QUESTIONS:

1. How do I apply for a Tourist Visa (L Visa) if I want to visit China for fun or for family reasons?

2. How do I apply for a Business Visa (F Visa) if I need to visit China on business?

3. How do I apply for an Employment Visa (Z Visa) if I am going to get employment in China?

4. How do I apply for a Student Visa (X Visa) if I am going to study in China?

5. How do I apply for a Journalist Visa (J Visa)?

6. How do I apply for a Transit Visa (G Visa)?

8. Do the crew members need to apply for Crew Visa (C Visa) if serving on a plane flying to China?

9. How do I prepare for the application of Chinese visa if I want to travel to Tibet Autonomous Region of China?

10. When should I lodge the visa application?

11. How can I obtain a visa application form?

12. How much and how do I pay for the visa?

13. How long does it take for the embassy to process a visa application? Is there an expediting service available? Is the same-day collection of visa possible?

14. What are the requirements regarding the passport?

15. Can someone else submit the visa application or pick up the visa (and passport) for me?

16. What is "PICK UP FORM"? What if I lost it?

17. Can I apply for a visa by mail?

18. Can I make modifications about the application after it has been lodged?

19. Can I ask for return of the documents lodged with the visa application?

CONTENTS:

1. How do I apply for a Tourist Visa (L Visa) if I want to visit China for fun or for family reasons?

You should provide the following documents:

(1) One completed Visa Application Form with a passport photograph attached;

(2) Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages.

Please note:

(1) Apply for the visa only 1 to 2months before your planned date to enter China.

(2) People born in China must provide their names in Chinese characters to column "1" of the Visa Application Form.

(3) Fill in every column of the Visa Application Form, using "N/A" if not applicable.

(4) The supporting documents will not be returned once lodged with the application. If necessary, please make copy beforehand.

(5) The "PICK UP FORM" you get when you lodge the application is the only proof for collection; when lost, only the passport holder himself with proper photo ID can retrieve his passport.

(6) Please be aware that no modification will be accepted once the application is lodged.

(7) Please pay for the visa on collection (Please refer to Question 11, 12 for the visa fee), and please pay in cash, bank cheque, money order or company cheque. The "payee" should be CHINESE EMBASSY.

2. How do I apply for a Business Visa (F Visa) if I need to visit China on business?

You should provide the following documents:

(1) One completed Visa Application Form with a passport photograph attached;

(2) Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages;

(3) One of the following documents (original or photocopy):

a. Invitation letter from the competent office of the Chinese government.

b. Invitation letter from the host company in China.

c. Reference letter from the sending company in Australia.

Please note:

(1) Apply for the visa only 1 to 2months before your planned date to enter China.

(2) People born in China must provide their names in Chinese characters to column "1" of the Visa Application Form.

(3) Fill in every column of the Visa Application Form, using "N/A" if not applicable.

(4) The supporting documents will not be returned once lodged with the application. If necessary, please make copy beforehand.

(5) The "PICK UP FORM" you get when you lodge the application is the only proof for collection; when lost, only the passport holder himself with proper photo ID can retrieve his passport.

(6) Please be aware that no modification will be accepted once the application is lodged.

(7) Please pay for the visa on collection (Please refer to Question 11, 12 for the visa fee), and please pay in cash, bank cheque, money order or company cheque. The "payee" should be CHINESE EMBASSY.

3. How do I apply for an Employment Visa (Z Visa) if I am going to get employment in China?

You should provide the following documents:

(1) One completed Visa Application Form with a passport photograph attached;

(2) Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages;

(3) Employment Permit (the original one and a photocopy are needed), and "Visa Notification" letter (the original one and a photocopy are needed), which are both from the competent office of the Chinese government.

Please note:

(1) Your employer in China should get the Employment Permit and the "Visa Notification" letter for you from the competent office of the Chinese government, and then forward them to you to support your visa application.

