Passport & China Visa Instructions

All foreign nationals (except for China passport holders) traveling to the People's Republic of China (PRC) must travel with a valid passport and a visa obtained prior to entering the country.

China Spree can only handle China visa application for U.S. or Canadian passport holders or passengers residing in U.S. or Canada. Foreign nationals residing outside the U.S. or Canada must get their own China visa.

Note, for those who would like handle the China visa application on your own, please be sure to check our website at the Passport & China Visa webpage for the updated information you will need for China visa application and download the up-to-date China Visa Application Form and/or Passport & China Visa Instructions before you visit the China Consulate. Additional supporting documents may be required.

Policies and requirements of China visa application specified in this file may change from the time you view it to the time you actually submit your visa application. We will try our best to keep the up-to-date information online only.

Please provide your special attention to the instructions below and make sure you follow the procedures specified. Failure to do so may delay your China visa application and could increase the cost of the process.

Outline

I. Passport Requirement

II. China Visa Information

• China Visa Application Procedure
• China Visa By China Spree
• China Visa By Yourself
• China Visa & Instruction Forms Download

III. China Consulates In U.S.

IV. Common Mistakes In Preparing China Visa Application

V. How to Complete China Visa Application Form

Your passport should meet these requirements for your China trip:

• It should be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled entry date into China
• It should have at least 2 blank pages—one to affix the China visa sticker and one for an entry/exit/security check stamp
• The blank pages must be labeled "Visas" at the top. Pages labeled "Amendments and Endorsements" are not acceptable
• It must be signed (parents/guardians may sign for minors) to be valid

Your passport must be physically submitted to the China Consulate in order to get a China visa (which is affixed to your passport), either via China Spree, by yourself, or your representative.

Please take moment to check if your passport meets all of these requirements. If not, you could be refused entry into China. And if that happens, you might be required by China Customs to return to the U.S. immediately, which would be at your own expense.

If you need to renew your passport or get extra pages:

Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport, renewing your existing passport, or for additional pages. Many local post offices carry forms for renewing by mail or obtaining extra pages. Allow several weeks for processing your passport.

NOTE: When updating your passport, it is worthwhile to check the prices on all the different services that might apply to you. For example, it might be less expensive to renew your passport than to have pages added, depending on the number of pages you need.

China visa can only be obtained prior to entering China (PRC). Your tourist visa (Type L) will be good for up to 30 days after the entry date to China. The 30-day visa is activated on the date you enter China, rather than on the date of issuance. You must enter China within 3 months (or six months as specified on the Visa) after the date of issuance, or the visa will expire.

Number of Entries
If your trip includes Hong Kong, you will need a double entry visa; if your tour does not include Hong Kong a single entry visa is sufficient. However, since the China Consulates charge a flat fee for a single/double/multiple entry visa, China Spree will usually apply for multiple entry visas for our customers. Please note that the actual number of entries granted to you is at sole discretion of China Consulate.

Visa Application Fees
The China Consulates charge a flat fee of $140 for single/double/multiple entry visa for regular service (4-5 business days).

If you prefer to have China Spree obtain a visa for you, a nominal $30 visa processing fee will be added on top of the consulate charge amounting to $170 for single/double/multiple entry visa, and is an added service for China Spree customers. Please note that you must participate in 1 of China Spree's tours to be eligible for using our visa handling service. China visa fee is not part of the tour fare and is subject to change without prior notice. The visa payment is non-refundable once the visa is granted.

Non-U.S. Passport Holders
If you are a U.S. resident holding a green card, you MUST make a clear copy of both sides of your green card and submit it with your actual passport and China Visa Application form, along with a completed Supplementary Visa Application. For U.S. residents holding H1 and L1 visas, the procedure to obtain a China visa is same as the procedure for green card holders. Please copy these visas and send the copy to us with your application form.

Supplementary Visa Application Form (Form V.2011B)
Foreign nationals residing in the U.S must complete and sign Supplementary Visa Application Form (Form V.2011B) and submit it along with their visa application, as well as a copy (both sides) of their U.S. Alien Card.

Please note: If you are a U.S. national traveling on a U.S. passport, you should NOT use this form. Visa Requirement to Hong Kong

Visa Requirement to Hong Kong
U. S. & Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa when traveling to Hong Kong and Macau if your stay in these destinations is less than 90 days in duration.

