Acquiring A Visa To Travel In China

Do you plan on visiting the country of China?  Whatever reason you are visiting, you will need to apply for a visa. Trying to figure out what kind of document to get can sometimes be hard.  Depending on your reason for travel, you will probably need a certain type of visa.  Don’t delay your visit by applying for the wrong one.  Also, before you begin your application steps, have some idea where in China you plan to visit.  For locations like Macau or Hong Kong, you will not need a visa.

China offers about four different types of visas.  The most standard visa is a tourist visa.  A tourist visa is the best choice if you plan on going to China for a tour.  A tourist visa will be valid for 30 days, and will enable you to enter China’s mainland twice.  If you plan to leave the mainland and return to finish out your tour, that will be looked at as your second entry.  When you apply for this visa, let them know you are going for pleasure only.

China visas for work are also very common.  These visits may entail production work, company meetings, and research.  A business visa will also only last for 30 days.  The difference with a business visa is that you can use this visa for six months.  This allows business professionals to return if needed.  It can be a little more complicated than a tourist application to acquire.  You have to have an invitation letter from the firm you are affiliated with in China.  Be sure you don’t get this confused with a work one.

For longer-term trips you can apply for work, student, or journalism visas.  A work visa means that you can live in the country for as long as you are working there.  A student visa is ideal if you are taking an internship or going to study.  You can visit with this visa for 6 months with a possible extension.  If you are a journalist or writer, you can get a journalism visa.  This visa is valid for as long as your work lasts.

Apply for your Chinese documents as soon as you can.  Acquiring a visa can sometimes take forever.  Be prepared with your US passports and any other documents you might need when you turn in your application.  You can apply for a visa in two different spots.  You can take your US passports into a Chinese Consulate to apply.  You also have the ability to apply online.  The application online is explained to you in full detail.

Tags: China visas, US passports