Foreign travelers to China are required to have a visa, except for travel in HongKong only. The China visa should be obtained in advance before you enter china.
Visas for leisure travel to China are quite easy to get, usually granted for a one month stay. You can also apply directly at the Chinese embassies in Ottawa, Washington, DC, or at the consulates in the following cities. For other passport holders, please inquire at your nearest PRC embassies or consulates.
| Washington, DC Embassy 2300 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 20008, USA Tel: 202-328-2517 |
New York Consulate General 520 12th Ave. New York, NY 10036, USA Tel: 212-330-7409 |
| Chicago Consulate General 100 West Erie St. Chicago, IL 60610, USA Tel: 312-573-3070 |
San Francisco Consulate General 1450 Laguna St. San Francisco, CA 94115, USA Tel:415-563-9232 |
| Los Angeles Consulate General 443 Shatto Place Los Angeles, CA 90020, USA Tel: 213-380-2508 |
Houston Consulate General 3417 Montrose Blvd Houston, TX 77006, USA Tel: 713-524-4311 |
| Chinese Embassy in Ottawa 515 St. Patrick Street Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5H3 Canada |
Chinese Consulate in Toronto 240 St. George Street Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2P4 Canada |
| Chinese Consulate in Calgary 100-1011th Ave. SW Calgary, Alberta, T2P 0W1 Canada Tel: 403-264-3322 |
Chinese Consulate in Vancouver 3380 Granville Street Vancouver, BC, V6H 3K3 Canada |
| China Visa Office in Hong Kong 5th Floor, Lower Block, China Resource Building Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel: 2827 1811 |
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A tourist visa requires an application form, a passport-size photo and a fee depending on visa types. It takes about seven business days for an application to be processed. For Tibet, the Chinese Embassy must get approval from the Tibet Tourism Administration before issuing a visa.
A photo similar to the one in your passport will be requested. Chinese consulate will only accept photos which are head-only, full frontal, with a white background, approximately 1-1/2″ by 2″. You can obtain this type of photo anywhere that advertises “passport photo” service. Cut-outs from personal photographs are not acceptable
What Type of Visa do i need?
Most people need only to apply for a single -entry visa. It is usually valid for 3 months after the issuing date. It will permit you to stay in China for a maximum of 30 days. One month is enough time for a normal tourist.
Is travel insurance necessary?
Yes. Please check your medical and accident insurance policies with your insurance agent. We strongly urge every client to purchase travelers’ insurance.
What to pack for my trip to China?
We strongly suggest you PACK LIGHT and bring casual clothes. Laundry service is available in most hotels with reasonable charges. Plastic bags are convenient for separating laundry or wet clothes in suitcases. To dress for comfort is much more important than anything else during your trip. Here is the checklist:
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A pair of sturdy, comfortable walking shoes. |
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A sports jacket and tie for men, and one or two dresses or pantsuits for women, will suit the most formal occasions while in China (especially on a Yangtze River Cruise). |
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Sweaters, shirts and jackets that can be layered to suit a range of climates. |
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A lightweight raincoat. |
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Warm woolen clothing, down overcoat, hat and gloves are recommended if you travel in winter season. Cottons are the best in summer time. |
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Electrical converter and adapter plugs. China’s electrical system operates at 220 volts. |
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Hair dryer, razor, alarm clock. |
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Common toiletries, pocket–size tissue, lip balm, sun–tan lotion and sun glasses. |
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Camera, films and extra batteries. Negatives with regular speed are available in most places, slides can be difficult to find. |
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Reading materials, including a guidebook about the places you will visit. |
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A notebook to log your travel journals. |
