1. Introduction of business visa for foreigners coming to China

Short-term business visas for foreigners to China are usually divided into F and M categories

1 What are the objects of visit visa (F visa) and the required materials?

(1) Issuing object

People entering China for exchanges, visits, inspections and other activities

Domestic inviting units: corporate legal persons with actual import and export performance, paying taxes and registration in our city according to law, can invite foreigners who have real and direct business with this unit

(2) Required materials

1. Passport: The original passport valid for more than 6 months with blank visa pages and a photocopy of the passport photo data page.

2. Visa application form and photos: 1 copy of "Visa Application Form for the People's Republic of China" and 1 recent frontal passport photo with no headgear and light background pasted on the application form.

3. Proof of legal stay or residence (applicable to those who are not applying for a visa in the country of nationality): If you are not applying for a visa in the country of your nationality, you need to provide a valid certificate of legal stay, residence, work, and study in your country of origin or the original and photocopy of a valid visa Pieces.

4. Original Chinese passport or original Chinese visa (applicable to those who once had Chinese nationality and later became a foreign national): If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you must provide the original Chinese passport and a copy of the passport photo data page; if you have been granted For a Chinese visa and applying for a visa with a newly-issued foreign passport, you must provide the photo data page of the original foreign passport and a copy of the previously obtained Chinese visa (if the name recorded in the new passport is not consistent with the original passport, the relevant official changes must also be provided Proof of name).

5. Invitation letter issued by relevant units or individuals in China. The invitation letter must include the following:

(1) Personal information of the invitee: name, gender, date of birth, etc.;

(2) Information about the visit of the invitee: the reason for coming to China, the date of arrival and departure, the place of visit, the relationship with the inviting unit or person, the source of expenses, etc.;

(3) Information of the inviting unit or inviting person: name of the inviting unit or inviting person, contact number, address, seal of the unit, signature of the legal representative or inviting person, etc.

2 What are the objects and materials required for the issuance of a business visa (M visa) for foreigners to China?

(1) Issuing object

People entering China for commercial and trade activities

Domestic inviting units: corporate legal persons with actual import and export performance, paying taxes and registration in our city according to law, can invite foreigners who have real and direct business with this unit

(2) Required materials

1. Passport: The original passport valid for more than 6 months with blank visa pages and a photocopy of the passport photo data page.

2. Visa application form and photos: 1 copy of "Visa Application Form for the People's Republic of China" and 1 recent frontal passport photo with no headgear and light background pasted on the application form.

3. Proof of legal stay or residence (applicable to those who are not applying for a visa in the country of nationality): If you are not applying for a visa in the country of your nationality, you need to provide a valid certificate of legal stay, residence, work, and study in your country of origin or the original and photocopy of a valid visa Pieces.

4. Original Chinese passport or original Chinese visa (applicable to those who once had Chinese nationality and later became a foreign national): If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you must provide the original Chinese passport and a copy of the passport photo data page; if you have been granted For a Chinese visa and applying for a visa with a newly-issued foreign passport, you must provide the photo data page of the original foreign passport and a copy of the previously obtained Chinese visa (if the name recorded in the new passport is not consistent with the original passport, the relevant official changes must also be provided Proof of name).

5. Business activity documents, invitations to trade fairs and other invitation letters issued by trade partners in China. The invitation letter must include the following:

(1) Personal information of the invitee: name, gender, date of birth, etc.;

(2) Information about the visit of the invitee: the reason for coming to China, the date of arrival and departure, the place of visit, the relationship with the inviting unit or person, the source of expenses, etc.;

(3) Inviting unit or inviting person's information: name of inviting unit or inviting person, contact number, address, unit seal, signature of legal representative or inviting person.

Note: If the Chinese consulate in a foreign country requires the invitee to provide the "Invitation Verification Form", the domestic inviting unit must come to the Municipal Foreign Affairs Office to complete the relevant procedures.

Process "Invitation Verification Form"

1. Confirm whether it is necessary to apply for the "Invitation Verification Form";

Under normal circumstances, the inviting unit or individual can issue an invitation letter on their own and hand it over to the invitee to go directly to the Chinese embassy or consulate to apply for the relevant visa; if the embassy or consulate requires the invitee to provide the "Invitation Verification Form", they need to come The Municipal Foreign Affairs Office handles relevant procedures.

2. Submit application materials to the Municipal Foreign Affairs Office;

If the application materials do not meet the requirements, the materials shall be returned and the contents to be modified or supplemented shall be notified at one time, and then submitted again after completion.

3. Municipal Foreign Affairs Office review;

4. Those who have passed the review will be notified to receive the "Invitation Verification Form", and those who have not passed the review will be notified by phone and returned to the application materials;

"Invitation Verification Form" application materials　

1. The application form for the verification form for the invitation of foreigners to China. The list of "competent department review" in the form includes: the foreign affairs offices of the district people's governments, the district commerce bureaus, the municipal commerce bureaus, and the management committees of the development zones, etc.

2. A copy of a clear and valid passport of the invitee, if the invitee has visited China, a copy of the last visa and entry and exit records of the invitee;

3. A copy of the dispatch letter of the invitee’s unit;

4. Original invitation letter issued by the inviting unit;

5. Qualification certificate of the inviting unit (copy of organization code certificate or business license with official seal, tax records, etc.);

6. Proof of the business relationship between the inviting unit and the invitee, including documents, letters, mail records and recent related business activities (such as import and export documents, tax payment certificates, purchase and sales contracts, customs export bills of lading, etc.);

7. Copy and translation of the business license of the invitee’s unit;

8. If the invited person does not apply for a visa in his country of nationality, he must provide official documents such as residence, stay, and work in the country of application;

9. Other materials deemed necessary by the relevant embassies and consulates.

Note:

1. Except for English, other foreign language materials need to be translated by a qualified translation agency.

2. According to the notice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from April 16, 2018, the "Authorized Unit Invitation Confirmation Letter" was renamed the "Invitation Verification Form". Its purpose remains unchanged. It is still one of the procedures for foreigners to apply for visas in China. Administrative license or administrative approval;

3. The inviting unit and individual must be responsible for the authenticity of the content of the invitation, and must not entrust an intermediary or a third party to handle it on their behalf. If the inviting unit or individual is found to be fraudulent, reselling, etc., the application will be suspended, and the case will be handed over to the public security organ for processing;

4. The "Invitation Verification Form" is only supporting materials for applying for coming to China. The final decision on visa issuance lies with Chinese embassies and consulates abroad. If applicants have any questions, please contact the Chinese embassies and consulates directly.