(2) After presenting to the embassy the original Employment Permit and the "Visa Notification" letter, please ask for the return of them and only leave the photocopies to the consul together with the application. The original ones are needed when you go through procedures inside China.

(3) The Employment Visa is valid for 3 months. Bearer of the Visa should make the entry into China within this 3-month period, and apply for residence permit in the local Public Security Office within 30 days after arriving China. If need be, the bearer may also apply for a multiple re-entry visa in the same Public Security Office.

(4) The "PICK UP FORM" you get when you lodge the application is the only proof for collection; when lost, only the passport holder himself with proper photo ID can retrieve his passport.

(5) Please pay for the visa on collection (Please refer to Question 11, 12 for the visa fee), and please pay in cash, bank cheque, money order or company cheque. The "payee" should be CHINESE EMBASSY.

4. How do I apply for a Student Visa (X Visa) if I am going to study in China?

You should provide the following documents:

(1) One completed Visa Application Form with a passport photograph attached;

(2) Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages;

(3) Original JW201or JW202 Form (the original one and a photocopy are needed) and admission letter from the school.

Please note:

(1) Your college (or school) in China should send the JW201or JW202 Form and admission letter to you in order to support your application of visa.

(2) After presenting the original JW201or JW202 Form to the consul, please ask for the return of it and leave the photocopy to the consul together with the application. The original one is needed when you go through procedures inside China.

(3) The Student Visa (X Visa) is valid for 3 months. Bearer of the Visa should make the entry into China within this 3-month period, and apply for residence permit in the local Public Security Office within 30 days after arriving China. If need be, the bearer may also apply for a re-entry visa in the same Public Security Office.

(4) If your study in China lasts not more than 6 months, a Business Visa (F Visa) will be issued instead. With this visa you do not need to apply for the residence permit in China.

(5)The "PICK UP FORM" you get when you lodge the application is the only proof for collection; when lost, only the passport holder himself with proper photo ID can retrieve his passport.

(6) Please pay for the visa on collection (Please refer to Question 11, 12 for the visa fee), and please pay in cash, bank cheque, money order or company cheque. The "payee" should be CHINESE EMBASSY.

5. How do I apply for a Journalist Visa (J Visa)?

You should provide the following documents:

(1) One completed Visa Application Form with a passport photograph attached;

(2) Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages;

(3) Letter from the competent office of the Chinese government confirming your activity as a journalist in China.

6. How do I apply for a Transit Visa (G Visa)?

You should provide the following documents:

(1) One completed Visa Application Form with a passport photograph attached;

(2) Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages;

(3) Visa of the destination country.

Please note:

(1) You do not need a Transit Visa (G Visa) if your transit in China is less than 24 hours and during which time you will only stay within the airport (However, American and British passports bearers still need visas under this situation).

(2) You need to apply for a Transit Visa (G Visa) if your transit is more than 24 hours, or if you have to go out of the airport regardless of the duration of your transit.

(3) Australian, New Zealand, American, Canadian, South Korean, German, French, Dutch, Luxemburg, Belgian, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Austrian, Greek, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish passports bearers do not need a Transit Visa (G Visa) if they transit via SHANGHAI and staying for less than 48 hours (going out of the airport is allowed).

(4) Please apply for the Transit Visa only 1 to 2months before your planned date to enter China.

(5) Fill in every column of the Visa Application Form, using "N/A" if not applicable.

(6) The "PICK UP FORM" you get when you lodge the application is the only proof for collection; when lost, only the passport holder himself with proper photo ID can retrieve his passport.

(7) Please be aware that no modification will be accepted once the application is lodged.

(8) Please pay for the visa on collection (Please refer to Question 11, 12 for the visa fee), and please pay in cash, bank cheque, money order or company cheque. The "payee" should be CHINESE EMBASSY.

8. Do the crew members need to apply for Crew Visa (C Visa) if serving on a plane flying to China?

No.

