Visa Information

• Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the expiry date of your visa and you’ll need at least one entire blank page in your passport for the visa.
• You may be required to show proof of hotel reservations and onward travel from China, as well as a bank statement showing you have $100 in your account for every day you plan to spend in China.
• A standard 30-day single-entry visa can be issued from most Chinese embassies abroad in three to five working days. Express visas cost twice the usual fee.
• In some countries (eg the UK and the US) the visa service has been outsourced to a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre, which levies an extra administration fee.
• A standard 30-day visa is activated on the date you enter China, and must be used within three months of the date of issue.
• Visa applications require a completed application form and at least one photo (normally 51mm x 51mm). You normally pay for your visa when you collect it.

• Hong Kong is a good place to pick up a China visa. Single-entry visas processed here cost HK$200, double-entry visas HK$300, while six-month/one-year multiple-entry visas are HK$500.
• China Travel Service (CTS) and many travel agencies in Hong Kong can get you a visa in two to three working days. Expect to pay around HK$650 for a single-entry visa and HK$750 for a double-entry.
• Be aware that political events can suddenly make visas more difficult to procure or renew.

• Chinese law requires foreign visitors to carry their passport with them at all times; all hotels (and internet cafes) will insist on seeing it.
• You also need it to buy train tickets or to get into some tourist sights, particularly those which are free.
• It’s a good idea to bring an ID card with your photo in case you lose your passport. Even better, make photocopies or take digital photos of your passport.
• You should report any loss to the local Public Security Bureau (PSB).