Ⅰ. Applying for Visa
Foreigners visiting relatives in China can apply for zero-entry or single-entry L-visa that is valid for up to six months. The maximum times that they can apply is twice.
Applicants should answer related questions if asked, and provide the following documents:
1. Applicant’s original and valid passport and L-visa, as well as copies of the applicant’s passport and L-visa;
2. Temporary Residence Registration Certificate;
3. Properly-completed Foreigner’s Visa and Residence Permit Application Form with a photograph affixed to the form. The photograph should be:
two inches in size
taken recently, showing current appearance
show full face and front view with a plain white or off-white background
taken in normal street attire (do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline);
4. Applicants visiting residents in Chinese inland regions must provide certificates of their relatives’ local permanent household registration or certificates of their relatives’ actual residence in Nanjing as well as their relatives’ resident ID cards;
5. Applicants visiting overseas Chinese must provide their relatives’ Chinese passports and certificates of their permanent resident status abroad;
6. Applicants visiting residents of Hong Kong and Macaw should provide their relatives’ Passes for Hong Kong and Macaw Residents Traveling to and from Inland Regions or the Home Visiting Certificates for Compatriots from the Regions of Hong Kong or Macaw;
7. Those who are visiting residents of Taiwan should provide their relatives’ Passes for Taiwan Residents Traveling between Mainland and Region of Taiwan or the Travel Documents of the People’s Republic of China;
8. Those who are visiting permanent foreign residents in China should provide their relatives’ Resident Permits or Foreigner’s Permanent Resident Permits;
9. Applicants visiting overseas Chinese and residents of Hong Kong and Macaw should also provide certificates that verify that their relatives can stay legally in China for more than six months.
Note: Documents issued to applicants previously by institutions abroad must be authenticated by Chinese embassies or consulates abroad.
Ⅱ. Re-applying for Visa
When re-applying for a L-visa, new passport holders should also provide the following documents in addition to the above-mentioned required documents:
1. If you hold a new passport because your previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged, you should provide certificates of passport loss report issued by the departments in charge of administration of exit and entry under the public security bureau or provide documents issued by relevant foreign embassies and consulates in China;
2. If you hold a new passport because your previous passport was expired or your visa pages had run out, you should provide the previous passports that you used when you entered China;
3. For foreign infants born in China and holding separate passports, their parents should provide original birth certificates of the infants and copies of the parents’ passports.
Ⅲ. PROVISIONS
1. Applicants must pay application fee in accordance with the relevant regulations of competent organs of Chinese government.
2. Foreigners holding L-visa are forbidden to work in China. The public security organs will impose punishment in accordance with law on those foreigners or responsible persons who unlawfully reside or stay in China or break law in China.
3. Applicants’ valid staying period and the total entry times should be based on the result of approval by the departments in charge of administration of exit and entry under public security bureau.
4. The departments in charge of administration of exit and entry under public security bureau have the right to refuse to issue visas and documents to foreigners in accordance with law, and to revoke the issued visas and documents or declare null and void.
5. The normal processing time, including accepting application, examination, approval, and issue of visas, is five business days.
Nanjing Exit-and-Entry Administration Division
of Public Security Bureau
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