CHINA TOURIST VISA – U.S. CITIZENS

I. Important Tips for filling out online COVA visa form :

1. 1. Please carefully read the prompts and requirements of the COVA form system, and complete the entries of the visa application COVA online form step by step, making sure that the information is true, accurate and complete. Please note: Once the application form has been submitted, it cannot be modified in any way.
   2. The“location“option for submitting the visa application should be in line with the consular jurisdiction.
   3. Basic personal information. Surname, given names, gender, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport type, etc. must be exactly the same as those on the passport information page, otherwise your visa application will be returned.
   4. If you were born in China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), please note:

• • • Application form 1.1D The Chinese name (if applicable) must be entered in Chinese with the Chinese character input method, please do not fill in “Chinese”, “Chinese”, etc.
    • In the application form 1.6G, select “Yes” for “former nationality”, and then select the nationality information.
    • Item 1.6H of the application form is required. If the applicant is applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, this entry will be automatically generated during the form filling process; but if the applicant has previously applied for a Chinese visa, this entry will not be displayed when filling in the online form, and the form must be printed out and supplemented by hand-written Chinese name and other information. This Item cannot be empty.

 5. Fill in the work experience and educational background

• • • Please fill in the work experience in the past 5 years.
    • The “position” and “duty” of the application form 3.2D and 3.2E must be filled in completely.
    • Please fill in the highest diploma/degree in 4.1, and the diploma/degree and major in 4.1B and 4.1C must be completed.

6. Completely fill in each address

7. The address of the spouse in 5.5A of the application form must fill in the address of the current location, not the address of the place of birth. The address must be filled in completely, including street, city, state, and country.

If you choose “not applicable” for any entry in the form, you need to state the reason for “not applicable”.

8. Printing and signing. After completing the COVA online form filling, you must print out a full set of application forms, including the “Confirmation of Online Visa application” and “Visa Application Form of the People’s Republic of China” (depending on the individual filling situation, a total of 8 to 9 pages will be generated).

All the pages of the forms must be printed to turn in, the signature and date on the Confirmation Page and the 8th page of Visa Application Form of the People’s Republic of China must be handwritten by the applicant him/herself.

Visa applicant under the age of 18 is signed by their guardian, and meanwhile add a handwritten signature in the “For person filling in the application on the applicant’s behalf”.

II. Fill Out COVA Visa Form according to the Consular Jurisdiction of China Embassy, guidance :

1. Please go to COVA online Visa Form  link.
2. Choose North America
3. Scroll down and you will see 5 China Consular Jurisdiction.

• •  Please choose  Chinese Consulate General in Washington D.C. / Chinese Embassy in United States, if you reside in Washington D.C., Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas

  • Please choose Chinese Consulate General in New York,if you reside in : Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont.

  • Please choose Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, if you reside in: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin.

  • Please choose Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, if you reside in : Alaska, Northern California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington.

  • Please choose Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, if you live in : Arizona, Southern California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Pacific Islands.

  • Please confirm that the applicant lives in the above-mentioned states before submitting the visa application.

 Document Requirements

These requirements are applicable for US Citizens applying for a China Tourist visa in San Francisco

Important Information :

Applicants should follow the “Important Tips for filling out the COVA visa form online” to make sure they provide true, accurate, and complete information. Once the form is submitted, you can’t change anything. If you need to make a change, you have to fill out the whole form again.

After you finish filling out the COVA forms, be sure to print all the pages (usually 8-9 pages) and sign the Confirmation Page and the 8th page. If you don’t fill out the forms correctly, your application won’t be accepted.

Passport :

Please send us your current passport, which must be valid and signed. Also, include a photocopy of the main page with your information. Make sure your passport won’t expire within 6 months and has at least one empty visa page. Other pages, like amendment or endorsement pages, can’t be used for visas.

If your passport doesn’t have any empty visa pages, we can help you get more. If it’s expiring soon, you need to renew it first before we can process your visa.

Starting from January 2017, if your passport was issued on or after January 1st, 2015, you also need to provide your previous passport. If you don’t have it, explain why on the application form. If either passport has stamps or visas from certain countries like Russia, Turkey, Jordan, or Israel, you’ll need to give details about your visits there.

If your passport expires in 6-12 months from the date of your visa application, you can only apply for a single or double entry visa, not a longer-term one.

Don’t forget to fill out and sign the Acknowledgment Statement required by the Chinese Consulate.

The Chinese Embassy suggests renewing your passport before applying for your visa.

Photo :

            Please send a recent, professional-style photo of yourself.

Don’t wear glasses or jewelry.

New rules for passport photos from the Chinese Consulate starting from May 12, 2017 – Click Here

Things to avoid:

• • Don’t smile, keep a serious face.
  • No jewelry at all.
  • Avoid wearing glasses.
  • Wear a dark-colored shirt, not light-colored.
  • Keep your hair down, not pulled back.
  • Make sure there are no bright lights or shadows in the background.

