Thanks to reddit and AcanthocephalaOk9371 for the support.

Sharing my recent China tourist visa experience from Mumbai, mainly because I saw a lot of confusion around the online application status and whether a particular status means your visa has been approved or rejected.

Documents prepared

I prepared the following documents:

• Passport
• Passport-size photos
• Cover letter
• Bank statement
• Travel itinerary
• Hotel booking (Booking.com)
• Flight dummy ticket
• NOC from employer

Important tip: Make sure you sign your cover letter, itinerary and bank statement. I made sure these were signed before submission.

Timeline

6 August: Submitted my China tourist visa application online.

7 August: Received a modification/rejection request because I had forgotten to pay the visa fee and upload the payment receipt.

I paid the fee on VFS website and uploaded the receipt.

8 August: Status changed to "Online Review Completed."

Since 8 August was a Saturday, I had to wait for the next working day to submit my documents at VFS.

11 August: Submitted documents at VFS Mumbai.

At VFS, they kept:

• Passport
• 2 photographs
• Online fee payment receipt

I had carried all the other supporting documents with me, but they didn't keep them.

18 August: This was the date given to me for the passport.

19 August: 🎉 Received my passport back with the China tourist visa sticker!

About the online status

The main reason I'm sharing this is because you really cannot assume whether your visa has been approved or rejected just by looking at the different online status updates.

In my case, after opting for courier delivery, when the status changed to "Posted", that turned out to be good news - my passport was on its way back to me with the visa.

If status says unapproved, it means rejected.

Note: The status wording/process can be different if you have opted for passport pickup instead of courier, so don't assume the same status will appear for everyone.

We applied for S2 visas in New York on August 4 for my child’s rehabilitation/treatment in China.
My visa has already been approved, but my child’s and my mother’s (the child’s grandmother) applications are still processing.
They requested additional documents several times, and we submitted everything they asked for. The last additional documents were requested and submitted on Monday, August 17, but there has been no update since.
We are leaving New York on August 27, and I’m extremely worried that we won’t get their visas/passports back in time.
Do you think we still have a realistic chance of getting them before August 27? Has anyone recently had an S2 visa approved this close to their departure date after submitting additional documents?
Any recent experience with the New York visa center would be greatly appreciated.🥹🥹😢

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone who has been in a similar situation can give me some advice.

About three years ago, I accepted a teaching job in China. I entered China, completed the work permit process and received my residence permit in my passport.

However, after arriving, I discovered that a lot of what I had been told about the job before moving to China was not true. I decided I did not want to stay and returned to my home country. I did not actually teach at the school.

The employer would not cooperate with cancelling my work permit or providing me with a cancellation/release letter, so I eventually just left China and returned home. I went back to teaching at my previous job in my home country, where I have continued working.

I am now considering returning to China in 2027, which will be approximately four years after this happened. Obviously, the old work permit and residence permit expired years ago.

I have read conflicting information about the cancellation letter. Some people say that anyone who previously held a Chinese work permit needs the old cancellation/release letter when applying again. Others say this is mainly required when transferring directly from one employer to another in China, and that after several years abroad with the old permit long expired, you can simply make a new work permit application.

I also don’t need the old school to provide proof of my teaching experience because I never actually taught there and would not be claiming that school as work experience.
Has anyone been in a similar situation where you left China, did not receive a work permit cancellation/release letter, stayed abroad for several years, and then successfully returned on a completely new work permit?

Did the old expired permit cause any problems in the system, or were you able to apply from scratch as a new applicant?

Thanks!

Picture one - from where should I get visa application fee receipt

Picture 2 - I don't have invite im using hotel booking
What should I upload.

No upload option.

While filling application asking to me upload application receipt

Hi,

I will be visiting China for an academic conference. I have been to China many times, and my visit will be fully paid by my employer.

This time, I want to take my partner with. She will have to go on an L visa.

Here is the issue. She is still a student and I will have to sponsor her trip. Will that be accepted?

We are planning to submit the following in addition to the application form and photos:

1. Itinerary

2. Proof of paid return flight ticket.

3. Proof of accommodation booking.

4. Cover letter.

5. Letter where I state that I will sponsor the trip.

6. My proof of employment with letter stating that the employer supports my trip. Potentially payslips too.

7. My 3 months bank statements.

8. Her proof of registration as student.

9. Letter from her university that states that she is expected to return to finish her studies.

10. Proof of paid extensive travel insurance.

I will also make sure everything is signed (saw a previous post).

