Types of port visas

Foreigners, who need to enter China urgently for humanitarian reasons, who are invited to enter China for urgent business affairs or urgent engineering repair or who enter China as required for other urgencies and hold certifications on the consent of the relevant competent departments to application for visa at ports of entry, may, at the ports of entry approved by the State Council to issue port visas, apply for a port visa to the port visa offices as authorized by the Ministry of Public Security. Travel agencies which organize inbound tourism according to the relevant state provisions may apply for a group tourist visa to the port visa issuers.

Application materials that need to be submitted for port visa

Foreigners who have no time to get the Chinese visa due to urgent reasons may apply for a port visa to the port visa offices in person, and may also entrust a commissioned agency or travel agency to apply for a visa.

Foreigners who apply for a visa at the port shall present their own passports or other international travel credentials, fill out the application for a port visa by the foreigners, submit qualified photos of their own as well as the invitation letter related to handling the urgent affairs, certification documents or invitation letter issued by the travel agency.

Here the invitation letter or certification documents refer to:

(1) To apply for the C visa, the applicant shall be required to submit the invitation letter provided by the competent department of the people’s government at or above the county level as well as such transport companies as civil aviation, railways, highways, ports to illustrate the urgent reasons for entry.

(2) To apply for the F visa, the applicant shall be required to submit the certification material issued by the competent department illustrating its consent to application for a port visa.

(3) To apply for the L visa for a group tour, the foreign travel group with two or more persons shall be required to submit the invitation letter provided by the qualified travel agency; list of persons as well as the travel and reception plan.

(4) To apply for the M visa, the applicant shall be required to submit the invitation letter issued by the authorized entity or the entity being recorded illustrating the purpose of urgent entry; as to other inviting entity, the applicant shall be required to submit the itinerary and reception plan related to the activities conducted entering into China, the invitation letter illustrating the purpose for urgent entry, and the relevant certification of lawful registration.

(5) To apply for the Q2 visa, the applicant shall be required to submit the invitation letter provided by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent residence showing the relationship of family members and the purpose for urgent entry as well as the identity certificate of the inviting individual.

(6) To apply for the R visa, the applicant shall be required to submit the certification documents issued by the relevant competent department of personnel as well as the invitation letter issued by the inviting entity illustrating the purpose for urgent entry.

(7) To apply for the S2 visa, the applicant for visiting a relative shall be required to submit the invitation letter issued by the foreigner residing in China illustrating relationship of family members and the purpose for urgent entry, as well as the passport and residence permit of the inviting individual; where the applicant handles other private affairs entering China, the applicant shall be required to submit the relevant certification documents illustrating his or her entering China for the handling of urgent private affairs or for urgent humanitarian reasons.

Cities that can issue port visas

At present time, there are more than 70 ports opened to outside in more than 50 cities in China that can issue port visas. Cities that can issue port visas at present include: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Dalian, Shenyang, Yingkou, Dandong, Rizhao, Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Changchun, Hunchun, Kunming, Hekou, Mohan, Manzhouli, Erenhot, Hailaer, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Zhongshan, Haikou, Sanya, Urumchi, Nanjing, Lianyungang, Guilin, Nanning, Xi’an, Chengdu, Harbin, Dongning, Suifenhe, Fuyuan, Tongjiang, Heihe, Wuhan, Changsha, Guiyang, and Yinchuan.