What all you need to know about your China visa application?

China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations that has now become the hub of the most powerful industries in the world. This has also led to a drastic expansion in the Chinese tourism industry. Today, this country is attracting people from round the world with its rich cultural experience and a pool of myriad opportunities.

People planning to visit China, must know that the visa is the next vital document after passport for anyone visiting this country. First and foremost, ensure that you have your latest passport. This means that it should be valid for at-least the next six months, have minimum two blank visa pages, and be in an intact condition.

Once sure of your passport entirety, you may proceed towards knowing about the essential documents required to process and avail your visa to China. The visa application requisites depend on whether the applicant is traveling for a limited time or a comparatively long period.

• Short-term visit: If you are planning to travel to China for a short duration, like a small business trip, assignment, internship, or a term university course, then you should look for an F-visa application. This certificate is meant for the needs of non-tourist visitors. A candidate must apply for this visa only when he/she wants to stay in the country for commercial or academic purposes, for up to six months. For this visa, the basic requirements remain the same (including the application form, a valid passport with blank pages for stamping, and a recent photograph). Apart from all these, you must also have an invite from the Chinese government, or your associated company, or relevant Chinese institution, or an acceptance letter from the respective Chinese University.
• Long duration visit: This permit is for people, who want to stay longer than 6 months. This is also known as Z-visa, and is meant for businessmen, foreign employees, and their family members. Obtaining this visa will require you to possess a number of documents, which include an official invitation letter, an official license of employment from the Chinese authorities, and a health certificate from a recent medical examination. However, these regulations may differ for foreign staff sub-categories, such as NGO workers, employees in the offshore petroleum industry, and others. For an employment license, the applicant must have a "foreign expert" status, along with certain special qualifications.

Once you have all the essential documents ready, you may proceed to the nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate for personally handling your visa application. Just to be safe, you should apply for China visa service at least four weeks prior to your planned date of travel. We believe the above-stated information would suffice most of your doubts relating to Chinese visa processing.