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Chinese Visas; How to get a Visa for China (tourist and student Visas）
Obtaining a Visa for China can be quite the hassle, doing circles of paperwork and applying several times. This information will hopefully help you get your Visa the first time you apply.
Tourist Visa, L type Visa for China
Tourist（L) Visa for China is the easiest and most common visa to obtain. It is valid for 30 days travel within China (although some nationalities can get up to 60 days) and can be extended, which I’ll go into later. From the day your visa is approved, you have 90 days in which to enter China before the visa expires.
L visa requirements –
Firstly you need to fill in the visa application form corresponding to your own Countries embassy or visa office and Select L tourist visa.
You will need to provide round trip flight tickets to prove you intend to leave China within the given timeframe.
You will also have to provide an itinerary of your stay in China. They want to see hotel confirmation for each place you stay. You can pre book online using sites like trip.com or booking.com, print the confirmation, make sure your name and companion’s names are written on the confirmation. These booking sites also offer free cancellations for most bookings, which you can cancel or change later once you have the visa sorted.
Make sure you include your passport sized photograph and have your passport data page already photocopied to save time and money at the visa office.
Number of entries –
If you’re applying for your first tourist visa for China, you can only obtain a single entry visa. If you are applying for a second tourist visa for China, you may apply for a double entry （still only a total of 30 days each entry), after that you can apply for a multiple entry visa （for an extra fee).
Extensions –
If you find you have fallen in love with China during your travels, and 30 days simply isn’t long enough, there is a way to extend your tourist visa in China（this also proves to be a bit of a pain).
You can only do this at Public Security Bureaus（Entry/Exit administration) in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai and some provincial capital cities, not in any small regional PSB’s which some other articles suggest.
Beijing Entry/Exit administration Public Security Bureau address –
（Lama temple metro station）
2 Andingmen Dongdajie (by Xiaojie Qiao)
Dongcheng District
东城区
东城区安定门东大街2号
http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/visa/
Shanghai Entry/Exit administration Public
Security Bureau address –
（Shanghai science and technology center metro station）
1500 Mingshen road,
Pudong new area.
民生路1500号, 近迎春路
http://english.pudong.gov.cn/2017-07/31/c_88677.htm
Requirements–
You will be required to fill in the visa extension form, as well as provide another detailed day to day itinerary of places you will be visiting/ staying. Also you need to provide a stamped receipt slip of the registered hotel you stayed at（in the relevant city) the previous night and be registered there for the next night. Make sure the receipt slip is stamped with the hotel’s official stamp, if it’s not, they simply won’t accept your application. Sometimes they ask you to provide a bank statement with proof of funds to support yourself for the trip. Be sure to have some extra passport sized photos ready for the application too.
You should apply for the extension a week to five working days before the visa expires. If your extension is approved, you’ll be given another 30 days stay from the date of approval. This means that totally you only get 20-25 extra days in China.
Pick up-
You need to leave your passport with the PSB, they will provide you with an official paper that you can use as ID for travel. If two or more people apply together, it’s possible for just one person to collect all passports, as long as you have each persons collection slip. It usually takes about five days to process and costs around ¥160 Chinese RMB for most nationalities（not everyone), be aware that US citizens will have to pay over ¥700 Chinese RMB for their extension. Be prepared to pay by cash.
Student Visa for China X2 type
If you are looking to study in China there are a few Visas available. X2 student Visa, for study of less than 180 days（this can then be extended a further 180 days within China, total one year). X1 type is a long term study Visa, and F type visa is for cultural exchange, 90 days or less.
We will go into X2 type student visa, it’s quite common and the kind of visa we offer at YuKungFu martial arts academy, China.
If you want to attend a school in China, like YuKungFu martial arts academy, you will be given the necessary paperwork needed to apply for the student X2 visa by the school you have applied to.
The application process is similar to that of the tourist (L) visa, with a few changes in paperwork requirements. You don’t need to provide a roundtrip flight ticket, or a hotel itinerary confirmation, but you will need to provide the official invitation letter of the school you will be attending (eg. Yu Kung Fu martial arts academy). This letter needs to have a government official red stamp on the letter with the school’s registration number. They should also provide you with the address and contact information of the school in China and include the dates you intend to study in China.
The visa office’s tend to be inconsistent with some requirements. Sometimes they ask for the original (couriered) invitation letter, but most of the time an email printout is acceptable. They might also ask you to provide the school’s registration certificate, again this isn’t always needed.
You will also need to include your passport sized photograph, and a copy of your passport data page. Organise this before-hand to save time and money at the VISA office.
Entries-
If you require a double or multiple entry you will need the school to state on the invitation letter that they will permit you to leave and return to the school. Double/multiple entry is granted at the discretion of the VISA officer in charge, it’s never guaranteed.
VISA collection –
Ordinary processing time for a VISA for China is 4-5 working days. You can opt for express service, 2-3 working days, or rush service for 1 working day (these require an extra fee).
Payment for the VISA is different for each country of citizenship. You should check for your own nationality fees list.
These two websites will provide detailed information about your nationalities VISA for China process.
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjb_663304/zwjg_665342/2490_665344/
https://www.visaforchina.org