If you are non-U.S. & non-Canadian citizens and your tour includes Hong Kong, it is your sole responsibility to find out the visa requirement to Hong Kong and obtain the correct document to enter Hong Kong on your own. You should later notify China Spree regarding this issue after you obtain your visa to Hong Kong.

If you are Chinese passport holder and your tour includes Hong Kong, you must take care of your visa to Hong Kong on your own. China Spree is NOT responsible for any information or advice provided to you regarding the legal documents and visa requirement to enter Hong Kong and back to China. Please note, the visa requirement for Chinese passport holders to Hong Kong and back to mainland China may change at any time without prior notice.

China has an embassy in Washington DC and consulates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Huston, and New York. Please find the detailed address and contact information below. You may submit your visa application at any of these consulates. Please be advised that China Consulate does not accept mail-in visa application due to increased security measures. If you choose to handle the visa application yourself, you must physically present your application and documents to the China Consulate, or, entrust someone to handle the application on your behalf. It takes 4 to five 5 business days for the consulate to process a visa application and rush fees apply if you require an express service.

China Visa for applicants who were born in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan
If you were born in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan but hold a U.S./Canadian passport, you may be required, by the China Consulate, to submit further documents for a China visa. Note, the extra documents listed below are in addition to the general documents required to obtain a China visa.

If you have an old China visa in an expired passport, that is all you need. Please send the old passport with the old visa to China Spree along with your visa application kit, and we will submit the old documents with your visa application, which includes your current passport, and completed China Visa Application form with a photo.

If there is no old China visa, the Consulate may require the following:

1. Your Original Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau passport with your name in Chinese characters. (not a copy)
2. A copy of your U.S./Canadian Naturalization Certificate
3. If your name has changed since living in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan a copy of the name change document, or copy of the marriage certificate is required.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but these are requirements made by the China Consulate and are beyond the control of China Spree.

For questions regarding this issue, please contact China Spree.

If you choose to have China Spree handle your visa application, you must mail your actual passport, the completed and signed China Visa Application Form with one 2x2 passport photo glued to the form, along with your balance payment check (where applicable) to our company by balance payment due date (about 50 days prior to departure date) as specified on the invoice. Please don't mail out your passport too early in case you need it to travel abroad. China Visa is only valid for 3 months; therefore we will not process the visa application until about 50 days prior to departure date. If you cannot send the passport to us in a timely manner due to your other travel arrangements, please contact us for details.

Your passport and China visa will be returned to you, using FedEx, with other travel documents about 2 weeks prior to departure. Signature is required upon delivery. If you request the passport being processed or returned to you sooner, additional service and mailing fees apply.

We strongly encourage you to mail your passport and visa application to the following address, using a traceable delivery method such as FedEx or UPS.

China Spree Travel
2320 130th Ave. NE, Suite 200
Bellevue, WA 98005
Phone: 425-556-8888

You must provide the following items in order for China Spree to handle your visa application.

1) Your ACTUAL passport:

• Be valid for 6 months after the scheduled entry date to China.
• Have at least 2 blank pages to affix the visa and for the entry/exit stamps
• Be signed (parents/guardians may sign for minors)

2) One recent passport-size photo

• One 2x2, color or black and white, glued to the China Visa Form (take care that any liquid glue is allowed to dry) Please do not trim the 2x2 photo to fit the box on the visa application. The photo should be a bit larger than the box. Extra photos are not needed.
• Have a plain white background
• Be bare headed, and show a full front view of the person's head
• Cannot be scanned. Digital images must be produced on a glossy paper

3) A completed, signed and dated China Visa Application Form.

Return Your Passport & China Visa
Your passport and China visa will be returned to you via FedEx or U.S. Postal Service priority mail along with other travel documents about 2 weeks prior to departure. The FedEx/USPS tracking number will be sent to you by email when the waybill is created. Please note that a signature is required upon delivery, so someone must be available to sign for the packet when it arrives. Rerouting the FedEx/USPS packet to a different address after it has been sent is NOT possible.

All packets sent to Puerto Rico will be sent via U.S. Postal Service priority mail. A signature will be required if passports are included. Packets sent to foreign addresses, except Canada, are by special arrangement only, and extra charges will apply.