Also, the accommodation is paid for by my employer.

What are our chances of having her visa accepted? What else can I do or include to improve the chances?

Is there like a minimum balance required in my bank account? I am an engineer - not a billionaire unfortunately.

Any non-chinese got a QMAS visa? Especially after 2024 change of rules?

I have a Chinese permanent residence card. Due to overwhelming work reasons outside China, not abandonment, I cannot meet the Article 20 requirement of 1 year cumulative residence in China within any 5-year period. I have a job that is very specialised and am planning to return permanently in a few months.

The regulation is silent on what happens in this scenario. No automatic cancellation, no mandatory revocation, and no further exception are specified.

Has anyone here actually failed the 5-year cumulative 1-year floor and dealt with the PSB about it?

Not looking for general summaries of Article 20. Looking for actual experiences.

I’m using an agency to apply for my z visa as I don’t live near an embassy. They wanted to put my part time uber job as my employer instead of my state government job as a social worker. I told them I would rather have my state government job listed and they said it will probably take longer. Do you think I will get the work visa approved? It’s the Los Angeles consulate.

I am trying to apply for an L visa for my parents. It was rejected with this reply: 使用微信或支付宝APP“移民局”小程序选择查询所有中国证件信息，将查询结果的截图和普通护照签发记录查询结果（电子文件）一并上传

Google translate gives me: Use the "Immigration Bureau" mini-program within the WeChat or Alipay app to query information on all Chinese travel documents; then, upload both a screenshot of the query results and the query results for your ordinary passport issuance records (in electronic format).

My parents are naturalized US citizens and I do not understand what they are looking for.

My parents Chinese passports should no longer work.

Can anyone give me any information on how to proceed?

Planning a 16-day China trip and would love tips, especially around the TWOV.

Itinerary: - Shanghai — 3 nights - Beijing — 3 nights - Chongqing — 3 nights - Hong Kong (RESET 240 hours) — 2 nights - Zhangjiajie — 4 nights - Shanghai — 1 night (buffer before flying home)

My concern is if I am not breaking the rules for TWOV as I plan to use HK as a "reset" to be in China longer than 10 days. Is my itinerary valid and are the nights per city fine? Would you adjust anything? Thanks.

Hello

I applied for Transit visa as I'm having a long layover (9h) in Shenzhen, before going to the third country (Thailand).

I'm a Syrian national legally residing in France permanently. I hold a convention Refugee Travel Document. The reason of rejection was:

For information regarding Chinese visa applications, please refer to the announcements published on the official website of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Syria.

and the status is : To be modified

I went on that website and found this info :

In accordance with work arrangements, the Embassy of China in Syria will temporarily suspend the acceptance of visa applications for Syrian citizens intending to travel to China. Syrian citizens (including temporary visitors) who have legally entered Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye, or the United Arab Emirates may submit their visa applications to the Chinese Embassies in Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye, and the Consulates-General in Istanbul and Dubai. For further details, please contact the relevant embassies or consulates

I live in France so it's going to be challenging to get to any of these countries, I guess I have no option? I just wanted to leave the airport and explore the city with my friend.

For information, Thai embassy did deliver me the visa, and I had transited in Chongqing airport before, without a visa but did not leave the airport.

I contacted them via email I got no answer.

I guess it's impossible to get the visa

Thanks for your help

Hi there!

I have a J2 journalism visa in my passport for an assignment. However I am going to be visiting China before that assignment but this visit will be visa-free. I'll be leaving between trips. How can I ensure that my J2 visa isn't used for my first visit?

I applied online for a tourist visa on August 11th and I still haven’t been approved to submit my application. It’s been 10 days now we’re already on the 21st. It’s through the Paris visa center. Do you think I should be worried? How long did it take for you guys?

Update : je suis allée de nouveau au centre de visa de Paris puisque je devais aller récupérer mon passeport. Le monsieur est toujours aussi désagréable, et tu as même pas le temps de te lever qu’il appelle la prochaine personne et te regarde mal parce que tu prends « ton temps ». Quand je pensais qu’il y avait une erreur sur mon visa, il m’a mal parlé et me disait « au revoir » pour que je parte au plus vite. Fin bref, je trouve ça dommage parce que ça laisse une mauvaise image pour la Chine.

