Americans must have a tourist visa in order to enter China. Luckily, the process is relatively simple, requiring only an application form, passport photos, application fee and passport. You can submit an application in person to the Chinese embassy or consulate or via an approved passport carrying agency. Due to the possibility of delay for any reason, you should submit the application at least one month prior to your planned trip or risk the possibility of a canceled trip.

Application

Chinese visa applicants must download the visa application form found at the website of the Chinese Embassy to the United States under the "Visa" section labeled "Tourist Visa" (also called an "L" Visa). Find a link to the application form in the resources listed below. Fill in the form by typing straight into the PDF file; do not write in your information by hand. Print when complete. You may also download this form easily from the Visa Express resource below. Along with the visa application form, you need to present your passport and a photocopy of its information page. Your passport must be valid for at least six months out and have at least one blank page inside. If your passport is full, you must have extra pages added to it before presenting it to the consulate. You also need to attach two identical passport size photos (2 inches by 2 inch on white background) to your application form.

Visa Type and Fees

There are five types of tourist visas an American citizen can apply for. They are single entry, double entry, multiple entry for six months, multiple entry for 12 months and multiple entry for 24 months. The visa fee for all types is U.S. $130. For passport holders from other countries, the fees vary. All "entries" are classified as stays of no longer than 30 days. Upon approval of the visa, the visa holder has 90 days to enter China or the visa will expire and the applicant must apply again. Pay the fee with Visa, MasterCard, money order or cashier's check. Make all checks payable to the Chinese Embassy. Personal checks and cash will not be accepted.

Submission

Make your submission either in person at the embassy or consulate or through a visa courier agency (such as Travel Visa Pro or Visa Express). Applications sent by mail, UPS or Fedex will be returned without review. The consulate or embassy that you submit to depends on the state in which you live in; only the embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your residential region has the power to grant you a visa. To find your appropriate consulate, access the homepage of the Chinese Embassy to the United States (China-Embassy.org) and select "Chinese Visa..." on the left side of the screen and choose link "Embassy and consulates" halfway down the page. Upon submission, the processing time is usually four days. For express processing, expect to wait two to three days with a $20 fee. Same-day pick-up is available for an extra $30 fee.

Source:

Embassy of the People's Republic of China to the United States of America

More Information:

Visa Express

Travel Visa Pro

Chinese Tourist Visa Application