CHINA FAMILY & FRIENDS VISIT VISA – U.S. CITIZENS

• Please ask your family / friends to write down a letter of invitation include :
• Inviter full name, the name of the traveler, passport numbers and passport expired date.

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.

III. Letter of Invitation, only for Business Visa purposes:

Inviter’s name XX, letterhead from the company/organization in China with complete address, phone numbers, and email address. 

Please list also:

• Travellers full name, passport numbers, expiration of the passport.
• The purposes of the trip, date of entries, and date of exit.

For Tourist’s Visa purpose :

No Invitation needed, please fill out the complete  address where you are going to stay in China and the flight information on the COVA online Visa form.

IV. Please fill out “Where You Stay Form“

If you’re planning to stay in hotels, make sure to give copies of your hotel reservations. If you’re switching between hotels during your time in China, you’ll need confirmation for each one or a letter of invitation from a  tour operator in China.

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.

An S2 visa is for people who want to visit family members working or studying in China or for personal reasons. You can stay in China for up to 180 days. “Family members” includes spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren.

The Q2 visa is for people who want to visit their family in China or reunite with them. “Family members” include spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. This visa is also for those who want to visit family members who are working or studying in China, or for personal reasons. You can stay in China for up to 180 days with this visa.

Applicants need to provide a copy of their previous visa to China and a copy of their entry stamps to China. If the visa is still valid, they must submit the old passport containing the visa. If the old passport is not available, they need to write a letter explaining why.

For people applying for a Chinese visa who were previously Chinese citizens and now hold foreign citizenship:

1. If it’s your first time applying for a Chinese visa, you need to provide a photocopy of your previous Chinese passport or any previous Chinese visas you’ve had.
2. If you’ve had a Chinese visa before and now have a new foreign passport without any Chinese visas, you’ll need to submit a photocopy of the data page of your old passport, along with the photo page if it’s separate, and the page containing your previous Chinese visa. If your name has changed since your last passport, you’ll also need an official document confirming the name change.

For children born in the US with Chinese heritage applying for a visa:

1. If it’s their first time applying, they should provide the original and a photocopy of either parent’s foreign passport, green card, and birth certificate, along with other required documents.
2. If the child has had a Chinese visa before, they can provide a photocopy of the previous visa instead of either parent’s passport, green card, or birth certificate.

Additional documents needed for minors under 18:

If you’re under 18 and applying for a visa, you’ll need to provide:

1. Your original birth certificate.
2. If your parents aren’t applying for a visa with you, you’ll need their original passports.
3. If a parent doesn’t have a passport, they must provide a notarized ID copy and a notarized letter of parental consent. If only one parent is applying, you’ll need a copy of their passport or a notarized ID and a letter of consent.
4. Both parents must sign the minor’s application.

For minors with non-U.S. citizen parents:

• Non-U.S. citizen parents must provide their green card or proof of U.S. residency.

For minors with Chinese citizen parents:

• If one or both parents are Chinese citizens and the child has a U.S. Green card, they need to apply in person with the child for a travel document.

China Affidavit Form

Please fill out and sign the Affidavit Letter, stating the dates and reasons for every trip you’ve taken to Turkey, Kazakhstan, or Pakistan since January 1st, 2015. Make sure the dates match the entries and exits stamped in your passport, as well as the trips listed on your visa application form.

Additionally, include a signed letter explaining why you traveled to Turkey, Kazakhstan, or Pakistan on each occasion.