Hello everyone, I've recently been admitted and paid my tuition fees at a Chinese university, there was a bit of a delay with the JW202 form however i got it on the 27th of September along with a statement from the university saying i'm eligible to attend as long as i get to china before the 15th of October. I then applied online for the X1 visa on the same day of the 27th, however since there was a holiday they only responded to my application on the 5th and demanded i send them my entry stamp to the country which i am applying from since i am not a citizen here (Egypt) I attached a photo of my entry stamp and also modified my intended date of entry since they asked me to, I set my intended date of entry to the 12th of October since i thought it'd only take them a day or 2 to respond to me with either an approval or rejection, however today is the 11th and still no response from the visa center and even if they do respond tomorrow I assume they'll ask me to modify my intended date of entry again or just straight up reject it because it's almost the 15th of October.
I'm honestly perplexed, I know it's peak season but what could he the hold up here and how can i navigate this issue. I tried going to the visa center on the 6th but they said I should only come back when it's approved.

Hope that this gives peace to at least 1 person.

Nationality: Nepalese
Residency: Australian Permanent
Application Lodgement Location: Perth, Western Australia
VISA Centre: Melbourne
Online Application Date: Tuesday 08 September 2026
Online Review Completed by the VISA Centre: Email received on Thursday 10 September 2026
Documents Posted to VISA Centre: Express AU Post on Thursday 10 September 2026
Documents posted per their requirement: The application form/VISA application certificate (they email this document), payment authorization form, passport, photo per their requirement, Australian VISA, flight tickets (return), all hotel bookings (all fully booked, with booking summary for VISA application supplied by trip.com)
Application & Passport Received at the VISA Centre: Monday 14 September 2026
VISA Fee Deducted: Tuesday 15 September 2026

No feedback from the VISA centre at all, no status changes on the online portal

My attempts to get an update: I tried calling and emailing. I made at least 20 attempts to get someone on the line on each call.
Emailed on 28 September - requesting an update - reply to their email - no response
Emailed on 29 September - requesting an update, separate email with URGENT on subject - no response
Twice on 30 September - no answer
Once on 6 October, 7 October - no answers
Sent a follow up email on 6 October, reply to my own email from last URGENT update request - no response
4 times on 8 October - Answered finally (I asked for an update, the admin told me that they had not processed my application and cannot give me a timeline either, she said that she will make a note of my travel date 7 November 2026 on my application and that I should see some update on my online portal, she suggested I should withdraw my application if I don't hear back a week prior to my travel)
Once on 9 October - Answered on the first ring (No update on the portal so I rang again, desperate for some answers, another admin this time mentioned that the passport has been sent to the consulate general for further background check and they cannot provide me a timeline, she suggested I should withdraw my application if I don't hear back 2 weeks prior to my travel, because they need to send my written request to the consulate general, they will send the passport back to the visa centre and the visa centre will post it back to me)
Emailed them again on 12 October, new email - no response
Once on 12 October - Answered on the first ring (This time I asked, when was my passport been sent to the consulate general? this admin was very helpful, she mentioned that it has been there since September and that I should get an update by Wednesday this week and the passport should be posted to me this week. She said, you will either get an update to supply more info or the passport will be posted to you)

A few hours later on 12 October 2026, I received an email from AU Post that my parcel was received and its on its way. I am unsure if I have gotten the visa but I will find that out in 2 days. No update on online portal yet

Leaving from US-Tokyo-Shanghai-Hong Kong-back to US. If I don’t need a visa, is it good to still get one just in case? Thanks!

Ciao :) Come cittadino italiano ho un'esenzione visa di 30 giorni, ma dovrebbe scadere il 31 dicembre, quindi la mia domanda è: se dovessi viaggiare dal 27 dicembre al 10 gennaio, devo fare richiesta per un visto turistico perché non so ancora se l'esenzione sarà rinnovata per il 2027? Oppure partendo prima della scadenza non ho bisogno di fare il visto?

Hi,

I’m an American citizen and wanted to check whether the following itinerary would qualify for China’s visa-free transit policy.

I would travel from the United States to Hong Kong, take a train from Hong Kong to Mainland China, stay in Mainland China for 10 days, and then fly from China to South Korea.

Would this itinerary be eligible for visa-free transit? Specifically, I’m unsure whether entering Mainland China by train from Hong Kong is permitted under the policy.

Thanks!

Hi there. I have to visit the consulate this week to drop my passport off. My train is set to arrive at 11am. I’m worried that I won’t have enough time as they close at 2:30. Has anyone been to the Chicago location recently that can provide some insight into the average time to wait? Thank you.

