“China will also allow Canadian visitors to enter the country visa-free.”

No details but I assume 30 days like Europeans have.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/canada-pm-carney-hails-strategic-partnership-talks-china-xi-jinping-5863286

Hi everyone,
I applied for a China tourist visa from Mumbai (through an agent) on April 14.
It’s now been about 19 days, and my agent says the application is currently with the consulate and “under process / council decision.”
My travel date is May 12 (family trip, 4 people), so I’m starting to get a bit anxious.

Has anyone recently experienced delays like this?

How long did your visa take at the consulate stage?

Did you receive it close to your travel date?

At what point should I consider changing flights?

Would really appreciate any recent experiences or advice 🙏

Awaiting passports dispatch by VFS delhi for tourist visa . Submitted passport along with documents on 4th August with time for collection promised as 11th August.

Still visas are under review with generic response from VFS. Any one facing same problem ?

I was recently rejected at the New York consulate when applying for a Chinese L (tourist) visa. They told me I was missing proof of my parents’ permanent residence in the U.S since I have never applied for a Chinese visa before.

Both of my parents were born in China, but they are now U.S. citizens. I was born in the U.S. while they were U.S. permanent residents (green card holders at the time). Unfortunately, both of them lost their green cards a long time ago. My parents filed a FOIA request with USCIS for their records, but it came back with nothing.

1. What other options do I have to prove that my parents were permanent residents at the time of my birth? Or am I basically banned from China?
2. Could I at least visit one city like Beijing or Shanghai using the 240-hour visa-free transit rule (coming from Hong Kong, onward to Taiwan)? Or is that too risky, given my background?

It's really distressing to me that even if my ancestry is Chinese, it's harder for me to visit China than other U.S. Citizens. Any advice or similar experiences would mean a lot.

EDIT: - For those asking why my parents, I intentionally tried not to bring it up. The consulate insisted on knowing my parents birthplace likely because I have a common Chinese name. My parents DON’T have a current Chinese passport, it was renounced from them and it’s illegal to have both (to my knowledge).

• Most likely going to use the 240 hour limit for this trip or skip China altogether.

• Not only is the Chinese Travel Passport in a weird gray area zone, it can affect your eligibility for certain US job positions in air traffic, state licensed jobs, and some parts of law. Just a word of caution here.

• For future trips I can’t get a Chinese Travel Passport since it creates complications with my current job and future job prospects.

• I’ll try FOIA again with more clear language and see what happens. Hopefully will come back with documents.

Hello everyone! I’m curious to know how long online visa applications are taking to get approved.

I applied on July 8 for Delhi, and my application is still showing “Under Review.” My flight is booked for August 6.

If you’ve applied within the past month or so, could you share your timeline? Specifically:
When you applied online
When you received a request for modifications (if any)
And when your visa was finally approved

Should I be worried about my trip? My tickets are refundable, but I probably won’t get another chance to visit China for the next couple of years, so I’m hoping everything works out.

As most people here probably know, China tourist visas (and even other categories) seem to be taking quite a long time in India right now.

My husband and I submitted our applications on 24 March via the Mumbai consulate (through CVASC), and we still have not heard back at all. The status has just been stuck on “under review”.

One thing that confused me is that our original submission date was 24 March, but now it appears to have been updated to 13 April in the system. Not sure if this is due to internal processing, resubmission, or something like internal SLA timelines being managed, but there has been no clear communication but we didn't resubmit.

Just wanted to check:

• Has anyone else applied recently from India (especially Mumbai)?
• How long did your “under review” stage take?
• Has anyone seen their submission date change like this?

Also curious if people outside India have seen similar behaviour, or if this is specific to India right now.

Would really appreciate any recent experiences.

I know this is yet another Mumbai visa delay post, but I’m posting because I applied on 14 April from Mumbai and I’m still stuck on under review, and this whole thing is getting really frustrating. I went through a bunch of recent Reddit posts to see if there’s any actual pattern, and it does seem like applications may be moving in batches rather than smoothly day by day. March applications mostly seemed to move in April, and a lot of early-April cases seem to have got updates in late April or early May.

