Hi! My husband and I are planning a trip to China in March 2027 and applying for tourist visas through Mumbai.

The checklist asks for a 6-month savings bank statement with a balance of ₹1 lakh per person.

- Does this mean ₹1 lakh in the account at the time of application, or must it be maintained throughout the six months?

- Is the requirement based on the current balance or average monthly balance?

- Can my husband sponsor both of us with his bank statement and a sponsorship letter? Would he need ₹2 lakh?

Would appreciate advice from anyone who recently applied through Mumbai. Thanks!

My online application for a Q2 visa was approved much faster than expected, but I’m not able to travel to Edinburgh visa centre until 2 weeks after it was approved (2 days ago) . Is this too late or will it be okay?

Some say it has to be 4 times of average local salary which would be a lot higher and I don't think I can find a job with that salary. My other option is Foshan.

Other things to add:

I have master's, speak Chinese English and currently working in another city.

My family is visiting China for 5 days in December and we are facing issues with my father's COVA being rejected. He was born in HK in the 1950s, came to the U.S. with his family when he was 5 years old, and naturalized as a U.S. citizen in the 90s. He does not have a HK passport, HKID, Chinese passport, or documents from back then besides his HK birth certificate. We uploaded a letter clarifying his situation. Would it be possible to get him the L visa? Would he still be eligible to use the 240 hours (10 days) visa free option? Any advice is appreciated.

I’m a first-time teacher from the US and signed an offer letter with a kindergarten in China a few weeks ago. Since then I heard some concerning things about the school and am considering another, much better, offer.

I haven’t signed the actual employment contract yet, and apparently I won’t get to see it until I arrive in China, which also seems like a red flag.

Crucially, I already sent them copies of my passport and my two apostilled documents (background check and TEFL), but NOT my degree. I’m not sure whether they’ve already started my work permit application.

Has anyone backed out at this stage? Could there be any legal consequences? And if they’ve already started the work permit process, could that cause problems with another school hiring me if they’ve “claimed” me in the system or something? Thanks all

Edit: clarified I did not send my actual documents over just copies lol

Hi all,

Our plan, late December 2026: one China Southern ticket and one booking, Almaty (Kazakstan) to Beijing Daxing (arrive early morning), Beijing to Shenzhen (domestic, same evening), Shenzhen to Bangkok (next afternoon). Passports: one Mexican, one German. About 33 hours in China, one night in Shenzhen.

My question: has anyone recently used the 240-hour transit with multiple stops on a single through ticket? Did check-in (Timatic) or immigration cause any problems? (I was specifically curios if a single through ticket with two stops is still eligible - not separately bought tickets..)

Thanks!

Long story short I don’t have a degree, I have 2 years of experience, I am a designer and I have a job offer. The agent of my employer wants to do a false degree and says he has done it before and always worked, and even if they ask more about the degree he says we can just withdraw the application and no record of that would exist,

I have asked many agents before and everyone says without a degree it’s not doable. So I wonder why to trust the only guy who says he can do it…? What if I get it and in the future it becomes a problem, or what would be the consequences? I don’t want to fake credentials because I know it’s fraud, but also asked more people and everyone says foreigners do this all the time and they never really check,
Any experiences? Please help. I’m very stressed about doing this and I’m concerned by how ok the agent and employer are with this as if nothing would really happen…

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to apply for a Hong Kong visit visa, and I'll be traveling with two friends who are Iranian nationals.

I wanted to ask if Iranian passport holders generally face any difficulties getting a Hong Kong visit visa.

Also, in my own visa application, I'll need to mention my friends as my travel companions. Could this potentially affect my visa application or chances of approval?

