The process of travelling to China is not quite as
straightforward as those of some of our other featured countries, due to the
more rigorous qualifying conditions applied to travel by the ever-present and
watchful Chinese government.
However, this shouldn’t put you off travelling to this
truly amazing country and its unique culture. Providing you take a little time
to familiarise yourself with the process, it will be relatively simple and
worthwhile.
Most foreign visitors to China will require a Visa in
advance of travel, with the exception of citizens of Singapore, Brunei and
Japan who are exempt from requiring a Visa for tourist purposes of up to 15
days.
To obtain a Visa you will require a passport with a
validity of at least 6 months beyond the end date of your trip with at least 2
remaining blank visa pages, a recent passport sized colour photograph, provide
any requested personal details, show proof of international entry and exit
flights, Visa fee and a letter of invitation from an authorised tour company,
such as ourselves, detailing your itinerary in full, including proof of booking
for all destinations, internal transport and accommodation details including
addresses and telephone numbers.
Tourist Visas can be obtained from Chinese Embassies,
Consulates and Diplomatic Missions, and must be made either in person, or
through an approved visa agency, many of whom provide a useful form checking
service. Postal or e-mail applications are not acceptable.
Please note, when filling in the Visa application form
that all fields of the form must be legibly filled in full. If a field is not
applicable to you, simply enter ‘N/A’.
When booking with Haivenu, you will be provided by us
with the necessary letter of invitation, also detailing the particulars and
stamps of authorisation that the Chinese authorities require from us as your
tour provider, which will enable you to successfully submit your application.
Visa fees are dependent upon your country of application
and the speed of service options you choose. As a general guide for normal
processing, it is advisable to apply for your Visa at least two weeks or even a
month in advance of your travel.
When your Visa is granted, it will remain valid for entry
into China for a period of three months, and is valid for up to three months of
travel after the date of entry.
As some areas of China are subject to travel restrictions
requiring additional permits, especially for Tibet, as your tour operator, we
will process any additional permits required by your itinerary directly with
the Chinese authorities on your behalf.
Although not an issue for almost all travellers, because
it is an absolute condition of entry that confirmed bookings be made in advance
of the Visa application, some visitors with a political profile likely to lead
to a visa refusal should carefully consider this before booking, as it will not
by then be possible to refund the booking, should your application fail.
This is especially true of former Chinese citizens now
holding foreign passports or even second-generation offspring to parents of
such former Chinese citizens now resident in other countries, who are likely to
be subject to closer scrutiny.
In addition to the above consideration, foreign
journalists and diplomats will also be vetted very closely and will not
normally be granted any travel in Tibet, even for tourist purposes.