- Necessary Written Materials
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- Must I have a visa to visit China?
- Can I get an on-arrival visa at any airport?
- My trip will take me back to the Chinese mainland again after visiting in Hong Kong. Should I apply for a single or a double-entry visa?
- How do I apply for my visa to China?
- Should I apply for a Hong Kong visa?
- What should I do if I lose my passport before I leave China?
- Is a Tibet Travel Permit necessary to enter Lhasa?
- How can I get a Tibet Travel Permit?
- Question: Must I have a visa to visit China?
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Answer: Yes, non-Chinese passport or ID holders must have a valid China visa to enter China.
Usually all rooms have a water heater or thermos and boiled water is available 24/7 free of charge. Bottled water is also available in stores and at street stalls. - Question: Can I get an on-arrival visa at any airport?
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Answer: In some cases, it is possible to obtain an on-arrival visa, but it is best to get your visa in advance. To get an on-arrival visa, you need to go through a complicated procedure; also, it is not certain that your application will be granted.
- Question: My trip will take me back to the Chinese mainland again after visiting in Hong Kong. Should I apply for a single or a double-entry visa?
Answer: You will need a double-entry visa. -
- Question: How do I apply for my visa to China?
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Answer: You need to have a valid passport and photos, fill out an application form and contact a Chinese Embassy in Foreign Countries by person or through an agent. You can read more details at the following page: China Visa and Passport.
- Question: Should I apply for a Hong Kong visa?
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Answer: People who hold certain passports do not need visas for Hong Kong during a specified period. You need to apply for a Hong Kong visa in a Chinese Embassy or the HKSAR Immigration Department if you do not hold the following passport or wish to stay longer:
Nationality of foreign country (Territory)/ Type of Travel Document Visa free period for visit not exceeding ALGERIA 14 Days ANDORRA 90 Days ANGOLA Diplomatic/Official Passport 14 Days ANGUILLA 90 Days ANTIGUA & BARBUDA 90 Days ARGENTINA 90 Days AUSTRALIA 90 Days AUSTRIA 90 Days BAHAMAS 90 Days BAHRAIN 14 Days BANGLADESH 14 Days BARBADOS 90 Days BELGIUM 90 Days BELIZE 90 Days BENIN 14 Days BERMUDA 90 Days BHUTAN 14 Days BOLIVIA 30 Days BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 14 Days BOTSWANA 90 Days BRAZIL 90 Days BRITAIN (British citizens) 180 Days BRITAIN (British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects and British Protected persons) 90 Days BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY 90 Days BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 90 Days BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 90 Days BRUNEI 90 Days BULGARIA 90 Days BURKINA FASO 14 Days BURUNDI Diplomatic/Official Passport 14 Days CAMEROON Diplomatic/Official Passport 14 Days CANADA 90 Days CAPE VERDE (REPUBLIC OF) 30 Days CAYMAN ISLANDS 90 Days CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 14 Days CHAD 14 Days CHILE 90 Days COLOMBIA 90 Days COMOROS 14 Days CONGO (REPUBLIC OF) 14 Days COSTA RICA 30 Days CROATIA 14 Days CYPRUS (REPUBLIC OF) 90 Days CZECH REPUBLIC 90 Days DENMARK 90 Days DJIBOUTI 14 Days DOMINICA (COMMONWEALTH OF) 90 Days DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 30 Days ECUADOR 90 Days EGYPT 90 Days EL SALVADOR 30 Days EQUATORIAL GUINEA 14 Days ESTONIA 90 Days ETHIOPIA Diplomatic/Official Passport 14 Days FALKLAND ISLANDS & DEPENDENCIES 90 Days FAROE ISLANDS 90 Days FIJI 90 Days FINLAND 90 Days