According to Sino-Australian bilateral agreements, crew members on regular airliners or chartered aircrafts of Australia are visa-free for their flights to China.

9. How do I prepare for the application of Chinese visa if I want to travel to Tibet Autonomous Region of China?

Beside the filled-in Application Form and your valid passport, you also need to have an approval notice from Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region. The easier way is to join in a group tour, and let the travel agency to prepare the paper work.

The telephone and fax numbers of the Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region are: 0086-891-6834313 (Tel); 0086-891-6834632 (Fax).

10.When should I lodge the visa application?

Please apply for the visa only 1 to 2 months before your planned date to enter China.

Generally, the validity of a single-entry visa is 3 months, counting from the day of application. So please make sure you are going to use it before it expires.

11. How can I obtain a visa application form before coming to the embassy?

You can download a copy of the application form on this website, or if you have a fax machine, you may ask for the form by faxing a written request to the embassy at 02-62739615.

Please fill in every column of the Visa Application Form, using "N/A" if not applicable.

12. How much and how do I pay for the visa?

Please pay for the visa on collection, and please pay in cash, bank cheque, and money order or company cheque. And the "payee" should be CHINESE EMBASSY.

Personal cheque, credit card, banking card as means of payment are not accepted.

13. How long does it take for the embassy to process a visa application? Is there an expediting service available?

Normally, it takes 4 working days to process a visa application. For example, you may pick up your visa (and your passport) on Thursday if you lodged the application on Monday.

There is expediting service for the second day or the third day pick-up, and additional fees apply: A$50 extra per visa for the second-day pick-up, and A$30 extra per visa for the third-day pick-up.

From January 1st, 2007 on, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canberra will provide same-day rush service for visa applicants.

Only the applications lodged at the counter by applicant themselves between 9:00am and 9:30am can be picked up between 11:30am and 12:00pm in the same morning. The surcharge for the service is same with the second-day pick-up, which is A$50 extra per visa.

Note: Due to technical reasons, the embassy is not able to provide the same day rush service to visa applications lodged after 9:30am.

14. What are the requirements regarding the passport?

Your passport should have at least 2 blank pages and at least 6-month validity left. Please find details in the table below:

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15. Can someone else submit the visa application or pick up the visa (and passport) for me?

Yes, the visa application can be lodged by an agent, you may entrust anyone to do it at you own discretion. But you have to complete and sign the Visa Application Form yourself.

The embassy does not have any designated agent. 

Anyone can pick up your passport and visa for you as long as he can present the "PICK UP FORM".

16. What is "PICK UP FORM"? What if I lost it?

The "PICK UP FORM" you get when you lodge the application is the only proof for you to collect the passport and visa. When lost, only the passport holder himself with proper photo ID can retrieve his passport.

17. Can I apply for a visa by mail?

The embassy strongly recommends that you apply for visa in person or through someone else (namely your friends, relatives or travel agent) due to the long processing time and the likely risks of documents' safety if you send the application by mail.

Only under special situations when you are unable to apply in person, can the embassy accept your mail-in visa application providing you are ACT, South Australia, North Territory residents and able to submit all the necessary materials at once.

Upon sending the mail-in visa application, you shall be fully aware of the risks you are undertaking. The embassy is not responsible for any loss, damage or delay of your passport or documents during the process of mailing, and is not responsible for any delay or costs incurred by change of your planned trips due to longer-than-expected processing time of your mail-in visa application.

For detailed requirements for visa application by mail, please refer to "ON VISA APPLICATION BY MAIL" on this website.

18. Can I make modifications about the application after it has been lodged?

No.

You cannot make any change about your application once it has been lodged.

If the change has to be made, it is only possible after the current application done. That means you have to prepare a new application according to your new schedule and submit the application again, and the previous visa will be cancelled before a new one is granted.

19. Can I ask for return of the documents lodged with the visa application?

No.

If you need to keep any documents for reference, please make copy beforehand. No supporting documents will be returned once lodged with the application.