General (but IMPORTANT!) Information
Everyone coming to China will need a visa. The process is not difficult but it can be a little confusing. Knowing what to do, how to do it, and when, will make it easier and smoother and ensure that you have what you need when it's time to come to China.
- The first thing you need to know is that, except in very rare cases, you will be applying for a TOURIST visa. (If you think you are eligible for a different type of visa, check with Volunteer Services first. Only volunteers coming for more than a year and for very specialized roles can obtain a work visa. New Day volunteers cannot obtain a student visa under any circumstances.)
- The visa process will vary based on your country of origin, we will provide as much information as we can, but ultimately you are responsible for understanding the process. See below for additional information for US and UK residents.
- In order to obtain a tourist visa you will need to complete a visa application form, have confirmed flight reservations, and have an invitation letter from New Day.
- You should plan to obtain your visa 4 to 6 weeks before you intend to travel. The process itself will take about 2 weeks, including mailing time, IF you already have a valid passport. (If you do not yet have a passport, apply for one immediately.) Don't wait too long, ideally you should have your visa in hand two weeks before departure...just in case.
DocumentsIn order to obtain a tourist visa, you will need:
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Invitation LetterOnce you have your flights confirmed, please send us the following information:
Within one week we will issue your invitation letter. Along with the letter you will receive several other documents that support the letter. Print all of these and include them with your visa application. Please note that your invitation letter is issued by an individual as a personal invitation. Please do not make any reference to the Foster Home as part of your visa application. |
Visa FormFill out the application form carefully. Line by line instructions can be found HERE.
A little more about filling out the form:
Qingyundian Township, Daxing District, Beijing 102605 Phone: (8610) 1355 211 2461 Your purpose is tourism and the inviter relationship is friend (we will be soon enough!). Regardless of why you are coming to New Day, do not use the words: work, volunteer or foster home. Ever. Your purpose in coming to China is for tourism. Anything else will result in you being denied a tourist visa, and there is no other visa that you are eligible for. |
US ProcessFor US citizens and residents, visa applications must be hand delivered to the Chinese Consulate responsible for your state. No mailed applications will be accepted.
Unless you live near a city with a Chinese Consulate, you will need to have a courier take the application for you and pick it up and return it to you. See below for a list of reputable courier services. Be sure to contact the courier ahead of time and follow the instructions on their website carefully -- the couriers do this every day and know how their local consulate likes the paperwork prepared, there are differences. There are also differences in fees among couriers so read their cost structure carefully, but remember that you can ONLY use a courier for the city responsible for your part of the country. See the button below for more information. Length and number of stays: US citizens are now being issued a 10 year /multi-entry visa with a 60 day length of stay limit, although occasionally 90 length of stay is being issued. Be sure to indicate TOURIST "L" visa. Sometimes the consulate will issue an "S-2" visa based on the invitation letter. If you are issued an S-2 visa you will not be able to extend your length of stay in China. The cost is $140 plus the fees for the courier you choose and mailing costs. We recommend that you use a TRACKABLE service, not the USPS.
Click on the Consulate responsible for your state for the link to a courier who can hand deliver your visa documents. You do not need to use these couriers, these are just suggestions. You may use any courier you choose as long as they service the consulate for your state.
NEW YORK CHICAGO HOUSTON LOS ANGELES SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON D.C. (EMBASSY) |
UK, Europe and CanadaIn many European nations, including the UK, and Canada, the Chinese Embassy utilizes the China Visa Application Service Center to process visa applications. www.visaforchina.org You can find detailed instructions for your country/location at their website.
Here are some basic facts:
The cost for UK residents is: Single entry -- £30 Double entry -- £45 6 month multi-entry -- £90 12 month multi-entry -- £180 Plus...£36 for the in person processing fee OR £54 for the mail processing fee Another site with very helpful information about the process is Travel China Guide. All prices, requirements and procedures are subject to change so please check with your local authorities for the most up to date information. IrelandWe have a small Irish contigent coming this summer, and we are very excited about that. For information on obtaining your China visa in Ireland, please go to China Embassy in Ireland. Also note the General Information above about type of visa and instructions about filling in the form. These apply to everyone.
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IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE STAYING LONGER THAN 60 DAYS:
If you are staying in China longer than the length given (60 days or 90 days) and you are issued a multi-entry visa, you will need to exit China and return which will give you another 60 or 90 days OR you may obtain one 30 day extension. Please plan for this cost if you have an extended stay.
If you are staying in China longer than the length given (60 days or 90 days) and you are issued a multi-entry visa, you will need to exit China and return which will give you another 60 or 90 days OR you may obtain one 30 day extension. Please plan for this cost if you have an extended stay.