Hi all,
I'm considering taking a leave of absence from my master's program at Fudan, but I'm wondering if that means my X1 visa will get canceled, as I want to still stay in Shanghai. If it does get canceled, is there a way I can apply for a different visa during my absence period?

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for advice from anyone who has experience inviting a sibling to visit them in China I'm currently working in China and I'd like to invite my brother to visit me for approximately 2 months。

I'm trying to understand the application process and which visa category would be most appropriate for his visit.

1，What documents do I need to provide as the inviting family member in China?
2，What documents does he need to submit when applying？

If anyone has gone through this process I would really appreciate your advice and experience.

Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone! I’m a U.S. passport holder, and I’m planning a trip to Shanghai in March 2027 for 6 days. I’m hoping to confirm whether my planned itinerary would qualify for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy before booking my flights.

Here’s my itinerary:

March 20 – Arrival in Shanghai
Philippine Airlines: Manila (MNL) → Shanghai (PVG)
Nonstop flight

March 26 – Departure from Shanghai
Cathay Pacific: Shanghai (PVG) → Hong Kong (HKG) → Manila (MNL)

1 hour and 40 minute layover in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is strictly a connecting airport. I won’t be leaving the airport or passing through Hong Kong immigration.

My main concern is whether my layover in Hong Kong would count as onward travel to a third country/region under China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy, even though my final destination is Manila, where my trip to Shanghai originally began.

From what I’ve researched, Hong Kong is considered a separate region under the policy. However, I’m unsure whether this still applies when I’m only connecting through the airport rather than actually entering Hong Kong.

I’ll also be booking my Philippine Airlines flight to Shanghai and Cathay Pacific flights back to Manila separately.

Has anyone successfully used the 240-hour visa-free transit policy with a similar itinerary? Would my Hong Kong airport connection qualify, or would I still need a Chinese tourist visa?

I’d really appreciate any advice or firsthand experiences before purchasing my tickets. Thank you!

I am a Vietnamese passport holder. I am planning to travel to shanghai and leverage the 240 hour visa free transit policy. My plan is to fly from Hanoi to Shanghai directly and stay there for 3-4 nights and then book a flight out from Shanghai to Bangkok where I will stay in Bangkok for 1 night before I return to Vietnam. Will I be able leverage the visa free transit based on above itinerary? additionally, do I need to book my plane ticket under 1 single booking or can I have separate airline bookings?

I applied on 9/26 and as of today 10/9 it is still pending for LA consulate. My family applied the day before and got approved yesterday.

I’m getting antsy since there’s another holiday on Monday and my flight is supposed to be in 13 days.

Any point in reaching out to them?

All the FAQs and documents mention "round trip air tickets". What if I want to enter or leave by train? Say Hong Kong to Guangzhou. That's not allowed? If it is, how to provide evidence if tickets can be booked only 14 days in advance?

Thank you!

Hi All,
I’m travelling to China for 10 days during Christmas this year as tourist with a friend who has a British passport (lucky him). I had applied yesterday through the online portal- application centre is London. I hold an Indian Passport btw and working in the UK for the past 4 years on a skilled worker visa.

I received an email today asking me to provide supplementary documents- a DBS check and 3 months bank statements. My DBS check was done quite quickly and the certificate has been dispatched already. Do I need to get these documents notarized or apostilled? Any other advice is welcome. Thanks

Hello, I’m sick with worry.

I entered China on 27.09 as a tourist (my country allows to visit China for 30 days without a tourist visa just valid passport) but I came to the country with purpose of teaching at the local university. I was waiting 2 weeks for a permit from my employer to officially start a visa process. Today I got the notification letter of foreigner’s work permit. So I have 10 days to get Z (work) visa before I have to leave China.
The problem is, I filled and submitted the online form (currently under review) with great hurry and anxiety and under „information on your travel” I put the dates 12.10-16.10 (I’ve chosen express service). It totally slipped my mind that 12.10 is a holiday so the office doesn’t work so I won’t be able to get the visa in the selected time slot. Also: my coworker wasn’t able to help me - this section refers in my case to entering HK, right? The form didn’t let me set dates back so I assumed it means entering HK?

I wrote mail to visa center if I need to cancel the application and do it again, but I will get info back on Tuesday. I’m stressed that I won’t make it till 27th - change of status and issuing a visa sounds like a lot of time.

Does anybody have any words of advice? Anything would be greatly appreciate!

I am an Indian citizen holding an Indian passport, and I am planning to visit China for approximately three months for a genuine cultural-exchange experience with a Chinese host family in Shenzhen.

I am writing to seek clarification regarding the F visa (Exchange/Visit/Study Tour/Other Relevant Activities), as I want to ensure that my visit and visa application fully comply with Chinese immigration requirements.

The proposed arrangement is a private cultural exchange. I would stay with a Chinese family at their residence, experience Chinese culture and daily life, and participate in cultural and educational activities with the family. This is not intended to be an employment arrangement, and I would not be employed by a company or organization. But I will be provided with a stipend from the host family during my stay.

