The Chinese Consulate General in New York has officially launched the China Online Visa Application system. Applicants within its jurisdiction can now enjoy greater convenience by using the system to fill out forms, upload materials for online preliminary review, and track their application status.

The visa application process via the system consists of three main steps: I. Signing up and logging into your account, II. Filling out the form and uploading materials, III. Going through online review and submitting your passport to the Consulate General.

If you have submitted your application through the old version of the China Online Visa Application System (COVA), please submit your paper documents to the Consulate General by October 8.
For your reference, you can still access the old COVA system here to check your application status or download supporting materials.

I. Signing up and Logging into Your Account 

Go to http://consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA/. Click the [Sign In] button at the top-right corner of the page.

Log in with your email account. If this is your first time using the system, please sign up using your email address.

You may click the [Guidance on Visa Application] link to view the application procedures and required documents for each visa type. Once you are ready, click the [Start my application] button at the bottom to proceed to the application stage.

II. Filling out the Form and Uploading Materials 

Please submit your application based on the consular jurisdiction of Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the United States (click to view). Carefully read the “Guidelines for Filling in the China Online Visa Application (COVA) Form” and “Instructions for visa applications at the Embassy/Consulate”, then starting the online application.

The application form consists of 9 sections that must be completed in sequence: Personal Information; Type of Visa; Work Information; Education; Family Information; Travel Information; Previous Travel History; Other Information; Declaration

Instructions for Completion:

Fill out the form in Chinese or English.

Complete all required fields (marked with a red asterisk *) on each page before clicking the [Next] button to proceed.

Saved draft can be viewed and edited by clicking your account at the top-right corner-[Personal Center]-[My draft].

1.Personal Information

(1) When uploading your photo, the system allows you to edit it using drag-and-drop and cropping tools and will automatically check if it meets the requirements. If your photo fails the check after multiple attempts, you can continue filling out the other sections of the application. However, remember to bring a standard ID photo when you submit your passport to the Consulate-General.

(2) Automatic recognition of your passport’s bio-page will assist you in filling in your name, nationality, and passport details. Please check that all information is accurate before confirming the action—the system will then populate the relevant fields.

(3) If the system notifies you that the current applicant already has a pending application, you can click your account at the top-right corner and select [Personal Center] to view the processing status of your application. Alternatively, you may contact your agent for details about your application.

2. Type of visa

Please select your visa type based on the purpose of your visit to China. Choose “Standard” or “Expedited” processing (Extra charge is needed for expedited processing; processing time is calculated from the date of passport submission. Please confirm the service type with a consular official at the Consulate-General.), visa validity, and intended duration of stay as needed.

Please note that whether to issue a visa, the type of visa, number of entries, validity and duration of each stay will be determined by consular officials. It may differ from those you filled in on the application form.

3. Work Information

Provide truthful details about your work history over the past 5 years. For each role, include the full name of your company/organization—avoid using abbreviations unless absolutely necessary. If you’ve had more than one job in the last 5 years, click the [Add] button located at the bottom right of the form. This allows you to include all relevant work experiences without leaving gaps. 

4. Education

Provide accurate details about the highest academic degree or qualification you have obtained. If you have more than one educational qualification (e.g., a Bachelor’s degree followed by a Master’s degree), click the [Add] button located at the bottom right of the form.

5. Family Information

Please provide relevant information truthfully. If you select [Not Applicable], a detailed explanation shall be added.

6. Information on your travel

(1)  Fill in your arrival and departure dates and cities according to your travel plan. Please note that the system only accepts visa applications for entry dates within the next 90 days. Applications requesting entry dates beyond this 90-day window from the time of submission will not be processed.

(2)  [6.5 Person sharing the same passport with you] applies only when someone traveling with you uses the same passport. If you are traveling with others who hold different passports, please select “No” for this entry.

7. Information on previous travel

Please truthfully fill in your travel history, mainly including whether you have been to China, obtained a Chinese visa, and your travel record within the past 12 months.

8. Other information

Please complete this section based on your personal experience and fact, a statement explaining circumstances may be asked to provide.

9. Declaration

Please select the filer’s identity (the applicant or the person who fills in the application on behalf the applicant; those filling on behalf of others shall provide their personal information and relationship to the applicant).

After reading and agreeing to the statement below, check the box [I understand and agree with the above].

10. Uploading materials

(1) Please take photos and upload the required documents as per system instructions (only image files are supported; PDF and other formats are not accepted). To expedite processing, make sure that all uploaded materials are complete, clearly visible, and evenly lit. Documents marked with red dashed borders are mandatory and must be uploaded.

(2) If you have obtained Chinese visa before, please provide (if your old Chinese visa is in your old passport, please provide the old passport as well).

（3）For people of Chinese descent born in the US, please upload following documents:1.Nationality certificates and residence status certificates held by both parents at the time of the child's birth; 2. Birth certificate (with parents' name information); 3. Passport of both parents of the Child.

(4) If the applicant is a foreigner in the US, they need to provide a photocopy of green card, visa, I20, or I94 to prove their legal residence in the US.

（5）Foreign Chinese applying for the first time ( foreign citizens those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained for foreign citizenship)

6. Additional documents required after review by the Consulate General

11. Confirm the Information

After uploading materials, click [Next] to proceed to confirm your information. Here, you may review the submitted information and the uploaded materials. To make changes, click the [Modify] button at the upper-right corner of the page. Once confirmed, click [Submit the application form]. Please carefully review all the information, as submitted form cannot be modified until consular officials’ review.

III. Online Review and Submit your Passport 

After submission, your application will enter the online preliminary review stage, where the staff of the Consulate General will conduct online review. You may check the progress by clicking the [Track the status of my application] on the homepage.

If the submitted application does not meet the requirements or need to upload additional materials, consular staff will reject it, and the application status will change to [Rejected and to be modified]. Please modify and supplement your application materials according to the Embassy or Consulate's feedback to avoid delays in the review process due to failure to provide supplementary materials in a timely manner.

After the application preliminary review is approved, the status will display as “Passport to be submitted.” The applicant or agent should visit the Visa office of the Consulate General (click here for address) to submit the passport, a printed copy of the application information page with the barcode, and certain original documents requiring submitted on-site (click here for submission requirements).

Please note: Online review approval does not guarantee visa issuance. Consular officers may require an in-person interview with the applicant or request additional documentation. Besides, processing times may vary depending on individual circumstances, and some visa applications may require longer processing time.