After publishing our comprehensive guide for obtaining a Chinese Visa, we received hundreds of questions and suggestions.
We updated the article several times based on the feedback and new laws. However, it appears that there is still a point that is unclear.
This article will explain what type of Visa you shall apply for and what documents you need when you want to visit (or accompany) your family members or friends in China.
Effective March 15, 2023, China will resume issuing all types of visas. Travelers may be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours prior to departure, but quarantine will not be necessary upon arrival.Differences between L, Q, and S Visa
There are three kinds of Visas that can be issued for visiting purposes: the L Visa (tourism), the S Visa (private affairs), and the Q Visa (family reunion).
This may be a bit confusing! In order to assess what Visa you shall apply for, you must look at the relationship (sister, friend, and so on) between you (that is the visitor) and the person you want to visit in China (that is the host). Moreover, you must take into account the legal status (Chinese citizen, foreigner with Chinese temporary resident permit, and so on) of the host in China.
Here are the details:
- Q Visa: Issued to family members (below you find the definition of “family member”) of Chinese citizens or foreigners with a permanent resident permit.
- S Visa: Issued to family members of foreigners with a temporary resident permit.
- L Visa: Issued to family members and friends of Chinese citizens or foreigners with a resident permit (however if you have a hotel booking you don’t need an invitation letter in order to get an L Visa).
Important: In order to be able to issue an invitation letter for you, your host should hold a resident permit (either temporary or permanent) or a Chinese passport. People that live in China with an M, F, L, X2, Z2, or J2 Visa can’t issue an invitation letter for you.
Notice that the definition of S Visa as “private affairs” leaves the door open to interpretation, and on some special occasions non-family members, such as unmarried couples, will also be able to apply.
Requirements for obtaining an L Visa
Beside the basic requirements (passport, photos, etc), you’ll also have to provide:
- An invitation letter: The invitation letter should contain your name, passport number, travel dates, itinerary, address, and your host’s name, passport and/or ID number, address in China, and telephone number.
- Copy of your host’s Passport and/or ID.
- Copy of your host’s resident permit (if he’s not a Chinese citizen).
- Copy of your host’s registration to the local police (if he’s not a Chinese citizen)
- Copy of your round-trip flight reservation (a round-trip ticket to/from Hong Kong or Macau is also accepted).
Important: Note that if you have a round-trip reservation AND a hotel booking for the whole duration of the trip (with the full names of all the people that will apply for the Visa and stay at the hotel with you) then you may apply for an L Visa without providing any additional documents (letter of invitation and so on).
The reason is that the L Visa is a standard touristic Visa. By presenting all the documents we mentioned above you won’t need any hotel reservations.
Definition of “family member”
The definition of “family member” depends on the type of Visa you’re applying for:
Q1 or S1 (long term, more than 180 days): A family member can only be your spouse, parent, parents-in-law, son, or daughter under the age of 18.
Q2 or S2 (short term, less than 180 days): Besides the previously mentioned relationship, a family member can also be your son or daughter 18+ years old, grandparent, grandson, granddaughter, or sibling.
Requirements for Q Visa and S Visa
Beside the basic requirements, you’ll also have to provide:
- A copy of the passport, registration to the local police, and/or resident permit of your family member (in case of a non-Chinese citizen) or a copy of the ID card (in the case of a Chinese citizen).
- An invitation letter from your family member indicating:
- Your personal data (name, passport number, address)
- Your family member’s personal data (name, contact, ID or passport number, address in China)
- general info about the visit (purpose, dates, relation between the host and you, itinerary, financial source for expenses)
Click on the following linka to download a sample of the invitation letter in English or Chinese.
- An original certificate (and a copy) that states the familiar relationship between you, that is the visitor, and the host (for instance a marriage certificate). Notice that additional documents or an interview might be required in order to prove your relationship.
How to transform my Q or S Visa into a resident permit
If you get a Q1 or S1 Visa you’ll have thirty days after entering China to change it to a resident permit (or the Visa will expire). Besides the basic requirements (passport, registration at the local police station, photos, and application form), you’ll have to provide:
- A copy of your family member’s passport or Chinese ID (and a copy of your family member’s resident permit in case of your family member isn’t a Chinese citizen).
- A proof of relationship issued by the Chinese government, authenticated by a Chinese consulate in the country where you got your Visa or issued by a foreign consulate in China.
The following additional documents might also be required:
- Depending on where you apply, you may need a copy of your family member’s unit business license, an enterprise code certificate (组织机构代码证), an official invitation letter. Click here to download sample invitation letter.
