FAQs: China L, S, Q Visa Application Requirements

1) What kind of flight confirmation is acceptable?

It should be round-trip from the US to China and back to the US. You may provide a printout of confirmation email from the airlines or confirmed itinerary printed from the airlines website. The flight confirmation should look official and should show the credential of the airlines such as airlines name & logo, guest name, flight detail, confirmation number. Some Chinese Consulates will not accept itinerary with airport code only, we suggest you to use flight confirmation with full city name listed. Please highlight your name, arrival & departure flights and dates on the itinerary. FYI, flight itinerary format is also important, if it doesn't look official, it may be rejected. Please refer to the link below for samples of acceptable flight itinerary format.

http://www.visarite.com/Sample_Flight_Itinerary.htm

2) What kind of hotel confirmation is acceptable?

Hotel confirmation must show your applicant(s) as guest, duration of stay, hotel address. Please highlight your name, arrival & departure dates and hotel address. FYI, hotel confirmation format is also important, if it doesn't look official, it may be rejected. Please refer to the link below for samples of acceptable hotel confirmation format.

http://www.visarite.com/Sample_Hotel_Confirmation.htm

3) What if I travel by ocean cruises?

If you travel by ocean cruiser, the official cruise reservation can be used to the same effect.

4) What if I don't have hotel confirmation?

That depends. If you stay with your relative or friend in mainland China, you will need to provide an invitation letter. You may also use a tour company's confirmation with hotel details. If you use invitation letter option, please make sure this person is qualified to support your visa application. In order for a person to be qualified, this person must be either a Chinese citizen with Chinese Identity Card (Shenfengzhen) or a non-citizen with valid Chinese Residence Permit due to work or study. Otherwise, you must provide both round-trip flight and hotel confirmation. Nowadays, it is difficult to find a fully refundable tickets. The walk around is to contact a travel agency or air consolidator to make a reservation. They can actually print you a confirmation without issuing the tickets. They may charge you a small handling fee. You don't need to issue the ticket until you are ready.

5) Requirements for invitation letter from private party?

Chinese Consulate has specific requirements for the invitation letter used to support visa application. The invitation letter must include the following information:
(1) Personal information of the applicant: full name, passport number, gender, date of birth, etc.
(2) Information concerning the applicant's visit to China: purpose of the visit, date of arrival and leaving, places to visit, relationship between the applicant and the inviter and who will bear the cost of the applicant's accommodations in China.
(3) Information of the inviting person: name of the individual, phone number, address and signature of the inviter.

(4) Photocopy of the inviting person's Chinese Identity Card is required. If the inviter is not a Chinese citizen, a photocopy of the inviter's passport, together with a photocopy of inviter's China residence permit is required.

Please note the inviter's information should match section 2.8 on your application form V2013. The inviter's contact phone on V2013 and on invitation letter should be working number, because Chinese Consulate does call the number randomly to verify information. If the phone number is not working or no answer, your application may be be delayed or rejected.

Invitation letter can be submitted as a photocopy. However, original invitation may be requested at visa officer's discretion.

Sample private invitation letter for L, Q or S visa

Sample private invitation letter for L, Q or S visa in Chinese language

Sample China identity card

Sample China residence permit

6) What if I booked a package tour through tour company and don't have direct hotel confirmation?

You may use a US tour company's official confirmation or China's tour company's official confirmation or visa invitation to the same effect. The confirmation or invitation should be printed on tour company's letterhead and has your name and tour details.

Sample Invitation for tourist individual by a Duly Authorized Tourism Unit

Sample Invitation for tourist group by a Duly Authorized Tourism Unit

7) I only have flight reservation to Hong Kong, is it acceptable?

If you have flights confirmation USA/Hong Kong/USA, you are also required to provide the transportation confirmation between mainland China and Hong Kong. If you are not able to provide it, please give us a call for options.

8) What if I only have flight reservation to Japan, Korea or Taiwan, is it acceptable?

No, it won't be accepted.

9) My flights are not originated from the US or returning to the US, is it acceptable?

The flights to support your China visa application should be from and to the US. If your flights show from/to a third country other than US to/from China, you must include a separate statement explaining why flights from the US and back to the US are not available. It will be subject to Chinese Consulate's decision.

10) Can I cancel or change my hotel reservation later?

You may cancel or change your hotel reservation later. It will not affect your visa.

11) What if I only have hotel confirmation in Hong Kong?

It won't be accepted, except that you only plan to make a day trip to mainland China from Hong Kong. In this case, you need to explain so in section 3.7 on your visa application form V2013. You may be given a limited visa. Otherwise, you should provide hotel confirmation in mainland China.

12) My hotel was reserved under someone else. Can I use it for visa application??

No, it won?t work. The reservation must have your name as guest in order to support your visa application.

13) How many hotel nights reservation do I need to provide?

Hotel reservation should cover the whole duration of your trip.

14) I am bringing a young infant, therefore the infant will not have a flight ticket or been on the hotel confirmation. What should I do?

Airlines may not issue ticket for infant in lap, however they can email you a flight confirmation with infant name. The confirmation email from the airlines is sufficient. You also need to contact with the hotel to add infant name as additional guest. Infant is required to apply for the visa.

15) I no longer have my old passport with my old Chinese visa, what should I do?

If you are Chinese descendants and had applied for the China visa previously, but are not able to provide that passport with old Chinese visa. You will need to apply as if it is the first time and include an additional statement explaining when and where you applied for the most recent China visa and what happened to the passport with the previous visa. An interview may be required.
If you are not Chinese descendants and had applied for the China visa previously, but are not able to provide that passport with old Chinese visa, it may be a problem if you happen to reside within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles and Houston. Check your jurisdiction here. Please call us for options.

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Copyright VisaRite Service. The information provided here is for your reference. Chinese Consulate may request for additional paperwork at any time at it's discretion.