HOW TO APPLY FOR CHINESE TOURIST VISA


As of writing, my career life has been devoted to working with the Chinese community and with half Chinese immediate supervisors for all my past work experiences.  It is a coincidence. I truly enjoyed working with them.  If there is one lesson I’ve learned, seldom is there overtime work and extended hours of stay at the office but rather an early call time to start the corporate life and maximized work hours.  Incidentally, the Chinese embassy in Manila practices such and even more early that applications and release of visa has a cut-off – at 11 in the morning.  No extensions.

This is the fourth time I have been to mainland China and the process gets easier the more you visit the country.

Steps:

  1. Select a visa category that best described your trip to China and prepare your visa application form including necessary supporting documents. 

 2. Submit your application to the Visa Office of Chinese Embassy/Consulate General based on your State of Residence (locate a visa office that serves your state)

  3. Pay the visa application fee at the Visa Office and pick up your visa.

Bear in mind that appointment is not required for submission or collection of your visa.  Almost all my applications are made through walk-in.  No mail or fax applications are accepted.  The applicant or your agent may pick-up the passport with visa on the date printed on the pick-up slip, unless otherwise notified by the Visa Office.

Payment of Fees

Go back to the embassy on the date indicated in the pick-up slip and once application is processed and approved, it is only at that time that visa fee can be paid.
  
Fees are as follows:

Number of Entries
Single
Double
6 months multiple
Over 6 months multiple
Philippine Passport
1400
2100
2800
4200
U.S.A Passport
6500


6500
Canadian Passport
3500


3500
Other Passports
1700
2550
3400
5100

Express services has an additional fee of 1100 per visa and Rush services for an additional fee of 1700 per visa.

How do we differentiate?  Regular service is 4 business days, Express service for 2-3 business days and Rush service for 1 business day, but the same is available only in extreme emergencies and subject to approval by the consular officer.

Only cash payment is accepted.
Once visa is obtained, there are terms in the Chinese visa that needs to be clarified and understood.  These are:

Number of entries ­– the number of times that the visa holder may enter China within the validity period of the entry specified in the visa.

Validity period of the entry – valid period of time during which the visa holder may enter China unless otherwise specified by the issuing authority, a visa is valid from the date of issuance until Beijing time 24:00 on the expiring day.

Duration of stay period of time during which the visa holder is allowed to stay in China after each entry.  It begins from the next day of entry.

What are the documentary requirements?

Basic

  1. Passport – original passport that is valid for at least another 6 months with at least one blank visa page, a photocopy of the passport’s information/photo page and emergency contact page

  2. Visa Application Form – available at the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines website.  Write N/A if the question does not apply to you.

  3. Photo – affix one color photo on the Application Form.  The photo should be recent, front view, white background, in 48mm x 33mm size without head covering.  Glue to the appropriate field. Stapled/taped/clipped/detached photos will not be accepted.

For first time applicants, you may have to bear with the collation of more documents relating to information about finances and employment or studies, which you should consider providing bank certificate of deposit balance including the past 6 months history of your bank account and the receipt for payment of the certificate, BIR-stamped income tax return form or letter from your employer detailing your salary and the length of employment or business registration certificate if you are the owner, professional ID or student ID.

In case the above documents cannot be presented, a letter of explanation is required.

Is it true that bank statement balance should be at a minimum of PhP100,000.00 upon application?  NO. 

For applicants with previous Chinese visa, requirements are trimmed down, apart from the travel itinerary and reservation of round-trip airline ticket and hotel or invitation from China (if applicable), just submit a photocopy of the Chinese visa obtained before, and if the visa is on your old passport, submit the old passport.

So when seat sales come, book that flight immediately, use this as guide for the visa application and see the wonders of mainland China. 

Chinese Embassy in the Philippines
Consular Section
2nd and 3rd Floor, The World Center
330 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue,
Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Inquiry: (632) 848-2395
Email:  phchinaembassy@hotmail.com

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