For Chinese tourist visa applications, please click here
For Chinese work visa applications, please click here
For Chinese business visa applications, please click here
CHINA visas take 3-4 working days to issue in the embassy & is valid for 3-6 months from the date of issue . We recommend you send us your documents by Royal Mail Special Delivery. Please ensure you send us the following documentation as failure to do so will result in a delay in issuing your visa.
Tourist Visa
1 completed visa application forms
1 passport photograph(s)
Passport
Booked hotel reservation in China (Must include name & cover your full stay in China)
Flight confirmation (Must include name & cover your full stay in China)
Photocopy of passport photo page
Non British passport holders must also provide the supplementary visa application.
Payment
Business Visa
1 completed visa application forms
1 passport photograph(s)
Letter of invitation from organisation in China which MUST include applicants full name, gender, date of birth, purpose of visit, date of arrival and exit, place of visit, relations between applicant & inviter, financial support during stay, full name of visiting organisation, contact details, official company stamp (red circilar stamp) & signature of organisation representative.
Government department invitations must be duly authorised by the Ministry of Public of Security in Beijing (or nearest Government office) and include customers full name, passport number & dates required for the visa.
Z (work) visas will also require your original work permit specific to your proffession to work in China.
Passport & Photocopy of passport photo page
Payment
| Visa type | Visa fee | Service charge | Total to pay |
| Tourist/business 3 month single entry China visa | £66.00 | £40.00 | £106.00 |
| Tourist/business 3 month single entry China visa Express Service | £93.00 (3 working days) | £40.00 | £133.00 |
| Tourist/business double entry China visa | £81.00 | £40.00 | £121.00 |
| Tourist/business double entry China visa Express Service | £108.00 (3 working days) | £40.00 | £148.00 |
| Chinese work visa (Z) | £66.00 | £40.00 | £106.00 |
| Chinese work visa (Z) Express Service | £93.00 | £40.00 | £133.00 |
| Business 1 year multiple entry China visa | £216.00 | £40.00 | £256.00 |
| Business 1 year multiple entry China visa Express Service | £243.00(3 working days) | £40.00 | £283.00 |
| Business 6 month multiple entry China visa | £126.00 | £40.00 | £166.00 |
| Business 6 month multiple entry China visa Express Service | £153.00 (3 working days) | £40.00 | £193.00 |
Please note that express services are subject to embassy discretion.
No visas for overland travel are being issued by the embassy. You must have flight and hotel confirmation accompany your application.
For Z type Chinese visas, please note that you will only be issued with a 3 month single entry visa valid for 30 days stay. Upon your arrival into China, you must apply for a residents permit within 30 days at the local public security bureau to avoid illegal stay.
For those who are travelling to Shanghai or Beijing airports for a stay of 72 hours or less please contact us for visa requirements.
Any traveller under the age of 18 years must have section 6 of the Chinese visa application completed by a parent and signed by a parent to avoid rejection.
Non British nationals: The Chinese embassy may not issue a visa on the express service.
CHINA VISA PRICES PROVIDED ABOVE ARE FOR BRITISH NATIONALS ONLY. IF YOU ARE NOT A BRITISH NATIONAL, PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING PRICES ON APPLICATION FOR A CHINESE VISA:
China visa prices for US nationals:
Single entry visa £126.00
Double entry visa £126.00
6 month multiple entry visa £126.00
1 year multiple entry visa £126.00
China visa prices for other nationals:
Single entry visa £56.00/ express service £83.00
Double entry visa £66.00/ express service £93.00
6 month multiple entry visa £76.00/ express service £103.00
1 year multiple entry visa £96.00/ express service £123.00
*Nationals of Romania, Serbia or Poland will be priced on application.
For stays of up to 15 days to nationals of : Singapore, Brunei & Japan
TIBET VISAS: Tibet visas are normally obtained by your tour operator but if travelling independantly please contact the Tourist Bureau of Tibet and obtain approval before applying for a Chinese visa. Please note that all Chinese visas obtained before travel will become void upon entry in Tibet.
