website Visa for China

Note: We can take care of completing the online form via the Chinese Consulate website on your behalf.

To do so, please complete the questionnaire by clicking on the following link: VTI Chinese Visa form.
(To deliver this service, an additional fee  will then be charged by VTI)

● A COLOR ID photo (without wearing white clothing, without glasses, recent less than six months old), on a white background, in accordance with consular directives (click here to see photo consular directives).

● A copy of the return flight ticket booking.

● A Hotel Booking Confirmation OR letter of invitation from a friend or family member residing in China – in the latter case, provide the copy of the invitee’s ID along with a copy of the Chinese resident card if applicable – (the consulate reserves the right to claim the original of the invitation).

● An insurance certificate covering medical and repatriation costs during the stay in China (as you can find and subscribe our on website).

● Proof of socio-professional activity (employer’s certificate, student card, professional card, a pension certificate, income certificate) + Copy of the last 3 bank account statements with a minimum credit balance of 1000 euros.

  • For travellers who have been to Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan (stamps/visas in their passport), attach a dated and signed certificate specifying the dates of stay (entry/exit) and the reason for the trip.

● For any European foreigner other than French, an employer certificate.

● For any non-European foreigner, the original of the residence permit valid for 6 months after return.

For children under 18, join in addition:
● Copy of the family record book.
● Copy of the parents’ identity documents (passport or identity card) + authorization to leave the country (issued by the town hall) or parental authorization for both parents.
● School certificate for over 6 years old.
● Copy of birth certificate for minors under 16.

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Your Visa for China : Visas fees

NB : The lead times given here are the ones from Consulates and/or Embassies.

Visas Business

Visas Tourism

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VTI’s advice for your trip to China

The form that China requires you to fill out is long, and the questions asked sometimes seem irrelevant with a Visa application. Despite everything, we invite you to take the greatest care to answer them otherwise you run a risk to see your application rejected.

NB: travelers have reported to us several hours (up to 3h!) of queuing at customs for trips without Visa, unlike travelers with Visa who benefit from a fluid queue. Contact us for more information.

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