| China Visa -
When, Where & How to Apply |
|
 
Complete List of
Chinese Visa Offices across USA & Canada
The information below is intended only for those
going on our China tours. We do not provide visa service to others.
|
Tibet Entry
Permit
If you are going to Tibet on a Laurus tour, your Tibet Entry Permit is
already included in the tour price. You do not need to do anything
about it other than sending us a photocopy of your China visa. The
permit will be obtained through our China office before we issue your
air or train ticket to Lhasa.We are unable to help those going to
Tibet on their own or with another travel company. |
Travel visa is mandatory for Western
visitors going to China. Laurus Travel customers should contact us or
visit this Web page for updated information. Please
note you should not mention Tibet or any part of it, such as Lhasa or
Shigatse, on the application form without seeking advice from us first.
Where applicable, a separate Tibet entry permit for the group will be
obtained through our China office without your involvement.
You are advised to wait till within 10 weeks of
departure to apply for the visa. Applications submitted more than 3 months
prior to intended date of entry may be rejected. Generally, mail-in
applications are not accepted by the Chinese visa issuing offices.
Exceptions to this rule may exist. So please check with the local Chinese
embassy or consulate for detailed instructions if you plan to obtain your
Chinese visa on your own. To apply through Laurus
Travel you must:
- Send us your actual passport
The passport must have at least two blank visa pages and a minimum
validity of 6 months at the time of intended entry (multiple entry visa
requires a longer validity).
- Pay the visa fee and handling charge
- Canadian passport holders: $108 per person
(50+33.60+24.40) plus $10 extra for singles
- US passport holders: $185 per person (140+45) plus $10 extra
for singles
The Chinese government charges Canadian
passport holders $50 for a single entry tourist visa and lets
its sole handling agent called China Visa Application Service Centre, a
Chinese state owned business, collect $33.60 including HST. Their system
is so set up that you are not able to bypass the middleman. Laurus
Travel bills its customers $24.40 ($10 extra for singles) for the
service and the amount barely covers the additional labour, parking and
courier fees to return your passport. The Chinese Visa Service
Centre currently acts on behalf of the Chinese consulates in Vancouver
and Toronto. It is planning to do the same for all other Chinese
consulates across Canada and the United States. At the moment, their
"service" fee is applicable if you do not apply for the visa through the
consulate in Vancouver or Toronto.
The Chinese government charges US passport
holders $140 for the visa (single or one-year multiple
entry). Laurus Travel bills its customers $45 on cost recovery basis. We
have read reports that the Chinese state owned middleman, China Visa
Application Service Center, is on its way to "help" American applicants.
So be prepared to cough up more soon.
- Complete the visa
application form
Each applicant must complete his or her own form.
Click here for detailed
instructions. Travellers applying for Chinese visa outside of their
country of citizenship must also complete this
supplementary form
(see Section D); this applies to US Green Card
and Canadian Maple Leaf Card holders.
If you notice different versions of the form available and you plan to
apply for the visa on your own, you should contact the local Chinese
embassy or consulate for the proper form. The blank form posted on our
website is only intended for customers who apply through Laurus Travel.
The
completed visa application sample
answers many of the questions you might have in filling out the form.
- Provide one portrait photograph (2"x2")
Notarization or signature on the back of the passport style colour photo
is not required. Photos generated using a home computer/printer are
generally rejected due to poor quality. If in doubt please follow the
same requirements for passport photos save photographer's signature.
Failure to provide a quality photograph as required will result in
unnecessary delay and extra cost.
Where should I send the passport, photo and
completed application form?
Please refer to your invoice or contact us for details. Please do NOT send
your applications to us without first checking with us!
How soon will I get my passport back?
The passport with visa imprinted inside will be returned to you 2 weeks
after our receipt of your passport application assuming all paperwork is
in order. Rush service is available at higher cost. We use FedEx, UPS, and
traceable priority service by Canada Post and US Postal Service to return
passports.
What else should I know or watch out for when
filling out my visa application?
-- You may want to ask for a couple of weeks more than you need in case
you have to stay behind after the tour due to an unexpected event.
-- If you never had a legal Chinese name, please
leave the question unanswered.
-- If you are a married woman using your
husband's surname, you do not need to mention your maiden name under
"Other or Former Name".
-- You do not need to mention all the cities to
visit if the form does not have enough space to list them all.
-- Please be sure to contact us for advice if
your trip includes Tibet.
Return to top
Complete List of Chinese
Visa Offices across USA & Canada |
China tours
since 1998 
