China Visas for US Citizens

The tourism visa requires your passport to be valid for at least 6 months and it must have at least two blank pages. You must also have an invitation letter from a china travel agency or an individual or round-trip tickets and a hotel booking.

The China crew visa is issued to people arriving as crew on international planes, ships or trains. This process should be completed via your employer. You will need a letter of guarantee issued by the foreign transport company or the invitation letter issued by the relevant entity from China

This visa is issued to students who come to China to study, pursue advanced studies, or for fieldwork. International students must find an accredited organization who is offering courses or internships to foreigners so that they will send an acceptance letter and a visa application form. See below for the full list of Chinese student visa requirements. 

Note: You are not allowed to work on these types of visas, however off campus internships may be authorized. Please contact your university after arrival to see what can be arranged.

This visa is issued to foreigners who are going to China for a paid job or to undertake commercial entertainment performances in China. Though this visa only allows a stay duration of 30 days, it allows you to remain in China while you and your employer seek a temporary residence permit for the duration of your contract. 

Note: to apply for a Chinese work visa, you will need to have accepted a job offer in China

The Family Visit Visa is issued to relatives of Chinese nationals, or, foreign nationals residing in China on a permanent basis. This visa allows for visits of up to 90 consecutive days (in some cases 180-days).

With China re-opening for travelers, we expect a large influx of visa requests. China Visa Service Center strongly recommends beginning your visa request as soon as possible.

China “M” business visas are issued for commercial and trade activities, such as visiting clients, meeting with business partners, and attending trade fairs. These visas are typically valid for 3 months. US citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry visa. The category “F” business visas are for academic exchange including conducting research, attending conferences, and University collaboration. These are typically valid for 3-6 months with 1-2 entries.

If you’re planning on accepting a position in China, check out our Chinese work visa application.