Chinese Tourist Visa（L Visa）

Tourist visa (L Visa) is a kind of Chinese visa, generally for the convenience of travel. The validity period is normally short, and it’s only used for tourism-related activities.

Materials for Applying for Chinese Tourist Visa:

1. Passport:

1) Valid passport must have at least six months of remaining validity and at least one blank visa page in it.

2) A single or multiple entry visa requires a passport valid for at least 6 months. Multiple entry visa, passport valid for at least 9 months.

3) For an individual tourist visa, a confirmation letter from a travel agent in China or a hotel reservation letter in China is required.

4) For group travel visas, a confirmation letter from the provincial tourism administration or a travel agency authorized by the Chinese government is required; Personnel list in triplicate, one copy of each passport information page. Aliens from countries that have signed visa agreements with China shall be subject to the provisions of this agreement.

2. Application form: One completed Visa Application Form. 

3. Photo: Two 2 X 2 photos showing applicant's full front face.

1) The photo must be passport-sized, taken within the past six months, with a light-colored background, printed on photographic paper, front and without a smile (no sunglasses, hat or other headwear, unless the applicant is wearing such items because of his or her religious or ethnic background).

2) Make sure your photos are clean and undamaged.

3) Do not attach to the application form.

4) Your photo must bear the applicant's full name on the back.

Multiple Visa:

1) US citizens can apply for an "L" visa for a single entry (valid for 3-6 months), a second entry (valid for 6 months), and multiple entry (valid for 6 or 12 months).

2) Chinese-Americans born in China (including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau) can apply for a 24-month multiple-entry "L" visa.

A copy of the passport's personal information page is required.

3) Foreign spouses and children of Chinese citizens can apply for a 24-month multiple-entry "L" visa.

The original and photocopy of the marriage certificate, birth certificate, kinship certificate and other necessary documents should be provided.

Notice: Do not apply within 3 months of your proposed travel date.

How to Get a Chinese Tourist Visa?

1. You may apply to the visa office of an embassy or consulate that has consular jurisdiction over your country of residence;

2. If you are unable to come in person, you may appoint someone else or a travel/visa agent to take your application to the visa office of the embassy or consulate with consular jurisdiction over your country of residence.

No appointment is required.

Processing Time:

It usually takes 4 working days to apply for a Chinese Tourist Visa. For express service, the extra charge for 2-3 working days is $20.

For urgent service, an additional $30 is charged on the same day.

Notice: The cost of the visa and the application time may vary in different countries.

Visa Fee:

The visa fee depends on your nationality and the number of times you have entered the country. However, under the visa-free agreement, nationals of the following countries can obtain visas free of charge but must pay for express, expedited or mail services: Pakistan, Maldives, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia and Micronesia.

Fee list:

Notice: Please consult the local Chinese embassy or consulate for the details.

Validity of Visa:

L visa is characterized by a short stay, usually 30 days, not more than 90 days, after the expiry of the non-renewable. This means that the visa holder must enter China within 90 or 180 days of the date of issue or the visa will expire.

Generally speaking, the "L" visa has a stay limit of 30 days, which means that visa holders can stay in China for up to 30 days from the date of entry.

If you expect to stay in China for more than 30 days, please indicate this on your application form and obtain the visa officer's approval when you submit your application.

Notice:

1. If your visa application form is incomplete, correct and clear, your application may be delayed or rejected.

2. Applicants usually submit their visa applications one month before the trip.

3. The visa officer shall have the right to make a final decision on the validity of the visa, the duration of stay and the number of times of entry, and may request the applicant to provide the relevant documents.

4. Persons suffering from mental diseases, leprosy, AIDS, venereal diseases, infectious tuberculosis and other infectious diseases shall not be allowed to enter the country.