Introduction to Chinese Visa
A visa is a type of entry permit issued by a country’s authorized government agencies in accordance with its laws and regulations for foreigners entering, exiting or transiting through the country. According to international law and practices, any sovereign state has the right to independently decide whether to allow a foreigner to enter or exit from its borders, and whether to issue a visa, reject a visa application or revoke an issued visa according to its national laws.
In accordance with the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners and other relevant regulations, Chinese visa offices abroad are entitled to make the decision on visa type, number of entries, period of validity, and duration of stay, and to decide whether to reject a visa application or revoke an issued visa. Except for cases where visas are exempted according to relevant agreements and regulations, foreigners are required to apply for and obtain Chinese visas before entering China.
Foreigners traveling to the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, and the Macao SAR of China are required to apply for corresponding visas separately.
Apply for Ordinary Visas
Application Procedures
1. Fill out the Visa Application Form online on the Website of the Chinese Visa Service Center, submit relevant documents and obtain the preliminary check. For more details, please visit the website of the Chinese Visa Service Center.
2. Submit the ordinary passport in person to the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Bucharest and have all ten fingerprints collected there. Holders of diplomatic or service passports (if required Chinese visa), as well as applicants eligible for diplomatic, official or courtesy visa can submit their passports directly to the Chinese Embassy.
The following applicants can be exempted from fingerprint collection (and they can authorize other persons to submit visa applications on their behalf):
(1) Applicants under the age of 14 or over the age of 70;
(2) Diplomatic passport holders, or applicants eligible for diplomatic, service or courtesy visas;
(3) Applicants who have applied for visas at the same Chinese embassy, consulate or Chinese Visa Application Service Center with the same passport, with fingerprints already collected, within the past five years;
(4) Applicants with all ten fingers amputated or the fingerprint of none of whose ten fingers can be collected;
(5) Applicants for single or double-entry visas (within 180 days of stay) are exempted from fingerprint collection before and on December 31, 2025, according to the announcement of the Chinese Government.
Documents Required
1. Passport: the original passport with over 6 months’ validity and blank visa pages, and a photocopy of the information page of the passport
2. Visa Application Form and Photo: a printed copy of the Visa Application Form completed online, and a paper photo that is the same as the one uploaded in the application form
3. Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to those not applying for visas in their country of citizenship)
4. Previous Chinese passport (applicable to foreign citizens who used to be Chinese citizens) or previous Chinese visas:
4.1 If a foreign citizen who used to be a Chinese citizen is applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, the original previous Chinese passport and a photocopy of its information page should be submitted.
4.2 If a foreign citizen who was issued a Chinese visa before is applying for a Chinese visa with a different foreign passport, a photocopy of the information page of the previous passport and a photocopy of the previous Chinese visa should be submitted.
4.3 If the name on the current foreign passport differs from that on the previous Chinese passport or the previous Chinese visa, an official document issued by competent authorities on the name change should be submitted.
5. Other documents required for different visa types are listed as follows:
Visa Type | Purpose | Required Documents |
L | Tourist | Air ticket booking record (round trip) and proof of hotel reservation, or an invitation letter issued by an entity or individual in China |
M | Business and trade | (1) An invitation letter issued by a trading partner in China; (2) For other commercial activities, other proof documents or supplementary materials as required. |
F | Non-commercial activities such as exchanges, visits, and study tours | An invitation letter issued by the relevant entity or individual in China |
Z | Work | The original Notice for the Work Permit for Foreigners or Work Permit for Foreigners |
X1 | Long-term study (for more than 180 days) | (1) A photocopy of the Confirmation Form for Study in China (Form JW201 or Form JW202) and the original or a photocopy of the Admission Letter issued by the school in China; (2) The original or a photocopy of the Confirmation Form for Elementary-Stage Foreign Students to Study in China, if the applicant is a foreign student of the primary/elementary or junior/senior high school level. |
X2 | Short-term study (for no more than 180 days) | The original or a photocopy of the Admission Notice issued by the receiving institution in China |
Q1 | Family reunion (for more than 180 days) for family members of Chinese citizens, or family members of foreigners with Chinese permanent resident status, and for those who intend to enter and stay in China for the purpose of foster care
*“Family members” refers to spouses, parents, parents-in-law, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, and granddaughters. | (1) An invitation letter issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent resident status residing in China; (2) A photocopy of the inviter’s Chinese ID card or foreign passport and the permanent resident ID card; (3) The original and a photocopy of the certification (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate) showing kinship between the applicant and the inviter.