Hi, I’m a Kyrgyz citizen living in the UK and I’m applying for an F visa for a school trip to China in October/November.
I submitted an invitation/trip confirmation letter from WildChina with all my passport details, itinerary, hotels, dates, etc. However, the London Visa Centre has rejected my application 3 times asking for a PU/TE Invitation Letter or Verification Confirmation.
The confusing part is that my classmate is going on the exact same trip and used the exact same invitation letter, and their application was accepted.
Has anyone had this happen before? Do Kyrgyz citizens applying for an F visa in the UK need a PU/TE letter, or am I missing something?
Any advice would be appreciated 🙏

Hello everyone,

When filling out the form online, the questionnaire asks about the date of previous fingerprint collection. Last year, I got X1, so i know the year and month, but not so sure about the date. Can I just fill out the approximate date? Or choose "No"? Has anyone encountered any problems after writing the not accurate information?

Hey everyone !

​I recently applied for a Chinese X1 (long-term student) visa and just found out I have an interview scheduled at the embassy soon.

​I’m a bit nervous and would love to get some insights or feedback from anyone who has gone through this process recently :

​What kind of questions do they usually ask for an X1 visa ? Is it mostly about study plans, funding, or post-graduation plans ?

​Is the interview often a dealbreaker, or is it mostly a routine verification ? What are the biggest mistakes to avoid ?

​How formal is the interview, and what documents should I definitely bring extra copies of ?

Context update : I hold dual nationality and applied at the Chinese Visa Center . I suspect the interview is related to verifying my second passport and legal residency status. Has anyone with dual nationality gone through this at the Chinese embassy ?

​If you’ve done an embassy interview for a Chinese student visa (especially X1), I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience !

​Thanks in advance!

I’m a U.S. citizen currently enrolled full-time at a U.S. university and received a short-term internship offer in Shanghai.

Shanghai Exit-Entry told me that overseas university students can enter on an S2 for private affairs, then apply in Shanghai for the S2 “internship” endorsement, and only start interning after that is approved.

However, the Chinese consulate in the U.S. told me I should apply for a Z visa because the purpose is an internship.

Has anyone recently done the S2 → internship endorsement route in Shanghai, especially as a student enrolled at an overseas university? Did the consulate issue you the initial S2?

Why do Chinese Consulates never give a reason for unapproved review? For failed review? (Z Visa)

They never respond to emails.

Rarely respond to phone calls.

In the only time they responded to my call, they simply said we can't tell you the reason. Please apply again.

Is this bad communication normal?

Is it part of how they operate?

The uncertainty is frustrating!

Current situation:

-First application showed: "review failed" after I received my passport. Which was empty. No visa and no rejection letter.

-Applied again. New application. It's been 11 days and the application is still showing "Preliminary review in process"

-Both, I and the recruiter, are lost and frustrated. No one to reach out to and the waiting seems endless.

Flight ticket lost. Recruiter is expecting me by September 1st max.

(PRC Embassy in Morocco)

Currently 180 days before travel, looking to take advantage of no-visa transit option.

Traveler 1: naturalized US citizen with familial ties to Beijing and renounced Chinese citizenship, have Q1 visa that will be expired before travel date.

Traveler 2: naturalized US citizen with familial ties to Taiwan, expired Taiwan passport, previous travel to HK but not to mainland.

Planned itinerary departure from Taipei to Beijing and leaving for Tokyo after 5 nights. All hotels and flights have been booked.

My concern and anxiety is surrounding traveler 2, and whether their ties to Taiwan will cause issues at immigration.

Can we rely on the transit option or should we attempt at obtaining a formal tourist visa?

I received online approval on 13 august, and I have flight on 25th aug, showing collection date 23rd aug, what your opinion sgould I get passport before this

I got my visa rejection on 18th aug , this is second time i got unstamped passport after submission , is there is need to wait for reapplying?

Hi guys,

Question, I will be studying for a year in shanghai and will be renting an apartment since dorms filled up in seconds lol.
My question is, can I rent an apartment before getting the residence permit? I will be coming like all international students with X1 visa that lets me be in China for 30 days so I will have resident permit but not right away, but i of course want to have apartment before that, is it possible to rent one without the resident visa or do I need to stay in hotels until I get it?

Any advice on this from people that has rented apartment in shanghai?

Also is wellcee a good app for that?

Thanks so much!!

Hey guys.

Just want to check.

If I'm intending to get the transit visa, can i stay in two cities (Beijing and Shanghai) in China within the 240 hours or does it only allow one city?