China had been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, even before the travel bug bit me. But due to misconception, influenced by how the media portray it, caused me to think that it was not a safe place to travel to. Nevertheless, when I finally had the guts to experience it for myself, I was surprised how different it is than what I was told. I was literally expecting the worst, but experienced the best!
China is so mysterious, packed with diverse sights, and has a completely different way of life. It’s very unique that it is impossible to describe what China is like, until you see and experience it on your own. Don’t take others words for it — check it out for yourself! Ohhh, and the chance to visit One of the 7 World Wonders, The Great Wall of China (I hate to spoil, but it was AMAZING)! If you are ready to experience and explore China, then let these 4 simple steps be the start of your adventures to a Trip Of A Lifetime in China!
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I. HOW TO APPLY FOR A CHINESE TOURIST VISA (STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE)
STEP 1: Determine the type of Visa you need to apply for.
Depending on your purpose, there are different types of Chinese Visas you can apply for, (such as business visa, student visa, etc.).
This guide is for those applying for a CHINESE TOURIST VISA (L), only if your purpose of visit is Short-term or for Leisure/Tourism.
If you have a different situation or intention/s, it’s best to directly contact the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Philippines for more information.
STEP 2: Prepare and complete the Chinese Visa Requirements.
Chinese Tourist Visa Requirements List for Filipinos;
1. Philippine Passport/s
Philippines passport must have at least 6 months’ remaining validity prior to your intended travel date with 1 blank page for stamps.
- This passport must be in good condition and have a signature (on page 3 in new 10-year passports).
- Photocopy of your CURRENT Passport’s BIO PAGE and EMERGENCY PAGE.
- If you don’t have old passports, meaning your current passport is your first passport, mention it on Item 3.7 of the application form.
- OLD PASSPORT/s (only if applicable)
- If you still have your Old Passport/s, then you also need to SUBMIT them.
- If your Old Passport/s is/are lost or stolen, mention it on Item 3.7 of the application form and submit an Affidavit of Lost.
2. Two (2) ID Photo
Photo size: 48mm x 33mm (colored photo against white background taken within the last 6 months).
- Photos must be clear (pixelated photos are NOT allowed).
- One of the photos must be pasted properly on the application form (staple NOT allowed).
- For sample, click here.
3. A Duly Accomplished Visa Application Form
Download the China Visa Form here.
- Must be Typed/typewritten in UPPERCASE LETTERS (handwritten is NOT allowed).
- Do not leave anything blank, write N/A if not applicable.
- For minors, the signature of parents or legal guardians in the application form is needed.
- Do not leave anything blank (write N/A if not applicable).
4. Travel Itinerary
This is your daily itinerary and activities in China.
- Make sure this matches the information on your flight reservation and application form.
TIP! Don’t over complicate it! This is just to give the Embassy an idea of your travel itinerary. Also, this is one way to convince the Consul that you are indeed a tourist so make it simple and realistic.
5. Flight Reservations or Tickets
Submit a Round-trip flight reservations/tickets to and from China with a reservation number (under your name).
6. Hotel Reservations
Submit hotel reservations (under your name).
7. Invitation Letter (only if applicable)
Only applicable if invited by a Chinese National/Citizen (if not then you can skip this).
A) Passport’s photocopy of the host (Chinese National/Citizen).
B) Proof of relationship such as birth certificates, marriage certificate, or certificate of kinship issued by the Chinese Public Security Bureau or notarized certification of kinship.
C) Invitation letter from your host (Chinese National/Citizen).
- The invitation letter MUST indicate the following:
- APPLICANT’S; full name, gender, birthdate , and the relationship of the inviter with the applicant.
- INVITER’S; full name (and/or company/organization name if applicable), complete address, contact numbers, official stamp, and signature.
- TRAVEL information; stating the purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, places to visit, and financial source for the travel expenses in China.
NOTE: The invitation letter can be a photocopy, printout, or form of fax, but the Embassy may require the original copy.
8. FINANCIAL AND EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS
A. FOR PAST CHINESE VISA HOLDERS (if not, move to letter B)
- If you’ve had Chinese Visa before (Used/Expired/or Still Valid), you are NOT required to submit the financial and employment documents. BUT, you have to provide the following:
- Passport that contains the past Chinese Visa/s.
