China is a unique and mysterious country with a rich culture. Everyone dreams of a trip to the Middle Kingdom. A visa is required to cross the border. The visa application process is not as complicated as it seems at first glance, the main thing is to follow a clear procedure. There are two types of visas: tourist L visa and business F visa. You should apply for the type of visa that corresponds to the purpose of your stay in China.
Documents required to open a visa
To open any type of visa, the following package of documents must be brought to the Chinese Consulate:
- the foreign passport must be valid for another 6 months from the end of the trip and have at least one blank page, - a questionnaire completed in one copy, without inaccuracies and errors, in Russian and English, - one color photograph on a light background measuring 3, 5x4, 5 or 3x4 cm without corners, like on a passport, without hats and sunglasses, - for a tourist visa, an invitation from a Chinese tour operator or an official letter from the hotel in which the reservation was made, for a business visa - an invitation from Chinese partners, - booking for air tickets,
- a certificate from the place of work on the letterhead of the organization, which indicates the amount of salary and the position held, - medical insurance for the entire period of the trip, - for minors, a copy of the birth certificate will be required, - permission to leave the child abroad, certified by a notary in the case when a minor leaves with one of the parents, alone or accompanied by other persons.
Terms of issuance of a visa and its validity
The visa processing time is approximately seven working days, but if necessary, you can order an urgent visa two to three days in advance. In this case, you will need to pay extra for urgency. To apply for an urgent visa, you will need to present paid tickets.
According to the validity period, all visas are divided into single-entry, double-entry and multiple-entry. The time spent in China on a single entry visa is 30 days, with a corridor of 90 days. Double entry - 60 days and 90 days for entry. A multivisa is issued for a year with a period of one stay up to 30, 60 or 90 days.
Visa processing at the border of China
There is a possibility of obtaining a visa already at the Chinese border. To apply for a visa in this way, you will need to provide evidence of an urgent invitation or proof that the visa could not be issued at the consulate physically due to lack of time.
A simplified visa procedure has been established for residents of the territories bordering on China. To obtain it, you must provide a valid passport and a second document confirming the fact of residence in the border area. In this case, a visa is issued at the border crossing point with China. You can apply for a single-entry visa for 15 days or a multiple-entry visa - up to 180.
