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Notice on Adjustment of Chinese Visa Application Instructions(2023-01-08)
2023-01-08 12:00

   Starting January 8, 2023, foreigners who apply for visas to China, please follow the requirements below.    

1. At the current stage, multi-year multiple-entry visas issued before March 26, 2020 are still suspended of use. If such visa holders need to go to China at this stage, they can apply for a new visa according to the requirements of this notice. Visa applications for tourism and medical treatment in China are temporarily not accepted.

2. The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco includes North California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Alaska.

    3. Visa application procedure:

    Applicants fill out the visa application form online (https://cova.mfa.gov.cn), print out the confirmation page and form, and sign the confirmation page and Item 9 of the form.

    3.1 Send an email to: sf_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn.

    a) Email Subject: "Applicant's Name + State of Residence + Visa Type".

    b) Email text and attachments: the purpose of your visit to China (The following documents should be uploaded as JPG or PNG image format.)

    i. Applicant's passport personal information page (with photo)

    ii. Please note: According to the visa application requirements, if the applicant is not in the United States, he/she cannot apply for a visa from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General in the United States.

iii. Proof of residence in the consular jurisdiction (choose one of the following: valid driver's license/ID, water/electricity/gas/internet bill or a letter from the local government within 2 months, property ownership certificate, property tax payment receipt or rental agreement within 1 year )

    iv. Proof of legal stay or residence status of non-American applicant (U.S. visa, PR card, or EAD card) 

     v. Other required documents depending on the visa type ( details in part 4)

     vi. Photocopy of previous Chinese visa or Residence Permit if any

     vii. If the applicant is applying for a Chinese visa for the first time and has held a Chinese passport, please attach the personal information page of the most recent Chinese passport, and mail the original Chinese passport to the Consulate-General together with the application documents.

    3.2 The staff will preview all the documents by email. After the preview is finished, the staff will reply a list of required documents with the unique mailing reference number and the payment instruction to the applicant.

    3.3 The applicant must mail the whole set of physical documents, including the original passport, the list with the unique mailing reference number, the prepaid self-addressed envelope* and other required documents, to the designated address.

    Mailing address:

    Visa Office, Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco

    1450 Laguna St

    San Francisco, CA 94115

    Please include the applicant's name and the unique mailing reference number on the envelope, e.g. San Zhang, QZ-10001

    *The prepaid self-addressed envelop will be used to mail the passport back to the applicant after the visa has been issued. Please make sure there is enough postage or stamps, and the address of the applicant is explicitly and accurately written on the envelop.

    3.4 The staff will review the physical documents. When the review is finished, the visa will be issued and mailed back to the applicant. If further communication or interview is needed, the staff will contact the applicant via email or phone.

    4. Visa Types and Required Documents:

Visa 

Type

Applicable Situation

Required Documents

(The applicant will be informed by email for supporting documents if necessary)

M

Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities.

Invitation Letter issued by the trade

partner in China

F

Issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other  activities.

Invitation Letter issued by  a relevant entity or individual in China

Z

Issued to those who intend to work in China

Valid “Notification Letter of Foreigner's Work Permit”or the original “Foreigner's Work Permit”

X1

Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of more than 180 days.

1.Visa Application for Study in China (original JW201 / JW202 Form)

2. The original Admission Letter issued by a school or other entities in China.

X2

Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of no more than 180 days.

The original Admission Notice issued by a school or other entities in China.

S1

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. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.

1. Invitation Letter

2. Photocopy of the personal information page of the inviting  individual's passport and Residence Permit ( or photocopy of Z visa / X1 visa application documents)

3. The original proof of kinship between the applicant and the inviting  individual (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate etc. )

*In case of private affairs, relevant supporting documents shall be provided upon request.

S2

Issued to those who intend to visit their family members who are foreigners working or studying in China, or to those who intend to go to China  for other private affairs. The intended duration of stay in China is no more  than 180 days.

"family members" refers to spouses,  parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters,  grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law.

1. Invitation Letter

2. Photocopy of the  personal information page of the inviting  individual's passport and Stay or Residence Permit or visa

3. The proof of kinship between the applicant and the inviting  individual (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate etc. )

*In case of private affairs, relevant supporting documents shall be provided upon request.

Q1

Issued to those who are family members of Chinese citizens or of foreigners with Chinese permanent residence and intend to go to China for family reunion, or to those who intend to go to China for foster care. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.

"Family members" refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers,sisters,grandparents,grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law.

1. Invitation Letter

2. Photocopy of the inviting  individual's Chinese ID card or the personal information page of the foreigner's passport and photocopy of the Chinese Permanent Residence Permit

3. The original proof of kinship between the applicant and the inviting  individual (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate etc. )

*In case of foster care, relevant supporting documents shall be provided upon request. 

Q2

Issued to those who intend to visit  their relatives who are Chinese citizens residing in China or foreigners with permanent residence in China. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days.

1. Invitation letter (which proves the relationship between the inviting individual and the applicant)

2. Photocopy of the inviting  individual's Chinese ID card or the personal information page of the foreigner's passport and photocopy of the Chinese Permanent Residence Permit

R

Issued to high level foreign talents

“Confirmation Letter for High Level Foreign Talents”

* spouse or minor child (under 18 years of age) submits proof of kinship (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth  Certificate) to apply for S2 visa.

C

Issued to crew member

1.Guarantee Letter from transport company

2. Photocopy of crew member ID (both sides) if any

D

Issued to those who intend to reside in  China permanently.

The original Confirmation Form for Foreigners Permanent Residence Status

G

Issued to those who intend to transit through China.

An onward air (train or ship)  ticket with confirmed date and seat to the destination country or region.

    Please note:If the original application documents are required,please submit both the original and photocopies (or faxed or printed copies). If the original documents are not required, photocopies (or faxed or printed copies) will be accepted.

5. The following foreigners do not need to obtain a visa to China:

a) Foreigners applicable to various mutual visa exemption agreements

b) Foreigners holding valid Permanent Residence Certificates in China

c) Foreigners holding various types of valid Residence Permits

d) Foreigners applicable to the 24-hour visa-free transit arrangement 

e) Foreigners holding valid APEC business travel cards (excluding virtual cards) (Please note: The United States and Canada are transitional members of the APEC Travel Card Program. APEC business travel cards issued by the United States and Canada do not have visa function, and the holders must apply for visas to China.)

    6. Applying for diplomatic, official, service visa or J1/J2 visa, please send an email to sf_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn, and the staff will give corresponding instructions.

7. If the applicant goes to China to mourn or visit the critically ill relatives, in addition to the above application documents, he/she is required to provide photocopy of notice of critical illness or death certificate, the identity certificate of the critically ill patient or deceased (such as Chinese ID card or foreign passport personal information page).

    8. Please be noted that for applications that go beyond the current visa processing scope, the relevant emails may not be replied.       

    9. Inquiries

    Email: sf_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn

    Hotline: 415-919-6008 or 415-872-9091 (Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, except holidays)

    10. Postal services are provided by the local postal departments or courier companies. Once the applicant submits the visa application to the Consulate-General by mail, it defaults that he/she is  aware of and willing to bear all the consequences, responsibilities and risks such as loss and damages of documents and passports that may occur in the mailing process.

    11. This notice will be implemented from the date of promulgation.


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