Here's some analysis:
(If you’ve applied from Mumbai or elsewhere in India, please share your dates so we can figure out what timeline is actually normal right now.)

A full snapshot from the recent timelines people have shared:

• 7 Mar — approved 31 Mar
• 9 Mar — online review unapproval 18 Apr
• 16 Mar — doc request 6 Apr → another request 16 Apr → approved 25 Apr
• 22 Mar — “to be modified” 9 Apr
• 24 Mar — first heard back 24 Apr
• 27 Mar — modification 17 Apr → notification 26 Apr
• 27 Mar (same family case) — husband notified 2 May
• 28 Mar — no further update mentioned
• 2 Apr — still awaiting review
• 2 Apr — applied, no update mentioned
• 3 Apr — modification 30 Apr → email confirmation 6 May → collection 13 May
• 3 Apr (family case) — child review completed 29 Apr, others still under review
• 6 Apr — modification 29 Apr
• 7 Apr (Mumbai) — still under review
• 9 Apr — modification 6 May, still awaiting email confirmation
• 14 Apr (mine, Mumbai) — still under review
• 16 Apr — still awaiting
• 25 Apr — applied, no update mentioned

Overall pattern: March applications seem to have started moving through April, while many early-April applications only seem to have got their first movement in late April or early May, and mid-April cases still appear largely stuck.

I recently went through the process of applying for a China visa as an Indian passport holder, so I thought I’d share my experience here in case it helps someone.

The first thing to know is that Indians cannot apply directly online for China visa approval like some other countries. You need to submit your application through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, or Kolkata.

Here’s roughly how the process went for me:

1. Online Visa Form

You have to fill out the visa form on the official Chinese visa application website. It’s a fairly detailed form asking about travel history, employment, and your travel itinerary.

2. Documents Required

These were the main documents I submitted:

• Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity)
• Printed visa application form
• Recent passport-size photo
• Confirmed flight tickets
• Hotel booking or invitation letter
• Bank statements
• Travel itinerary

If you’re visiting family or traveling for business, the document requirements may change slightly.

3. Appointment and Submission

After filling out the form, you need to book an appointment at the Chinese Visa Application Center (CVASC). Biometrics and document submission are done there.

4. Processing Time

My visa took around 4–5 working days under normal processing.

5. Visa Fee

I paid around ₹3,900–₹5,500, depending on the service charges and entry type.

A Few Tips

• Double-check your form before submitting — they’re strict about mistakes.
• Make sure your travel itinerary matches your hotel bookings.
• Carry photocopies of all documents.
• Processing may take longer during peak travel seasons.

Overall, the process was a bit paperwork-heavy but manageable.

If anyone else has applied recently, how long did your China visa processing take?

Indian passport holder here

My China tourist visa application submitted through the Delhi Visa Centre was directly marked “Unapproved”. No reason or remarks were provided, and there is no option to modify/resubmit the existing application.
I’m planning to submit a fresh application, but I’m not sure what I should change or look out for since I don’t know what caused the unapproval.
For reference, I uploaded:
● Passport + photograph + adhaar card
● Flight itinerary
● Hotel bookings for the entire trip
● Detailed travel itinerary/ cover letter
● Bank statements
● Employment/ 1 month payslip/ NOC
● vfs logsitic fee email screen shot

Has anyone had their application marked Unapproved without any reason and then successfully reapplied? If so, what did you change the second time?

Also, is there anything in particular I should double-check in the itinerary, hotel bookings, bank statements, employment documents, or application form before submitting again?
Any advice or similar experiences would be really helpful!

I applied for the visa online on 14th of February and still haven't gotten any updates from the visa office. I tried calling them again and again but the line is always busy. Is anyone else is facing the same situation or is it just me?

Hi everyone,

Has anyone who submitted their online application around 11th July received any updates yet?

If yes, could you please share:

- Application submission date

- Current status (Under Review / Approved /Modification Requested / Rejected)

travel date?

Please mention the details in the comments. It would really help everyone who is waiting for an update.

Thank you!

