How to get a Visa for (L)Tourism

Step1 Prepare Documents

(1) Passport (Original and Photocopy)

Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and with at least 2 blank visa pages, a photocopy of the personal data page and the photo page if it is separate.

Note: if you have more than one nationality and one of the nationalities is Canada, we suggest that you use your Canadian passport to apply Chinese visa.

(2) Visa Application Form and Photo

One online completed 'Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China' with a recently-taken colour passport photo (bare-head, full face) against a white background (no shadow in background size: 48mm x 33mm). Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application

Notice：The 2013 edition of the application form is not applicable right now. Therefore, please complete the online application form in Quick Access module in our website. Online application system will generate application number start with YYC while you begin your online visa application form. You need the ‘Application Number’ and ‘Passport Number’ to make an appointment in Quick Access module after you completed your online application form. Our center does not accept hand written application or any other forms not from our website. After you complete your online application form, you need to submit, download, and print it out.

All the application form items must be filled online and printed. After print, please sign at the first page and the section 9.1. For applicant who is under 18 years old, the parents should sign the application form in the first page & both section 9.1 & 9.2.

You also need to upload a digital photo when completing the online application form; however, a physical photo may be required when you submit the application. Please present the application form to the Visa Center with a recently-taken colour passport photo. If you upload several times, the system will show that your photo didn't pass quality check, however, you can continue to fill in other items.

After you submit the form online, you can make an appointment by the application form number and passport number which you inputted. When you fill out the passport information (name / date of birth / gender / passport number, etc.), please make sure that the contents on the application form should be consistent with that on your passport.

If you ever held Chinese nationality before, you must choose ‘yes’ in Section 1.6B under ‘Have you ever held any other nationality(ies)’, and choose ‘China’ in Section 1.6H. If you had Chinese Name, you must input your name in Chinese at Section 1.1E.

If you want to start a new application form with prepopulated data, please check ‘How to Modify the Visa Application Form’. Do not forget to make a new appointment after you submit a new form.

(3) Proof of legal residence status (applicable for those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship)

If you are not applying for a visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates of residence (permanent resident card), employment or student status (work permit or study permit). The consular office will decide on the period of validity, duration of stay and number of entries according to your documents.

(4) Previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas (applicable for those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship)

If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you should provide the last original Chinese passport, as well as two copies of data page of both Canadian passport and Chinese passport (on the same page).

Note: If applicant cannot provide the original and copy of your last original Chinese passport or your last original Chinese passport has expired, please submit the Canadian Citizenship certificate or card (Original and photocopy).

If you have obtained Chinese visas before and apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed foreign passport that does not contain any Chinese visa, you should present the photocopy of the previous passport's data page as well as the previous Chinese visa page (If your name on the current passport differs from that on the previous one, you must provide an official document of name change).

(5) An applicant of Chinese origin, born in Canada or other foreign country, applies for a Chinese visa for the first time. The applicant’s parents were under the following condition when the applicant was born,

Both parents are Chinese Citizen and one of them has been granted Canadian Permanent Resident (PR card).
One of the parents is foreign Citizen, and another is Chinese Citizen and has been granted Canadian Permanent Resident (PR card).
Both parents used to have Chinese Citizen, and they are foreign Citizen when the applicant was born.

If the applicant meets one of the above conditions, please provide:

a. Photocopy of the applicant’s Birth certificate. (The birth certificate obtain parents’ name.)

b. Both parents’ legal status in Canada when the applicant was born,

If parent is holding Permanent Resident (PR card), please provide photocopy of Canadian landing paper or photocopy both side of PR card.

If parent has been granted Canadian Citizen, please provide photocopy of Canadian Citizenship certificate, or photocopy both side of Citizenship card, or photocopy of parent’s Canadian passport personal information page which the issue date earlier than applicant’s date of birth.

c. Legal status in Canada for both applicants’ parents,

If parent is holding Permanent Resident (PR card), please provide photocopy of current valid Chinese passport personal information page.

If parent has been granted Canadian Citizen, please provide photocopy of current valid Canadian passport personal information page.

Warm Reminder: According to The Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China, the applicant has Chinese nationality and must apply Chinese Travel Document (please apply in the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Calgary) to visit China if the applicant meets the following conditions:

The applicant was born in Canada, and at least one of his or her parents is a Chinese citizen. At the time of birth, none of his or her Chinese parents has obtained the "permanent residence card" in Canada or the right of permanent residence in any other country.
The applicant was born in China. One of his or her parent is Chinese citizen, and another is foreign citizen.

