How to Apply for a China Visa — a Step-by-Step Guide

Visa-Free Access to China: If you're from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, and Poland, you can visit China visa-free for 15 days until December 31st, 2025. If you're from Singapore, you can relish visa-free access to China for up to 30 days.

If your nationality isn't listed above or if you aim to discover China for more than two weeks, we offer a Port Visa Service for just US$100 per person once your tour booking is confirmed with us. No stress of embassy visits and visa interviews.

How to Apply for a China Visa

Planning to visit China, but don't know how to apply for a China visa? We're breaking it down for you with our step-by-step guide, follow the steps and get your China visa efficiently.

The visa information we provide is for reference only. We are a travel agency. If you book a trip with us, we can provide you with an invitation letter when applying for a tourist visa.

1. Find out if you need a visa

The first thing is to check whether you need a visa or not. You usually need to apply for a Chinese visa unless you meet one of China's visa-free policies. 72- and 144-hour visa-free transit offer great convenience if you have a layover in China.

2. Find out which visa you need.

There are many types of China visas. Choose a visa type that applies to your situation. If you are planning to go on a vacation in China, apply for a Tourist Visa (L Visa).

3. Prepare the required documents.

The following list of documents are required for any China visa application:

Along with the aforementioned generally required documents, several additional documents are required depending upon the type of China visa applied for.

For instance, if you are applying for a tourist L visa, you need to prepare an air ticket booking record (round trip) and proof of a hotel reservation OR an invitation letter issued by a Chinese travel agency. (An invitation letter could be provided by us without extra charge if a China tour of 3 days or more is booked.)

An invitation letter can replace the air ticket and hotel booking if you are planning to stay with friends or family who live in China and can't provide the hotel confirmation, or if your travel is being organized by a travel agency (or other duly authorized organization) in China. We can provide you with the invitation letter if you book a tour with us.