Requesting a Chinese Visa
Lotus Travel welcomes visa applications from all 50 states. Please remember we do not grant visas for travel; that it exclusively the domain of the Chinese government. But your careful and cautious work on the visa application form will be definitely helpful to get visa smoothly and efficiently. We can provide service assistance to help smooth and expedite visa processing and answer questions. The visa fee and visa service fee is non-refundable if your visa application is denied.
Please follow the step by step instructions to work on your visa application carefully. It is recommended that you apply for a visa 3 months prior to your family’s heritage travel date. During adoption process please apply after receipt of an adoption referral or travel approval. Please remember, a cover page is required for visa application packets to be processed.
If you have questions, you may contact our visa agent – Vicky at vickyzwjin@aliyun.com or via phone at 425-214 1209 during 10 am – 3 pm PST, Monday – Friday.
Here is the “L” (tourist visa) step by step instructions as following. Please contact our visa agent – Vick at vickyzwjin@aliyun.com for all other types of Chinese visa information.
Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1
Please renew your passport prior to processing a visa request, and make sure all applicants’ passports should be valid for at least 6 months from the arrival date in China with at least 1 blank visa page otherwise the applicants need to renew the US passport before applying for the Chinese visa.
STEP 2
Based on different Consular District where you are living, click the right Consulate District for the correct form at https://cova.mfa.gov.cn/qzCoCommonController.do?show&pageId=index&locale=en_US , and fill in the visa application form on line. DON’T SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FORM BUT SAVE it for each applicant because you have to start from beginning again if you submit the form with any mistake.
CHINESE EMBASSY IN UNITED STATES: Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Delaware, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico
CHINESE CONSULATE GENERAL IN NEW YORK: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Rhode Island
CHINESE CONSULATE GENERAL IN CHICAGO: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
CHINESE CONSULATE GENERAL IN SAN FRANCISCO: Northern California, Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
CHINESE CONSULATE GENERAL IN LOS ANGELES: Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, U.S. Pacific islands including Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa
STEP 3
DON’T SUBMIT THE FORM after completing the application form on line. Please email each applicant’s Application ID number and US passport picture page to our visa agent at vicky@lotustours.net. Our visa agent will review your forms and make the appointment.
STEP 4
Our visa agent will email you confirmation after reviewing your forms. Then you need to submit the Chinese Online Visa Application (COVA) form and print a hard copy of it (Only single sided printing. No double side). If the Declaration and Applicant’s signature on the “Confirmation of Online Visa Application” page is printed on a different page, you need to fix your printer setting, change the paper size to letter size instead of A4. Then print it and sigh your name on both “Confirmation of Online Visa Application” page, and page 7th. Your visa package should include the following documents.
- Cover Page – Click Cover Page and complete (1 cover page form per mailed package).
- Each applicant’s actual US passport. One of the inside visa pages must be blank and the passport(s) must be valid for 6 months beyond your travel date.
Note: Each passport must be signed. Adults and older children should always sign their own passports. The signature should match the name on the passport. For children who are too young to sign their own passports, a parent may sign on their behalf using this format: “child’s name by parent’s name (relationship)” Important! Always make and retain for your records a photocopy of the signature/photo page from each passport.
- Photocopy of the bio-page of each passport.
- One color photo of each applicant. Review the Photo Requirements. Paper-clipped (not stapled) to the Chinese Online Visa Application (COVA) form.
- Photocopy of the China Online Visa Application (COVA) for each applicant.
- Photocopy of Residence Proof (e.g. driver’s license, utility bill, bank bill).
- Where You Stay Form (print the form and handwritten signature required for each applicant)
- Photo copy of the birth certificate and photo copies of parents’ passports for any under 18-years-old applicants.
- If you are applying for a visa for a daughter or son adopted from China, you need to submit the following extra documents:
- The original red Chinese passport (it will be returned with one of the corners cut to complete cancellation of Passport). OR Proof of prior issued China Visa if the child has gone back since being adopted.
- Two photocopies of the bio-page of the Chinese passport.
- One photocopy of Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship.
- A photocopy of Chinese birth certificate (both English and Chinese version) (page of the white pamphlet stating: Name, Sex, Date of Birth, and any knowledge regarding birthplace and parents)
- A photocopy of the China Adoption Certificate (both English and Chinese version)
- A photocopy of one of the following three documents which shows both Chinese name and American name on the same page:
– Adoption Decree from China (the one with your family picture on it)
– Adoption Decree from U.S. (reissued by your state when you readopted your child in the U.S.)
– Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration
- If the applicant is a foreigner in the US, they need to provide a photocopy of green card, visa, I20, or I94 to prove their legal residence in the US.
- A pre‐paid, self ‐addressed return envelope from embassy or consulate city as following requests. Please make sure that is trackable to ensure secure and timely return of passports.
- From Embassy in DC: can use any of FedEx, UPS, or USPS
- From Consulate in Chicago: can use only FedEx or UPS. No USPS.
- From Consulate in New York: can use only FedEx or UPS. No USPS.
- From Consulate in Los Angeles: can use any of FedEx, UPS, or USPS
- From San Francisco: use only USPS
PLEASE DON’T SHIP YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE UNTIL YOU GET OUR SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS
Step 5
Be patience for 20 – 30 days before you receive the passport package with your pre‐paid, self ‐addressed return FedEx or UPS envelope.