- If you entered China with a different Visa than a Q1 or S1 Visa, you may need a letter from your family member as a guarantee for your economical independence and compliance with Chinese laws. Notice that this is an “exceptional” situation: if you entered China with a different type of Visa, it will be difficult to get a resident permit.
Important: you must require your resident permit at the PSB (that is the Public Security Bureau) where your family member has its residence (hukou or local police registration). As an example, if your family member’s hukou is in Hubei province, it doesn’t matter if both of you live in Shanghai: you must apply in Hubei.
How to apply for an S or Q Visa if my partner isn’t living in China yet
- Q visa: The law isn’t clear whether a “family member” of a Chinese citizen that lives outside China can apply for a Q visa or not. However, in our experience, you can easily get a Q2 visa showing a marriage certificate and a Chinese citizen ID. Additional documents such as financial proof or a work contract might be required for a Q1 visa.
- S visa: You can apply for an S Visa at the same time as your family member is applying for the X1 or Z1 Visa (long term student and work Visa, respectively). The requirements are the same; the only difference is that, instead of the resident permit, you’ll have to provide a copy of all the documents of your family member’s Visa application.
How to apply for an S visa (for unmarried people)
Most Chinese laws offer a lot of space for interpretation in order to be adapted to specific circumstances. In this sense, Visa laws aren’t an exception. The S1 Visa normative states the following:
“Issued to those who intend to go to China to visit the foreigners working or studying in China to whom they are spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 or parents-in-law, or to those who intend to go to China for other private affairs”
This vague definition allows certain flexibility to whom can apply. If you want to get an S Visa with your unmarried partner you should be in one of these two situations:
- Unmarried couples that have a biological son or daughter in common.
- Unmarried couples that have a relationship certificate indicating the partners live together as they were a married couple.
Important: Especially in the second case, the PSB or consulate officer will decide whether grant you a Visa or not case by case and at its sole discretion. Also, the rules might be different depending on where you apply and on the Visa owned by your partner.
Notice that same-sex partners with a marriage certificate might also be allowed to apply for an S Visa. Again, it depends on the circumstances.
I hope you found this article useful! If you have any questions or you want to share your experience you can leave a comment in the section below.
Photo Credits: 
Chinese Visa by Brett Wilms
Hi,
I am planning to go meet my friends in china those who already came to india for a student exchange program. He is a Chinese citizen and i am going to stay in his house with his family during the spring festival. I already have “Copy of my friends ID and letter of invitation”. What else do i need to get the L Visa.
But do i have to show the round-trip flight reservation ticket ?
because if i book the ticket and don’t the visa then it will be a big problem.
Regards,
blinga
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello, yes, you need a flight reservation.
L visa is tourist visa.but you are invited by your chinese friend.so try to have S2 or Q2 visa that will allow you to stay more.L visa is for short time as you know.
Hi SbortoZhou or FurioFu,
Hope you guys doing great lately. I am here again with some question. Previously I have asked about the Visa and currently I get my L visa with double entry and travel for a month in Shanghai.
I hope with your kind knowledge to provide me some advise with another options if there is. I will be going back to Shanghai on 21st of September with my 2nd entry, nothing much to mentioned and as you know I will only having 30 days staying there. Therefore on October, I must have an invitation letter to apply for a multiple entry and there are not much problem to me so far.
So my question arise here. Is it possible for me to apply for S2 Visa under column private affairs. I can easily find a girlfriend there, or somebody just to help me pretend as my girlfriend. The problem is a girlfriend does not consist a marriage certificate. Do you think I can get approval for S2 Visa. I would rather fly every 6 months if I can get my S2 Visa. Otherwise, I will need to go out of China to either Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Macau (As I am holding Malaysia passport, hence, I don’t need any Visa for those mentioned country).
Actually I am working there as a partner in an investment firm and the company in China rather new. As I know, only certain company allow to hire foreign expert. Therefore, I might consider applying Z visa only after 6 months if the company turn stable before we submit applying for hiring foreign expert.
Hence, I hope you can give me advise about S2 Visa under Private Affairs column. Is it possible to get approval only with China Citizen without marriage certificate with an excuse being she is my girlfriend?
Thanks in advance.
Kimi
I worked in China previously for five years legally while holding Z visas. During that time I also got married. For private reasons I had to return back to England while my wife stayed in China. If I applied for a Q1 visa would it be granted to me, provided I have all the right documents. I say this because I have heard that the consulates are a lot more stricter now at letting people in to to the country who they think are going to work but don’t have work visas.
It shouldn’t be a problem to get a Q1 or Q2 VISA, the consulates get much more strict with the VISAs people normally use to work illegally in China (M and L VISAs)
Even if I am unemployed?