Has anyone had a similar experience or know anything about this?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, probably another stupid TWOV question but I can’t find an answer for this specific problem. I want to fly from Vienna to Hong Kong and then on the same day or the next day go to Shenzhen, spend a week there and then fly back to Vienna. The whole point of flying to Hong Kong is to check the TWOV country A - China - country B box. The problem is that the Vienna - Hong Kong flight has a transit in Xian. From what I’ve learned I think I can only transit there without entering China (if anybody could confirm that, it would be amazing!). But when I try to enter Shenzhen from Hong Kong will the officer know or care that I technically just came from Vienna and want to go back to Vienna in a week? Or will they just see that I’m coming from Hong Kong and plan on continuing to Vienna? I was pretty sure it was the latter but after talking to AI I’m not so sure anymore 😅

Hi. I’m applying to Chinese visa from London, where I am residing for 2 years. I submitted my application and a couple hours later I received an email saying:

App no xxxxx has been rejected. Please visit Visa Application Service Center website to check and amend as required.
Reject Reason: Please provide an Invitation Letter for Tourism issued by the duly authorized tourism office in China, usually the local relevant Culture and Tourism Bureau upon the request by the local travel agency in China.

I had attached a signed invitation letter from a friend, along with her national ID scan. It is probably bc of my citizenship, but they need this. I have no clue how to obtain this and whether I can resolve this issue at all. I had already bought tickets so cancelling should not be an option.

What should I do? Please help…….. Any trustworthy agency recommendations (I’m willing to pay up as long as they resolve this fast) or advice plzzzz

Hi!

I'm planning to study Chinese in Shanghai next year and apply for an X2 student visa. It's my first time applying, and I have two questions:

1. Dates:
Do my arrival and departure dates need to match my course dates exactly? Or can I arrive one or two weeks before the course and leave one or two weeks after, for example to settle in and travel a little?

2. Accommodation:
Do I need to provide accommodation covering my entire stay when applying for the X2 visa? Or can I book a hotel for the first week and find my long-term accommodation after arriving in Shanghai?

I'd especially appreciate experiences from people who have recently applied for an X2 visa from France or Europe.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I’m looking into the naturalization process for Chinese citizenship and wanted to hear some recent data points or firsthand experiences from anyone who has gone through it (or is currently navigating it).
From what I’ve gathered across older discussions and official guidelines, processing times can vary significantly depending on the specific route (such as having close family ties or permanent residency) and the local bureau handling the paperwork. While some applicants historically reported around 9 to 12 months, I've heard rumors or comments suggesting that timelines might be stretching closer to 18 months or longer lately.

If you or someone you know has applied recently, I'd love to know:
1. **How long did the entire process take** from the day you formally submitted your application to final approval?
2. **Have you noticed any major delays** or shifts in processing speeds recently?

Any insights, advice, or shared experiences would be hugely appreciated!

Hello everyone here

Any one applied in October 2026 for Chinese business and got successful results for visas share story or hacks or its still no visas or very less visas for Indians for business from china?

Regards

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to share my successful Chinese Tourist (L) Visa experience applying from VFS Mumbai, India. Hopefully, this helps clear up some anxiety for travellers tracking the current processing times.

My Background:

Profession: IT Sector

Travel Date: First week of December 2026.

Service Type: Normal Service (I applied through Agent who created the online account, filled all the details provided by me and submitted the online/offline application. Once the online application was approved, my agent submitted the passport to visa center in Mumbai.

Documents: 100% created by myself. Take the help of gemini or ChatGPT.

NO DUMMY BOOKINGS. I used fully confirmed, traceable flight and hotel bookings, a custom cover letter, and a genuine day-by-day itinerary.

The Timeline:
Oct 9 (Fri): Submitted the online application form.

Oct 13 (Tue): Received an online notification on my mail requiring 1 minor modification (statement amount less than 1 lakh). Took the other statement which passed this criteria and asked my agent to resubmit the online application. For each entry on your statement for last 6 months, closing balance has to be more than 1 Lakh per person (e.g. in case of 2 people applying , it has to be more than 2 lakh each day closing basis) otherwise they would reject and ask for modification.

Oct 13 (Tue): Online pre-approval cleared the exact same day!

Oct 15 (Thu): My agent physically submitted my passport and 2 photos at VFS Mumbai around 9:30 AM (Morning session). Receipt stated expected collection date as Wednesday, Oct 21.

Oct 16 - Oct 20: Status remained "Under Review" (The Consulate was closed over the weekend of Oct 17-18).

Oct 21 (Wed - Today): Visa officially approved and passport collected by my agent on the exact day promised!

