Chinese tourist visa application guide: Tips and reminders

China is known for several must-visit places such as the iconic Great Wall, Huangshan Mountain, the Tiger Leaping Gorge, and the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an. The vast country is also home to many UNESCO-listed sites. Getting a visa to explore all that China has to offer is worth it because of the many things you will discover.

But before you can head over there, you’ll need a visa. Here are the steps to be taken and requirements to be submitted for a tourist visa for China (for Philippine passport holders).

Basic requirements

1. Original passport valid for at least 6 months with at least one blank page. You must also bring a photocopy of the bio and emergency contact pages.
2. Bring a filled out and signed visa application form. Write N/A instead of leaving a field blank.
3. A recent 48mm x 33mm colored photo with white background, glued to the designated space on the application form. Don’t tape, clip, or staple the picture.
4. You must write your travel itinerary for your stay in the designated spaces on the application form.
5. You need to present proof of booked round-trip tickets.
6. You must provide details of hotel or hostel reservations.
7. If you are staying at a friend’s house or with relatives, you need to bring an invitation letter. It can be an email printout, photocopy, or fax. It must contain the following information:

• The inviting person’s full name, address, contact information, signature, and relationship to you.
• Your full name, birthday, passport number, and other pertinent information.
• You must also provide details about the purpose of your visit, arrival and departure dates, the places you will go to, and who will pay for your trip.

These are the requirements for a tourist visa only; you will need a different set if you are traveling to China for study, transit, or work.

Financial requirements

Like other visas for Korea and Japan, you will need to show the embassy you can fund your trip. You need to provide them with the following:

1. Bank certificate and statement of account for the past 6 months. Tell your bank that you will be applying for a China visa; they will know which documents to give you.
2. Stamped income tax return (ITR)
3. Company ID
4. Certificate of employment that provides details about your salary, position, and the duration of your stay with your current company.
5. If you are self-employed, provide a business registration certificate.

After you have the requirements ready, head to the embassy, which is at the following address:

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China

2F, The World Center

330 Senator Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati City

The visa application hours are from 9 am to 11 am, from Monday to Friday.

Fees and visa processing

The usual processing time is 4 days. If you want to expedite the process you have to pay extra. The visa fees are:

• Single Entry: P1,400
• Double Entry: P2,100
• Six Months Multiple Entry: P2,800
• More than Six Months Multiple Entry: P4,200

I didn’t have any problems with my visa application; the process is simple enough and the requirements are straightforward. You won’t have any difficulties as long as you present all the documents. I came back after 4 working days and I got my visa with no hassle. 

However, the queue may take long as there might be a lot of applicants. In my experience, the submission of documents and the review by the person at the counter takes just a few minutes. You might have to wait for approximately an hour, depending on the number of people in the queue. – Rappler.com

Joshua Berida is a full-time writer, part-time wanderer with insatiable wanderlust. He plans his next trip during a current one. He plans on exploring the Philippines and beyond. Read about his adventures on thewanderingjuan.net.