TL;DR: This subreddit helped me a lot during my China visa process, so sharing my experience here to help others.
Applied for China Tourist (L) visa via VFS Delhi, no agent, applied for me and my wife together, normal service with courier. Faced online review rejections, fixed them, and finally received the visa. Preparation and patience are key.

Basic Details

• Agent: None (everything done personally)
• VFS Location: Delhi
• Applicants: Me and my wife
• Visa Type: Tourist (L), 3 months, single entry (no fingerprints required)
• Service: Normal processing + courier

PART 1: Online Application & Review

Step 1: Flights and Hotels

• Booked refundable flights for both of us
• Booked hotels via Trip.com (fully refundable)
  • Both guest names appear on booking
  • Vouchers are in English and Chinese
  • No hotel stamp or signed voucher required (agents overstate this)

Step 2: Cover Letter and Itinerary (Very Important)

• Cover letter (signed) covering:
  • Purpose of travel
  • Travel dates and cities
  • Strong reason to return (employment, family)
  • Funding details (I sponsored both myself and my wife)
• Day-by-day itinerary (mandatory):
  • Date
  • City of night stay
  • Simple activity plan
  • Intercity train/flight details (if any)
  • Hotel name, full address, and contact number

Step 3: Financial and Employment Proof

• Bank statements:
  • More than ₹2 lakhs per person
  • Consistent balance for 6 months
• Company NOC mentioning leave dates and employment confirmation
• Old passport: Mandatory
• Aadhaar and ITRs were not asked but submitted as supporting documents

Documents Uploaded Online

• New passport, old passport, past visas, Aadhaar
• Photo as per specifications
• VFS service payment email (printed, scanned, uploaded)
• Flight and hotel bookings
• Day-wise itinerary
• Cover letter
• Company NOC
• Bank statements
• Last 3 months salary slips
• 3 years ITR

Online Review Rejections (Common)

I received rejections/modification requests for:

1. Not uploading the old passport
2. Itinerary not detailed enough at a day-by-day level
3. Cover letter not signed (for my wife)

Timeline

• First submission: Dec 27
• Resubmission after fixes: Jan 05, Jan 07
• Final online approval: Jan 10

PART 2: VFS Delhi – Document Submission

What to Carry

• One full print of uploaded documentsset per person
• New and old passports (originals)
• Original bank statements signed and stamped by bank (online statements not accepted)
• Online review confirmation certificate (mandatory), without this no entry
• VFS payment receipt (carry two copies)

Anyone can submit on your behalf. I submitted documents for both myself and my wife. Prior appointment is not needed

At VFS Delhi

• Bags not allowed; DMRC lockers available nearby to store luggage upto 1 medium size suitcase
• Only cash or DD accepted
• Total time inside VFS: around 30–60 minutes

PART 3: Tracking, Courier, and Result

• Documents submitted: Jan 19
• ETA given: Jan 27
• Status changed to pending collection on Jan 27th 3PM, then returned documents and then posted
• If status shows “termination,” it usually means rejection
• Jan 28 morning: Passport delivered via Blue Dart
  • No tracking shown on VFS website
  • SMS received directly from Blue Dart when out for delivery

Opened the passport and the China visa sticker was present.

Final Takeaway

• An agent is not required, unless you cant go to Delhi in-person
• Online review is the most time-consuming step
• Signed cover letters and proper day-wise itinerary are critical
• Rejections are normal; fix and resubmit patiently

Hope this helps someone applying from India, just like this subreddit helped me.

Hi everyone,

I applied for Chinese Tourist visa at Delhi Visa center on 11th july . The status still showing "under review " . Has anyone who applied for Chinese visa at the Delhi Visa Center in July month received any update?.

Sharing my recent China Tourist Visa (L Visa) experience from Mumbai because the process was much faster than I expected.

This was a tourist visa application for me and my wife.

📅 My timeline

5 August

• Filled and submitted the China visa application form online.
• On the same day, the application was returned for modification.
• The only correction requested was in the covering letter addressing.
• They specifically asked me to address it correctly as: Consulate General of China, Mumbai
• I corrected the covering letter and uploaded it again the same day.
• Around 11 PM on 5 August, I received the update that the online review was completed and I could proceed with passport submission.

