Source: The State Council – The People’s Republic of China
9, Can I apply for a visa online?
For the time being, you cannot apply for a visa through the Internet, however you can complete your application form online.
10, Can I apply for a visa via a travel agent?
Yes, you can apply for a visa via a travel agent.
11, I want to tour China by driving my own vehicle; what type of visa should I apply for?
You should apply for a L-visa for a special tour. A special tour includes: mountain climbing, self-driving, hiking, cycling, horse-riding, hot air balloon, or other expeditions. You need to provide a visa notification issued by China National Tourism Administration or the tourism administration of related province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government.
12, Do I need to apply for a visa beforehand if I plan to go to Chinese mainland?
Normally you will need a visa to go to Chinese mainland as foreign citizen unless you are visa exempt based on relevant agreements or regulations.
13, What type of visa should I apply for?
It depends on the purpose of your visit. Please see the section “A Brief Introduction to Chinese Visas”. It is up to the consular official to decide on the type of visa to be issued.
14, What kind of documents should I provide for a visa application at a Chinese embassy or consulate? And is there anything particular I should pay special attention to?
You need to prepare required documents according to the purpose of visiting China. For details please see the requirements for visa applications.
15, How long in advance should I apply for a visa?
It is advised that you submit the application one month in advance of your planned date of entry. Application made too early may cause the expiry of the visa and you won’t be able to use it in the end, but if you submit an application too late, there might not be enough time for the application to be processed.
16, When can I get the visa after I submit my application?
If the documents are well prepared, it will normally take four working days for the application to be processed, but the time may vary dependent on a case by case basis. If you intend to travel urgently, you may apply for the express service and collect the visa on the third working day, in which case you will need to pay an extra fee. Express service is not guaranteed in the Chinese Embassy or the Chinese Consulate General, and the eligibility for express service is judged on a case by case basis. It is important that the applicant comes to collect the visa on time. The visa may be collected after the collection date, but if the visa has not been collected within 90 days after issuing date it will be disposed of as Unclaimed.
17, What is the number of entries? What should I do if I have used up all the entries?
A visa’s number of entries refers to the number of times the visa holder can make entry to China within the validity period of the visa. A visa is normally issued with single entry, double entries or multiple entries. Single entry or double entries visa will expire after the times are used up. If you go to China again you will need a new visa. If the entries have not been used up but the visa has expired because the visa has reached the end of its validity period, you will need to apply for a new Chinese Visa. Anyone holding an expired visa that goes to China will be refused entry at the border. It is essential that you check carefully the number of entries and make sure your visa is valid.
18, I am planning to go to Beijing with a British passport and then go to Hong Kong to travel for 7 days, and afterwards, back to Guangzhou, how many entries do I need to apply for?
You need to apply for a double entry visa because you need your first entry when you visit Beijing from the UK, and your second entry to Guangzhou from Hong Kong. Suppose you have obtained a single entry visa, you will need to apply for a new visa at the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong SAR while visiting Hong Kong. Holders of a British passport are exempt from a visa to visit Hong Kong.