(Fax: 0086 891 6334632). If you are travelling to Tibet via Nepal you can only apply for the visa from the Chinese Embassy in Katmandu.
CHINA TRANSIT VISAS: China transit visas are required by all except those as noted above and those continuing their journey to a third country within 24 hours by the same or first connecting aircraft with valid documents & confirmed tickets and they do not leaving the airport
CHINA HEALTH: Compulsory vaccinations: Yellow fever certificate if arriving from infected areas. Travellers making 3 or more visits per year, stays of more than 3 months in a rural area, high-risk occupational groups & backpackers staying more than 1 month are advised to have the following recommended immunisations: Cholera, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Japanese B Encephalitis, Malaria, TB, Tetanus & Typhoid.
Malaria exists mainly in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan, Tibet (only the valley of the Zangbo River in the extreme south east) & Yunnan. There is no malaria risk in urban areas or in the densely populated plain areas. Tourists do not need to take preventative treatment unless they plan to stay in remote rural areas.
CHINA WEATHER: Northern China: in the far north, summers are cooler than the rest of Northern China, which are generally humid and wet. Winters are cold & temperatures can freeze waterways for several months. In the northeast, including Beijing, summers are hot, winters cold with frost and snow.
Northwest China: this area is mostly desert with little rain. Summers are hot and winters cold, made worse by bitter icy winds.
Central China: generally warmer than the north with rain spread throughout the year. Summer months (Jul-Oct) are the wettest making conditions humid & along the coast, typhoons can occur. Winters have periods of rain or cold and frosty with occasional snow.
Southern China: the warmest and wettest region especially between Jun-Sep and in coastal areas where typhoons can occur. Inland regions of Southern China are mountainous with cooler summers and rain in higher areas; winters are sunny with little rain.
Southwest China: Tibet is a region of high mountains and plateaus & generally the weather is sunny and crisp, although summer months are wet and winter months cold and frosty.
CHINA MISC:
Location of China: Asia
Local Time in China: GMT+8
Capital City of China: Beijing (Peking)
Population of China: 1,3 billion
Language(s) spoken in China: Chinese, many dialects including Cantonese and Fujianese
Dialling Code for China: 86
Emergency numbers in China: Police: 110. Fire: 119. Ambulance: 120 (Beijing)
Electricity in China: 220V AC 50Hz
Currency of China: Yuan Renminbi (CNY 1 = 100 Fen or 10 Jiao)
Notes: CNY: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100. Jiao: 1, 2, 520,
Coins: CNY: 1. Fen: 1, 2, 5. Jiao: 1, 5
Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Credit cards are accepted at tourist hotels or tourist shops in major cities. Local currency is only available in exchange for travellers cheques in China and Hong Kong
Opening Hours in China:
Bank: 0900-1200 & 1400-1700 Mon-Fri
Office: 0800-1130 & 1300-1700 Mon-Fri
Shops: 0900-1900 Mon-Sun
Hints for China: Business cards to have Chinese translation on reverse side. Essential to use interpreters. Misunderstandings can arise as there is no direct Chinese equivalent of yes, no and please, while laughter also may disguise embarrassment. There are some restrictions on photography. On social occasions (i.e invitation to restaurants), be punctual. Dress as for business meetings unless otherwise indicated. It is not customary to remain at table once the meal is over. Before visiting China, appropriate travel guides should be read
Tipping in China: Not encouraged but accepted from tourists
Import Allowances for China: For persons of 18 years of age or older:
400 cigarettes (for a stay of up to 6 months), 600 cigarettes (for a stay of over 6 months) or equivalent in tobacco products
2 lit of alcoholic beverage (stays less than 6 months) or 4 lit (stays of over 6 months)
(Not exceeding75cl) A reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use
Prohibited/Restricted in China: Arms, ammunition, radio transmitters/receivers
Airports in China:
Beijing Capital (PEK)
Nanjing Lukou International (NKG)
Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA)
Shanghai Pu Dong (PVG)