Sorry, and just to add. If I get a Q2 visa am I able to extend the length of time by going to the PBS, or can you only do that with a Q1 visa?
jack, your case if straight forward and i do not think you will have any hurdles to get Q1 visa if your wife is chinese and if she is foreigner you can ask S1 visa.
Hi, I am moving to China soon, I already got my employment license and my invitation letter, now is only pending to apply for Chinese Z Working visa, but I want to bring my family with me at the same time, Could you please kindly advice if I need to get first my residence permit or can I apply for the S for them at the same time than my working visa? My invitation letter only states my name.
Thank you
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello Adrian, in principle you can apply at the same time
Hi II have questions I been in hong kong for couple a days then I wanted to stay more longer but they only give me 14 days visa so all I did I go to malaysia then go back to hong kong to see more hong kong but when I was landed in hong kong airport they was few emigration officer was stop me and ask me few questions so I answered all questions smooth and show all my hotel return ticket back to my country but the problem they don’t allow me to go in hong kong . I ask the them what the problem why they can’t give me good answer and makes me really feel bad because I was a lot of time and my money for all travels so the bottom line here what should I need to do to to let me go to hong kong again because so far I got new password but I still worried if I go there again then they will not let me go again and that’s really really bad for me so what should I need to do if I go again and the will not stop me and send me back to my country thanks I hope to hear from. You I got email you can straight messages me here @[email protected]
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello, sorry to hear that. Honestly, we have zero experience with immigration in HK because with our passport we can go in and out without VISA (for a maximum of 6 months per year)
hi adriyan,
you can ask your employer to provide you invitation letter to your family which is the easiest and effective way.it works, consult them.if you did that, you will not have any trouble inviting them with S1 visa, it will cost you a lot in terms of time and money.
I am currently in China for business on an M visa. My trip is coming to an end soon and I was hoping to apply for a S2 visa to visit my fiancee and her family. I understand I may need to leave the country to apply which is not a problem, but I did not know whether this relationship would be sufficient. I have got the S2 visa in the past just to visit a friend, but I think that was just luck. It seems they left room for interpretation by adding “other private affairs” to the S2 description. Please let me know what you think.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello, if your fiancee has a resident permit, it could be possible. If it’s not possible, you can still settle for a L Visa (however it will be shorter)
I am currently living and working in Zhengzhou, Henan province, teaching English on a Z-visa with a one-year temporary residence permit, which my employer is confident they can renew next July when it falls due. There is a possibility I may be marrying a Chinese lady while still in China. However, I am 64, and I am still working in China solely because my employer has good “guanxi” with the government. What is the procedure for getting married here, when I am already working here, and how would my marriage affect my ability to get a permanent residence should I wish to do that when I can no longer renew my z-visa?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello, if you get married you can get a Q1 VISA, which allows you to get a resident permit (you will have to renew it every year exactly as you do with your working resident permit) but doesn’t allow you to work anymore.
So, if you want to keep working, you need to renew your current resident permit. If you dont want to work anymore, you can go for a Q1 visa + a new resident permit
first you should provide a prove that you are single in your country to the marriage office in zhengzhou.then you go to the office with your girlfriend and sign a marriage agreement.after that they will issue for you marriage certificate.
marrying with chinese woman will put you on a stronger position when it comes to visa.
so it does not affect your Z visa.if you continue working with z visa while you are marriage fine, if you stop working and your z visa is expired.you can come out of china for a brief time then you can apply for S1 vis or Q1 visa, this will allow you to get a minimum of 180 days and maximum of 5 years residence permit and you can renew it up on expiry date.
Very clear article, the best one that I have read on this subject. Thank you! My same-sex married partner relocated to Beijing on a Z visa and now has his temporary residency permit. I applied for and was granted the 10 year multiple entry S2 visa, but not knowing any better, we did not ask for a six month stay so it came back as 90 days each stay. Now that he is settled, and it looks like he will be there for several years I would like to relocate there to be with him and would rather not do border runs every 90 days. Given what you know about this subject for same-sex married US citizens, would you recommend that I apply for an s1 visa or attempt to extend my s2 visa to 180 days stay? If the latter, do you know the process? I cannot seem to find any information on how to extend stays on the s2.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello,
your situation is quite unique so I recommend you to contact the Chinese Consular Office in your country to ask advice
Hello Sir,
Thanks for writing in details for us newbies :)
Um, I am a non Chinese who’s going to study In China for 3 years and I have got CSC government scholarship. I have a Malaysian GF who like to get multiple entry visa if possible for straight 3 years is it possible? She enquired in her country and they said she can get 6 months multiple entry visa. But I find it inconvenient. She will be flying frequently every 3-4 months.. Kindly guide me.
