CHINESE TOURIST BUSINESS VISA FOR FOREIGNERS - EXPERIENCE, CHECKLIST AND FEES

Friday, 29/12/23

A Chinese visa is an official document issued by the Chinese government to foreign citizens who wish to enter, leave, or transit through China. If you plan to visit China, you must obtain the appropriate visa unless you are exempt from it according to certain agreements and regulations. It is important to ensure that your visa is valid before you travel. If it has expired or has an insufficient number of entries, you will need to apply for a new one. In Vietnam, Chinese Visa applications are submitted to the Chinese Visa Application Center and approved by the Chinese Embassy/ Consulate in Ha Noi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City.

EXPERIENCE FOR FOREIGN EXPATRIATES WHEN APPLYING CHINESE VISAS FROM VIETNAM

If you’re a foreign expatriate planning to apply for a Chinese visa from Vietnam, here’s what you need to know:

1. Knowing about Chinese Visa Types:

Determine the type of visa you need based on your purpose of travel (e.g., tourist, business, work, or study).
Research the specific requirements for each visa category or contact travel agencies to help you.

2. Documentation and Requirements:

Gather all necessary documents, including your passport, visa application form, recent passport-sized photos, and any supporting materials (such as invitation letters, hotel reservations, or flight itineraries);
Ensure that your passport has at least six months of validity and two blank pages.

3. Application Process:

Visit the Chinese embassy or consulate in Vietnam to submit your application if you apply for a visa yourself. If you submit a visa via the travel agent, it does not need to show up at the Visa application center;
Be prepared for an interview if required.

4. Processing Time:

Usually, it takes 3-7 working days;
Please note that it usually takes 2-3 weeks for Middle Eastern and Africa passport holders;
Visa processing times can vary, so you need to apply very soon in advance to avoid any delays.

5. Additional Considerations:

Keep track of your application status online. You can check it here: https://www.visaforchina.cn/globle/;
Be aware of any changes in visa policies due to geopolitical or health-related factors;
Consult official government sources for the most up-to-date information.

DOCUMENT CHECKLIST FOR CHINESE VISA TOURIST & BUSINESS PURPOSE
► General/ Personal documents: Please arrange the documents in the same order as in the list and place this checklist at the top of the file:

Original passport has a minimum of 2 blank pages and is valid at least six months + old passport (if any);
02 Portrait photos 48 mm x 33 mm with white background, taken recently within the last 06 months;
Chinese Visa information form signed by the application;
Work Permit/Temporary Residence Card/Vietnam Visa
Photocopy of passport page, which has the latest legal entry stamp;
A photocopy of the previous Chinese visa or Chinese residence permit (if any) on the old passport, providing a copy of the old bio-page passport (if any);
Flight ticket booking (round trip);
Hotel reservation.

► Additional documents if applied for tourist purpose:

For employee: Employment confirmation letter and Approval for leave (signed any sealed by the employers);
For business owner: Notarized copy of business Certificate

► Additional documents if applied for business purpose:

From the Inviter (Chinese company), please provide:

Scan copy of the Chinese company business license.

Invitation letter issued by Chinese Company. The invitation letter should contain:
+ Information of the applicant: full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.
+ Information about the business trip
+ Information of the Invitee (The applicant and the Company in Vietnam.

From the Invitee (The applicant and the Company in Vietnam), please provide:

Vietnam Work Permit (if any);
For employees: Decision for business trip (signed and sealed by the employers);
For business owners: Notarized copy of Business Certificate.

► Additional documents if having children under 18 years going with parents

Birth certificate;
Parent's passport data page;
For the applicants who are traveling alone (1) or with one parent (2), please provide: A declaration of consent signed by both parents (1) or by the parent who is not traveling with the child (2) must be submitted.

ALL FEES FOR A CHINESE VISA APPLICATION AND PAYMENT METHOD

There are two types of visa fees when you submit the China visa application:

► Chinese Visa fee:

This type of fee varies depending on the nationality of the applicant and the validity of the visa. For example, this is standard Chinese visa application when foreign expatriates apply for a single-entry visa: USA (139USD), Canada (60USD), Brazil (105USD), Argentina (115USD), Other nationality (23USD)
The visa fee is only paid in USD (cannot be VND).

► Chinese Visa Application Centre fee: 690,000 VND for standard application service. Foreign expatriates can pay this fee in VND, and in case your employer companies need a value-added invoice for this amount, the Centre will support to issue the e-Invoice and send to your email.

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CHINESE TOURIST BUSINESS VISA FOR FOREIGNERS - EXPERIENCE, CHECKLIST AND FEES

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