China - Business - Standard Service: Visa Requirements

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Provide your SIGNED passport. Your passport must be signed on the appropriate line. (For US citizens the line is located on the page following your information page). The passport must be valid with an expiration date greater than six (6) months from the date of entry for the visa you are applying for. Passport must have sufficient blank pages (at least 2 pages) for any visa stamps. These pages must say VISAS at the top of the page.  

If your passport does not meet the requirements, we can assist with renewing a US Passport or obtain a new US Passport from us prior to obtaining the visa.

(Important Note:  Keep a copy of your passport biographical information page for your records)

Please provide one clear copy of your passport's information page. 

Download, fully complete, print, and sign one copy of the China visa application form. 

PLEASE NOTE: the application form is attached as a sample as well.

Copy of computer generated round trip tickets or travel itinerary showing round trip travel entering China and exiting China.  Preferably, the proof of departure documents should show your departure from the United States to China and back.  Additionally, the Applicant's name must be on the travel document.  

You must provide a copy of your hotel reservations confirming your stay while in China.

Submit ONE of the following two documents regarding your business travel to China:

1. An invitation letter of Duly Authorized Unit or a Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by an authorized Chinese agency. Confirmation Letter of Invitation must to be addressed to the Houston “Consulate of PR China in the US” or some variation of Houston China Consulate.

2. An invitation letter issued by a company, corporation, Chinese local government or institution

The invitation letter must include the following:

• The applicant’s personal information (name, gender, date of birth, etc);
• The details of travel including purpose of visit, dates of arrival and departure, locations you are staying, and who will bear the cost of accommodations;
• The relationship between inviter and applicant;
• Information on the inviter including name, phone number, address.
• Circular Stamp/Seal of Chinese company AND Signature of the Legal Representative of the Inviter.
• NOTE: If the letter is from a company it must be on the inviting company’s letterhead.
• NOTE: Generally, this letter may be sent from China via fax, copy or printout. However; the consular officers reserve the right to ask for the original letter.

To prove you live within the Houston Consulate jurisdiction, the Consulate will require you to provide a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license or state issued ID card.  If you do not have either of these, the Consulate may accept a major utility bill (Water, Gas, or Electric) for the most recent month, showing the applicant’s name and service address.

10 year multiple entry visas will only be granted to passports with at least 1 year validity remaining. Passports with under 1 year validity remaining will be issued a 6 month visa.

Chinese tourist visas may be issued with a max stay of up to 90 days. The actual duration issued will be at the discretion of the Chinese Consulate.

Applicants born in China must include a copy of a previous Chinese visa or their last original Chinese passport, along with one completed and signed Chinese Particulars Form .

Additionally, please make sure the Chinese Name field is completed on the Chinese visa application form in Chinese characters.

If your current name differs from your birth name, you will be required to show proof of how your name was changed.  This may include an notarized copy of a court order or a notarized adoption decree.  If your name was changed unofficially, your application may be rejected.  Please note the Consulate has ultimate authority on what they will and will not accept.

Please submit the following documents required with the Houston Chinese consulate:

• Work Resume listing 3-5 years of previous employment history.
• Detailed letter explaining international travel history for the last 3 years. Please include travel dates and purpose for travel for each destination.

The Houston Consulate requires all applicants who apply for a visa to complete the Additional Form for Visa Applicants (click here).  

Please answer the questions to the best of your ability, truthfully and honestly.  Please be advised that the Consulate may ask for additional documents, at their discretion, based on the specific answers you provide.  

In the event the Consulate requests further documentation, please be prepared to provide documentation related to any of the questions on the form.

 

You must provide 1 passport photo. They must be taken at an official passport photo provider (pharmacy, Costco, post office) and should not be taken and printed via a home photo printer. 

Your photo must have your head centered in the photo, with a neutral expression, and no jewelry whatsoever.  If you wear glasses they must not obstruct your eye color or have a glare/reflection.  The background must be white.

Photos that do not meet these standards will be rejected which will delay the process.

The strict photo requirements can be viewed by clicking on this link: Chinese Visa Photo Requirements

China visa fees are as below :

#	Detail	Fee
1	Consulate Fee	$145
2	Service Fee	$149

Enclose the documents from Section 1 (Gather Documents for your China  Visa) and a print out of your order confirmation in an Overnight Envelope (Fedex, UPS, etc).

Please Note: If you paid for an inbound shipping service your account manager will contact you to provide a FedEx shipping label via email to send us your completed application. 

Send the Overnight Envelope (Fedex, UPS, etc) to us at :