Chinese Tourist Visa (L Visa) – The complete guide

If you need information about how to obtain a tourist visa (or L visa) for China, you’ve come to the right place.

If instead you’re interested in another type of visa (work, student, business, etc) then click here to read our complete guide on Chinese visas.

In this article you’ll find answers to the following questions:

• Do I need a visa to visit China as a tourist?

• When should I apply for a Chinese visa?

• Where can I apply for a Chinese tourist visa?

• How long will a Chinese visa last?

• How much does a Chinese visa cost and how long will it take to get one?

• What documents will I need to get a visa?

• How do you read a Chinese visa?

• Can I extend the length of my Chinese visa?

Do I need a visa to visit China as a tourist?

Yes. There are however a few exceptions. You don’t need a visa if:

• You are in transit in China for less than 72 hours;

• If you’re staying in Shenzhen (on the border of Hong Kong) for less than five days or in Zhuhai (at the border with Macao) for less than three days;

• If you’re staying on Hainan Island with an organized tour with a minimum of five people for a maximum of fifteen days.

To stay for tourism reasons in Hong Kong or Macao for less than six months no visa is required.

When should I apply for a Chinese visa?

The best time would be about a month before departure. Don’t apply for it too far in advance because the visa is valid between three and six months (after which it expires, even if you don’t use it).

Where can I apply for a Chinese tourist visa?

In your country

In many countries visas are by now handled by the CVASC (Chinese VISA Application Service Center).

As far as the United States goes, you need to contact the Chinese Consulate in your state of residence (here you’ll find a list of consulates).

If you’re not from the United States and your country isn’t on the CVASC list (see the link above), then you’ll have to contact one of the Chinese Consulates in your own country.

Note that, aside from rare exceptions, it’s not possible to send your passport and request a visa through the mail; you have to show up in person at the CVASC or at the Chinese Consulate.

If for some reason you don’t want to, or you can’t show up personally, you can use an agency (which will obviously have a supplementary cost). In this case you’ll have to send your passport (and other necessary documents) to the agency and they will handle everything. To apply for a visa service through an agency you can use the form above on the right.

As far as getting back your passport once you get the visa, it’s possible to both go to the CVASC or consulate in person, or request the shipping of your passport by courier (even in this case there will be an additional cost, see the rates below).
Source: http://www.saporedicina.com/english/chinese-tourist-visa/