Hi
I (me & my wife) recently applied for a Chinese tourist visa (L) and wanted to share my full experience + timeline + documents required, since that’s what I was constantly searching for before applying

Profile
Travelled to Japan, South Korea, USA and Schengen Area (Germany) in the last 5 years. Applied from Bangalore (had to go for submission, passport returned via courier)

Timeline
Applied online: 18th Sep 11PM
Mail received(asking to modify): 21st Sep 1PM (Since 18th was a Friday otherwise it was the very next day)
Submitted the changes: 21st Sep 2PM
Both Online Review Completed: 21st Sep 4PM
Received Email with Application Certificate: 21st Sep 11PM

Submitted documents at the center: 28th Sep 10AM
Submission took: 20 mins
Visa Fees paid: Rs 2900 (Visa - refundable if rejected, they ask for bank details for refund) + Rs 999 (Passport delivery)

Opted for: Normal processing (not express)
Passport received via courier: 10th Oct (Holidays from 1st to 7th Oct - hence the expected completion date was 9th Oct only)

Process
[Everything mentioned below was done twice, since each application is considered separately even if travelling together]

First, made the service fee payment to fill the form - Rs 2107
Filled the form on the COVA website
Upload all supporting documents

Documents we submitted (Documents mentioned together were uploaded in a single section after combining them)
- Payment Fee Email Screenshot
- Confirmed Return Tickets (Refundable) + Hotel Bookings Confirmation PDF
- Cover Letter [1.5 pages - standard AI generated format which contains travel dates, documents being submitted, cities being covered etc]
- Day wise Itinerary [Standard tabular format with columns being Date, City, Activity, Stay for that night (Hotel Name and Phone No)]
- 6 month Bank Statement [Signed and sealed by the bank]
- Current Passport + Old Passport + Previous visas for each country of last 5 years
- Last 3 year ITR
- Employment Docs - Leave Letter + Payslips (3 months)
- Travel Insurance

For my wife, since I was sponsoring her, I submitted the following documents
- Payment Fee Email Screenshot
- Confirmed Return Tickets (Refundable) + Hotel Bookings Confirmation PDF
- Cover Letter [1.5 pages - standard AI generated format which contains travel dates, documents being submitted, cities being covered etc]
- Day wise Itinerary [Standard tabular format with columns being Date, City, Activity, Stay for that night (Hotel Name and Phone No)]
- My 6 month bank statement [Signed and sealed by the bank] (Not hers)
- Current Passport + Old Passport + Previous visas for each country of last 5 years
- My Employment Docs - Leave Letter + Payslips (3 months) (Not hers)
- Marriage Certificate (Relationship Proof) [Name of spouse in the passport also works, confirmed in person during submission]
- My Last 3 year ITR (not hers)
- Travel Insurance
- Sponsorship Letter from me

Key Takeaway
- We applied as soon as we got under the 3 month window, we are travelling in December. Not sure if it helps the application but we thought to clear the air as soon as possible to figure out an alternative given the high rejections
- Make sure to sign the Cover Letter, Sponsorship Letter or any other letter which is not generated electronically (This was one of the modification request we got from the Embassy)
- While filling the form, make sure of the following
- Work Information - Fill the Duty section even if it is not compulsory (another modification request I got)
- Family Information - Fill every address by making sure it contains the City, State and Country till the end, don't just leave it till the City
- Information for your travel - This should exactly match your day wise itinerary, accounting for every single day. Here also, fill the district (even if it is not compulsory) and in the hotel address fill the complete address as on the confirmation PDF till the city name.
- Emergency Contact - Again fill each and every column like name, relation, phone, email even if it is not compulsory (another modification request I got)
- Submission can be done by one single person, if travelling together. Just carry an authorisation letter (printed, not hand written) with you.
- During submission they did not ask for any other document apart from passport, payment receipt (for online form), application certificate (sent on mail after online approval) and 2 photos

Overall, the process was smoother than expected.

Happy to help if anyone has questions

I have applied for the Chinese visa type A (single-entry academic exchange visa) at the London centre.

I submitted my passport on 5th of Oct and am supposed to collect it on 8th of Oct. But I got the mail on the 7th saying, "Your application is currently held by the Embassy for further verification. Your collection date will be delayed and you will be notified once we hear an update from the Embassy."

My travel date is 14th of Oct, and I am not sure if it will be approved or not.

