Passport

The Chinese government requires that your passport must be valid for at least six months after the expiry date of your visa.

You'll need at least one-entire blank page in your passport for the visa. Your country's embassy or consulate can usually add additional pages to your passport if necessary.

Losing your passport is a very bad news indeed. Getting a new one takes time and money. However, if you will be staying in China or any foreign country - for a long time, it helps tremendously to register your passport with your embassy. This will eliminate the need to send telexes back to your home country to confirm that you really exist.

If you lose your passport, you should certainly have some ID card with your photo many embassies require this before issuing a new passport. Some embassies will accept a driver's license, but others will not - an expired passport will often save the day.

Visa

Chinese visa is a permit issued by the Chinese visa authorities to those foreigners who want to enter into, exit from or transit through the Chinese territory. According to the applicants' identity, visiting purpose and passport type, the Chinese visa falls into four categories, namely, diplomatic, courtesy, service and ordinary visas.

Visit / Business Visa (F)
Issued to those foreigners who are invited to China for visit, research, lecture, business, scientific-technological and cultural exchanges or short-term advanced studies or intern practice for a period of less than six months.

Tourism Visa (L)
Issued to those who enter China temporarily for touring, family visiting or other personal affairs (multiple-entry is not granted for this category).

Working Visa (Z)
Issued to foreigners who are to take up a post or employment in China, and their accompanying family members.

Study / Student Visa (X)
Issued to those who come to China for study or intern practice for a period of six months or above.

The Chinese visa authorities overseas include Chinese embassies, consulates, visa offices, and the consular department of the office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. If a foreigner intends to enter into, exit from or transit through the Chinese territory, he shall apply to any of the above-mentioned Chinese visa authorities for a Chinese visa. For further information, please consult the nearest Chinese visa authorities.