- If the visa is on your old passport, you should also submit your old passport.
- Photocopy of your past Chinese Visa/s. Then; (move to #9)
- Passport that contains the past Chinese Visa/s.
B. FOR FIRST TIME APPLICANTS
The following documents are required to prove and establish your financial capability to cover all your expenses throughout the trip as well as your intention to return. The supporting documents differ depending on your status as follows:
- Bank Certificate: Must be issued within 3 months from the date of your visa application along with the official receipt (so make sure to ask for receipt of your bank certificate when you get one).
- Bank Statements for the last 6 months from the date of your visa application.
- BIR-stamped Income Tax Return Form (ITR).
- If Employed: Submit a copy of your Company ID and Certificate of Employment (with salary and length of employment indicated).
- PRC/Professional ID (only if applicable)
- Student ID (only if you’re currently enrolled).
NOTE: Make sure all documents are clear, readable, and the application Form must be filled up truthfully.
TIP! You can also submit any other documents that prove the reason for your travel (such as medical certificate, event invitations, etc.).
STEP 3: Submit your Visa application.
NOTE: NO prior appointment required and Mail applications are NOT allowed.
Application can be submitted only in person by the applicant, a representative (with authorization letter) or a travel agency on your behalf at this address;
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2nd Floor, the World Center,
330 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue,
Makati City, Metro Manila
- Submission of Visa application is from Monday-Friday, 9am-11am ONLY (except holidays).
- Upon submission, you’ll be given a slip indicating the release date of your passport.
- Standard processing time takes 4 business days and Visa fee varies from the number of entry as follows;
- Single-Entry P1,400
- Double-Entry P2,100
- 6mos Multiple-Entry P2,800
- 1yr Multiple-Entry P4,200
- For expedited application process will correspond an additional fee as follows:
- Express service (3 business day result) P1,100
- Rush service (2 business day result) P1,700 (only for past Chinese Visa Holders)
- For expedited application process will correspond an additional fee as follows:
TIP! Be as early as you can on the day of submission as lines can be quite long at times in the Chinese Embassy. Also, in very rare instances, the Visa Officer may require you for an interview to the Chinese Embassy if needed.
STEP 4: Claim your Passport and Chinese Visa.
- If you are asked to pay for a Visa fee that means your Visa is approved.
- Make a payment. (Only cash payment is accepted) then;
- Proceed to the passport releasing window and claim your passport.
In my experience, the entire Chinese Visa application process is pretty simple and straightforward. I got my Visa approved in literally 4 days!
TIP! If approved, it’s always best practice to check and make sure all information on your Visa is correct to avoid complications in your travels. GOOD LUCK!
I hope you find this helpful in getting your Visa. If you have other tips, suggestions or you have gone through a different Visa procedure, please share your experience in the comment section to help out others. Let’s make this place be the source of useful information and a start of meaningful conversations that gives value to others! 🙂
Klook.comII. CHINESE TOURIST VISA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
1. Is Travel Insurance required to apply for the Chinese Tourist Visa?
NO. It’s not part of Chinese Visa Requirements. However once your Visa is approved, I strongly recommend getting one because while China is a very safe destination, remember that you can’t really eliminate the risk when traveling, but you can always add protection! That said, here’s my recommendations;
- For the best “budget-friendly travel insurance”: SafetyWings
- For the best “travel insurance coverage”: World’s Nomads
2. How much is the Chinese Visa fee?
As mentioned above, Visa fee varies from the number of entry as follows:
- Single-Entry P1,400
- Double-Entry P2,100
- 6mos Multiple-Entry P2,800
- 1yr Multiple-Entry P4,200
- For expedited application process will correspond an additional fee as follows:
- Express service P1,100
- Rush service P1,700 (only for past Chinese Visa Holders)
- For expedited application process will correspond an additional fee as follows:
3. Is the Chinese Visa fee refundable?
No. Payments are only collected upon claiming your passport back from the Embassy, but let me explain different scenarios below;
A) If you choose to avail the ‘expedited application process service‘, then the ‘fee‘ that corresponds to this ‘service‘ is Non-Refundable regardless of the outcome (Approved/Denied/Withdrew). But;
B) If you choose the ‘standard processing time‘, then the only time you need to pay is when your Visa is approved.
