Types of Visas
Chinese visas are classified as: diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, service visa and ordinary visa. Classified by the purpose of visiting China, ordinary visas issued to foreign nationals are further classified into eight types: residence visa, professional visa, study visa, visit visa, tourist visa, transit visa, crew-member visa and journalist visa. Each type of visa is marked by the first phonetic letter of its name’s Hanyu Pinyin, some plus a number after the letter, such as: Z, X, F, L, G, C, J-1 and J-2. Ordinary visas are issued to the following nationals:
1. Visa D to foreign nationals granted permanent residence in China;
2. Visa Z to foreign nationals who come to China to take up posts or employment and to their accompanying family members;
3. Visa X to foreign nationals who come to China for education, advanced studies or internships for over six months;
4. Visa F to foreign nationals who are invited to China for visits, inspection tours, lectures, business, scientific and cultural exchanges, short-term refresher courses and internships for no more than six months;
5. Visa L to foreign nationals who come to China for sight-seeing, visiting relatives or other private business (A group visa may be issued to a group of nine or more foreign nationals who are on a sight-seeing trip to China);
6. Visa G to foreign nationals who transit through China;
7. Visa C to crew members of trains, aircrafts and ships on international travels, flights or voyages and to their accompanying family members.
8. Visa J-1 to resident foreign correspondents in China; Visa J-2 to foreign correspondents on specific temporary reporting assignments to China.
Foreign nationals in China are only allowed to engage in permitted activities in accordance with the certain types of visas they have been granted.
Documents Required for Visa Applications
To obtain a visa to China, a foreign national shall provide a valid passport or other valid identification documents; answer relevant questions asked, fill in the visa application form, submit two-inch recently-taken full-viewed photos (without hat); present relevant certificates attesting to the purpose of entry or transit for examination.In addition, foreign nationals intending to reside in China permanently or stay in China for more than one year should also present health certificates (valid for six months) which conform to relevant provisions when applying for entry visas.
Visa-free Foreign Nationals
To facilitate international travels, many countries exempt each other’s citizens from visa requirements. The following foreign nationals are granted visa-free entry into mainland China:
1. Holders of passports issued by countries which have entered into a mutual visa exemption agreement with the Chinese government. At present, China has mutual visa exemption agreements with fifty-three countries, including Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela. Under such agreements, holders of non-private ordinary passports, such as diplomatic passports and service passports, are allowed to enter mainland China without visas.
2. International passengers in immediate transit through China on international connecting flights are exempted from transit visas, if they stay in the transit city for no more than twenty-four hours and do not leave the airport; if they need to leave the airport, they are required to obtain a permission issued by the border inspection station.
3. Foreign crew members of vessels and their accompanying family members on international voyages who wish to come ashore during the vessel's call at a Chinese port and who will not travel beyond the port city shall apply for a landing permit from the border inspection station; and those who wish to stay ashore overnight shall obtain an overnight stay permit (this rule is not applicable to those planning to travel beyond the city and those who are unable to exit onboard their original vessels).
4. Citizens of Russia, Byelorussia, Turkmenistan and Moldova who visit China in tourist groups are exempted from visas.
5. Citizens of Japan, Singapore and Brunei holding regular passports can be granted a visa-free stay in China for up to 15 days.
Visa Replacemen
1. Any foreign visitor whose passport is lost or stolen is required to provide a confirmation issued by the entry and exit administration department of the local public security bureau or a statement note by the embassy or consulate of his or her home country in China proving that the passport is lost.
2. In the case of an infant born in China and thus bearing a separate passport, his or her parents are required to provide the original birth certificate of the infant and copies of the parents' passports.
3. Any foreign visitor whose passport is about to expire or the passport visa pages are used up and therefore must request a new passport, is required to provide the passport with which he or she has just entered China, to the proper authorities for replacement or renewal.
Visa Extension
Any foreign visitor who wishes to extend his or her stay in the PRC or change the type or content of his or her visa is required to file an application with relevant government departments in a timely manner according to the following procedures:
1. Present his or her passport, visa and other required identification documents for examination;
2. Fill in the visa extension or visa alteration application form;
3. Provide relevant confirmations for extension or alteration.
The Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Hubei Provincial People’s Government handles diplomatic visa, courtesy visa and service visa matters for all the consular officers and staff members in consulates in Wuhan and other foreign nationals for temporary business in Wuhan. Wuhan City Public Security Bureau Exit-Entry Administration Department handles visa and residence permit matters for foreign nationals possessing valid international travel documents or certificates (passport and other travel documents).
Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Hubei Provincial People’s Government
Add: No.T3, Bayi Road, Wuchang District
Tel: 027-87811321-2184
Wuhan City Public Security Bureau Exit-Entry Administration Department
Add: No.306, Shengli Road, Jiang’an District, Wuhan
Tel: 027-85395370
Please note that it takes five workdays to process, approve and issue visas. |
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