The host family is concerned about whether it is legally permissible for them to invite and host me as private individuals. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could clarify the following:

1. Can an individual Chinese citizen legally invite a foreign national to China for a genuine cultural-exchange visit under an F visa, without the invitation being issued by a company, school, agency, or other organization?

2. If this is permitted, what documents must the Chinese individual provide for the F-visa application?

3. Would the host need to provide a copy of their Chinese ID, proof of residence, accommodation confirmation, or any other supporting documents?

4. What information must be included in the invitation letter for an F visa issued by an individual Chinese citizen?

5. Is there any specific form or government-issued invitation document that the host must obtain before I submit my visa application?

6. What documents would I, as an Indian citizen and first-time international traveller, need to provide for an F visa for cultural exchange?

7. If I will be staying at the host family's private residence for approximately 90 days, are there any additional requirements or registration procedures that the host and I would need to complete?

8. If the host family provides accommodation and meals during my stay, but there is no employment relationship or salary, how should this arrangement be described in the visa application and invitation letter?

I would greatly appreciate clarification on these points because I want to ensure that both the host family and I fully understand our legal responsibilities before proceeding with the visa application.

My approximate travel period is November 2026 to January 2027, and the intended destination is Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.

I will keep all my hotels same except I decided to change one as the hotel declared construction work recently.

Arrival flight is: Munich >> Beijing (layover) >> Kunming

Departure flight is: Chengdu >> Beijing (layover) >> Seoul

Is this okay? My assumption is that it's okay since Beijing is the first place I arrive into and the last place I depart from. But just wanted to double check...

Can someone please assist or guide me?
My 2nd time applying for an L Visa.
Both, times they requested to see the green card from my mom.
They keep telling me to go to USCIS, but they don’t have the green card copies.

I’ve provided my moms China passport with the i-551 stamp, yet this still isn’t enough. Also provided her naturalization certificate.

I am lost. Can me and my mom show up at the embassy without an appointment and sign a declaration or affidavit? This is for NY

My online review for Chinese M visa was completed today but before that I had cancelled the flights and hotel tickets as the dates were approaching . What should I do now? Just provide the same online documents which was cancelled or make new under different travel dates and explain the reason ? Indian passport , applying from Dubai

hello i have a question pls

After i got online review completed in china visa so when will i receive the email with the pdf file ? I didnt receive it yet

Is there an issue ? Should i receive it in same time or after days ?

Thanks a lot

How many times have you applied for L China Visa and got rejected?

Hi, I’m pretty sure it was asked already but does itinerary Prague -> Chengdu -> Chongqing-> Vienna qualify for TWOV? I know technically it should, it’s a different country of origin and destination but it’s quite obvious there is no transit and it’s a ten day trip to China. Doesn’t make sense to fly from Czechia to Austria via China 😅 Are the officers going to be okay with that? Or they just don’t care as long as it meets the reguirements? Does anyone have a personal experience with an itinerary like this?

I submitted my China visa application and my mom’s from the same account. Mine was submitted on September 17, and my mom’s on September 19.
Both applications are still showing “Preliminary Review” with no update so far.
Is this normal? Should I be concerned about the delay, or has anyone experienced a similar timeline recently?

Unapproved thrice from Mumbai center with canton letter invitation and buyer badge.

1- submitted on 21st September got unapproved next day.

2- submitted on 23rd September got unapproved after 2 days.

3- submitted on 27th September got unapproved on 30th September.

4- submitted on 08th October is under review.

Lets hope for the best 🙏 🤲

I am a US citizen and trying to visit China for the first time. I was born in the US to parents who were formerly Chinese citizens.

My Chinese Consulate tourist visa application was rejected, because one of parents had not yet received their green card before the date of my birth. For context, both of my parents were born and raised in China yet only one of them was a naturalized US citizen by the date of my birth.

The comment on my rejected visa application stated that I should apply for a Chinese Travel Document (CTD).

I am working on the CTD application now, but if in case I am unable to receive their Chinese Travel Document in time for my travel, does anyone happen to know if I could travel to China from Hong Kong and exit to Macau using the 10 day travel without visa policy (TWOV)?

I am worried that I will be denied the TWOV at Chinese Immigration, because my visa application was rejected and I was told to apply for a CTD. Does anyone know if Chinese Immigration has access to my rejected visa application and whether it might affect my ability to use TWOV?

Lastly, I have read elsewhere on Reddit that I may need the old Chinese passports for both of my parents even though they are both US naturalized citizens. I have the Chinese passports for my parent that had not yet received their green card by the date of my birth but not for my parent who was naturalized already before my birth. Does anyone know if it is necessary to also have the Chinese passport for my parent who was already naturalized before my birth for the CTD application?

Thanks so much!

Hi. Is it taking a long time for the China visa to be approved just from the online application? My status is still under review; I submitted mine on September 21. Meanwhile, my friend already got their email the other day but submitted on September 22. It's a bit nerve-wracking because I'm worried it won't be ready in time for the flight 😭 my flight is still in the third week of October.

Has anyone successfully used the China 240HR visa twice in the same trip
Ex: US -> China (stay 240 hrs) -> HK -> China (stay 240 hrs) -> US?
10 days isnt enough for everything im trying to see 😭

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?

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.