Chinese Business Visas

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2. Select your visa type to view services and prices:

3. Click on an option above to order your visa online

That’s it ... we do the rest and you relax! One last thing though, to make sure we have got all the paperwork to successfully submit your visa application pack to the consulate, please take a look at the “documents required” section below and also confirm that the processing times meet your travel needs.

How long will it take to get my visa?

Processing times refer to a number of working days that it will take to obtain your visa once you have submitted your fingerprints to the Chinese Visa Application Centre.

If we receive your visa application documents before 15:30pm GMT Monday to Friday, our team will check everything on the same day and if all your paperwork is complete and correct, we will contact you the same day to arrange an appointment at the Visa Application Centre for fingerprinting. Applications and documents received after 15:30pm GMT will be checked on the next business day.

The day we receive your visa from the Consulate, we will send it to you by Royal Mail Special Delivery so you will have it the next business day before 13:00pm GMT or if you prefer, hold it at our office for your collection.

Business days exclude weekends, UK and Chinese public holidays.

Please note: Express visa processing at the Chinese consulates in the UK is currently not available for citizens of the following countries:

Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Congo, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

All UK passport holders are eligible to apply for a Chinese transit visa, however please note that all applicants aged 14-70 (inc) will need to attend the Chinese Visa Application Centre in person to give biometric data (ie. fingerprints) when submitting an application.

Chinese Visa Application Centre address:

12 Old Jewry,
London,
United Kingdom,
EC2R 8DU

Completing your Chinese transit visa application with us

Applicants under 14 or above 70 can send their documents to us via post. We will check your Chinese transit visa application as soon as your package arrives at our office and the application will be submitted the next working day by our courier.

All UK passport holders between the ages of 14-70 years old are eligible, provided you are able to attend an appointment at the Visa Application Centre in London for biometric fingerprinting.

Please see the following link for any processing issues which may be affecting the Chinese visa service
including Chinese Consulate bank holiday and processing delays.

• Service status page

Your profession may affect what documents are required when applying for your visa, how long it will take to obtain it as well as your visa validity. For further details see our FAQ page.

Due to recent unrest in Urumqi and Turpan the Chinese Consulate may refuse to issue a visa if either of these cities are mentioned either on your visa application form or your itinerary. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding this matter.

UK passport holders are typically entitled to a multiple entry Chinese visa valid for 2 years and giving you 90 days to enter China from the date the Consulate issue the visa. Once you entered China, you can stay there up to 90 days.

Other nationalities are entitled to a single, double or multiple entry visa. The single entry Chinese visas give you 90 days to enter China (from the date the consulate issue the visa); having entered, you can then stay from between 30 to 60 days. The double entry visas give a period of between 90 and 180 days from the date the Consulate issue the visa during which time you may enter the country twice; please note that you need to depart from China before your validity window expires.

Please note that your profession can affect the validity of your visa. For further details see our FAQ page.

The documents that you need to provide to allow us to prepare and lodge your application at the Consulate depend on the visa type you require and your nationality.

Dual nationality:

If you have a dual nationality (dual citizenship), you must submit both passports along with a copy of the passport ID page (the page with your date of birth, photo, etc.) for each passport. The consulate will keep both passports while the visa is being processed. If for some reason you cannot provide your second passport, an official written statement explaining why this is not possible may be accepted.

If you hold dual national status in the UK and another country, the Consulate will require you to apply for your Chinese visa using your UK passport. If you hold two EU passports, you can apply with whichever passport you prefer. If you hold an EU and a non-EU passport, you will need to apply for your Chinese visa with your EU passport. If you hold two non-EU passports, apply with the passport containing your UK visa and provide a copy of this visa.

If you have a UK biometric residence permit, you must apply with a passport that shows the same nationality as shown on the permit and provide both the original and a copy of your residence permit card.

Please note, regardless of visa type, non-UK passport holders should present the original UK visa or residence permit to the Consulate along with their application. The UK visa/work permit should be valid for at least 6 months.

Your profession may affect what documents are required when applying for your visa. For further details see our FAQ page.