C) If in the event you decide to withdraw your application after submission and it got approved, then you still need to pay. Otherwise, you will not be able to claim your passport back.
4. Do I need to submit my Chinese Visa application personally to the Embassy?
Application can be submitted only in person by the applicant, a representative (with authorization letter) or a travel agency on your behalf at this address;
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2nd Floor, the World Center,
330 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue,
Makati City, Metro Manila
5. How long is the processing time for the Chinese Visa?
4 business days (standard), but if you choose to avail the expedited application process service, then;
- Express service (3 business day result)
- Rush service (2 business day result) (only for past Chinese Visa Holders).
6. How early can I apply for the Chinese Visa?
It depends. You need to consider the ‘possible validity’ of the visa you will be granted for which is impossible to predict. But commonly if approved, the shortest validity of the Chinese Tourist Visa is 90 days. In this case, the earliest time to apply is 3 months before your intended travel, (but also keep in mind that it might be nearing the expiry date). So;
7. When is the best time to apply for a Chinese Visa?
This is quite tricky. But in my experience, as well as all the people I know who applied for Chinese Tourist Visa, submitted an application at least a month or two before the intended trip and by far, none of us had any complications with the processing time nor our visas.
8. How long is the validity of the Chinese Visa?
According to the Embassy’s official website: Usually the validity of a “Single-Entry” or “Double-Entry” (L) Visa is 90 days or 180 days from the date of issue. This means that the holder of the visa shall enter China no later than 90 days or 180 days from the date of issue. Otherwise, the visa will expire, null, and void. Normally the duration of stay of a “L” Visa is from 14 to 30 days from the date of entry. Found on this link. In my case, it was only 14 days.
In addition, for the ‘Multiple-Entry Visa‘ category; this means you can visit China multiple times (and stay up to 30 days each time) within the validity as follows:
- 6mos Multiple-Entry Visas – are valid for 6 months from date of approval.
- 1yr Multiple-Entry Visas – are valid for 1 year from date of approval.
9. Is ‘show money’ required to apply for a Chinese Visa?
YES! The Chinese Embassy requires financial documents for a reason and that is to establish your financial capability to cover all your expenses while in China, as well as your intention to return. If your trip is sponsored by someone, you need to submit their financial documents instead.
10. How much is the ‘show money’ to apply for a Chinese Visa?
The Chinese Embassy did not specify how much money you should have in the bank. It may be because it varies from person to person and the amount can also be totally different for everybody. But trust me, your financial documents don’t need to have millions, it just has to be realistic! So, if you intend to travel for a duration of 15 days with ONLY P20,000 in the bank, well that will raise a lot of red flags. In this case, you may want to consider applying with a Sponsor/Guarantor.
Most people I know who applied have P100,000+ in their bank accounts and are pretty successful in getting a Chinese Visa. I’m not sure if this is the minimum amount that the Embassy considers, but most travel agencies I’ve consulted said the same amount. Again, this is not confirmed by the Embassy!
11. Do I need to book flights and hotel/s before applying for a Chinese Visa?
No. Paid flight tickets and hotel/s are not required, but RESERVATIONS (under your name with reservation numbers) are required!
- If you already have paid flight tickets and hotel/s, you can submit them. (This is what I did when I applied in 2018), but again, this is not required.
TIP! Flight and hotel/s reservations are crucial requirements, so make sure to submit them, failure to do so will result in an outright Visa Refusal! If you don’t have confirmed flight tickets yet, then Flight Reservations may be a more practical option for you. First, this is accepted by The Chinese Embassy and second, it is refundable. So, in the event you were refused a visa, at least you can save yourself from wasting your hard-earned money!
For hotel/s, you can reserve it online (for FREE) through Agoda.com with a REFUNDABLE option if you cancel it a day before your intended stay. That way, you can also fill up the exact address and contact information needed on the application form.