(6) An applicant of Chinese origin, born in Canada or other foreign country, has obtained a Chinese visa and applies the visa to China again is required to provide:

a. Photocopy of the previous Chinese visa, and photocopy of the previous Canadian passport (obtained the Chinese visa) personal information page.

b. Photocopy of the applicant’s Birth certificate. (The birth certificate obtain parents’ name.)

c. Current legal status in Canada for both applicants’ parents

If parent is holding permanent resident (PR card), please provide photocopy of current valid Chinese passport personal information page and photocopy both side of PR card.

If parent is Canadian citizen, please provide photocopy of current valid Canadian passport personal information page.

(7)According to different types of the visa, the supplemenary document requireme will vary.Please prepare:

One of the follwing documents showing the itinerary :

1、air ticket booking record (round trip) and proof of a hotel reservation

2、air ticket booking record (round trip) and formal itinerary provided by a travel agency(including hotel information)

3、air ticket booking record (round trip) and Chinese house ownership certificate

4、invitation letter provided by a company or organization from China (only"INVITATION LETTER FOR TOURIST"by some specified companies or organizations is accepted)

5、invitation letter provided by a foreigner who is residing in China and a photocopy of the inviting party’s passport and residence permit

The final decision will be made by the consulate-general according to the documents the applicants can provide.

(1) The invitation letter may be in the form of fax, photocopy or computer printout, but the consular officer may require the applicant to submit the original of the invitation letter. An issuer of invitation letter who is an individual in China should also provide a photocopy of his/her Chinese ID. The invitation letter shall be in Chinese, Otherwise, Chinese translation is requested.

(2) If necessary, the consular officer may require the applicant to provide other proof documents or supplementary materials, or require an interview with the applicant.

(3) The consular officer will decide on whether or not to issue the visa and they will make the final decision on its validity, duration of stay and number of entries in light of specific conditions of the applicant.

Step2 Submit at the Centre

Who can apply at the Visa Centre? You need to submit the application yourself.

(1) The Visa Centre accepts visa applications from Canadian citizens or citizens of other countries staying in Canada with appropriate legal status. However, we cannot accept the application if you are not physically in Canada when your application is being submitted.

If you are not currently in the country in which this centre is located, please apply from where you normally reside, or apply after you return to the country. Application acceptance is ONLY available to people lawfully residing in the country in which this Visa Centre is located.

(2)The Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General have their own jurisdictional areas formally known as consular districts. Only those who reside within a particular consular district of the Chinese Embassy in Canada can apply through this Visa Centre.

How far in advance should I submit my application? You should make your application well in advance of the planned travel date. You are advised to apply ONE month in advance but no earlier than THREE months.

Visa processing time varies with location. However, you should be aware that actual processing time may be longer than that posted on the website in certain circumstances. If there is such a delay, you will be notified by the Visa Centre staff.

Is an appointment required to submit the application? Yes. You need to make appointment to submit your application. Please click “Quick Access” to make an appointment for your visit to the Visa Centre.
What should I do after arriving at the Visa Centre? On the day of your visit to the Centre, please be punctual. Upon arrival, you will:

Obtain a queue number for submitting your application; please wait for your number to be called Submit your application at the counter designated for handling the particular queue number Receive a pick-up form, which is a receipt showing the information of your application and expected date for collection Please CHECK all the particulars on the pick-up form; should you have any questions about the information printed on it, please contact the staff immediately. Always carefully retain the pick-up form as it must be shown when collecting your passport

Do I pay when submitting my application? Yes. You should pay on the day of submitting. For more details please refer to the next step.
Can I cancel my application after submitting it? The application process involves sophisticated procedures so that it is not possible for the Visa Centre to pull a single application out of the ongoing process involving many other applications. Therefore you cannot cancel your application and withdraw it once you have submitted it. You are still required to pay the visa fee and service fee accordingly.

Step3 Pay and Collect

How to make my payment? You make the payment when you submit your application.

Fees to be paid include:

Visa fee collected on behalf of the Chinese Embassy/Consulate-General
Service fee charged by the Centre

Please note the visa fee and the service fee will vary across different categories.

How to get my passport back? You are requested to provide a prepaid self-addressed CANADA POST XPRESSPOST envelope in the package that you post to the Visa Centre.
How to track the returning package with my passport?

It is suggested that you make note of the tracking number of your prepaid self-addressed envelope, so that you can track the returning package. You can track your package with CANADA POST. Please Note the Visa Centre is not liable for any delay, loss or damage of your passport and/or your documents during transit.

What should I do when I receive my passport? As soon as you receive the passport, please carefully CHECK the particulars on your visa, such as your name, birth date, passport number, validity, number of entries, and duration of stay. Let the Visa Centre staff know immediately if there is any problem.