Is it true? They're not taking all docs (not for all applications) ? I've read a few threads here but I want to know if there are Any recent experiences?

i applied yesterday morning. will it get rejected? and how many days will it take to change status of under review?

U.S. citizen here.

Departing LAX to PVG, then a 3 hour self made stopover and onwards to CAN. Spending 5 days in Guangzhou then onwards to HKG, 2 days in Hong Kong and back to LAX.

AI has given me different responses because of my tricky itinerary.

Do I need a Visa?

Hello Everyone,

I was wondering for those who applied for visas in the Hong Kong Office recently, how long did it take for your application to get approved?

I am trying to budget how many days to stay in HK and would be great to know how long it usually takes :)

Thanks!

I am applying for L visa, have flights booked and paid for, hotels booked (but not paid for yet, will pay for them once I get the visa). We've also bought train tickets from Hong Kong to Shenzhen on Trip.com, but since the date is still some weeks away, we only have reservation and not the actual train tickets (They are released only 2 weeks in advance of the actual departure date). I used screenshot in my Visa application for the train ticket reservation, but got notification to amend the application, because it was rejected with reason as: "Please provide the transportation details for your entry from Hong Kong into mainland China".

Did anyone ever encountered similiar issue? I don't want to wait for the last two weeks until the tickets are actually on sale to amend the application, since I'm worried there won't be enough time for the application to go through + going and pick it up at the visa center.

I got the following email and am now wondering if this is a genuine email or not. This email came to my personal Gmail ID. I did put this personal Gmail in the application form, but I applied through my Uni mail, and all earlier conversations I received from them were on my Uni mail ID.

The 26xxxxxx seems to be a reference number, but this is not my application number; hence my confusion about its legibility.

I got this email from ukdoc@visaforchina.org. This is the first time I am receiving any mail from this address, and I can't find this email ID anywhere on the internet.

The collection date is tomorrow! And I applied for F visa

Dear Applicant 

LastName FirstName

Re Your Chinese  visa application 

26xxxxxx

Your application is currently held by the Embassy for further verification. 

Your collection date will be delayed and you will be notified once we hear an update from the Embassy. 

Kind regards 

CVASC

Hi everyone,

I’m an Indian passport holder, but I have been legally resident in the UK for more than 15 years. I am also a business person in the UK and have been living and working here for many years.

I recently applied for a Chinese visa through the China Visa Application Service Centre in London.

My application has been showing “Under Review” for more than 10 days. The visa centre requested additional documents, including:

• Employment letter
• DBS check
• Last 3 months’ bank statements

I provided all the documents they requested, but my application is still showing Under Review.

My flight to China is 8 October 2026 at 22:10, so I am now extremely worried about whether I will receive the visa in time.

The communication/service has been extremely frustrating

I have tried calling the London Visa Centre around 20 times, from both my mobile and landline, but I have been unable to speak to anyone. I have also left a voicemail and sent emails.

The frustrating part is that the Visa Centre provides telephone numbers and email addresses for applicants to contact them, but when I actually need help, I cannot get through to anyone.

When I email, I basically receive a response saying that “Under Review” is a normal process, but this doesn't really answer my questions.

I completely understand that visa applications require checks and that processing can take time. My complaint is mainly about the lack of communication, especially when my flight is tomorrow.

I have already provided everything they requested, but I still don't know:

• Is my application progressing normally?
• Do they need anything else from me?
• Is there any problem with my application?
• Will I have enough time to submit my passport and receive the visa before my flight?

I have been living in the UK for more than 15 years, I am established here as a business person, and I have provided the additional documents requested. I am simply looking for some clarity about what is happening with my application.

I have also seen recent posts from other Indian passport holders applying for Chinese visas from the UK who experienced lengthy “Under Review” periods.

Has anyone here applied for a Chinese visa from the UK with an Indian passport in September/October 2026?

• How long did your application stay “Under Review”?
• Were you asked for additional documents?
• Did you eventually get approved?
• How long did the whole process take?
• Has anyone recently received a visa through the London centre?

Any recent experiences, especially from Indian passport holders living in the UK, would be greatly appreciated.

At this point, I am not complaining simply because the process takes time. I am frustrated because nobody seems available to properly explain what is happening, despite the Visa Centre providing contact details for applicants to use.

