Embassies & Visa

China Visa Service

In order to come to China on one of our programs, you must have a passport that is valid for at least three months after your visit to China will conclude, and you must also already have the necessary visa. Every person should already have an approved visa before entering China and if entering Tibet, an approved permit must be obtained two weeks before entering. If you only plan on traveling to Hong Kong or Macau, you do not need a visa to enter China.

Obtaining a Visa

It is very easy for almost anyone to obtain a tourist visa to enter China. The tourist visa is usually good for a maximum stay of up to sixty days. Please direct all questions to your nearest PRC embassy or consulate, or contact us and we can help anyone who has a valid passport to process applications for visas into China.
To apply for a Chinese tourist visa (Type L), you will need to fill out an application form, have one passport-size photo and a valid passport. The usual length of time for a visa to be processed is around one week. The Chinese Embassy must have approval from the Tibet Tourism Administration before issuing all permits into Tibet.
The passport-size photo must be one similar to that in your passport. It can only show the head, full frontal and have a white background. The photo itself can be processed at any passport photo service center.
Unless you are planning to leave China and enter again, you will only need to apply for a single entry visa. This is good for three months from the date of issue and will allow you to stay in China for a maximum of sixty days.

Visitors who wish to travel to Hong Kong or Macau and hold passports from the following countries DO NOT need a visa when staying for a certain length of time. If you are not from any of these listed countries or want to stay longer than the allowed length of time, you will need to apply for a visa. The applications for these two places can be found and accepted by any Chinese diplomatic or consular mission or also by the HKSAR Immigration Department by mail or a local sponsor.
Hong Kong Immigration Department: Tel: (852) 2824 6111 Fax: (852) 2877 7711
Immigration Tower ,7, Gloucester Road Wan Chai, Hong Kong

If you want to obtain your visa in person while in Hong Kong, you may do so from the Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. The office is open from Monday to Friday. The following documents must be brought to obtain a Chinese visa: 1.A recent passport-size photo 2.A valid passport (good for 3 months after the departure date from China) 3.Visa application. A visa can usually be obtained within one working day.
The address is as follows (please call before going to their office):
5th Floor, Lower Block, 26 Harbor Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2585 1657 or (852) 2585 1680 or (852) 2585 1794
For an invitation letter, we need the following information:
1.The date of entry into China   2.The total number of days in China
3.The cities that will be visited   4.Passport Expiration Date
5.Every person’s name as it appears on each passport
6.Your personal home address   7.Date of Birth
8.Passport Number 9.Occupation
10.Telephone, fax number and email address 11.Gender
Remember, if you need to leave and re-enter China, you must apply for a double or multiple entry visa. Even when you leave for Hong Kong or Macao from mainland China, you still need to have a double or multiple entry visa.