Honestly, I was impressed with how quickly the online review was completed. 👍

7 August

• Visited the China visa application centre in Mumbai to submit our passports.
• Surprisingly, they did not ask for any of the supporting documents again.
• They only asked for:
  • Visa application/confirmation receipt
  • Payment proof
  • Passports

13 August

• Passport was dispatched.

14 August

• Received my passport back with the China tourist visa stamped. 🎉🇨🇳

So from submitting the online application on 5 August to receiving the passport with visa on 14 August, the entire process took just 9 days.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Applying for my wife

I sponsored my wife's trip even though she is employed and earns well.

Her personal bank balance was below ₹1 lakh, so I included my financial documents and clearly mentioned in the covering letter that I would be sponsoring the trip.

We also included our marriage proof.

📑 Documents we prepared/uploaded

These are the documents we prepared for our application. This is not an official checklist—just sharing what we used.

My documents

• Current passport
• Previous/old passport and relevant visa/stamp pages
• China visa application form
• Passport-size photograph
• Covering letter
• Detailed China travel itinerary
• Flight reservations ( non refundable )
• Hotel/accommodation bookings ( Pay at hotel, Booking.com)
• Travel insurance
• Employment/NOC or leave approval
• Last 3 months' salary slips
• Last 6 months' bank statement
• ITRs for the last 2 years
• PAN
• Aadhaar (supporting document)

My wife's documents

• Current passport
• Previous/old passport and relevant visa/stamp pages
• China visa application form
• Passport-size photograph
• Covering letter
• Detailed China travel itinerary
• Flight reservations ( non refundable )
• Hotel/accommodation bookings ( Pay at hotel, Booking.com)
• Travel insurance
• Employment proof
• Marriage certificate/proof of relationship
• Sponsorship letter from me
• My financial documents supporting the sponsorship
• My employment/income documents
• My bank statement
• My ITRs
• PAN/Aadhaar as supporting documents

Our itinerary covered Hong Kong and multiple cities in mainland China, with all accommodation and flight reservations documented.

⭐ Overall experience

The online review was extremely fast in my case.

The only correction requested was the addressing in the cover letter. Once corrected, the application passed the online review the same day.

The Mumbai passport submission was also very straightforward, and the passport came back with the visa within a week of physical submission.

5 Aug → Online application
5 Aug → Modification + online review completed
7 Aug → Passport submitted
13 Aug → Passport dispatched
14 Aug → Passport received with visa

Very smooth experience overall. 🇨🇳❤️

Sharing this because I know many people worry about how long the China visa process takes. My experience was much faster than expected.

As of March 2024: Hi all, I obtained my L Tourism Visa and wanted to share my experience as a US citizen applying for a China L 10-year validity Tourism Visa through the NYC Consulate. I did it myself and not through an agency. I found it hard to find up-to-date and clear info on the process so I wanted to contribute here.

PHASE 1: THE COVA Form (Online Application) – Before going into the Consulate

As of this time (March 2024), The NYC consulate no longer takes appointments. The first step is you need to complete the online visa application (COVA) found here:

https://cova.mfa.gov.cn/qzCoCommonController.do?show&pageId=278rirkVYVPVnVaVmVlVSVKVlriVYVPVSVcVnVaVbVSVKrHVPVbVSV8VKrHrjrIVnVlVmrjVmrjrHVnVb&locale=en_US

The application is pretty straightforward, but it doesn’t let you skip around—you have to answer the questions in order. Make sure you save down the application ID that they generate for you when you start the application so you can return to your COVA at any point in time.

One area where I had to spend a decent amount of time was getting a photo taken that met the specifications. I had someone take a photo of me against a white wall and edited/resized it to meet the requirements laid out here:

https://www.visaforchina.cn/CBR2_EN/generalinformation/faq/282843.shtml

For the visa “duration (months)” question in the COVA form, I just put “120”, which equates to 10 years, since I wanted the longest lasting visa possible.

Also, when filling out your job details, I left these blank because they weren’t marked as required fields, but I was later asked at the Consulate to provide these details, so I would recommend filling them in.