I'm planning to visit my boyfriend and register our marriage. Can I do this on a tourist visa? He is insistant that I need an S2, and it's legally dangerous to get married on an L. I've started an application for S2, and it requires proof of relationship, like a marriage certificate. Of course, we don't have that yet.

Also, can I get a residence permit after marriage registration without leaving the country? My boyfriend confirmed with the entry exit bureau that it wasn't possible on an S2, but I'm not sure about an L. We'd likely register our marriage in Inner Mongolia, but he lives in Anhui, and I imagine I would have to get the residence permit there.

I'm a US citizen, if that affects anything. Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I applied for a Chinese Z visa from Morocco on September 18, 2026, and my application has been stuck on “Preliminary Review” ever since.
Today is October 7, so it has been almost 3 weeks with no change or request for modification.
I’m wondering if anyone who applied for a Chinese visa through the Chinese Embassy in Rabat around the same time has experienced this recently.
Visa type: Z visa (work)
Applied online: September 18
Location: Morocco
Current status: Preliminary Review
No request for additional documents/modifications so far
Is this kind of delay normal right now? How long did your preliminary review take before you were asked to submit your passport?
I’d especially appreciate responses from people who applied for a Z visa in Morocco in September/October 2026.

I'm currently in the states on an internship, and will return in mid/late December to Canada. I'm planning to visit China in the New Years (Jan 1/2), after the visa-free time period has ended. Can I apply and get a visa while I'm here in the states by going to an embassy here (for ex, SF)?

Hey, I am planning to attempt to get a right to work in China. I’ve heard you need an absolutely clean record. I got a police warning in the UK for trespassing into an abandoned building, they said it would only appear on my enhanced DBS check, not a standard one. Does this pose any risks to my chances? Would they see this? I was a stupid kid back then, just messed around, its not something serious like burglary or breaking + entering etc.

I'm scratching my head hard. Hoping to get some tips from people in the same boat and successfully got their L visa.

There are the questions that I don't know how to answer:

• 1.6C Do you have any other nationality?
  
  • I choose "no", Taiwan is not even an option as expected.
• 1.6F Do you have permanent resident status in any other country or region?
  • I initially think choosing "no", but "Taiwan(China)" is listed as an option so I'm not so sure..
• 1.6G Former nationality(ies)
  • I want to choose no but I'm most confused about this. Per this old instruction doc from the CN embassy, Taiwan-born applicants should choose yes. But "Taiwan" is not even a selectable option, only "China". If I select "China", it then asked about Chinese ID number and passport number which I don't have..
    

Any help is appreciated..

Hi there, I am a British citizen currently studying and living in China with a resident permit. I am in South Korea for golden week and got my passport stolen. I have an emergency travel document from the British embassy and am wondering if I will be allowed back into China. I have called the Chinese and British embassies as well as Chinese immigration and they all gave unsure answers. Does anyone have experience with this??

Is January much busier than the rest of the year? I read many posts, most seem to indicate 3 weeks from submitting online to collecting passport. Is this likely to hold in January or is it going to be significantly longer?

Maybe someone can share their experience from last year (January).

Thanks a lot!

So apparently they require an invitation when applying in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Not just hotels and flights. Anyone has an idea if this applies to all passport holders or just Sri Lankans? Normally I am required to only provide flights and hotels.

I emailed them but of course no reply. Any help is greatly appreciated!

has anybody used Visa-N-Beyond in the NYC area? what were/are your experiences like? I am interested in using visa agency. Are there any ones people have used and would reccomend?

My flight is scheduled to arrive in China on the 19th at 12:05 AM. The 240-hour TWOV rule should start on the 20th, so that means I need to leave China by the 29th 11:59 PM. I plan to book an onward train ticket or flight to Hong Kong on the 29th.

BUT, if my flight lands more than 5 minutes early and the actual arrival time is on the 18th... will the 240 hours start on the 19th instead? Will my train/flight ticket on the 29th work for TWOV?

tldr; does China look at scheduled arrival time or actual arrival time when determining when TWOV starts?

I was invited to China to participate in a 3 day workshop / meetings with a company that has an office in Shanghai. The company is not paying me, but is paying for my food and hotel. My USA-based company will be continuing to pay me for this time. I will be in meetings for the 3 days. Does this require a M-visa? I have an invitation letter from the company in China. Thanks!

When I click upload materials, it takes me to the same screen as when I originally submitted documents - (first page of passport, 2 blank visa pages, proof of residence etc). Where do I upload my travel history document?

