Notice On Visa Application For Foreigners In China
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he COVID 19 epidemic in China has rebounded sporadically, but under prevention and control measures, the domestic situation tends to be stable on the whole.
Many foreigners work and live in China. Since they are not familiar with the Chinese language and policies, working legally in China is often difficult.
IMPORTANT POINTS FOR VISA APPLYING:
1. FOREIGNERS IN CHINA MUST ABIDE BY CHINESE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
– Applicants should check whether their visas are valid and have sufficient entry times before entering China. If the visa expires or the number of entries is insufficient, applicants should apply for a visa again;
– When foreigners bring animals, plants, cash, and other commodities into China, they must comply with China’s corresponding laws and regulations, as well as the relevant needs of health quarantine, animal and plant inspection and quarantine, customs and financial supervision institutions;
– Foreigners entering China can not undertake activities unrelated to the matters they apply for when they apply for visas;
– Foreign citizens cannot overstay their stay in China. Foreign citizens in China should pay attention to the validity of their passports and the stay period of their visas. If they need to delay their stay, they must go to the local police station to apply for the extension before the expiration of the stay period (within a week);
– Without permission, foreigners cannot enter areas restricted to foreigners;
– The following situations will result in being refused to board, refused entry of China, or fined, so try to avoid them:
1. Those who enter China without applying for a visa in advance. Excluding those who don’t need a visa
(14 China Mutual Visa-free Countries: San Marino, Mauritius, Seychelles, Bahamas, Fiji, Grenada, Ecuador, Tango, Serbia, Barbados, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus and Qatar)
2. Those who come to China with expired and invalid visas;
3. Overstaying (extension of stay) in China;
4. During the period of stay in China, those whose passports have expired (whether the visa period of stay is valid or not).
2. WHAT DOES THE TERM OF VALIDITY OF A VISA MEAN?
It refers to the valid period of entry of the visa held by the holder. If there is no mark in it, the visa shall take effect from the date of issuance and shall be invalid at 24:00 Beijing time on the expiry date.
3. WHAT DOES VISA STAY MEAN?
It refers to the single entry time limit within which the holder is free to stay in China, calculated from the next day of an entry.
4. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A VISA?
Under normal circumstances, embassies and consulates abroad can apply for visas within four to five working days. However, for some special cases, embassies and consulates abroad also have the right to increase the visa review cycle. For applicants, it is relatively appropriate to submit visa applications around one month before the proposed date of entry. Under the pneumonia epidemic, the visa review cycle will be longer.
5. IS THERE AN URGENT GUARANTEE FOR VISAS?
If you need urgent guarantee, please inform the visa officer when submitting your visa. As long as there are reasonable needs, the visa officer can meet the demand within his ability, but the application will have an excess cost when receiving the visa (generally about 170 – 250 rmb).
6. CAN I APPLY FOR A VISA EXTENSION?
After the visa expires, the applicant should apply again. Chinese embassies and consulates abroad do not accept visa extension applications. When applying for a visa, the party concerned shall indicate the period of stay in China on the visa application form. After entering the country, if the foreigner is unable to leave the country according to the original plan for some reason, you shall apply to the local public security entry-exit administration department for visa extension before the expiration of its stay.
7. WHAT DOES VISA FREE RESIDENCE PERMIT MEAN?
– Foreigners with valid residence permits can stay in China and enter and exit China several times during the validity of their residence permits without additional visas.
– Those who hold a valid permit for foreigners in China can stay in China and enter and leave the country several times without additional visas.
8. HOW DO FOREIGNERS APPLY FOR VISA AT PORTS?
Chinese visa applicants shall apply for visas in advance to Chinese embassies and consulates abroad, offices in HK and Macao or other overseas institutions authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Applicants should complete the visa application in advance according to their own itinerary.
Foreigners who need emergency entry due to humanitarian factors, are invited to enter the country for emergency business, project emergency repair or have other emergency entry needs, and hold the supporting documents that the competent authorities of China allow them to apply for visas at the port, may apply for port visas to the port visa authority authorized and entrusted by the Ministry of Public Security at the port where the State Council of China allows them to apply for port visa business.
If a tourism agency organizes inbound tourism in accordance with relevant requirements, it may apply for a group tourism visa to the port visa authority. being able to apply does not mean that the application will be approved locally, and all responsibilities arising therefrom shall be borne by the applicant.
Except for 24-hour transit without leaving the airport, 72-hour transit in seven cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, 6-day convenient tour in Guangdong and 15-day visa free tour in Hainan, American and French citizens who come to China must complete visas abroad in advance, and cannot apply for visa at ports.
