Visa Types

Major Purpose of Visit

Visa Categories

Description of Visa

Exchanges, visits, study tours and other activities

F

Issued to those who are invited to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other activities.

Commerce & Trade

M

Issued to those who are invited to China for commercial and trade activities.

As a tourist

L

Issued to those who are going to travel to China for tourism.

Family reunion, foster care or visiting relatives with permanent residence in China

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 a long-term family reunion, or to those who intend to go to China for the purposes of foster care (intended duration of stay in China exceeding 180 days).

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

Q2

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

Visiting relatives working or studying in China or other private affairs

S1

Issued to relatives of foreigners working or studying in China for the purpose of long-term visit, or to those who intend to visit China for other private reasons (intended duration of stay exceeding 180 days).

“Relatives” refer to spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 years and parents-in-law.

S2

Issued to those wishing to visit family members that are foreigners working or studying in China, or to those who intend to go to China for other private reasons.  The intended duration of stay in China is limited to 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.

Employment

Z

Issued to those taking up a post or employment, or giving commercial performances, in China.

Commercial performances

Transit

G

Issued to those who are going to transit through China en route to a third country (or region).

As a crew member or a motor vehicle driver

C

Issued to foreign crew members of aircraft, trains and ships, motor vehicle drivers engaged in cross-border transport activities, and also to the accompanying family members of the above-mentioned ships’ crew members.

As a student

X1

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

X2

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

As an introduced talent

R

Issued to those who are high-level qualified talents or whose skills are urgently needed by China.

As a journalist

J1

Issued to resident foreign journalists/media staff of foreign news organizations stationed in China. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.

J2

Issued to foreign journalists/media staff on temporary news coverage missions.  The intended duration of stay in China is limited to no more than 180 days.

Permanent Residence

D

Issued to those who are going to reside in China permanently.