FRANCE 90 Days GABON 14 Days GAMBIA 90 Days GERMANY 90 Days GHANA 14 Days GIBRALTAR 90 Days GREECE 90 Days GREENLAND 90 Days GUATEMALA 30 Days GUINEA 14 Days GUINEA-BISSAU 14 Days GUYANA 90 Days HAITI 14 Days HONDURAS 30 Days HUNGARY 90 Days ICELAND 90 Days INDIA 14 Days INDONESIA 30 Days IRELAND (REPUBLIC OF) 90 Days ISRAEL 90 Days ITALY 90 Days JAMAICA 90 Days JAPAN 90 Days JORDAN 14 Days KENYA 90 Days KIRIBATI 90 Days KOREA (REPUBLIC OF) 90 Days Nationality of foreign country (Territory)/ Type of Travel Document Visa free period for visit not exceeding KUWAIT 14 Days LATVIA 90 Days LESOTHO 14 Days LIECHTENSTEIN 90 Days LITHUANIA 90 Days LUXEMBOURG 90 Days MACEDONIA 14 Days MADAGASCAR 14 Days MALAWI 90 Days MALAYSIA 90 Days MALDIVES 90 Days MALI 14 Days MALTA 90 Days MARSHALL ISLANDS (REPUBLIC OF) 14 Days MAURITANIA 14 Days MAURITIUS 90 Days MEXICO 90 Days MICRONESIA (FEDERATED STATES OF) 14 Days MONACO 90 Days MONGOLIA 14 Days MONTSERRAT 90 Days MOROCCO 30 Days MOZAMBIQUE 14 Days NAMIBIA 90 Days NAURU 90 Days NETHERLANDS 90 Days NEW ZEALAND 90 Days NIGER 14 Days NORWAY 90 Days OMAN 14 Days PAKISTAN Diplomatic/Official Passport 14 Days PALAU 14 Days PAPUA NEW GUINEA 90 Days PARAGUAY 30 Days PERU 30 Days PHILIPPINES 14 Days PITCAIRN, HENDERSON, DUCIE & OENO ISLANDS 90 Days POLAND 90 Days PORTUGAL 90 Days QATAR 14 Days ROMANIA 90 Days RWANDA 14 Days SAMOA (WESTERN) 30 Days SAN MARINO 90 Days SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE 14 Days SAUDI ARABIA 14 Days SEYCHELLES 90 Days SINGAPORE 90 Days SLOVAK REPUBLIC 90 Days SLOVENIA 90 Days SOUTH AFRICA 30 Days SPAIN 90 Days SRI LANKA Diplomatic/Official Passport 14 Days ST. HELENA 90 Days ST. HELENA DEPENDENCIES (ASCENSION, TRISTAN DA CUNHA) 90 Days ST. KITTS - NEVIS ANGUILLA 90 Days ST. LUCIA 90 Days ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 90 Days SURINAME 14 Days SWAZILAND 90 Days SWEDEN 90 Days SWITZERLAND 90 Days TANZANIA 90 Days THAILAND 30 Days THE SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS 90 Days THE SOVEREIGN BASE AREAS OF AKROTIRI AND DHEKELIA 90 Days TOGO 14 Days TONGA 90 Days TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 90 Days TUNISIA 30 Days TURKEY 90 Days TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS 90 Days TUVALU 30 Days UGANDA 90 Days UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 30 Days URUGUAY 90 Days U.S.A. 90 Days US TRUST TERRITORY OF PACIFIC ISLANDS (holders of US Trust Territory passports only) 14 Days VANUATU 90 Days VATICAN CITY 14 Days VENEZUELA 90 Days YEMEN (REPUBLIC OF) 30 Days ZAMBIA 90 Days ZIMBABWE 90 Days
- Question: What should I do if I lose my passport before I leave China?
- Answer: If you lose your passport, tell your guide immediately. Your guide will accompany you to the Public Security Bureau, where they will issue you a certificate. You then must apply for a new passport in person with this certificate at the nearest embassy of your country. When you get your new passport, you need to return to the Public Security Bureau to apply for a new visa, so that you can leave China.
- Question: Is a Tibet Travel Permit necessary to enter Lhasa?
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Answer: All non-Chinese passport holders and non-Chinese ID holders must have a Tibet Travel Permit. People who have Hong Kong passports and Macau passports do not need Tibet Travel Permits.
- Question: How can I get a Tibet Travel Permit?
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Answer: Foreigners must be on an organized tour in order for a Tibet Travel Permit to be issued, which is usually done about ten days prior to arrival in Tibet. Foreigners need to provide their travel agencies with copies of valid passports and visas and also some additional information, so their travel agencies can apply for the permits.