A visa is an endorsement on a passport noting the country to be visited has inspected your passport and is allowing you to enter that country.
China requires all U.S. citizens to have a visa regardless of the purpose of their visit. Most people will apply for an L visa, which is the standard tourist visa. L visas range from single entry 30-days to multiple entry visas good for 60 days at a time over a 12-month period. Travelers with single entry visas generally have from three to six months from the date the visa was approved to enter China.
Visiting businessmen, students and people going to live and work in China need other kinds of visas. The application process is the same for them, though different documentation, such as a letter of invitation from an employer, may be required.
China Does Not Accept Visa Applications by Mail
China does not accept visa applications by mail, so passports and applications need to be presented in person. (One person can present multiple applications.) Travelers who do not live near the embassy in Washington, D.C., or one of the five consulate cities, or know someone who does, will need to use a visa service for this process. The visa service hand carries passports and applications to the embassy or consulate for approval, then picks them up when the visa has been received. The visa service does accept applications by mail. The embassy has a partial list of visa services it approves; other services can be found by using an internet search engine. The visa services charge anywhere from $15 to $28 for handling each visa application, though some visa services give a discount if two or more applications are presented at the same time.
Requirements for a visa include:
- A passport that is valid for at least six months after leaving China and has at least one blank visa page.
- One 2x2 photo, similar to a passport photo, that can be glued or stapled to the application
- A completed visa application. Online services, and the embassy and the consulates have visa applications which can be downloaded, filled out and sent in with passports and visa fees.
- $140 per visa rfor U.S. citizens; visa fees are lower for citizens of other countries. Visa services fees for processing and sending back to the applicant are additional. Additional fees are levied on rush applications.
Where to Apply in Person
Here’s where to apply for visas to visit China:
- Chinese Embassy: 2201 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20007. Tel: (202) 338-6688, (202) 588-9760
- Consulate visa office in Chicago: 1 E. Erie St., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611. Tel: (312) 373-3070
- Consulate visa office in Houston: 3417 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006. Tel: (713) 520-1462
- Consulate visa office in San Francisco: 1450 Laguna St., San Francisco, CA 94115. Tel: (415) 674-2900
- Consulate visa office in Los Angeles: 443 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90020. Tel: (213) 807-8088
- Consulate visa office in New York: 520 12th Ave., New York, NY 10036. Tel: (212) 244-9392
Travelers planning to apply in person should call ahead to verify hours the visa offices will be open.
Cheryl Probst - Cheryl Probst is an award-winning photojournalist who specializes in writing about motorcycles, China and the Pacific Northwest.
