By Susan King
Each year, millions of people from around the world visit China to work, adopt a child or experience the country's many historic sites. China requires visitors to have a visa, or official permission to enter the country, usually stamped inside the tourist's passport before they begin their journey. Obtaining a visa is easy as long as you follow proper procedure and submit the required forms, money and photos.
General Visa Guidelines
Choose the Chinese embassy that has jurisdiction over your home state. All applications must be made in person or by a designated messenger. Mailed applications are no longer accepted. Fees must be paid by Visa, MasterCard, money order, cashier's check, company check or cash. Personal checks are not accepted.
Tourist Visa
A tourist visa issued to a traveler to China is called an "L" visa. To obtain the L visa, you must submit a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining before expiration. Submit a 2 in. by 2 in. square photograph, which may be color or black and white. Attach the completed visa form, available for download on the Chinese Embassy Web site, and submit to the Chinese Embassy. L visas are available for single, double or multiple entries into the country.
Visa Fees
Fees for single, double and multiple entries (for 6, 12 or 24 months) are $130 for American citizens. Express service, which is three to four working days, costs an additional fee of $20 per visa, while same-day rush service is $30 per visa.
Group Tourist Visa
This type of visa is issued to a tourist group of at least five travelers and is issued to the travel agent directly. No stamp is made in individual passports. Group visa travelers must travel together in and out of China and stay together during the trip. Requirements include all travelers' passports in order as listed on the Group Tourist Visa Form. Fees are $110 per person. Expedited-service fees are an additional $10 for two- to three-day service, and $15 for one-day service
Hong Kong and Macao
American and Canadian citizens with valid citizenship and passports do not need a visa to stay in either Hong Kong or Macao for up to 90 days.
About the Author:
Susan King is a teacher with 23 years experience with all ages, grade levels and ability levels, including teaching in China. She has written a book, "The Road to Rebecca," about adopting from China, as well as a blog about teaching science. She graduated from Texas A&M University and has written for Demand Studios for six months.
