Applying for a Chinese Visa: How to Insure a Smooth Process

Then Comes the Online Application

China now uses the China Online Visa Application system, where you create an account, complete the application and upload the required documents for preliminary review.

China Online Visa Application System

This is not a five-minute form.

There are nine sections, covering personal information, visa type, employment, education, family, your proposed trip, previous travel and assorted declarations. You can save the application and return to it, which is a very good idea.

The employment section asks for your work history for the previous five years. Education and family information are also required. Previous travel comes into play as well.

In my case, since recent visits included Turkey and Uzbekistan, I had to detail my last five years of travel complete with dates!

My advice: don’t begin this when you have twenty minutes before dinner.

Gather your passport, previous Chinese visa if you’ve had one, travel dates, employment information, education details and family information first. Make yourself a cup of tea. Possibly something stronger later.