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Q2 | Short-term family visit (for no more than 180 days) to a relative who is a Chinese citizen residing in China or a foreigner with Chinese permanent resident status residing in China | (1) An invitation letter issued by the Chinese citizen or foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent resident status residing in China; (2) A photocopy of the Chinese ID card or the foreign passport and the permanent resident ID card of the inviter. |
S1 | Long-term family visit (for more than 180 days) to a foreigner working or studying in China, to whom the visitor is a spouse, parent, son or daughter under the age of 18, or parent-in-law, or long-term stay in China for other private affairs | (1) An invitation letter from the inviter (the foreigner residing in China); (2) A photocopy of the inviter’s passport and residence permit; (3) The original and a photocopy of the certification (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate) showing kinship between the applicant and the inviter.
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S2 | Short-term family visit (for no more than 180 days) to a foreigner working or studying in China, to whom the visitor is a family member, or short-term stay in China for other private affairs
*“Family members” refers to spouses, parents, parents-in-law, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, and granddaughters. | For family visits: (1) An invitation letter from the inviter (the foreigner residing in China); (2) A photocopy of the inviter’s passport and residence permit; (3) The original and a photocopy of the certification (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate) showing kinship between the applicant and the inviter. For other private affairs: relevant documents as required |
R | High-level foreign talents or foreigners whose skills are urgently needed in China. | Confirmation Letter for High-Level Foreign Talents |
C | Foreign crew members of means of international transportation, including aircraft, trains and ships, or motor vehicle drivers engaged in cross-border transport activities, or the accompanying family members of the crew members of the above-mentioned ships. | Guarantee Letter from the foreign transport company or an invitation letter from a relevant entity in China |
D | Applicants who intend to reside in China permanently | Confirmation Form for Foreigner’s Permanent Resident Status |
G | Applicants who intend to transit through China | 1. An onward air (train or ship) ticket with confirmed date to the destination country or region; 2. Seafarers coming to China's open ports and other places must submit a guarantee letter from the foreign shipping company (or the foreign shipping agency). |
J1 | Resident foreign journalists of foreign news organizations stationed in China | Visa Notification Letter issued by the Department of Press, Communication and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China |
J2 | Foreign journalists who intend to enter China for short-term news coverage | Visa Notification Letter issued by the Department of Press, Communication and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China or other authorized entities in China |
Group L | Group tourists | Invitation Letter for Tourist Group issued by the authorized Tourism Unit |
6. For visa applications for emergency humanitarian reasons (such as attending a funeral or visiting a person critically ill), relevant proof documents should be submitted.
Special Reminders
1. On filling in the form online:
Please read the system prompts carefully and fill in the form in a truthful, complete, and accurate manner, and upload the the photo of the applicant in line with the standards. If such information as the name, gender, date of birth, passport number, passport issuance country, etc. is incorrect, or the photo is of someone else, or the key information in the application form is intentionally concealed or falsely stated, the application will be rejected or returned, and the applicant will need to submit a new application form online.
2. On the invitation letter:
The invitation letter can be a fax, photocopy, or printout, unless otherwise specified. The invitation letter should contain:
(1) Information on the applicant: name, gender, date of birth, and nationality, etc.
(2) Information on the visit: purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place(s) of visit, relations between the applicant and the inviter entity or individual, and financial sources for expenditures in China, etc.
(3) Information on the inviter entity or individual: name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, nationality and signature of the inviter individual or of the legal representative of the inviter entity, etc.
3. If necessary, the consular officer may require the applicant to provide other proof documents or supplementary materials, or require an interview with the applicant on a case-by-case basis.
Apply for Diplomatic, Service or Courtesy Visas
Start visa application online at the website of the Chinese Visa Service Center by creating an account, submit the relevant documents and obtain the preliminary check. For more details, please visit the website of the Chinese Visa Service Center. Print out the confirmation page and the full application form (double-sided printing recommended) and bring it with the original passport which should be valid for at least 6 months and have blank visa pages. Please also prepare one photocopy of the information page of the passport, one paper photo same as the one uploaded in the application form (the digital version as well), the relevant Note Verbal, the invitation letter and other required documents. The documents should be submitted to the Chinese Embassy in Romania directly, without prior appointment, during the working hours with the public: Monday and Wednesday from 2 PM to 4 PM, Friday from 9AM to 11:30AM (except public holidays).