P. R. China has an embassy in Washington DC and consulates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Huston, and New York. Please find the detailed address and contact information in the table below; this table will also specify which consulate offices will handle certain states. You may submit your visa application at any of these consulates. Please be advised that China Consulate do not accept mail-in visa application due to increased security measures. If you choose to handle the visa application yourself, you must physically present your application and documents to the China Consulate, or, entrust someone to handle the application on your behalf. It takes 4 to 5 business days for the consulate to process a visa application and a rush fee applies if you require express service.

Please note, if you would like to handle the China visa on your own at the New York China Consulate, you need to complete a different China Visa Application Form—China Visa Application Form-New York. If you would like to have China Spree take care of your China visa, we do not require this form as we will work with the China Consulate in Houston or San Francisco for your convenience.

If you would like to handle China visa application yourself and your China tour includes Tibet, you must send us a copy of your passport information and China visa pages so we can handle the Tibet Permit for you.

All listed forms below are in Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format). You must download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader to your computer to view these forms.

* Please click "No" when you are asked to download "Chinese or Asian language" software in order to view the following PDF file.

(Form V.2011B)

Offices

States

Contact Information

Office Hours

 

Los Angeles Office
Add: 500 Shatto Place, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA90020

Southern CA
HI, AZ, NM

Tel: 213-807-8006
Fax: 213-380-1961

Monday-Friday
9:00am-12:00pm
12:30pm-3:00pm

 

San Francisco Office
Add: 1450 Laguna Street
San Francisco, CA94115

Northern CA
AK, OR, NV, WA

Tel: 415-674-2940
Fax: 415-563-4861
TTY: 415-674-2900
(automated service)

Monday-Friday
9:00am-12:00pm
1:30pm-3:30pm

 

Chicago Office
Add: 100 West Erie Street
Chicago, IL60610

IL, IN, MI,
MN, WI, IA,
MO, KS, CO

Tel: 312-803-0095
Fax: 312-803-0122

Monday-Friday
9:00am-12:00pm
1:00pm-2:30pm

 

New York Office
Add: 520 12 th Ave.
New York, NY10036

NY, PA, MA
CT, VT, RI
ME, NJ, OH, NH

Tel: 212-868-2078
Fax: 212-465-1745

Monday-Friday
9:00am-12:00pm
1:00pm-2:30pm

 

Houston Office
Add: 3417 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX77006

TX, LA, MS, AL
GA, FL, AR, OK

Tel: 713-521-9589
Fax: 713-521-0237
TTY: 713-521-7459
(automated service)

Monday-Friday
9:00am-11:30pm
1:30pm-3:00pm

 

China Embassy
Add: 2201 Wisconsin Ave. NW#110,Washington, DC2007

DC, TN, WY,VA
NC, SC, ND, SD,NE
KY, IA, MD,MT, DE

Tel: 202-338-6688
Fax: 202-588-9760

Monday-Friday
9:30am-12:30pm
1:30pm-3:00pm

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Common Mistakes In Preparing China Visa Application

You must download and read Passport & China Visa Instructions before you fill in the China Visa Application Form. If you have any question regarding any specific section (such as name/contact of the Inviter, residences and phone number during your stay in China, etc.) on the Visa Application Form, you should refer to "How to Complete China Visa Application Form" in the Instruction file.

To avoid unnecessary delays with your visa application, here are a few common mistakes to avoid:

• Both your passport and your visa application must be signed. Please note that the applicant's signature line is in the middle of page 4 of the China visa application. The signature space at the bottom of page 4 is only used when another person (such as a parent) completes the application on behalf of their child.
  
  
• Foreign nationals residing in the U.S. must complete and sign the Supplementary Visa Application Form (Form V.2011B), and submit it along with their China visa applications, as well as a copy (both sides) of their U.S. Alien Card. If you are a U.S. national traveling on a U.S. passport, you should NOT use this form.
  
  
• Photos should be affixed to the space indicated on the first page of the visa application, not to the top margin, or to other pages.
  
  
• A copy of your photo taken from a passport, with its security devices, is not acceptable as a visa photo.
  
  
• The two supplemental pages of the China visa application are needed for non-US citizens only. US citizens should not fill out these pages.
  