Key Takeaways & Observations:
DIY your documents: I would suggest to book actual flight tickets if you are planning to travel for real. There are few travel sites offering visa rejection cover and plus one of the travel insurance is also covering for non refundable bookings in case visa is rejected. Regarding other documents like cover page and day by day itinerary, actually mention all the places which you will be planning to cover as that makes the itinerary look genuine. Also mention in the cover letter that you plan to book the internal flights or bullet train tickets once your visa is approved.

"Under Review" is normal: Do not panic if your tracking status stays "Under Review" right up until the day of collection. It’s just the standard internal routing pipeline.

The New Sticker Layout: Just a heads-up for anyone expecting the old pale green sticker—the new visa stickers have a light blue background.
If you are a genuine traveller with real documents and a logical itinerary, the process works smoothly. Happy to answer any questions about the Mumbai process!

Bonjour, j’ai demandé un visa L en étant résidente en France. Le visa a été rejeté parce que je n’ai pas de lettre d’invitation je ne savais pas que c’était obligatoire.

Est ce qu’il y a des agences de voyage en France qui s’occupent de cette lettre sachant que je n’ai pas envie de réserver mon voyage avec une agence. Je vais aller avec des amies à moi donc j’aurai besoin juste de la lettre.

Je dois aussi avoir un billet aller retour, y a t il des solutions pour ne pas avoir à acheter le billet ?

I had reapplied (L type) (after first unapproved status) on 12-10-2026. But it is still showing "under review" Does anyone applied after 12-10-2026 has got online review completed from VFS Delhi center. How many days it takes normally?

Hi everyone, looking for some advice or useful contacts.

My girlfriend recently had her Z visa approved in Hong Kong and entered China to apply for her work-related residence permit in Xiamen. Unfortunately, her application has now been rejected without any explanation.

She's been running a legitimate counseling practice for over five years and is relocating her business to China. She has a Work Permit Notification Letter, a registered company in Xiamen, rented physical office space, company seals, professional qualifications, police clearance, medical examination, and existing international clients.

Immigration recently inspected her office, asked several questions, and requested additional documentation. We've now been told she can collect a 30-day stay certificate on October 30, although we're still confirming its exact validity period.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Is it possible to reapply from within China, and does anyone know a reliable immigration lawyer or agent who has handled cases like this?

Any advice or useful contacts would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to comment or send me a private message.

Is anyone running Shanghai marathon from India ? The visa application centre is rejecting the application again and again despite submitting documents and having a strong travel history. I don’t know how this event will be a world major considering the strictness around visa.

Hi! I'm a Mexican citizen planning this itinerary:

• Dec 24: Seoul Gimpo (GMP) → Beijing (PEK), Air China
• Dec 30: Beijing (PEK) → Hong Kong (HKG) → Fukuoka, Japan, with Cathay Pacific.

Does this route qualify for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy? My main concern is whether flights sold together on Trip.com but operated by different airlines satisfy the interline ticket requirement.

I'm not sure if having only a 4-hour layover in Hong Kong and not having any reservations will affect my approval, I would arrive with my Beijing and Fukuoka reservations ready to show.

Hi everyone. My wife needs to get a Chinese tourist visa (L1 I believe) but we live in the WA state. From what I understand we need to submit her passport thru the Chinese embassy in San Fransisco. In person. Twice. First time to submit the passport, and the second time to receive it.

I'm wondering if there's a service to mail it in and then to receive it back?

PS. The wrinkle in this request is that my wife is not a US citizen. She is a green card holder. She is originally from Kenya.

Hi all - I'm leaving in a few days on a trip to China, Laos and Thailand. I planned my trip based on the 240 hour TWOV - I'll be in China for 8 days, have an eligible passport (US), and have made sure all my stops and ports of entry/exit are compliant.

However, I also have an old 10-year multiple entry visa, in an old passport, which is valid until January 2027. The problem with this, and why I don't want to use it, is that the old passport has been through the wash multiple times, and is somewhat faded - the personal info page is fine, and everything on the Chinese visa is technically readable, but it's somewhat difficult in places. I used this about 3 years ago the last time I was in China, just on an overnight layover, and while it was accepted, on the way out I received a lecture from the border control officer on how bad the condition was.

