Applying for a Chinese Visa

Applying for a visa can be stressful and confusing, especially if you don't know anyone who has experienced the process to answer the millions of questions racing through your head. Well, I have applied for two tourist visas and two student visas for China over the past nine years, so I have built up quite a lot of experience and knowledge in this area.

How do I apply?

The first step is to go to visaforchina.org and select your country and nearest city. For example's sake, I have chosen Sydney Australia. Next, click on the 'Step By Step Guidance' link and select the appropriate visa type for you according to the descriptions on the right-hand side. This will then produce a list of things you will need in order to apply for that visa.



Homepage of the Sydney Visa Application Centre website

You don't need to make an appointment. You can just walk-in to submit an application or pick up your passport and visa. If you want to save time, you can make an appointment via the 'Quick Access' link on the homepage of the website. The visa centre in Sydney is open from 9am-3pm Monday to Friday and is located at Level 5, 299 Elizabeth Street. It's on the corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool Streets opposite Museum Station.

The most common visas are L (tourist), X1 (long-term student, more than 180 days) and X2 (short-term student, up to 180 days). 

These visas usually only take four days until they're ready for collection (this includes weekends), however you can pay extra for an express service and have your visa ready for collection in as little as two days. Postal applications take about 10 days. You have 90 days to collect your visa after it's ready, and you pay the processing fee upon collection. I applied for the normal processing time and my visa cost me AU$98.50.

Who do I contact to answer my questions?

Unfortunately, there aren't many places to go to get answers to specific questions. When I called the Sydney Visa Centre, a recording simply told me to check the FAQs on their website, and when I emailed them they didn't reply. I ended up having to check online forums and blogs similar to this one to find answers to my questions.

Eventually, I called the Canberra Visa Centre and lo and behold, they have human operators that actually answer all of your questions! You can contact them between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday on (02) 6279 7800. Press '1' for English, and then '9' to speak to an operator. 

Tourist Visa (L) 

The 'L' visa is usually valid for a maximum of 90 days, however this can vary depending on your individual situation and purpose for travel.

To apply for an 'L' visa, you will need:

• Passport with at least six months remaining validity
• Photocopy of passport data/photo page
• Visa application form with recent colour passport photo attached. You can complete an Online Application Form or you can download an application form and fill it out by hand
• Return travel ticket
• Itinerary showing booked accommodation, or an invitation letter. The invitation letter should include:
• Applicant's information (full name, date of birth, gender, etc.)
• Details of planned visit (purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, relationship between applicant and inviting party, financial support to be provided during stay in China)
• Information of inviting party (name of individual or organisation, phone number, address, official stamp or organisation, signature of individual or legal representative)

If you used to be a Chinese citizen but have changed citizenship, or if you are applying for a visa outside of your country of citizenship, there are further requirements. For a full list of the requirements of the 'L' visa, have a look at the Chinese Visa Application checklist.

Student Visa (X1)

The 'X1' visa is for those going to study in China for more than 180 days. To apply for an 'X1' visa, you will need:

• Passport with at least six months remaining validity
• Photocopy of passport data/photo page
• Visa application form with recent colour passport photo attached. You can complete an Online Application Form or you can download an application form and fill it out by hand
• Original and photocopy of Admission Notice from the relevant educational institution
• Original and photocopy of the JW201 or JW202 form (this will be sent to you by the relevant Chinese university or college). 

If you have this visa, you must apply for a residence permit (below) at the local Public Security Office (公安局 gōng'ānjú or 派出所 pàichūsuǒ) within 30 days of entry into China. 



My previous Residence Permit

When I applied for my visa in Sydney, the person accepting my application told me to select "one entry valid for 3 months" on my application form, even though my Admission Notice stated I will be studying for one year. 

They explained that the expiration date simply refers to the date before which I must enter China, not for how long I can stay. The expiration date on the Residence Permit is the date that I must leave China by, and after I am issued this permit, I may leave China and return freely within the specified period of validity on the permit. Sure enough, when I received my visa, there is an unspecified "duration of stay" (see below).




My X1 visa

If you used to be a Chinese citizen but have changed citizenship, or if you are applying for a visa outside of your country of citizenship, there are further requirements. For a full list of the requirements of the 'X1' visa, have a look at the Chinese Visa Application checklist.

Student Visa (X2)

The 'X2' visa is for those going to study in China for less than 180 days. To apply for an 'X2' visa, you will need:

• Passport with at least six months remaining validity
• Photocopy of passport data/photo page
• Visa application form with recent colour passport photo attached. You can complete an Online Application Form or you can download an application form and fill it out by hand
• Original and photocopy of Admission Notice from the relevant educational institution

If you used to be a Chinese citizen but have changed citizenship, or if you are applying for a visa outside of your country of citizenship, there are further requirements. For a full list of the requirements of the 'X2' visa, have a look at the Chinese Visa Application checklist.

Can I change from a tourist visa to a student visa while I am already in China?

For Australians, no. The rules have recently changed. If you enter China on a tourist visa, you will now need to leave the country and apply for a student visa outside the country before you can re-enter. The best place to do this would be Hong Kong as you don't need a visa if you have a British passport, and most nationalities (such as Australia, U.S. and Canada) don't need a visa if they are staying less than 90 days. For the visa requirements according to your nationality visit the Immigration Department of Hong Kong's website. 

I've been told that you can't change visas in Taiwan as the mainland Chinese government considers Taiwan Chinese territory. 

Do I need to undergo a physical examination to apply for a student visa? 

No, not anymore! However, you will need it for registration at the university. You can go and register first, then they will send you to a hospital or medical centre for the examination.

During the exam they record your weight and height, they test your blood for a whole range of diseases, and they check your vision, ears, nose, tonsils, chest, abdomen, blood pressure and pulse rate.

I strongly recommend to get a heap of passport photos taken, as they need them for almost every application form you fill out at the visa centre, at the university, at the medical exam and at the public security office. 

If you get the photos done in China, make sure you ask for a light background as many places do it with a red or blue background without asking as this is acceptable for most places in China. However, some universities specifically ask for a white background. 

When I was in Xi'an, I got some passport photos done at a small shop just outside the university gates. They only had a blue background, so when I told them I needed a white one, they used Paint on their computer and manually coloured the background in white. My head looked a little square, but it was accepted by the university for registration!