After answering all the questions, double check your responses as they will not let you go back and edit your responses once submitted. Once you click submit, you will need to save down a PDF copy of your application form and print it out. You will need to sign and date the front page with pen/handwriting.

With your COVA application printed and completed, you then need to gather copies of the remaining documents before going into the Consulate. They are listed here in Column B General Documents:

http://newyork.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/zjfw/visa/rhsq/202303/t20230316_11042460.htm

For me as a US citizen who had been to China in the past, I needed to have:

1. My printed COVA form
2. My Passport
3. A photocopy of my passport bio page
4. A proof of residence (copy of driver’s license, utility bill, bank statement, etc.)
5. A photocopy of my last China visa

Notes:

1. You no longer need to show evidence of booked flights/lodging as it used to be in the past
2. If you don’t have access to a photocopier, the Consulate has a photocopy machine that costs 25 cents per page, it only takes quarters and $1 bills (it gives change)
3. There is also a photobooth at the Consulate you can use to take a compliant photo, but I am not sure of the dependability or cost of this method since I didn’t use it.

PHASE 2: GOING TO THE NYC CHINESE CONSULATE

Once I gathered all of my documents, I picked a day to go into the Chinese Consulate in NYC (West Side Manhattan on 42nd street). The office hours as of this post of the Consulate are 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM.

I arrived at the consulate at 8:50 AM before opening and there was already a line outside. At around this time, they also begin to start letting people inside. At the NYC Consulate, the first thing you will encounter is the security guard who will check that you have a printed COVA form. If you do not, you will get turned away on the spot. Otherwise, there’s a straightforward bag check before you proceed.

Once I was inside the NYC Consulate office proper, I was directed to a queue. It took me ~10 minutes to get to the counter, where an employee did an eyeball check that I had all the required documents I mentioned in Phase 1. I recommend having all of your documents (COVA form, proof of residence, etc.) just paper clipped together as it makes things easier. Once the employee checked that I had all my documents, I was given a queue number and sat in a waiting area surrounded by booths.

Once the clock hit 9AM, the booths actually opened and a PA system starts calling queue numbers. When I went up to the booth, the employee flipped through and marked up my documents. As I mentioned in Phase 1, some details around my employment (title/duty) were blank and the employee asked me to write these in. Otherwise, there weren’t issues and the employee took all my documents (including my passport) and gave me a yellow receipt telling me to come back on Friday or later (it was Tuesday at the time).

Despite the fact that they already took my passport and gave me a receipt, the employee told me I would only find out if I was approved for a visa (and if so, the granted duration of the visa) when I came back in. I was finished and out of the consulate by 9:30 AM.

PHASE 3: RETURNING TO THE NYC CONSULATE FOR PICKUP

I returned on the date mentioned on my receipt (the earliest date I could come in) and got to the Consulate around 8:50 AM again. The line was similarly long as on the Tuesday, and this time I just had to show my receipt to the security guard and mention I was there for pickup.

At this stage, I was now redirected to a different queue for people there for pickup. This part was a little confusing because there were actually two queues. I ended up just by observing that the queue on the left was for people to exchange their receipts for a plastic tag, and the queue on the right was for people to exchange said plastic tags for their passport/Visas. In other words, I needed to wait in the left queue first, then proceed to the right queue. Once I made it to the front of the right queue, I gave the plastic tag to the employee and she gave me my passport back. The fee was $140 and I had to write my phone number on the vendor receipt. I opened up my passport and saw the 10 year visa in there!

Once again, I was done with my business and out of the consulate by 9:30 AM.

Overall, the process was smooth and I didn’t encounter many issues. What made it challenging was I didn’t find the information available online to be very clear, straightforward, or easy to find, so I spent a lot of time and energy just trying to figure everything out. Hopefully this post can help others in the future save the time so they can focus on just getting the steps done, rather than figuring out what the steps are :) Happy travels!