Thank you,
From,
Ampicillin
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I don’t think you can get a 3 years VISA. 6 months it’s more likely
Hello Dear
My Family Got S1 Visa already but we will not stay more than 6 month , in this case also we need within 30 days from the date of entry, apply to the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments for residence or no need ?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Yes, you do
Hi there,
I am planning to visit China with my mom, dad and brother for about 2 weeks. We will be visiting relatives and traveling to different counties to do some sight seeing with them. I am currently trying to decide if I should let a travel agent handle our visas or do it myself and save some money. I did some research on the visa process and saw that it was basically the same price for single entry, multiple entry, etc visas. The travel agent made it seem like it was easy for her to get us 10 year visa. Is it pretty standard to get a 10-year visa as someone whos never visited China? I would rather pay a small fee to get the 10 year than to be stuck with like a 6-month one.
If I do go by myself, is it easier to do a L visa or a Q2? Also originally we planned on staying with relatives but was unaware of having to get a letter from them. My dad is the only one with a direct relationship (brother) while we are all more distant relatives like brother in law and uncle.
Hey everyone, I am from the UK, I am married to my Chinese wife, we live in China and I want to get a job in Hong Kong. We currently live in Shenzhen (next to Hong Kong) so I want to be able to go across the border everyday to work but live in Shenzhen. I know we can get a marriage visa from Changsha (my wife’s home province) because my wife has a house there, and I want to know if I will have problems crossing the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border everyday with a Changsha marriage visa and not a Shenzhen marriage visa. Thanks so much if you can help!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello David, as long as it’s a multiple entry you shall be fine. However I’m not sure if you can legally working in Hong Kong with a Chinese Q visa as, technically, you can’t work with a Q visa. Your situation is quite unique so I’m sure about it.
Thanks for the help, and the job I have applied for will give me a HK work visa (I don’t know the specifics of the HK visa / work ID thing but they have said I will get one), so it is just a case of getting my marriage visa sorted and then I would not have a problem crossing the border everyday (I think!)
Hello,
I want to fly into china but make a land crossing out and thus won’t be able to show proof of a round-trip plane ticket. How does this affect my L visa application?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Generally speaking, you need the flight. You could buy a cheap ticket Shanghai-Hong Kong or similar
hii…i have a L visa with entries M. but the duration of each stay is 30 days. i am a bit confused as in how they calculate the days. from the day i arrive in China or a day after? can u just help me with it. i arrived here on April 7th and i am going back on May 6.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello, it’s computed from the day you entered China
Hi,
Thanks for the useful article. I will be going to China to visit my grandparents (who are Chinese citizens) later this year. From your article it sounds like I would be able to apply for a Q2 visa for this. However, I will also be taking my (English) boyfriend to meet my family for the first time. Will he need to apply for an L visa instead, or is it possible to make a joint application for the two of us, and if so, would it be an L or Q2 visa? We are engaged to be married but this will not happen until the following year after our trip.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
It’s borderline, as explained on the article. I think it’s much easier if he applies for an L VISA
Hi there,
I have a Chinese girlfriend, we are not married and we do not have a relationship certificate.
I want to move to China and live with her, you think getting a S1 visa will be a problem?
Another question, a S1 visa I only issued for one entry, and you must register at local public security bureau within 30 days of arrival, where the China Residence Permit will be issued to replace S1 visa to allow multiple entry for one year or longer. Is this correct?
Thanks
If you aren’t married and you don’t have a relationship certificate is almost impossible you can get a S1 visa, in the best case scenario you can get an S2 (really difficult).
When you change your visa to a resident permit, normally is multiple entry and one year.
Can you get married in China to a Chinese citizen if you are traveling with a Tourist (L) visa?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I guess so. Talk with someone at the Chinese Consular Office though
Hi,
Is it common to gain an S1 visa without getting married and producing this relationship certificate? My girlfriend is working at the embassy and I have just got a 30 day tourist visa. We thought about getting married, not aware that you could qualify as a live-in partner. Also, we’re in Beijing at the moment, do I have to leave the country to apply for the S1 visa?
Thanks.
It should not be difficult to get a S1 visa if you can prove your relationship as I indicated in the post. To get the S1 visa probably you’ll have to leave the country.
Thanks but i’ve looked comprehensively online and any reference to a relationship certificate seems to be for a parent or sibling. I haven’t seen any mention of it being valid for a partner.
Hi Furio,
Firstly, thank you so much for your prompt reply.