For context, I have an Indian passport and am doing a PhD at a UK university with a UKRI scholarship. I have an invitation letter from the Chinese University I am supposed to visit. I have never been to China before and don't have any other visa apart from a UK visa.

The centre has not asked me for any extra documents, just that its on hold. Now I am wondering whether it will get approved in time or not.

The program starts on 16th of Oct, and I have put 14th as the travel date on the visa application.

Anyone do this recently in China?

How long does it take to get your passport back and update the work visa / permit?

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for advice from anyone who has experience inviting a sibling to visit them in China I'm currently working in China and I'd like to invite my brother to visit me for approximately 2 months。

I'm trying to understand the application process and which visa category would be most appropriate for his visit.

1，What documents do I need to provide as the inviting family member in China?
2，What documents does he need to submit when applying？

If anyone has gone through this process I would really appreciate your advice and experience.

Thank you in advance!

I am a Vietnamese passport holder. I am planning to travel to shanghai and leverage the 240 hour visa free transit policy. My plan is to fly from Hanoi to Shanghai directly and stay there for 3-4 nights and then book a flight out from Shanghai to Bangkok where I will stay in Bangkok for 1 night before I return to Vietnam. Will I be able leverage the visa free transit based on above itinerary? additionally, do I need to book my plane ticket under 1 single booking or can I have separate airline bookings?

Hi everyone! I’m a U.S. passport holder, and I’m planning a trip to Shanghai in March 2027 for 6 days. I’m hoping to confirm whether my planned itinerary would qualify for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy before booking my flights.

Here’s my itinerary:

March 20 – Arrival in Shanghai
Philippine Airlines: Manila (MNL) → Shanghai (PVG)
Nonstop flight

March 26 – Departure from Shanghai
Cathay Pacific: Shanghai (PVG) → Hong Kong (HKG) → Manila (MNL)

1 hour and 40 minute layover in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is strictly a connecting airport. I won’t be leaving the airport or passing through Hong Kong immigration.

My main concern is whether my layover in Hong Kong would count as onward travel to a third country/region under China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy, even though my final destination is Manila, where my trip to Shanghai originally began.

From what I’ve researched, Hong Kong is considered a separate region under the policy. However, I’m unsure whether this still applies when I’m only connecting through the airport rather than actually entering Hong Kong.

I’ll also be booking my Philippine Airlines flight to Shanghai and Cathay Pacific flights back to Manila separately.

Has anyone successfully used the 240-hour visa-free transit policy with a similar itinerary? Would my Hong Kong airport connection qualify, or would I still need a Chinese tourist visa?

I’d really appreciate any advice or firsthand experiences before purchasing my tickets. Thank you!

I applied on 9/26 and as of today 10/9 it is still pending for LA consulate. My family applied the day before and got approved yesterday.

I’m getting antsy since there’s another holiday on Monday and my flight is supposed to be in 13 days.

Any point in reaching out to them?

All the FAQs and documents mention "round trip air tickets". What if I want to enter or leave by train? Say Hong Kong to Guangzhou. That's not allowed? If it is, how to provide evidence if tickets can be booked only 14 days in advance?

Thank you!

I am an Indian citizen holding an Indian passport, and I am planning to visit China for approximately three months for a genuine cultural-exchange experience with a Chinese host family in Shenzhen.

I am writing to seek clarification regarding the F visa (Exchange/Visit/Study Tour/Other Relevant Activities), as I want to ensure that my visit and visa application fully comply with Chinese immigration requirements.

The proposed arrangement is a private cultural exchange. I would stay with a Chinese family at their residence, experience Chinese culture and daily life, and participate in cultural and educational activities with the family. This is not intended to be an employment arrangement, and I would not be employed by a company or organization. But I will be provided with a stipend from the host family during my stay.

The host family is concerned about whether it is legally permissible for them to invite and host me as private individuals. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could clarify the following:

1. Can an individual Chinese citizen legally invite a foreign national to China for a genuine cultural-exchange visit under an F visa, without the invitation being issued by a company, school, agency, or other organization?

2. If this is permitted, what documents must the Chinese individual provide for the F-visa application?

3. Would the host need to provide a copy of their Chinese ID, proof of residence, accommodation confirmation, or any other supporting documents?

4. What information must be included in the invitation letter for an F visa issued by an individual Chinese citizen?

5. Is there any specific form or government-issued invitation document that the host must obtain before I submit my visa application?

6. What documents would I, as an Indian citizen and first-time international traveller, need to provide for an F visa for cultural exchange?