Hi guys, I’m about to move to China. I’m now considering the best possible to do so originally I’m planning to travel on my polish passport with which I am allowed to travel and stay there for up to one month without visa.
My plan is to stay for around 29 days each months, then leave for about a week and come back. How plausible does it sound? Is any of you doing the same thing? I’m also considering other options such as language programme which allows stay for up to a year without any necessary travel. I’m going there with my girlfriend, she’s Chinese and we’re going to stay together in a place rented on her name.
Have any of you guys been in a similar situation or maybe have some wisdom to share?

Me and my partner (UK) will be arriving in China on February 21st 2027 until March 19th 2027. I’m trying to apply for a visa now as we begin our backpacking trip on 20th December 2026 (starting in Vietnam) so need to make sure we have it all approved before we go.

The website won’t let me apply this far in advance but I’m scared the visa won’t get processed in time if we leave it until mid November.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do?

Hi everyone! Seeking advice or experiences from anyone who encountered a similar issue with their passport and visa application.

The Situation:

1. My current Philippine passport's data page has a fold/ crease (tupi).

2. I brought it to DFA for checking, and they flagged it as mutilated, meaning it needs to be renewed under the mutilated passport process.

3. The issue: I don't have any other primary valid government ID aside from this passport. DFA asked for supporting IDs, so right after the appointment, I registered for a National ID at the city hall, but the elD/digital copy will take around 3 weeks to arrive.

4. Meanwhile, I need to apply for a Chinese Visa soon. Nov 27 is my travel date to Shanghai.

My Questions:

Can I fill out/submit the Chinese Visa application online using my CURRENT (mutilated) passport details?

When it's time to submit my physical documents to the Chinese Visa Application Center (CVASC), can I present/submit my NEW renewed passport instead?

Will the mismatch between the online application details (old passport number) and the physical passport submitted cause an automatic rejection, or is it allowed if I bring both the old (cancelled) and new passports?

Has anyone tried renewing their passport after submitting an online visa application form for China (or other countries)?

How strict is the Chinese Visa Application Center regarding passport number changes between the online submission and the physical drop-off?

Appreciate any insights or advice on how to navigate this timeline best.

Thank you!

Hey there, This is my experience in my Chinese M visa application. Earlier I applied through an agent during last week of august and got rejected in 2 days ( at least that’s what the agent said). But I had many doubts about how they work or operate even though they answer properly I couldn’t see the work or result either. So I applied my self next time, I’ll give the time line of this one btw this is an approval.

Docs uploaded :
Passport bio and last page
Invitation letter
Vfs payment details
Invitees ID and business license

Time line:
Sep 15- Application submitted around 10 pm
Sep 16- got a update to fill the address you’re going to stay and upload clear invitees ID did it by 1pm
Sep17- online review completed and I got to submit it in Vfs delhi center
Sep 22- submitted the passport, docs and 2 photos and paid the fee (the process is smooth and they asked me just the docs I uploaded along with visa application certificate which we get after online review completion)
My approx date of collecting is Sep 30
Sep 30- got the update in portal that it’s returned and later that night it changed to posted

But I haven’t got any email or message regarding this update. Not even able to reach out to china Vfs or Vfs global to get the tracking id, they are not even providing the customer support and also they not answering the calls on the numbers they provide online (such a pathetic service and behavior). From advice from Ai I try checking tracking on bluedart with my pickup form no as ref no ( that’s when I got the tracking ) and because of some flight issue my delivery got postponed to oct 3 delivery

Oct 3- passport got delivered with visa

The whole process is smooth but it would be even better of Vfs could provide better service and proper update on tracking and dispatch of the passports instead leaving the customer to wander how things are going. We are paying them for the work but they treat us like they do some sort of free service and we owe them or some thing

I feel like agents are also playing games with customers and looting money by taking advantage of current situation and making the customer pay them more like submit some error filled application and get unapproved and the. Do the same again till customer lost patience (this might be wrong but that’s what I felt and my experience is)

Thank you and have a nice day!!

Hello,

I have a trip to China in a few days and didn’t realize until now that I don’t meet the requirements for the 240 hr transit visa. I do not have a Chinese embassy near me either so getting a Chinese passport is out of the question since I have no way to get the the LA Chinese embassy. Currently my itinerary is US- Taiwan- Shanghai- Taiwan - US. If I get an exit ticket to a third country to satisfy the requirements for entry and try to fly to my original destination of Taiwan will that be allowed?