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- Human Resources and Payroll in China 2016-2017 (5th Edition)
In the following table, we present China’s visa categories according to the major purpose of visit.
Major Purpose of Visit
Visa Categories
Description of Visa
Exchanges, visits, study
tours and other activities
F
Issued to those who are invited to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other activities.
Commerce & Trade
M
Issued to those who are invited to China for commercial and trade activities.
As a tourist
L
Issued to those who are going to travel to China for tourism.
Family reunion, foster
care or visiting relatives
with permanent
residence in China
Q1
Issued to those who are family members of Chinese citizens or of foreigners with Chinese permanent
residence and intend to go to China for a long-term family reunion, or to those who intend to go
to China for the purposes of foster care (intended duration of stay in China exceeding 180 days).
“Family members”refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters,
brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law.
Q2
Issued to those who intend to visit relatives who are Chinese citizens residing in China or foreigners
with permanent residence in China; the intended duration of stay is limited to no more than 180 days.
Visiting relatives working
or studying in China or
other private affairs
S1
Issued to relatives of foreigners working or studying in China for the purpose of long-term visit, or to
those who intend to visit China for other private reasons (intended duration of stay exceeding 180 days).
“Relatives”refer to spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 years and parents-in-law.
S2
Issued to those wishing to visit family members that are foreigners working or
studying in China, or to those who intend to go to China for other private reasons.
The intended duration of stay in China is limited to no more than 180 days.
“Family members”refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters,
brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law.
Employment
Z
Issued to those taking up a post or employment, or giving commercial performances, in China.
Commercial performances
Transit
G
Issued to those who are going to transit through China en route to a third country (or region).
As a crew member or a
motor vehicle driver
C
Issued to foreign crew members of aircraft, trains and ships, motor vehicle drivers
engaged in cross-border transport activities, and also to the accompanying
family members of the above-mentioned ships’crew members.
As a student
X1
Issued to those intending to study in China for a period of more than 180 days.
X2
Issued to those intending to study in China for a period of no more than 180 days.
As an introduced talent
R
Issued to those who are high-level qualified talents or whose skills are urgently needed by China.
As a journalist
J1
Issued to resident foreign journalists/media staff of foreign news organizations
stationed in China. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days.
J2
Issued to foreign journalists/media staff on temporary news coverage missions. The
intended duration of stay in China is limited to no more than 180 days.
Permanent Residence
D
Issued to those who are going to reside in China permanently.