As what I have expected, I should have a business there to have a longer period on my visa. I though the S Visa on (Private Affair) could have some space for me in applying my longer period of Visa.
I could easily get a job in China if I wanted to do so if there are no other ways for a longer period Visa. This is due to myself as a Professional Trader in Financial Market, and I know I can easily getting a job in city like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen as the market there were huge enough. But my purpose wasn’t to work for others and intend to do some research on the market, and hopefully to slots in the huge market there. I do have submit some of my track record on 51job as per your recommendation, and I has received couple of prop company do invite me to fly over for an interview.
I think it wasn’t a bad idea to start my journey there to work for others for the invitations letter for Visa usage, and it gave me an opportunity as well to get use into a life there and get to know on their market respectively.
Thank you so much for your precious information. I am planning to move forward on April 2015, since it is Cold Winter weather now.
Once again, thank you so much for your information. It really helps.
Truthfully
Kimi
Good Day Mate,
I’m from one of the near Asia country with China, and I don’t think I have much difference on applying a Visa to Beijing.
Firstly, thanks a lot because this website helps me a lot before getting into Beijing. For your information, I am planning to make a move to Beijing to look for business opportunity and survey on April 2015 due to the weather fits me better at that time. Actually, I was a Chinese anyway and I can speak Mandarin well, but I see you have a lot of experience. So I hope you can guide me up about Visa.
I start to get confuse with Visa. It seems that almost all Visa needs an invitation letter, and I don’t know anyone in China actually. I believe from my understanding on your post that I have to take a L Visa.
From my understanding, L Visa only have a 30 days of period as tourist. How am I gonna switch my Visa for longer stay period in case I still don’t know anyone there and doesn’t have any invitation letter? Is it possible I enter China to look up an apartment for rent, and by that time to switch my Visa before the 30 days expired?
I will highly appreciate that you can provide some guideline to me how can I get a resident permit instead of those short term permit ? For your information, I am not looking for any job and wouldn’t be employ with any job there.
Thank you so much in advance.
With my warmest regards.
Sincerely
Kimi
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hi Kimi,
if you don’t want a job there, then the only way to stay in China for longer time is to show that you’re doing business there. This implies a letter of invitation. There is no other way around.
I know that some agencies offer such a letter of invitation, but it’s getting very difficult to get more than 30 visa this way.
Hi there, I am most likely returning to China to work as a Creative Director
for a well known brand in Shanghai.
I will be getting married to my partner (we are a same sex couple) in November in California.
We are both anting to be in China together at thee same time when I start my job.
What would you suggest we do when we apply for a visa. The S1 or S2?
We want this to work out so badly and are confused by the process..
We would be ok with her not working and renewing every 6 months if need be.
Thank you, any help is appreciated.
A
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hi there,
I think S1/S2 only affects the duration, so I’d try S1. AS we wrote on the article, for same sex couple the partner that doesn’t work may not get the VISA as they will make the decision case by case.
Hi,
I also came to Beijing with my spouse (same sex couple) but came on an F visa and studied Chinese for a few months. I’m now on a Z visa as I have found work but will be going home to the UK with my wife soon for 5 months and my Z visa will run out whilst Ive been told that I can’t extend from the UK and therefore will have to reapply which sounds like a lot of hard work!
I was wondering about coming back on an S visa as my partner will have a Z visa that is still valid. Did you manage to organise a 6 month S visa in the end? Is the visa multiple entry?
Thanks
Hi Narelle, theoretically it is possible to get a multi-entry S1 Visa as you are married. However, in China same sex couples are still a bit controversial and the VISAs are decided case by case. Just remember that you can’t work with an S Visa and to get a new Z visa you’ll probably have to go back to the UK. I my opinion your best option is still get a new Z Visa.
Hi
We are also a same sex couple, I’m in china with a residence permit being the director of a WFOE, my husband with a business visa M. We are married under Spanish law and my husband has a child I wish to adopt.
Few questions
1) can I get a visa for the child after I adopt?
2) Can my husband enter China with the child if he has a visa and the child’s visa is linked to mine?
3) how do we get a visa for the child meanwhile? My husband cannot attend university, so the student visa is not applicable. I was thinking of tourist visa for the child and my husband.
Thanks in advance!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hola Pasquale!
Keep in mind that yours is a complicated issue so I don’t have “100% sure” answers. Here my 2 cents:
1. Yes, as long as you can provide official adoption documents
2. In principle yes, as long as you can provide official marriage documents.
However, being a same sex couple your case will probably subject to a review. I think at the end you shall be able to secure a S1 VISA to both your husband and child, but you will probably have to go through a lot of bureaucracy.
3. Yes, although the tourist visa will last 2 months, at best