The Chinese Government has very strict rules for visa photos — don’t let your visa application get delayed because of a wrongly formatted photo.

Use our digital visa photo service at World Visa Travel. Just take a selfie with your camera, phone, or tablet, and we’ll send you a perfectly formatted Chinese visa photo by email within one business day.

Proof Of Residence :

Evidence of where you live in the United States: a clear copy of your driver’s license or state-issued photo ID. Make sure the address on your driver’s license matches the one on your visa application form.

It’s best to provide a clear, enlarged photocopy or scanned copy of your driver’s license or ID.

Minors :

Extra papers needed for kids under 18.

Kids under 18 need to give their real birth certificate. If their parents aren’t getting visas with them, the parents need to show their original passports.

If a parent doesn’t have a passport, they need to give a copy of an ID that’s been approved by a notary, plus a signed letter showing they agree. If only one parent is applying, they need to give a copy of their passport or an approved ID, along with a letter saying they agree.

Both parents need to sign the application for kids.

If one or both parents aren’t U.S. citizens, they need to show their green card or proof they live in the U.S.

If one or both parents are Chinese citizens, they need a U.S. green card. If not, they have to go in person with the kid to apply for a Travel Document.

Location Form

            Please fill out the Location Form.

Application Form

            Make sure you sign your passport before sending it to Travel Document Systems to get a Chinese Visa. Also, remember to fill out the online application form and send it along with other necessary documents. Don’t print the application form double-sided; it must be single-sided. Fill out and sign a confirmation form stating you’re currently in the United States.

The Chinese Online Application Form (COVA) will be in PDF format, which you’ll need Acrobat Reader to view. Some questions on the form are required (*), but if they don’t apply to you, just mark them as “NOT APPLICABLE”.

Check that all your information is correct before hitting “Submit” because you can’t change it afterward. You can save your application for 30 days by clicking “Save” and return to it later using the “Retrieve an Application” button, using your application ID number and Passport/Travel Document Number.

Once World Visa Travels receive all your papers, they’ll make an appointment at the Embassy/Consulate for you, so you don’t have to go there yourself. Note that even if someone else fills out the application form for you, you still need to sign it. However, if you’re under 18, a parent or legal guardian can sign on your behalf.

Previous Chinese Visa

            Applicants MUST provide a photocopy of their most recent visa to China and a photocopy of the stamp showing their entry into China. If the visa is still valid, you must also include the old passport containing the previous visa. If the old passport is not available, you MUST write a letter explaining why.

Former Chinese Citizens

            If you used to be a citizen of China but now you’re a citizen of another country, and you want to apply for a Chinese visa, you need to give a copy of your old Chinese passport or any old Chinese visas you have.

If this is your first time applying for a Chinese visa, you need to provide your old Chinese passport and a copy of the main page.

If you’ve had Chinese visas before and now you have a new passport without any Chinese visas, you need to give a copy of your old passport’s main page, any separate pages with your photo, and the page with your old Chinese visa. If your name is different now, you have to show a document that proves your name change.

For a child born in the US with Chinese parents:

If it’s the child’s first time applying for a Chinese visa, they need to give the original and a copy of one parent’s foreign passport or green card, and their birth certificate, along with other usual documents.

If the child has had a Chinese visa before and is applying again, they can just provide a copy of the old visa instead of a parent’s passport, green card, or birth certificate.

Previous Visits to Turkey, Kazakhstan, or Pakistan

            Please write and sign a letter where you tell us the dates and reasons for each time you went to Turkey, Kazakhstan, or Pakistan since January 1st, 2015. Make sure the dates you mention match the dates in your passport stamps and visa application. Also, please include another signed letter explaining why you traveled to these countries.

Document Pre Check

Helpful information :

            A Chinese visa typically lasts for 10 years from when it’s issued, allowing you to stay for up to 60 days each time you visit. However, not everyone gets a 10-year visa; some people might get one for a shorter period, depending on what the Chinese government decides.

And remember, Chinese visas show dates in the format year/month/day.

Shipping Instruction :

            Please send a paper copy of your order confirmation for a China tourist visa for people from the US, along with all necessary papers, to:

World Visa Travel, Inc.
1413 K Street, N.W.
9th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (202) 289-6251

If your China tourist visa application is urgent, please use FedEx to send it to WVT.

Make sure to choose FedEx Priority Overnight. Don’t use “First Overnight” as it will slow down the delivery.

III. Please fill out “Where You Stay Form“

V. After completing the COVA forms as required, please make sure to print the full set of COVA forms (8-9 pages) and sign on the Confirmation Page and the 8^th page. If the COVA forms are not prepared as guided, the application will not be accepted.