Processing Time and Fees
Regular service: 4 working days.
Express service: 3 working days, an additional fee of 100 Lei per visa will be charged.
Fee rates (currency: RON)
Number of Entries Nationality | Single | Double | Six-Months Multiple | Over Six-Months Multiple |
Romania | 210 | 315 | 420 | 630 |
Third country | 113 | 169 | 225 | 338 |
United States | 630 | |||
Canada | 218 | |||
Serbia | 8 | |||
Israel | 83 | |||
Argentina | 413 | |||
Brazil | 398 | |||
Panama | 165 | |||
Payment Methods:
The Chinese Visa Service Center in Bucharest collects the fees on behalf of the Chinese Embassy. The application service fee is an extra charge that is to be added to the visa fee. The total amount can be checked on the website of the Chinese Visa Service Center.
Notes:
1. Please be noted that the above-mentioned processing time is for normal cases. Some individual applications may need a longer processing time. Should this occur, please wait patiently for further notification from the embassy or consulate.
2. In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, Chinese visa fees for some foreign citizens not applying in their countries of citizenship may be different from those stated above. Please take the embassy or consulate’s explanation as the final authority.
3. Visa Application Service Center collects application service fees.
Visa Exemption
1. Bilateral Agreement. According to the bilateral treaties or agreements signed or reached between China and some foreign countries, citizens of these countries who meet certain requirements may enter China without visas. For specific information, please refer to the List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption Between China and Foreign Countries.
2. Direct Transit. Foreigners who hold connected passengers tickets and are in transit to a third country or region by an international aircraft, ship or train via China do not need a Chinese visa, if they stay for no more than 24 hours in China without leaving the port of entry.
3. 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit. For information on China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy, Regional Visa-Free Entry Policy and other Visa-Free Policies, please refer to the website of the National Immigration Administration of China.
From 30th November 2024 to 31st December 2025, Romanian citizens who hold ordinary passport and are travelling to China for business, tourism, family visit, exchange visit or transit purposes, with the duration not exceeding 30 days, are eligible for visa free entry. Individuals who do not meet the visa-free conditions mentioned above still need to apply for a visa before entering China.
According to the relevant regulations on visa-waiver, citizens of Romania holding a valid diplomatic passport may stay in the territory of China for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period, for traveling purposes. Romanian citizens holding a valid service passports can spend in China up to 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
1. Visa terminology
(1) Expiry date
Expiry date of a visa refers to the period that the visa holder is allowed to enter China. Unless otherwise specified, a visa holder may enter China at any time prior to expiry of validity (right up to midnight Beijing Time on the final day of validity), so long as the entries granted on the visa have not been used up.
(2) Number of entries
The number of entries of a visa refers to the number of times the visa holder is permitted to enter China within the visa’s validity. When the entries are all used up, the visa is no longer valid. Even if there are still unused entries, the visa is not valid either if its validity has already expired. In either case, the visa holder should apply for a new visa if another visit to China is planned. An applicant will be refused entry to China if the visa is not valid.
(3) Duration of Stay
Duration of stay of a visa refers to the longest period the visa holder is allowed to stay in China calculated from the day of entry to China on each visit.
Visa for Hong Kong and Macao SARs
Visa for Hong Kong SAR of China
1. Citizens of Romania may travel to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China visa-free for a short-term visit or for tourism purposes and stay in HKSAR for up to 90 days.
2. For citizens of other countries, please visit the website of HKSAR Immigration Department to see whether visas are needed to go to HKSAR.
3. Foreign citizens should obtain visas before entering HKSAR if they intend to stay in HKSAR longer than the visa waiver period, or the purpose of visit is to work, take up residence, study or receive training in HKSAR.
4. Applications for visas for HKSAR can be made to Chinese diplomatic or consular missions abroad or directly to the HKSAR Immigration Department. It is up to the applicant to decide which way to apply.
5. For the Requirements and Application Procedures , please refer to the website of HKSAR Immigration Department.
Visa for Macao SAR of China
1. Please check the visa requirement or visa-free arrangements by visiting the website of the Macao SAR Public Security Police Force.
2. Apart from diplomatic passport holders, other citizens of Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam should apply for a visa at Chinese diplomatic or consular missions abroad before entering Macao SAR.
3. For the Requirements and Application Procedures , please refer to the website of the Macao SAR Public Security Police Force.