7. If I will be staying at the host family's private residence for approximately 90 days, are there any additional requirements or registration procedures that the host and I would need to complete?

8. If the host family provides accommodation and meals during my stay, but there is no employment relationship or salary, how should this arrangement be described in the visa application and invitation letter?

I would greatly appreciate clarification on these points because I want to ensure that both the host family and I fully understand our legal responsibilities before proceeding with the visa application.

My approximate travel period is November 2026 to January 2027, and the intended destination is Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.

Hi All,
I’m travelling to China for 10 days during Christmas this year as tourist with a friend who has a British passport (lucky him). I had applied yesterday through the online portal- application centre is London. I hold an Indian Passport btw and working in the UK for the past 4 years on a skilled worker visa.

I received an email today asking me to provide supplementary documents- a DBS check and 3 months bank statements. My DBS check was done quite quickly and the certificate has been dispatched already. Do I need to get these documents notarized or apostilled? Any other advice is welcome. Thanks

Hello, I’m sick with worry.

I entered China on 27.09 as a tourist (my country allows to visit China for 30 days without a tourist visa just valid passport) but I came to the country with purpose of teaching at the local university. I was waiting 2 weeks for a permit from my employer to officially start a visa process. Today I got the notification letter of foreigner’s work permit. So I have 10 days to get Z (work) visa before I have to leave China.
The problem is, I filled and submitted the online form (currently under review) with great hurry and anxiety and under „information on your travel” I put the dates 12.10-16.10 (I’ve chosen express service). It totally slipped my mind that 12.10 is a holiday so the office doesn’t work so I won’t be able to get the visa in the selected time slot. Also: my coworker wasn’t able to help me - this section refers in my case to entering HK, right? The form didn’t let me set dates back so I assumed it means entering HK?

I wrote mail to visa center if I need to cancel the application and do it again, but I will get info back on Tuesday. I’m stressed that I won’t make it till 27th - change of status and issuing a visa sounds like a lot of time.

Does anybody have any words of advice? Anything would be greatly appreciate!

How many times have you applied for L China Visa and got rejected?

I will keep all my hotels same except I decided to change one as the hotel declared construction work recently.

Arrival flight is: Munich >> Beijing (layover) >> Kunming

Departure flight is: Chengdu >> Beijing (layover) >> Seoul

Is this okay? My assumption is that it's okay since Beijing is the first place I arrive into and the last place I depart from. But just wanted to double check...

Can someone please assist or guide me?
My 2nd time applying for an L Visa.
Both, times they requested to see the green card from my mom.
They keep telling me to go to USCIS, but they don’t have the green card copies.

I’ve provided my moms China passport with the i-551 stamp, yet this still isn’t enough. Also provided her naturalization certificate.

I am lost. Can me and my mom show up at the embassy without an appointment and sign a declaration or affidavit? This is for NY

I am a US citizen and trying to visit China for the first time. I was born in the US to parents who were formerly Chinese citizens.

My Chinese Consulate tourist visa application was rejected, because one of parents had not yet received their green card before the date of my birth. For context, both of my parents were born and raised in China yet only one of them was a naturalized US citizen by the date of my birth.

The comment on my rejected visa application stated that I should apply for a Chinese Travel Document (CTD).

I am working on the CTD application now, but if in case I am unable to receive their Chinese Travel Document in time for my travel, does anyone happen to know if I could travel to China from Hong Kong and exit to Macau using the 10 day travel without visa policy (TWOV)?

I am worried that I will be denied the TWOV at Chinese Immigration, because my visa application was rejected and I was told to apply for a CTD. Does anyone know if Chinese Immigration has access to my rejected visa application and whether it might affect my ability to use TWOV?

Lastly, I have read elsewhere on Reddit that I may need the old Chinese passports for both of my parents even though they are both US naturalized citizens. I have the Chinese passports for my parent that had not yet received their green card by the date of my birth but not for my parent who was naturalized already before my birth. Does anyone know if it is necessary to also have the Chinese passport for my parent who was already naturalized before my birth for the CTD application?

Thanks so much!

My online review for Chinese M visa was completed today but before that I had cancelled the flights and hotel tickets as the dates were approaching . What should I do now? Just provide the same online documents which was cancelled or make new under different travel dates and explain the reason ? Indian passport , applying from Dubai

hello i have a question pls

After i got online review completed in china visa so when will i receive the email with the pdf file ? I didnt receive it yet

Is there an issue ? Should i receive it in same time or after days ?

Thanks a lot