  
• Passport needs to have at least 1 blank page to affix the visa. Amendment/endorsement pages do not count. Please check your passport before you send it.
  
  
• Section 3.6 (major family members) on visa application form needs to be filled in, even you travel alone or your family members do not accompany you on the China trip. Please provide your spouse, children, parents or siblings information where applicable.
  
  
• If you are self-employed, please provide your business name, mailing address and phone number on section 3.5 of current employer information.
  
  

Please provide your special attention to the issues listed above, as such mistakes occur frequently, causing China Spree to take additional time and attention to fix such mistakes, and incurring additional expenses. Also, please note that China Spree is not in a position to verify or check visa applications for accuracy or completeness. Each traveler is responsible for making sure that the China Visa Application Form is completed correctly, and his or her passport is valid for the intended period of travel, is properly signed, and has enough blank pages for whatever visas are required. Failure to do so will delay your China visa application and could increase the cost of the process.

Note that you must participate in China Spree tours to be eligible for using our visa handling service. If you would like to handle your own visa application, you should send us a copy of your passport for our records. Visa application fees are non-refundable.

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How to Complete China Visa Application Form

The latest version of China Visa Application Form is required and can be downloaded from the website of the China Consulates or at Chinaspree.com. You may manually input all information.

Section 1: Personal Information

1.1   Your name as on your passport. Surname is your last name, and Given name is your first/middle
name
1.2   Sex
1.3   Chinese name if you have one
1.4   Previous name (e.g. maiden name or other aliases)
1.5   Name in ethnic script: input N/A
1.6   Current nationality
1.7   Former nationality if applicable
1.8   Other nationalities if you have dual citizenship
1.9   Date of birth
1.10 Place of birth
1.11 Local ID card number: input your U.S. /Canadian driver license number.
1.12 Marital status
1.13 Your current occupation: It's a tricky question. Only choose 1 from the listed options, except
"Government official", "Staff of media", "Religious worker", or "Active duty military personnel".
Doing otherwise may complicate your visa application.
1.14 Passport type
1.15 Passport number
1.16 Date of issue
1.17 Place of issue: This is actually the "Authority" such as National Passport Center, etc.
1.18 Expiration date
1.19 Visa service: leave it blank

Section 2: Travel Information

2.1 Major purpose of your visit to China: Check "Tourism"
2.2 Intended number of entries: China Consulates charge the American passport holder a flat fee for
single/double/multi visa, so check "multiple entry valid for 12 months" even if you only need a single
visa. This does not apply to Canadian passport.
2.3 Date of your first entry into China: The second day is the beginning of your tour. For example, you
leave U.S. on June 3rd, 2015, you then arrive in China on June 4th, 2015.
2.4 Your longest intended stay in China: The actual duration of your tour. For example, 21 days for 21-DayChina Panorama; 17 days for 17-Day GrandChina & Yangtze Cruise.
2.5 Residence and phone during your stay in China in a time sequence: We have completed it for your
convenience. You may wipe out the cities which is not included in your actual itinerary. Please note:
the hotels we have entered are solely for the benefit of the China Consulate and may not be
the hotels you actually stay in. Remember don't input "Tibet, Urumiqi, Kashigar, or Turpan" that
may complicate your visa application.
2.6 Who will pay for your cost of traveling and living in China
2.7 Do you have medical insurance covering your visit in China?: If you buy the travel insurance from China
Spree, your insurance administrator is Berkely, and the policy number is MZ0911116H0000A
2.8 Name, address and phone of your inviter or contact unit in China: We have completed it for your
convenience.
2.9 Name, address and phone of your relative or contact in China: NA

Section 3: Information about your Family, Work, Or Study

3.1-3.4 Complete as it is.
3.5 Current employer or school: input N/A if you are retired, or unemployed
3.6 Major family members: You, your spouse, children, siblings and parents, where applicable, even
though they may not accompany you on this trip. In the Occupation section, please don't input the
sensitive occupations as we referred to in 1.13.
3.7 Contact person in case of emergency: We have completed it for you.
3.8 Contact person's phone number: We have completed it for you.

Section 4: Other information and Section 5 Relevant declaration
Complete as it is.

Section 6: Signature
You must sign and date it to validate your application.