Tourist and family visit visa (L-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for tourist purpose, family visit or other personal affairs.
i.Please provide the following documents:
(i) Original passport remaining to be valid for at least 6 months from the date of application with 2 or more blank visa pages.
(ii) One completed Visa Application Form (Download) with a recently-taken passport photo; all the items on the application form should be completed neatly with genuine information; if the applicant has a Chinese name, the Chinese name should be filled in. False or incomplete information and illegible characters may lead to refusal of a visa.
(iii) Copy of passport information page of the applicant.
(iv) Applicant who has obtained Chinese visa before is required to provide photocopy of the latest visa; and applicant who applies for multiple-entry visa is required to provide photocopy of previously obtained multiple-entry visa if obtained before.
(v) Applicant applying for tourist and family visa (L-visa) also need to provide:
1. Invitation letter from a Chinese organization or a permanent resident in China;
A. Invitation issued by organization (including government at the county level and above, company and public institution) should contain information of the applicant (i.e. full name, gender, date of birth, purpose of visit, date of arriving and leaving China, place of visit, relations between the applicant and the inviter, financial support during stay in China) and information of the inviter (i.e. name of organization, contact number, address, stamp of the organization, signature of the organization’s representative).
B. Invitation issued by personal inviter (including Chinese citizen, residence from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan holding legal residence in the mainland of China, and foreign citizen holding legal residence in the mainland of China) should contain:
a. information of the applicant (i.e. full name, gender, date of birth, purpose of visit, date of arriving and leaving China, place of visit, relations between the applicant and the inviter, financial support during stay in China) and information of the inviter (i.e. name, contact number, address, inviter’s signature and inviter’s ID number ).
b. if the inviter is a Chinese resident, his/her ID copy is required to provide; if the inviter is non-Chinese who is living in China, photocopies of his/her passport information page and valid Chinese visa page/valid residence permit of living in China is required to provide.
OR
2. Air ticket booking record (round trip) and hotel reservation;
(vi) Applicant under 18 years old and of Chinese origin, applying for a Chinese visa for the first time should provide the following documents:
A. the child's full birth certificate which must show both parents' names (original and copy);
B. passports of both parents (original and copy of information page);
C. If one or both parents are Chinese passport holders, the permanent residence permit or valid UK visa (original and copy) of the Chinese passport holder is required;
D. Old Chinese passport (if applied) or People's Republic of China Exit and Entry Permit (if applied).
For applicant born in the mainland of China who has applied for Chinese visa before, Chinese embassy in UK may request him/her to provide the above mentioned documents. To save your time, CVASC suggests you prepare all the documents ahead of coming to Centre.
(vii) An applicant holding a passport other than UK passport should provide the original and a copy of his or her permanent residence or work permit which should be valid for at least half a year (except for those who are visa or permit exempt for residing or working in the UK).
(viii) For group tour,the following documents are required:
1.A visa notification form issued by authorized travel agencies in China including China International Travel Service Head Office,China Travel Service Head Office, China Youth Travel Service Head Office and the tourism administration of related province, autonomous region and municipality directly under the Central Government.
2.A name list of the members of the tourist group. If the last page of the list has left a blank, a straight line should be drawn across the blank from its upper corner on the left to the lower corner on the right.
3.Original passport of each group member and a photocopy of the information page from each passport, which should be arranged according to the names listed.
4.A letter issued by the travel agency organizing the tour, the content of which should mainly include the group number, total number of group members,contact person and the itinerary of the tour.
ii.Method and Time for submission of applications
(i)Method: An applicant may submit his or her visa application to the Centre in person or entrusts someone or a travel agent to submit on his or her behalf.You must make an appointment online in advance via the Centre's website before submission. If you select to apply by post, you need to follow Guidelines on Postal Application in addition to preparing for all the documents provided for above. You may be required to go to the Chinese Embassy for an interview if the Chinese Embassy deems it necessary.
(ii)Time: Regular visa processing time is 4 working days. For example, customers applying on Monday will pick up their visas on Thursday. Express visa processing time is 3 working days. For example, customers applying on Monday will pick up their visas on Wednesday. Please note that express service is only available to those customers who submit applications to the visa counter before 12:00 at noon, Monday to Friday. Therefore, if you request express service, please select the time period before 12:00 at noon while booking online appointment.
Group visas will be ready for collection 5 working days after submission, and no express service are available.
iii.Visa fee, period of validity and duration of stay
(i)Pay visa and service fees when collecting passport;
(ii)You may select cash or debit card when making payment;
(iii)Schedule of visa Fees and Service Fees (Unit: British Pound):
(iv) Unless specifically requested by the applicant in his or her completed application form and approved by consular officers, a single-entry visa is valid for 3 months, and a double-entry visa valid for 6 months, both with a 30-day duration of stay.
(v) Consular officers decide on the visa's period of validity, duration of stay and number of entry in the light of China's laws and regulations.
(vi) Whether a visa is to be issued or not to be issued, and what type of visa to be issued shall be decided by Consular officers in the light of China's relevant laws and regulations.
iv. Please Note:
(i)Please apply for a visa about one month in advance of your intended date of entry into China, and do not apply 3 months earlier than your intended date of entry into China. You should take upon yourself any consequences resulting from your failure to submit visa application at an appropriate time, which may lead to either your already-issued visa becoming expired or it would be too late to get a visa before your planned departure date.
(ii)The visa application form should be fully filled in and signed by the applicant upon completion (application for an applicant under 18 years of age should be signed by one of his or her parents). Items which are not applicable should be filled in with N/A.
(iii)Consular officers may request an applicant to provide additional supporting documents. The applicant should provide this as soon as possible.
