The main groups of people who need to apply for Chinese visas include the following:
1. Foreigners: Foreigners coming to China need to apply for a visa to obtain entry permits. These foreigners need to apply for visas at the Chinese embassy or consulate in the local area and enter the country after the visa is approved.
2. Specific identity personnel:
- Individuals traveling to China for activities such as exchanges, visits, and inspections are required to apply for an F-visa.
- Individuals who enter the country for permanent residency need to apply for a D-visa.
- International train attendants, international aircraft crew members, crew members of international vessels, accompanying family members of crew members, and drivers engaged in international road transportation who carry out crew, aviation, and shipping tasks are required to apply for a C-visa.
- Individuals passing through China are required to apply for a G-visa.
- Foreign resident journalists of foreign news agencies in China are required to apply for a J1 visa, while foreign journalists entering the country for short-term interviews and reporting are required to apply for a J2 visa.
3. Individuals who do not require a visa under specific circumstances:
- Foreigners who use various visa exemption agreements.
- Foreigners holding valid Chinese permanent residence permits.
- Foreigners holding various valid residence permits.
- Foreigners holding valid APEC business travel cards (excluding virtual cards).
- 24-hour visa free transit personnel.
Holders of valid Pakistani diplomatic and official passports are exempted from visa application within 30 days of staying in Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong; Holders of Pakistani diplomatic passports are exempt from visa application for a 14 day stay in Macau, China.
When applying for a visa, foreigners are required to provide a valid passport or a document that can replace the passport, fill out the visa application form, submit a recent 2-inch half length front bareheaded photo, and provide proof related to the application for entry and transit. If a foreigner applies for a visa and needs to provide an invitation letter issued by a unit or individual within China, the applicant shall provide it in accordance with the requirements of the visa agency stationed abroad. The unit or individual issuing the invitation letter shall be responsible for the authenticity of the invitation content.