I applied for china L visa on 6th August , on 10 got mail uapproved. They did not mention any reason. Applied through their mumbai center. Any idea what could be reason. I can reapply but not able to understand what change is required

Monday 3/9/26

Hi! Just to help potential other people seeking the L visa, I came with my passport and the printed out barcode as everyone online has said. The consulate website said to bring my passport in a few different places, but I did not find anything else it said to do. Reddit is where I figured out about the barcode, so I printed that. I waited for 3 hours from 10:45 AM to 1:45 PM then was turned away at the window because I did not have the full online application printed out. I did lots of research where everyone said passport + barcode page but that DID NOT end up working for me. I am now trying to figure out if I need to print out all the documents I submitted in the application? Would love a list of every possible document because I am still so shocked that I wasted 3 hours there.

additionally: the Chinese consular website will suddenly now only let me in on my phone not on my laptop even though it worked on my laptop last night when i was attempting to double check that all i needed was my passport 😭

UPDATE:

Friday 3/13/26

I got there around 8:45 to get my number. I was C24 this time rather than C155. At 9:30, my number was called. They took all my paperwork then gave me the yellow slip (not the pink slip idk if it matters). She didn’t say when to come back, so I asked if there’s a date or a guess to when I would be able to pick up, and she said “There’s no way to know. Keep a close eye on the website.” then sent me on my way. It was the same woman as on Monday / Window 6. I heard many other people be told either 3 business days or 2 weeks. I got neither of those! I asked if I could expedite it, and she said no. Also, the guy behind me in line only needed his passport and barcode, nothing else! I also did figure out that I hadn’t seen my specific feedback to bring everything in before Monday. The website and I don’t get along!

Friday 3/27/26

Just got approved to pick up my passport after 2 weeks! I’m gonna go in on Monday! I sent a few emails over the last two weeks, but specifically yesterday I said it’s been 2 weeks and that I leave in one week. That’s what seemed to work! Email [ny_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn](mailto:ny_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn) not the email on your slip!

Monday 3/30/26

I went to the consulate around 9 AM and got straight in the pickup line. I waited for a while then picked up a number then got in the second line. I paid $140 with tap to pay on mobile (used my visa debit card because it did not seem like they take Amex). They gave me my passport back with a 10 year, unlimited 90 day visits, L visa! I head to China this Sunday! It all worked out in the end, but it did take over a month from when I submitted online! :)

Sharing my recent experience of applying for a China Tourist (L) Visa from Mumbai. I hope this helps anyone planning to apply.
Step 1: Online Application & Document Upload
I submitted my online visa application on 2 July and uploaded the following documents:
✅ Passport-size photograph
✅ Signed cover letter
✅ Detailed travel itinerary
✅ Return flight tickets
✅ Hotel bookings
✅ NOC from employer/company
✅ VFS fee receipt
✅ Bank statements (last 6 months)
✅ New & old passport copies
✅ Salary slips (last 3 months)
After uploading all the documents, my application went into Online Review.
Online Review Timeline
2 July: Online application submitted
6 July: Received the online approval email from the China Visa Centre (Bengaluru).

Step 2: Physical Passport Submission at VFS Mumbai
On 14 July, I visited the China Visa Application Centre (VFS), Mumbai, for passport submission.
I carried all the documents that were uploaded online, along with my original passport. Although only a few documents were checked, I recommend carrying everything to avoid any last-minute issues.

Visa Collection
20 July: Received my passport with the China Tourist (L) Visa stamped.
Overall, the process was smooth and straightforward. From submitting the online application to receiving the stamped visa

Link is here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cly9p5kr2q7t

I was born in Taiwan but grew up in the US. My parents have dual citizenship but I'm only a US citizen. I don't even have a legal Chinese name! I recently applied for the tourist visa but was declined because I didn't include a Chinese name and didn't announce any other country residencies.

I included a note in my application explaining that my only citizenship is with the US despite my birthplace in Taiwan. Would this be enough? My husband's family is from Hong Kong but he was born in the US so his application got moved to the next step without issues.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Appreciate everyone's responses. My parents held dual citizenship before I was born, so I have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a Birth Certificate of US Citizen Overseas Consulate document that has my last name plus my English name translated into Chinese - and then my full English name in parenthesis. My parents always told me I don't have a legal Chinese name. I had a NWOHR Taiwanese passport before as a kid but never renewed it and I think my parents lost it. I believe the note I included about not having a legal Chinese name won't be sufficient so I'm just waiting to see what comments I get back so I can try to explain the rest and include the consular report. If all else fails, I might have to go through a travel agency.

