A visa is required to travel to the People’s Republic of China whatever the reason for your trip. Here are all the formalities to be carried out to obtain this precious authorization.
Summary
Requirement
To apply for a visa for China, you can proceed in two different ways:
- go to a private agency such as Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC), available in the cities of Paris, Marseille or Strasbourg. These agencies, approved by the Chinese consulate, play the intermediary between you and the embassy and thus help you with your application. This service is subject to additional charges.
- go to the Chinese embassy in Paris or to one of the Chinese consulates in France: Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg, Paris, Papeete (French Polynesia) or Saint Denis (Reunion).
The price of a visa requested directly in a consulate is 60 euros. If you have used an agency, you must add 66 euros in fees, i.e. a total of 126 euros.
The different visas
Different visas exist to stay in China depending on the reason for your stay, here are the main ones.
The Tourist L visa is issued to people wishing to go sightseeing or to visit family or friends in China for a maximum stay of 30 days, renewable once.
The F Business visa is granted to people wishing to make a business trip to China (internship, scientific or cultural exchange, commercial business, etc.) for a period of less than 6 months.
The Study X visa is intended for foreign students who have been admitted to a school in Chinese territory, for a period of more than 6 months.
The Z Work visa is issued to people who wish to work in China.
The G Transit visa allows people to transit through China to reach another country.
The documents to provide
For all visa applications for China, it is essential to provide certain documents depending on the type of visa requested:
- the visa application form for the People’s Republic of China completed in full, accompanied by a color passport photo,
- your passport with a minimum validity date of 6 months from the date of the visa application,
- a copy of pages 2 and 3 of the passport,
- a copy of your return plane tickets,
- a copy of your hotel reservation or an accommodation certificate,
- proof of your financial situation (tax notice, payslip, bank account statement, etc.)
- an insurance certificate covering the costs of repatriation and medical care,
- an invitation letter from a competent unit or an individual residing in Chinese territory, for study, work or tourism.
The deadlines for obtaining and valid for the visa
The time to obtain a visa for China varies according to the period and the number of applications in progress to be processed, but as a general rule if your file is complete the time is 5 to 6 working days.
If your request is urgent, it is possible to obtain a visa within 24 hours, at an additional cost.
The visa also has a validity period of 30 days from the day of applying for the visa. That is to say that you will have to enter the Chinese territory during the 30 days of validity of the visa and stay for the number of days indicated on your visa.
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