Your guide to Visit to China.
Your guide to Visit to China.
Traveling to China is a desire for many young Arabs, as China is known for its cultural diversity and stunning natural beauty. A trip to its ancient cities like Beijing and Shanghai, exploring their vibrant markets, and witnessing the Great Wall and the magnificent fortified city that reflect the finest aspects of Chinese civilization, will be an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
However, China is not just a tourist destination; it is also a gateway to business opportunities. If you are an entrepreneur or investor, China is the perfect arena to expand your business scope and explore promising economic opportunities. With its active economy and massive market, you will find an ideal environment for innovation in China. Therefore, we have compiled for you in this article a comprehensive guide, starting from travel requirements and visa procedures to the most important tips when traveling to China.
Travel Requirements to China
Planning a trip to China may seem daunting at first, but with some detailed and clear guidance, you will be on the right track in no time!
The first and most important requirement: Visa
As a starting point, we need to discuss the essential requirement for traveling to China, which is the visa. There are several types of visas depending on the purpose of the visit, such as tourism, study, work, medical treatment, or others. While many travelers need a visa, some countries are exempt from this requirement, including Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Ukraine, Comoros, Egypt, Guinea, Mauritius, Morocco, and Senegal.
Types of Chinese entry visas according to their purpose
Tourist Visa (L Visa)
Work Visa (Z Visa)
Business Visa (M Visa)
Student Visa (X Visa)
Permanent Residence Visa
Family Visit Visa (Q Visa)
Special Visa
Journalist Visa (J Visa)
Types of Chinese entry visas according to their designation:
- C Visa:
Issued to foreign crew members working in international transportation vehicles, including airplanes, trains, ships, and cross-border truck drivers, or to family members accompanying the crew for all mentioned means of transportation.
- D Visa:
Issued to individuals intending to reside permanently in China.
- F Visa:
Issued to individuals intending to go to China for exchange, visits, study, tourism, and other activities.
- G Visa:
Issued to individuals intending to transit through China (Transit).
- J1 Visa:
Issued to foreign journalists residing in foreign news agencies headquartered in China. The expected duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.
Requirements for a Chinese travel visa:
It's worth noting that the visa response may take 4 to 5 days, and possibly up to 13 days for tourism, medical treatment, or study purposes. Here are some documents required to obtain the visa:
1. Valid Passport: Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of travel, with blank pages for visa placement.
2. Application Form: You must fill out the application form for the Chinese travel visa.
3. Passport Photos: You need to provide two colored passport-sized photos with the required dimensions, and a digital colored photo.
4. Hotel Reservation: You also need to provide a hotel booking confirmation in China.
5. Flight Tickets: You will need confirmed flight tickets to China and return tickets to your country or tickets to another country.
Other Preparations for Traveling to China:
In addition to the visa, there are other precautions you may need when traveling to China, especially in light of the emergence of the coronavirus disease. You may need to undergo tests for this disease before entering China.
Procedures for Obtaining a Chinese Travel Visa
Applications for Chinese visas are submitted through authorized visa application centers, where applicants can apply themselves or through agents. However, applicants may be required to personally attend the application center for a personal interview.
Chinese consulates and embassies worldwide issue 16 categories of visas, classified based on the purpose of travel and duration of stay, and each category of Chinese visa requires different documents and procedures.
Required documents for applying for a Chinese travel visa include a valid passport with a validity of no less than 6 months from the date of travel, containing at least two blank pages, a scanned copy of the passport's personal data page, and two recent passport-sized photos with a white background, without borders, sized 33*48 mm.
Confirmation of hotel reservation
Confirmation of round-trip flight booking
Bank statement for the last 6 months, stamped by the bank on each page
Letter from the Human Resources department in the company you work for, including: position, salary, date of employment, in addition to the commercial registration number, company phone number, department signature, and company stamp
Are you ready to embark on your next journey to China? Make sure you have reviewed all the terms and requirements before applying for a travel visa to China.
We wish you the best of luck on your trip.