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China Tourist Visa (L)

 China tourist visas have been available again since March 15, 2023 after 3 years’ suspension due to covid-19.

Most travelers to China are required to get a China tourist visa, L visa for short, which allows them to travel freely in most parts of China as tourists, assuming that they do not qualify under the visa-free policies of China. Passports, application form, and documents showing the itinerary or an invitation letter from China are the essential application documents.
 

Sample of China Tourist Visa
Sample of China Tourist Visa

In most cases, a tourist can get a single entry L visa with a stay duration of 30 days. UK, US, Canadian, Brazil and Argentine citizens are able to get a 10-year China tourist visa with multiple entries.

If travelling with an organized tour group, you might not have an individual visa in your passport.  Instead, the tour group will be issued a group tour visa bearing all the members' names. In such situations supply your details to the travel agency beforehand and you will have no further concerns.


If travelling independently, you need to handle visa affairs on your own. The process is not complicated if you follow the guidelines below.
 

China Tourist Visa Requirements & Documents

1. Passport

- Your passport  with at least 6 months remaining validity and available blank pages, and a photocopy of passport's data page.
 

2. Application Form

- One accurately completed China Visa Application Form. Please fill in every column of the application form. If the application form is not filled out truthfully, completely and legibly, there could be a delay in processing or refusal of the application.
 

3. Recent Photo

- A recent passport-size color photo with white background.
 

4. Round-trip Tickets Plus Hotel Bookings or Invitation Letter from China

- Documents showing the itinerary including proof of round trip tickets booking and proof of hotel reservation.
- Or, if you are being invited to China, you can submit an invitation letter issued by the inviter, whether it's an entity or individual, with following information:
a. Information on the applicant, including full name, gender, and date of birth.
b. Information on the planned visit, including arrival and departure dates, place(s) of visit.
c. Information on the inviter, including name, contact number, address, official stamp, and signature of the legal representative of the entity or the inviting individual.
 

5. Other Supporting Documents

a. For those not applying in their country of citizenship, a proof of legal stay or residence status is required.
b. In some cases, applicants may need to submit a certification letter from the employer of the applicant with details as follows: name and contact number of the employer, the applicant's income statement, or original copy of recent 6-month bank statement of the applicant.
c. Applicants who intend to travel to Tibet must obtain a Tibet Travel Permit, which can be obtained from Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region by travel agencies.

China Tourist Visa Requirements
China Tourist Visa Requirements
 

How to Get a Chinese Tourist Visa

After preparing all the required documents, make an appointment with Chinese embassies, consulates, or a Chinese Visa Application Center (CVASC) if there are any in your country to submit the application. Generally, applicants aged 14-70 need to go in person. If you don't need to go personally, you can entrust someone else, such as a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf. Applications by mails are not accepted and will be refused at most Chinese embassies, consulates or CVASCs. But the mail-back service is available in more cases. 
 

Processing Time

It normally takes 4 working days for processing a China travel visa. For express service, an additional fee of USD 20 will be charged for two or three working day service. For rush service, an additional fee of USD30 will be charged for same-day service.
 

Chinese Tourist Visa Cost

The visa costs vary depending on your nationality and number of entries. However, according to the Visa Fee Abolition Agreement, the nationals of following several countries can get a visa for free, but must pay for express service, rush service or mail service: Pakistan, Maldives, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovakia and Micronesia. For major countries, the fee is listed below.

China Travel Visa Types US Citizens Canadian Citizens UK Citizens Australian Citizens
Single Entry USD 185 CAD 142 GBP 151 AUD 109.5
Double Entries USD 185 CAD 142 GBP 151 AUD 139.5
Multi Entries for 6 Months USD 185 CAD 142 GBP 151 AUD 169.5
Multi Entries for 12 Months or Longer USD 185 CAD 142 GBP 151 AUD 229.5

Click on China Visa Fees for more information.
 

China Tourist Visa Extension

If you need to stay in China past the allowed stay duration on your visitor visa, you can apply for an extension at the local Exit and Entry Administration of China seven days before your L visa expires. Your passport, a visa application form with your recent color photo attached, a registration of temporary residence, and your travel itinerary will be required for submission. If your application is approved, you can get an extended stay not exceeding the original stay duration on your visa.
 

Recommended Tour Packages

 

Further Reading:

8 Tips for Filling Out Chinese Visa Application Form
Top 10 China Destinations for First Time Travelers
Top 8 Reasons Why Your China Visa Gets Rejected
 
- Last updated on Mar. 26, 2024 by Gabby Li -
Questions & Answers on China Tourist Visa
Asked by Michael from AUSTRALIA | Mar. 27, 2024 19:14Reply
Can I get a Tourist visa for 3 months. I have Australian passport.
I plan to sight see over the whole country as a private traveler.
I do not have a fixed itinerary
Asked by Simon from MOZAMBIQUE | Mar. 21, 2024 23:33Reply
L or F visa? L Visa needs invitation? Or itinerary will be enough
Hi, checking this for my friend in Mozambique. He and his family is traveling to China for medical purpose. Which visa type should they apply for? If L visa, do they have to have an invitation from China? Or itinerary of their whole trip will suffice? Thanks a lot!
Answers (1)
Answered by Keith | Mar. 25, 2024 00:01
00Reply


Sorry to say that both L and F are not available for them. S2 may be the possible visa type for you but has very high requirements. You may need an invitation letter, hospitalization certificate, certificate of accompanying issued by the hospital in China where the patient is to be admitted, certificate of kinship between the accompanying person and the patient. The accompanying person should be a family member and not more than two persons. It's advised to consult the Embassy for details.
Asked by Kamala from UNITED KINGDOM | Mar. 14, 2024 06:02Reply
GUANGZHOU > HONG KONG > GUANGZHOU > TOKYO
I am flying with my partner to Guangzhou and getting a train to Hong Kong where we will stay with his family for 4 days, then we get a train back to Guangzhou and fly to Japan.

I am a British national with valid passport - will a chinese tourist visa allow me to enter, exit, and re-enter through Guangzhou railway station?
Answers (1)
Answered by Joshua | Mar. 17, 2024 18:13
00Reply


You will need a double-entry tourist visa, because you will enter the mainland twice.
Asked by K from HONG KONG SAR | Mar. 13, 2024 08:06Reply
If I have a multiple entry visa, can I enter before my originally submitted itinerary?
I would just like to know if it would be ok to enter before the original date as submitted in the itinerary during the visa application and if I can enter through a different place.

Specifically, I am applying mainly for a trip to Quanzhou, but if for example I am given a multiple entry visa, am I allowed to, say, make a day-long trip to Shenzhen before my planned trip to Quanzhou or would it raise red flags?
Answers (1)
Answered by Marcy | Mar. 13, 2024 23:07
00Reply


Unless otherwise specified, you can change your trip itinerary. But note that you must enter China before your visa expires.
Asked by Caitlyn from SOUTH AFRICA | Mar. 13, 2024 00:44Reply
What Visa should I get?
Hi I have just gotten engaged and my fiancé works and lives in China. I would like to go to him so we can start the planning of our wedding and for me to see the country. We would like to get a multi entry visa as we will be travlling to Hong Kong as well as Singapore in the time I am staying there. What visa should i get? and how long will the visa be valid for?
Answers (1)
Answered by Keith | Mar. 13, 2024 22:51
00Reply


You may get a tourist L visa and the duration of stay is usually 30 days. If it's your first-time application, it's not so easy to get a multiple-entry one. Anyway, try to apply for a multiple-entry to save further troubles.
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