China Visa Application Guide
The visa application for travel to China presents a number of unique challenges to successful completion. This guide can assist
you with completing the China visa application accurately and thoroughly, saving you valuable time, expense and headache.
When completing the online visa application form, you must select the correct Embassy/Consulate based on your state of
residence, please refer to the following jurisdictional rules to determine the correct Embassy/Consulate.
• Washington DC:
Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, DC, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska,
North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virgin Islands,
Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming
• Chicago:
Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin
• Los Angeles:
Arizona, Guam, Hawaii, Southern California (Residents of the following Southern California counties must select Los Angeles:
Imperial County, Kern County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Diego
County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, and Venture County)
• San Francisco:
Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Northern California (Residents of counties not listed above, must select San Francisco)
• New York:
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
This guide is divided in two parts: a checklist of common errors and step by step instructions to the questions.
In our experience clients routinely make the same errors. These common mistakes include:
• Names different from what is listed in your passport. You must write your name exactly as it appears in your
passport, no abbreviations or nicknames: for example, you must use Robert even if you answer to Bob, Jones-Smith even
if you commonly use Smith, etc.
• None or partial business, hotels and residence addresses listed in the fields. You must provide the complete
address of a business, hotel or residence, for your home country and in China.
• Not using N/A when it is required. If a field in the application does not apply you must write “Not Applicable” or
“N/A”. No field can be left blank.
• Signatures in the wrong locations. You must sign your name and date the Confirmation of Online Visa Application
and the Visa Application Form where indicated
• Application Printed Double Sided. All pages must be printed single sided.
• Dated Incorrectly. Dates must follow the YYYY-MM-DD format.
• Please note: all information provided in additional statements must fully match same information on
the application form.
Step by Step China Visa Application Form Instructions
The China Visa Application form is divided into sections and sub sections as listed below:
Section
Sub-Section
Notes
1
Home Page
Guidelines
Read the instructions
2
Personal Information
Photo Upload
Up to 3 attempts, if all fail you may
proceed with application completion. You
may use CIBT Digital Photo service to
send us your picture.
2
Personal Information
Name
Self-explanatory. Enter your full name
for Name in Native Alphabet. Name
must match your passport
2
Personal Information
Date of birth
Self-explanatory. DOB must
match your passport
2
Personal Information
Gender
Self-explanatory
2
Personal Information
Place of birth
Self-explanatory
2
Personal Information
Marital status
Self-explanatory
2
Personal Information
Nationality and permanent
residence
Self-explanatory. For example,
enter Driver's License Number or State ID
for National ID Number
2
Personal Information
Passport
Self-explanatory. Check
Ordinary for Type of passport
2
Personal Information
Lost/Stolen Passport
Self-explanatory
3
Type of Visa
Type of visa and maker purpose of
your trip
Self-explanatory. Select the purpose that
matches your reason for traveling
3
Type of Visa
Service
Select Normal or Express (additional fees
may apply for Express)
3
Type of Visa
Application Details
Enter your trip duration and visa validity
you would like to apply for. Keep in mind
that final visa issuance and validity are at
the consulate's discretion
4
Work Information
Current Occupation
You must answer all fields to
the best of your ability
4
Work Information
Work Experience
Enter your work experience in reverse
chronological order. You may use the Add
button to include more than one experience
4
Work Information
Work History
Must include full years of employment,
addresses, job titles and duties, including
years of Military service on section 3.3 on
your application. Section 8.8 must indicate
branch of service and type of duty.
Make sure all dates match with
Application/Statement/Work history.
Timelines from the date of completion your
education must be consistent with the dates
of work experience. Explain if there are any
gaps in between.
If you belong or have belong to any
volunteer or charitable organization you
must provide detailed information in a
SEPARATE STATEMENT for each
organization addressed to the Chinese
Consulate. The statement should contain an
introduction of the organization and
applicant’s role – do not WRITE “see above“.
Please provide NAME/DATE OF
ENROLLMENT/DESCRIPTION, and WHAT
YOU DO
5
Education
Language Skills
Self-explanatory
5
Education
Education Information
List all education institutions you have
attended, INCLUDING HIGH SCHOOL. For
Major type GENERAL STUDIES – do not
leave this section blank. The time line needs
to match with the date you start your work
history
5
Education
Education since high school
Enter your education in reverse
chronological order. You may use the Add
button to include more than one
6
Family Information
Current residence address
Self-explanatory. Residence must match
Proof of Address provided
6
Family Information
Father
Self-explanatory
6
Family Information
Mother
Self-explanatory
6
Family Information
Child
Self-explanatory
6
Family Information
Do you have relatives in China?
Self-explanatory
7
Information About
Your Trip
Information About Your
Intended Trip - Travel Dates
Self-explanatory. For dates: if no itinerary
scheduled, enter an entry date 15 – 30
days from the date of sending application,
with exit for the intended amount of days in
China
7
Information About
Your Trip
Information About Your
Intended Trip - Stay
Enter the address where you intend to stay
while in China. If multiple cities or
addresses, use the Add button to list all
7
Information About
Your Trip
Inviting person or organization
If applicable, enter the details of your
inviter (person or organization)
7
Information About
Your Trip
Emergency contact
Self-explanatory
7
Information About
Your Trip
Who will pay for this travel
Self-explanatory
7
Information About
Your Trip
Sponsor
If applicable, enter the details of your
sponsor (person or organization)
7
Information About
Your Trip
Travel companion
Self-explanatory
8
Past Travel
Previous travel to China
Self-explanatory
8
Past Travel
Previous Chinese visa
Self-explanatory. If applicable, refer
to your China visa in your passport
8
Past Travel
Valid visas
Self-explanatory
8
Past Travel
Countries visited in the past 5 years
Self-explanatory
9
Other Information
Multiple general questions
Check No (Unless any applies to you)
10
For Person Filling
Did anyone assist you
completing the application?
Check No
11
Review
Review your answers
Self-explanatory