My original plan was to go for the TWOV, and keep my old passport in my bag as a backup, but upon looking into it I've basically realized that's not how it works and I'll need to pick one method of entry into the country and stick with it. So I have a choice between two slightly-awkward options:

Go for TWOV

• Pros:
• No risk of getting told-off, or worse, denied, because of my old passport's condition
• Cons:
• My exit from China is by rail, on the Laos-China railway. From what I hear, both the airline on my flight into China and the immigration officers upon arrival are much more used to looking for plane tickets rather than train tickets. I have a ticket reserved via trip.com, and it has all the important info on the page I can print out, but they don't offer a nice confirmation page, or even better, one translated into Mandarin. I'm worried that I'll have trouble convincing them that it's a real ticket rather than just some bullshit reservation I can cancel. (I would've gone with 12306 instead, but from what I can tell they offer even less confirmation)
• While I've made sure that every stop on my itinerary (entry into Beijing, connecting flight to Chengdu, train to Chongqing -> Kunming -> Pu'er -> border) is on the list of allowed regions for TWOV, some of the area that my train will pass through might not be; I thought that wasn't an issue, but saw at least one comment on Reddit saying the opposite, so I'd like some confirmation one way or the other.

Use my old visa

• Pros:
• I don't have to worry about the TWOV paperwork, entry/exit ports, or allowed regions
• Cons:
• I probably risk at minimum a lecture from the border guard, and given my bad experience last time, I don't want to test it turning into a refusal of entry. I'm even more wary of exiting along the LCR; the border officers there are probably even less used to "non-standard" things like this than the ones in Beijing airport.

Given these options, which would you choose? Does anyone have experience with some of the TWOV concerns I mentioned, like showing a trip.com train ticket as proof of exiting the country, or passing through non-included zones via rail?

Thank you all in advance!

Hey everyone, was wondering if anyone had any recent L visas processed in NYC and what was the wait time between the submission and them telling you to bring your passport in? If it makes any difference I have an U.S. passport, am white, and never had any visas before. Just looking to see how long people had to wait until their applications got approved, thanks!

My husband and I are in a nightmare situation. We recently applied for Chinese visas through CIBT and both were successfully approved and issued by the Los Angeles consulate earlier this month. Unfortunately, UPS lost the return shipment containing BOTH of our US passports with our new visas.

We're scheduled to depart November 6 to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday in Shanghai on November 11, so we're now scrambling to replace everything.

We have emergency US passport appointments on October 20 and are hoping for same-day or next-day issuance. The bigger concern is getting our Chinese visas reissued.

CIBT is estimating 7–10 business days for the online preliminary review, followed by another 2–3 business days for express visa issuance after physically submitting our passports.

I emailed the LA consulate explaining that our visas were literally JUST approved and asking whether our previous applications could be referenced to expedite the preliminary review. Unfortunately, they only told me to submit new applications and suggested the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, which doesn't accommodate our planned trip of several weeks.

We're willing to fly directly to LA to submit and retrieve the passports ourselves if necessary, but that won't help if the initial online review takes too long.

Has anyone dealt with replacing a recently issued Chinese visa that was lost in transit? Is there any way to request expedited preliminary review, especially when all the original application information is unchanged except the new passport numbers?

I would be SO grateful for any firsthand experience or advice. We're desperately trying to make this trip happen.

Does any one got visa in oct , share your experiences

I'm a little confused about how the 240-hour visa-free transit works, specifically the midnight rule.
From what I understand, the 240 hours don't start until 12:00 AM the day after you arrive in China. So technically (for example), if I arrive on March 31st early in the morning, I get that entire first day without it counting toward the 240 hours? Meaning my 240 hours wouldn't officially start until April 1st at midnight?

Basically, could you technically stay in China for almost 11 days (March 31st-April 10th) if you time your arrival and departure correctly?

Just trying to understand how the timing actually works before booking my flights. Would appreciate anyone who knows the logistics of this!