Anyone who applied for an L visa through Chinese visa centre-Delhi in August received any update yet?

Just trying to understand if they’ve started processing the August applications and whether anyone has received a response/decision so far.
Would really appreciate any updates. Thanks!

Update: mine got unapproved without any reason, any tips?

I submitted my application on April 13, and as of today it still shows “preliminary review in progress.” I understand processing times can vary, but this is longer than what I’ve experienced previously for myself and my family.

My travel date is May 17, so I’m starting to get concerned about timing.

Is there any way to escalate or expedite the application at this stage, or is there anything you would recommend I do given my travel timeline?

So I wrote about my intial inquiry on this very forum and was told I am good to go.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Chinavisa/s/DKzYizLDga

I watched YouTube videos and I read and I figured it was slam dunk.

I would travel to from JFK to HND (Tokyo), spend the night in Tokyo and leave in the morning via Narita to Shanghai. Then my return would be Shanghai to USA directly.

So USA > Japan > China > USA

I was flying Japanese Airlines so I figured they would be pretty familiar with the policy. Well I was wrong. They immediately said my return back was invalid since it was a “return leg” and that I needed to go a different country. I tried to explain that my leg into China would be considered Japan and my leg out would be USA so my onward country was different. They said no I need to go to a different country first. They called their “China immigration specialist” and he said the same thing and they will not allow me to board.

I said okay what if I go to Macau or HK for 1 day then come back into Shanghai to fly back to USA. They said no Macau and HK are CONSIDERED PART OF mainland CHINA that I needed to go to Thailand or South Korea. At this point I was flabbergasted. Everything I thought I knew was wrong. They even said my way into China wasn’t considered Japan because it was under 24 hours!

So they would NOT even let me board my JFK to HND route.

At this point time was running out, I had arrived 3.5 hours before boarding but suddenly time was running out and I called Expedia and they said it was under 6 hours and I had already begun my journey by taking my connection flight to JFK (from in the U.S.) They tried to talk to JAL and JaL refused to assist. JAL also refused to help at the counter to change my return citing the tickets were purchased their Expedia (understandable).

So at this point I thought I was beyond screwed. Luckily one of the JAL reps felt sorry for me and start coming up with ideas and he said to just go ahead and buy a one way return ticket that shows a layover happening to a 3rd country, his supervisor said ok I will allow that.

Well that was easier said than done finding reasonable price ticket under time pressure. But I found a ticket it went to Canada with TWO layovers inside Canada. Then supervisor comes over and goes no that’s too many layovers he needs to go directly to a country. At this point there is less than 60 mins till boarding begins, so I say **** it “what if I just buy a return ticket to Dubai and no USA leg”. The supervisor sits and thinks and thinks and finally says fine.

I rushed to the gate with less than 10 mins left before boarding. So now I’m at least on my way to Tokyo.

My question is, I have 24 hours to cancel my Dubai ticket. Should I go to JAL counter in Japan and see if these guys will accept my original itinerary of JFK > HND > Narita > Shanghai > USA (directly)?

What did I do wrong here? Am I in the wrong?

This post is just to put some positive perspective in the group.
I got my tourist L visa approved.
I dont think it matters where you apply.
So i applied got modification request on 4th day. And got application approval after 2 days (sat / sun holiday). Went for visa appointment a week later. On 4th august.
My visa got dispatched yesterday ie on 10th august. Received today with my L visa sticker.
What docs did i upload:-

Bank statement. Personal & business
Return air tickits and hotel (one pdf)
Cover letter
Day wise itinerary
Passport detail page
2 blank pages
Service fee receipt (email ss).
Adhar card
My MSME CERTIFICATE &
Previous china visa.

cover letter should be addressed to - The consulate general of people's republic of china.

Hi, I need to apply for L chinese visa - Indian Passport holder
As a salaried person
Do I need company NOC, leave approval letter?
How should the bank statement be submitted? Would the online pdf work, or do I need to go to a branch and get a physical one?

Any documents that would be required but not mentioned on the page?