Proof of residency for EU and non-EU passport holders

The Chinese Consulate now requires non-UK passport holders to provide proof of residency in the UK depending on whether they are EU or non-EU passport holders:

EU passport holders need to provide the following:

• An original and a copy of your UK residence documentation for a national of an EEA state (blue card/residence documentation booklet stating “Registration Certificate”).
• A print out of your settlement status in the UK (often known as the 'Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme').
• A marriage certificate with a UK national along with your spouse’s passport. If your spouse is not a UK passport holder then a proof of the spouse’s residence in the UK will also be required.
• Proof of your UK address for the past 6 months. This may consist of the following documents:
  - A letter from an employer confirming that you have been employed for at least 6 months or will be employed for at least the next 6 months.
  - A letter from a school, college or university confirming that you have been a student for at least 6 months or will be a student for at least the next 6 months.
  - A utility bill covering the past 6 months.
  - Bank statements covering the last 6 months.
  - A tenancy agreement.
  - Confirmation of Tax Return from HMPO or self-assessment for self-employed applicants.

Non-EU passport holders (regardless of whether you are allowed to visit the UK without a visa or not) must provide the following:

• A long-term UK visa (work, study, residence permit).

If you have a valid long-term UK visa then you can apply in the UK regardless of when your UK visa was issued (unlike EU passport holders, you do not have to be living in the UK for at least the past 6 months in order to be eligible to apply for your Chinese visa from the UK).

Please note that an entry stamp or a tourist visa valid for less than 6 months (C-type visa) is not acceptable.

Please note: All documents have to be submitted as originals and copies. The consulate may consider accepting copies only in certain circumstances.

Visa application requirements

Check your visa application requirements by selecting your passport nationality, and required number of visits from the options below:

Chinese business visas are typically used by professionals who travel to China for private business including meetings and conferences. Please remember that the final decision on how long your visa will be valid for is up to the Consulate’s discretion (always read your visa carefully before you travel). However, according to our experience, the validity works as follows:

Business visas may be single entry, double entry or multi-entry and allow for trips of up to 90 days during each entry.

Eligible UK passport holders are entitled to obtain a business visa with a validity “window” of 2 years which allows for multiple visits of a 90-day stay at each entry.

Eligible US passport holders are entitled to be granted a multiple-entry business visas with 10 year’s validity “window” allowing them to stay in China for a maximum of 60 days per each entry.

For all other nationals, single and double-entry visas, the validity “window” is 90 days and within this “window”, you are usually allowed to stay in China for up to 30 days. It is possible to request a visa allowing for stay(s) of up to 60 days or 90 days rather than the standard 30 days, but the issuance of such visas is also at the Consulate’s discretion.

Yes, of course we can. We will process all necessary visas "back to back" and return your passport with all three visas when they are complete. See the following links for further details:

• Trans-Siberian, Mongolian and Manchurian visas
• Train tickets - online schedule and booking

Please see the following guide for more information: Reading a Chinese visa

Yes, of course you can; we have an office in central London, and we will be happy to see you and assist with your application if needed. If you intend to deliver an application in person or collect your passport and visa, we are open for collection and deliveries during the following times.

Visa applications received by our office after 15.30pm on weekdays or UK bank holidays will not start to be processed until the following working day.

To order your Chinese visa online, simply click on the level of service you want from the options above.

• When you select the service you want from the options above we will ask you to fill in a simple online form with details about yourself, your trip and finally you will have the option to pay using your credit or debit card through our secure servers.
• Send any support documents required for your application to us as outlined in your 'Next steps' email.
• Once all your documents have been checked by our visa experts, we will contact you to arrange a day for you to visit the Visa Application Centre to give your fingerprints. During the processing of your application, we will be on hand to answer any queries the Consulate may have and to ensure that your application is dealt with in a timely and efficient manner.
• Visit the Visa Application Centre with a Real Russia representative to sign your checked and completed application form and give fingerprints.
• The day your visa is ready we will collect it in person and return this to you using Royal Mail Special Delivery so you will have it the next business day before 1pm, or hold it at our office for your collection.

You can follow the progress of your order through our online order tracking system which will detail the steps taken and the steps remaining to obtain your visa.

If you’re in need of assistance whilst travelling we offer a dedicated 24 hour telephone support service.

For all emergencies you can call us on +44 (0) 207 100 7370 where our operators are available to provide help 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

If you experience problems whilst away, our team can offer guidance and support. If for example you have mislaid your passport, you are experiencing difficulty boarding a train or any number of other travel issues, call our emergency helpline for immediate assistance.