Applying for a china visa is already enough of a headache, but there are small details that can bring a whole new realm of complexity to the process if you aren’t careful. Like any country permitting foreigners to enter, the government of China doesn’t want to let any potential risks slip through the cracks so they tend to be strict. Some of these rules may seem esoteric or even ridiculous, so let’s take a look at some of them and dissect why they exist and how you can avoid them.

Blacklisted Countries

Chances are that if you’re making the trip to China you’ve probably been to other countries around the world. While this is not usually an issue, the government of China takes issue if you’ve been to certain parts of the world. Most of these countries tend to be middle-eastern nations that have recently experienced a certain level of unrest, countries such as Afghanistan and Libya. Some countries that make the blacklist are pretty strange though…

France is the number one tourist destination in the world, particularly for the Chinese who swarm to France’s capital throughout the year. Despite this fact, China has issues with the country of France due to an anti-Tibetan occupation demonstration which took place in France during the 2008 Chinese Olympic games. Since this event, all French citizens must apply for China visas in person as they must willingly submit themselves for an interview.

 If you’ve been to France and have a stamp in your passport to prove it, you’re best off submitting a letter along with your application explaining why you went to France. This goes for any other country on the blacklist, if you’ve got a stamp in your passport go ahead and explain why you went via letter. Your visa process won’t be delayed if you preemptively submit explanation, but if you fail to initially you’ll be required to ship in a letter of explanation. Getting your application suspended by the Consulate or Embassy essentially resets the timer on your visa. If you were quoted a 4 day turn around but were forced to send in materials, go ahead and add an extra day of processing time for shipping plus another 4 days to get that visa turned around. Needless to say, check your stamps and make sure you submit a letter if you’ve been to any of the below:

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Congo
• Egypt
• France
• Ghana
• Haiti
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Mali
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Russia
• Sri Lanka
• Tajikistan
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• Uzbekistan

Certain Professions

The Chinese Government is wary of some individuals who work in certain fields. For example, if you are a religious worker you may have issues with getting a standard visa, especially if it appears that you’re going to be doing any missionary work while you are in China. If it’s the case that you are a religious missionary and ARE going to China to spread the good news you can expect to be called in for an interview, you may even be asked specifically not to fulfill any missionary duty as leverage for entering the country.

It’s not just religious officials that China visas come hard to, federal government officials who are high ranking enough may raise red flags at the Consulate/Embassy. Again, if you hold a high ranking government position and list it on your application do not be surprised when you are called in for a  brief interview. 

Finally on the list of professions to avoid if you plan on entering China is anything related to the entertainment industry. Whether you work in the news or your just a blogger on YouTube, working in media scares Chinese officials. You may not be called in for an interview however, there’s a special form specifically for those who hold media positions that can get you past the application process without a hassle. The form essentially has the individual declare that they won’t document anything while they are in China and that if they do it won’t be in a disparaging way against the country or the communist party. While this form will get you a china visa without an interview, Chinese border patrol still reserve the right to deny you entry based on your vocation, be warned.

China Visa Application Errors

The china visa application itself offers a myriad of questions to those who are filling it out. The most common mistakes on the application are typically forgetting to fill out the application in all caps OR forgetting to put ‘N/A’ in spaces that do not apply to you. Besides these beginner mistakes, there are some other seemingly insignificant errors that you can make your application process hell. For example, claiming that your unemployed on your application is generally fine, however if you claim to be unemployed but also claim to be funding your own trip to China the consulate/embassy may inquire as to how you are affording this trip with your current job status. Instead of checking unemployed it’s preferable to check ‘retired’ or if you are yet to retire, simply state that someone else (such as a parent or spouse) is funding the trip.

Other issues on a china visa application that can slow you down your visa process include misspelling names or checking the incorrect box for your gender. To keep things simple make sure that all the information on the application lines up with the information provided on your government IDs. If your name on your passport and Driver’s License don’t match up completely, remember that there is a field provided on the Chinese Visa Application for your ‘other known names’.

Time to Apply for Your China Visa

Now that you’ve learned what it takes to whip up a masterful Chinese Visa Application without making any glaring mistakes, it’s time to apply. If you don’t live near one of the Chinese Consulates around the USA it can be hard to get your application started, in some cases people will driver hours to their nearest consulate. Instead of driving and bleeding precious time, just work with us at China Visa Department. We make the process easy by helping you assemble your application as well as taking care of all courier services. Get your China Visa in as little as 4 business days when you work with us.

If you are in need of a passport as well make sure to check us out at The Passport Office as well. Our private passport expediting services have been providing travelers with fast and secure expedited passports for over 20 years. Apply now and get your passport application started with the peace of mind knowing that trained professional will be guiding you every step of the way.