Updates on Visa Application Requirements (Last Updated: August 23 , 2022)
2022-08-23 22:56

The Chinese Consulate General in New York has adjusted the requirements for visa applications for business, employment, study, family visit, or reunion purposes. Applicants residing within the consular districts (Please check the Chinese consular post that holds jurisdiction over your area of residence here) shall submit visa application following the guidance below.

I. Application Process

a) Request Submission: Request for submission of visa application should be emailed to ny_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn in the following format:

i. Subject line: “Full Name+Passport Number+Visa Category (e.g. Z Visa)”

ii. Email body: 1. Detailed statement of the purpose of visit; 2.Intended date of departure. 

iii. Attachments: Please refer to Section II: Visa Requirements for a list of essential documents. Only PDF and JPG files are accepted and do not combine all documents into one file.

b) Incomplete submission of documentation of application, which is within the current eligible categories, will be notified to provide supplementary documentation. Visa application passing the preview will be notified by email of how to mail in the hard copy of the application. 

c) Application Submission: Mail in the hard copy of the application as instructed. 

d) Application Review and Visa Processing: Visa will be granted if the application passing the review. Applicant eligible for a visa but missed to mail in requested documents or needs to provide supplementary documentation will be notified. Relevant documents will be mailed back if the application fails the review and is denied for a visa. 

II. Visa Application Requirements

Categories of Visa

Description

Required Documents

M-Visa

F-Visa

Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and technology activities, or exchanges, visits, study tours and other non-business activities.

Invitation letter issued by the inviting party in China.

1. Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages and a photocopy of the information page.

2. A photocopy of the proof of current residence in the U.S. with applicant’s name and address (e.g. utility bill, driver’s license).

3. A photocopy of the proof of full Vaccination for COVID-19 (ONLY required for M/F/ Z/S1/S2/ Q1/Q2/X1 visa application).

4. A photocopy of the proof of legal stay or residence status in the U.S. (applicable to non-U.S. citizens) .

5. Please fill out the electronic application at http://cova.mfa.gov.cn, print out the downloaded PDF file after the submission online, and sign both on the confirmation page and within the application form. (Please send only the confirmation page by email for preview and send both the confirmation page and application form for application submission by mail.)   

Z-Visa

Issued to those who intend to work in China.

Valid Notification Letter of Foreigner's Work Permit, or the Foreigner's Work Permit plus a screenshot of the scanning result of the QR code on the permit card.

S1-Visa

Issued to family members Z-visa/X1-visa holders to whom they are spouses, parents, children under the age of 18 or parents-in-law.

① A signed invitation letter from the Z-visa holder.

② Certification showing the relationship of family members between applicant and the inviting individual (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate, certification of kinship or notarized certification of kinship).

③ A photocopy of the passport of the inviting individual and the valid residence permit or visa.

S2-Visa

Issued to family members  of Z-visa/M-visa/F-visa/X1-visa  holders to whom they are spouses, parents, children under the age of 18 or parents-in-law.

① A signed invitation letter from the Z-visa/M-visa/F-visa holder

② Certification showing the relationship of family members between applicant and the inviting individual (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate, certification of kinship or notarized certification of kinship)

③ A photocopy of the passport of the inviting individual and the valid residence permit or visa.

*If an adult child or his/her spouse are in indeed need of going to China, in addition to the above documents, a signed detailed statement of circumstances for a family visit in China is required.

Q1-Visa

Q2-Visa

Issued to those who are family members of Chinese citizens or  foreigners with Chinese permanent residence permit and intend to go to China for family visit or reunion.

*"family members" refers to spouses, parents, parents-in-law, children, spouses of children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren.

①  A signed invitation letter issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen with a Chinese permanent residence permit who lives in China

② Proof of the inviting individual's Chinese identity (e.g. photocopy of the front and back sides of a Chinese ID card), or foreigner's passport information page plus the Chinese permanent residence permit 

③For Q1 visa application, certification showing the relationship of family members between applicant and the Chinese citizens or foreigners with Chinese permanent residence permit (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate, household register, certification of kinship issued by Public Security Bureau or notarized certification of kinship); For Q2 application, clear description of the relationship of family members between applicant and the Chinese citizens or foreigners with Chinese permanent residence permit in the invitation letter.

R-Visa

Issued to those who are high-level talents

Confirmation Letter for High Level Foreign Talents

*Spouses and children under the age of 18 submit proof of relationship (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate) to apply for an S2 visa

C-Visa

Issued to crew members.

A letter of guarantee issued by a foreign transport company

X1-Visa

Issued to international students for long-term diploma education

① Admission Notice(newly admitted students

)/ Certificate of Returning University(Enrolled students)

②  "Visa Application for  Study in China" (Form JW201 or Form JW202).

*From September 28, 2020(Beijing time), foreigners with valid Chinese residence permits for work, personal matters, and reunion could enter China; Starting from August 24, 2022(Beijing time), foreign students holding valid Chinese residence permits for study and holders of valid APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) (Virtual APEC Business Travel Card not included) could enter China.

Application of a visa for emergency humanitarian matters (e.g. visiting a direct family member in critical condition or attending a funeral of a direct family member), the ID of the patient or the deceased, a death certificate or a certificate of diagnosis/critical illness notice issued by a hospital, proof of kinship, etc. shall be submitted.


For diplomatic and official visas, please directly contact the Visa Section via email (ny_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn).

III. Please follow the official website and Wechat public account of the Chinese Consulate General in New York for the latest update of the visa policy.

 Consulate General of China in New York 

                                                               August 23, 2022