Chinese tourist visa application guide

Please note you can apply for your Chinese visa NO EARLIER THAN THREE MONTHS before your arrival date in China.

BIOMETRIC DATA - APPLICATIONS MADE IN THE UK

Note regarding applications made in the UK: from 01 December 2018 all applicants aged between 14 and 70 years (inclusive) need to visit the Chinese visa centre in London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Belfast in person to provide their fingerprints (based on reciprocal arrangements between the UK and China).

STEP 1. PREPARE A DIGITAL PHOTO

As part of your Chinese visa application, you will now need to upload a digital photo of you. You can take a photo with your smartphone or a tablet. Please prepare a recent digital photo by following the guidance -
https://bio.visaforchina.org/template/common/photoRequirementsModal-en.html

When starting your visa application you will be asked to upload your digital photo. Otherwise you will not be able to continue with your application.

STEP 2. COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM ONLINE

The Chinese authorities now require all Chinese visa application forms to be filled in on the computer. Handwritten forms will no longer be accepted. Please follow the link to access the form, complete it on the computer and then print. Print the forms on clear white A4 paper only and on one-side of the paper, double-sided printed application will not be accepted.

Please choose the visa form depending on the visa centre where you will be applying for your visa.

The form mainly asks for your personal details, place of work, intended duration of stay in China.

There are a couple of questions that require some clarification. Please see below how to answer them if you are travelling on a China & Beyond tour:

QUESTION	ANSWER
1.7A Passport type	Ordinary (unless you have diplomatic or other passport type)
2.1A Types of visa and major purpose of your visit to China	Tourism. Then choose "Independent Tourist"
2.3A Service	Choose "Normal"
3.1A Current occupation	Please choose the one that applies, If you have indicated "Other", you must specify in the box provided. If you are a company director / business owner you need to provide information about your company business industry, i.e. in which business sector your company is engaged in question 3.3.
3.3 Work experience	All employees: enter your employment details. Your position and duties are mandatory Retired, non working: click "Not applicable"
5.5 Major family members	Please do not leave blank, please indicate your closest relatives
6.1A Date of your first entry	If you are entering from Mongolia by train please enter the date when you leave Ulan Bator, otherwise please enter your actual arrival date in China
6.1B Number of arrival train / ship / flight	All tours except Tsar's Gold Private Train: If you are entering from Mongolia by train please enter "Train K24", otherwise please enter your actual arrival information in China If traveling on Tsar’s Gold Private Train: Tsar's Gold Private Train
6.1C City of arrival	If you are entering from Mongolia by train please enter "Beijing", otherwise please enter your actual arrival information in China
6.1D County of arrival	Choose the first one from the drop down list
6.1F Number of departure train / ship / flight	All tours except Tsar's Gold Private Train: If you are travel East - West from China to Mongolia by train please enter "Train K3", otherwise please enter your actual departure information from China If traveling on Tsar’s Gold Private Train: Tsar's Gold Private Train
6.1G City of departure	Enter "Beijing", otherwise please enter your actual departure information
6.1H County of departure	Choose the first one from the drop down list
6.1J City	Enter "Beijing"
6.1K County	Choose the first one from the drop down list
6.1L Address during your stay in China	All tours except Tsar's Gold Private Train: Jianguo Hotel Qianmen Beijing, Address: No.175, Yongan Road, Beijing Tel.: +86 10 6301 66 88 If traveling on Tsar’s Gold Private Train: Capital Hotel Beijing, Address: 3 Qianmen East Street, Beijing Tel.: +86 10 5815 99 88
6.2 Inviting person or organization / hotel or temporary residence in China	Click "Not Applicable"
6.4 Who will pay for this travel	Myself
6.5 Domestic / foreign sponsor	Click "Not Applicable"
6.6 Travel companion(s) for this visit	Click "No"
9.1A Do you choose to send your passport to the Visa Center?	Click "No"
9.1B How are you going to collect your passport?	Click "By visiting the Visa Centre"
10.1A Declaration	Click "Personal Application", then tick "I have read and understood all the above" Click "SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FORM"

STEP 3. DOWNLOAD, PRINT & SIGN THE DECLARATION FORM

Please note your application package consists of two forms: visa application and customer declaration. Please do not forget to enclose the signed customer declaration form with your visa application.

Customer declaration form

STEP 4. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT YOUR COMPLETE TRAVEL PROGRAMME

It is a new requirement of the Chinese consulate to present the complete signed travel programme together with your visa application. Your form will not be accepted without this document. Please download, print and sign your detailed travel programme:

Login to your online account area,
Click on your reservation.
Click the “Documents” tab within your reservation. Open the document “Detailed Itinerary”, print it and sign. The document will be invalid if not signed.

STEP 5. PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION PACK

Original passport: passport must have at least 2 blank pages and be valid for at least 6 months after your intended departure from China.
Visa application form: completed and signed visa application form.
Customer declaration form: signed customer declaration form.
Detailed itinerary: signed detailed itinerary.
Booking confirmation: will be provided by our company.
Additional documents: please see below.

STEP 6. ENCLOSE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

Customers who have more than one nationality: if you have more than one nationality, you need to provide all other passports you possess.
Non-British Citizen applying in the UK: the original and photocopy of your valid certificates of residence, employment or student status.
All customers who have been issued a visa for China before: a copy of your previous Chinese visas.
Customers arranging their own flights or making own travel arrangements in China:
- Accommodation confirmation covering the whole period of your stay in China you arranged yourself
- Outbound flight, ferry, train ticket from China
- Inbound flight, ferry, train ticket showing how your start your trip to China from your original destination (can be a flight / train, etc.)
Note: if you do not have any flight or train tickets confirmation, please provide a Personal Statement explaining your circumstances (why you do not have confirmations of your flight / train tickets) and detailing your whole itinerary, day by day including how you leave China.