A Briggs Passport & Visa Expeditors

Going to China for the Olympics or for a visit or business?

You’ll have to get a visa first. A visa is a stamp in a passport obtained prior to entry.

To obtain a visa, you have to have a valid passport with at least six months validity and at least one blank visa page. If you don’t have six months validity, you will have to renew your passport prior to applying. If you do not have blank pages, you will have to add pages to your passport prior to applying.

To apply for a China visa, a personal appearance by the applicant or a representative at the China Embassy or consulate office is required. If you cannot appear in person, contact A Briggs and we can assist in acquiring your visa for you. China no longer allows visa applications to be mailed or shipped to its embassy or its consulates.

China offers single, double and multiple entry visas processed in one, two or four days at rates ranging from $130 to $160. Typically, single entry visas are enough for most people, however if you depart mainland china and return (for example, a day trip to Hong Kong), you will need to obtain a double-entry visa. A Briggs representatives can assist in determining the right visa for each traveler.

When applying for a China visa, it is very important that the applicant apply for the correct visa. We hear of many business travelers being advised by their agents to secure tourist visas because it’s “easier”.

If you are in China doing business and have an incident with the police or authorities and they learn that you there on business with a tourist visa, the applicant will be detained and fined. Chinese authorities are very thorough in their enforcement of immigration policies; therefore, it is imperative that all visitors comply with China’s travel document requirements.

For details on China visas, click here to view a detailed description of the process and requirements. Due to high call volume a dedicated toll-free number for China visas has been established.

Please call 1-800-417-4023 for a China Visa Specialist.

Note: Special permits are required to visit Tibet. China visa applications to visit Tibet require a Travel Permit issued by the Tourism Bureau of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Note: Applicants who were born in China must submit either their China passport or a prior U.S. passport with a China visa in the passport. Applicants born in China must put their names on the application in Chinese irrespective if they hold U.S. passports.

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Planning a trip? Is your passport up to date? Click here to order a Passport.

Going to China for the Olympics or for a visit or business?

You’ll have to get a visa first.

Here is everything you need to know to obtain your visa.

You have to have a valid passport with at least six months validity and at least one blank visa page. If you don’t have six months validity, you will have to renew your passport prior to applying. If you do not have blank pages, you will have to add pages to your passport prior to applying.

You will have to either appear in person at the Embassy of China or one of its U.S. consulates. If you cannot appear in person, contact A Briggs and we will secure your visa for you. China does not allow visa applications to be mailed or shipped to its embassy or its consulates. A personal appearance by the applicant or a representative is required.

Visas are required to transit China.

Special permits are required to visit Tibet. China visa applications to visit Tibet require a Travel Permit issued by the Tourism Bureau of the Tibet Autonomous Region in addition to other requirements listed below.

Single-entry visas must be used with three months of the date of issue. Double-entry visas must be used in three or six months, but are usually issued for use within three months. Recently single-entry visas have been extended to six months; however, there is no assurance that this practice will continue.

Multiple-entry visas are issued for use within either six or twelve months depending on the invitation.

You can stay in China for up to 30 days on each visit.

The validity of a China visa is not from the date you enter China but the dates issued on the visa.

China takes four days to issue visas. You can pay an extra $10 and secure it in two days or $20 and secure it in one day.

If you are going to China then Hong Kong and back into China, you will need to obtain a double-entry visa.

If you are traveling only to Hong Kong and do not plan to enter China, you do not have to have a visa. You can stay in Hong Kong for up to 30 days without a visa. You will need a valid passport. Each time you enter Hong Kong or Macao from the mainland, you need one entry.

Tourist visas are marked “L”, Business visas “F”, Student visas “X”, Work visas “Z”, Crew visas “C”, and Transit visas “G”. Single-entry visas are marked “1”, double-entry “2”, and multiple-entry “M”.

If you are traveling on business, do not apply for a tourist visa. We hear of persons traveling on business advised by some travel professional to get a tourist visa. Do not do that. If you are in China doing business and have an incident with the police or authorities and they learn that you there on business with a tourist visa, you will be in trouble. China is not the place to get into trouble with the authorities.

To secure your visa, the following documents must be presented:

Your valid passport with at least six months validity and at least one blank visa page.

One completed visa application form

One passport photo.

China consular fee for issuing the visa of $130.

If applying for a business visa, you must submit a letter from your U.S. employer indicating the purpose of your travel, duration of your stay, and taking responsibility for your moral and financial actions.

If you are applying for a multiple-entry business visa, you must submit an official invitation from the Chinese Provincial Government specifically requesting a multiple-entry visa.

For other types of visas, including single- and double-entry business visas, invitations from China are not required.

Applicants who were born in China must submit either their China passport or a prior U.S. passport with a China visa in the passport. Applicants born in China must put their names on the application in Chinese irrespective if they hold U.S. passports.

If you cannot appear in person, contact A Briggs and we will secure your visa for you.

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Planning a trip? Is your passport up to date? Click here to order a Passport.