Visa Fees for U.S. Citizens
The Consulate General of China Offices close on the following holidays
Chinese New Year (3 days)
International Labor Day: May 1st
Memorial Day: 4th Monday in May
US Independence Day: July 4th
US Labor Day: 1st Monday in September
China National Holiday: Oct. 1st, Oct. 2nd & Oct. 3rd
Veterans Day: 2nd Monday in November
Thanksgiving: 4th Thursday & Friday in November
Christmas Day: Dec 24th & Dec 25th
Services
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please DO NOT mail your application, passports and related documents to the Lotus Travel home office. This package must be mailed to your individually designated location, as specified by the location of the Consulate district in which you reside. While Lotus Travel handles payment for all processed via our office, mailing your application to our home office, simply delays your visa application procedures.
China Visa Application FAQs
Q: Does Lotus Travel accept visa applications from all 50 states?
A: Yes. We accept applications from all 50 states. Non-citizens with a permanent residence card (Green card) can also apply through us.
Q: Does the Chinese Consulate accept applications by mail?
A: No. All applications must be submitted either in person or via a visa service courier.
Q: When should China travelers apply for visas?
A: Since tourist visas issued by the Chinese Consulate are now valid for up to ten years from the issue date, applicants can start applying once your China trip is confirmed and must have a minimum of 6 months of validity remaining on your passport from the China entry date.
Q: What documents are required for adult applicants?
A: A signed and completed application form, one 2″x2″ standard passport photo with a clear and light background and the original American passport. Former Chinese citizens need to also submit their original Chinese passports unless there is proof of a previously issued visa.
Q: What documents are required for applicants who are 18 and under?
A: Children who are American born need to submit a copy of the birth certificate in addition to the application form, passport photo and the original American passport. For Chinese born children, a copy of the Chinese birth certificate and the original Chinese passport are also required.
Q: Should children sign their own applications?
A: Parents are recommended to sign for their kids if your children are young. Please sign your name first and your child’s name behind or up and over your name.
Q: How can non-American citizens apply for visas?
A: The applicant needs to submit a signed and completed application form, the original birth country passport and a copy of the permanent residence card.
Q: Do I need to fill in postion and duty at Item 3.3E and 3.3E on the page 4?
A: Yes, you must fill them completed.
Q: Do I need to fill in country at Item 5 on page 4.?
A: Yes, you need to fill in USA behind the state name and zip code.
Q: I travelled to China a long time ago. How do I fill in Item 7.2 on the page 7.?
A: You should check “Yes”, and find out your old US passport with the Chinese visa before you complete the other information. You also need to include a hard copy of the old US passport, and a hard copy of the previous Chinese visa in the new visa application file to the Chinese consulate. You have to write a statement to the Chinese consulate to explain when and where you lost your old US passport if you can’t find it.
Q: How long is the visa application process?
A: Allow 20 – 30 business days for regular processing. Please send a self-addressed mailing package (FedEx or UPS) so the passports with visa stamp can be returned to you via secure mailing service.
Q: How long can the traveler stay in China?
A: A Chinese tourist visa may be issued with a maximum stay of up to 30 days. The actual duration granted is at the discretion of the Chinese Consulate.
Q: What is the Americans’ National ID?
A: The identity number is printed on all of your national identification documents, such as your ID-card, passport, residents permit etc. It is usually either next to or below your name or your birth date. Look for a number with 11 digits containing your birthday in a year-month-date or date-month-year format. On bottom of your passport, there are lot of digits. Starting from the 1st digit behind USA, end on the 11th digit. This is your National ID.
Q: How to fill up last name?
A: On your passport biological page, your Surname is your last name.
Q: How to fill up first name and middle name?
A: On your passport biological page, if there are several names as your “Given Names” like “Davis Joseph”, you need to fill up “Davis” as the first name, and “Joseph” as the middle name.
Q: Do I need to fill up my Chinese name?
A: Any applicant born in China, including adopted child need to fill up the Chinese name in Chinese characters.
Q: Do I need to fill up email address for my child’s application?
A: Yes, any applicant’s application including your children’s application should be filled in the email address.
Q: Has my adopted Chinese child ever held any other nationality?
A: It should be YES, then more information required including Chinese name, former Chinese ID number, and number of the last Chinese passport
Q: Where can I find the Chinese’ National ID for my adopted child?
A: It could be found in the Adoption Registration Certificate or Notarized Birth Certificate. But there might be no Chinese National ID on some earlier version Adoption Registration Certificate or Notarized Birth Certificate, then you can check the box of “Not Applicable”, and explain “The child was adopted without Chinese National ID”.
Q: Should I apply for a group visa or independent tourist visa?
A: Independent tourist visa.
Q: Number of entries, Single, double or multiple?
A: Multiple.
Q: Maximum duration?
A: 30 days.
Q: Validity of visa in months?
A: 120 months.
Q: Who is the inviting person?
A: Guangdong China Youth Travel Service Co. Ltd
Q: Who is the sponsor?
A: None
Q: Is the place of issue for the passport the country, or something more specific?
A: Use the same information on your passport page.
Q: I assume the passport is “ordinary” so is that what I check?
A: On top of your passport page, If “P” is your passport Type, then your passport is ordinary.
Q: The Confirmation page would not print on a letter sized paper. The bottom part with signature and date was cut off where we were to sign. Can we use legal sized paper to print the application form?
A: No, you have to use letter sized paper to print the form. Please follow the steps as below.
1.Right click your mouse for “Print”
2.Scroll down to “More Settings” before you click “Print” button.
3.Change Scale (%) to “75”;
4.Then click “Print” button and you will have the confirmation page on one piece of letter size paper.
Vietnam Visa Procedure
Visa on arrival
Type of visa: Single entry Tourist Visa
Maximum length of stay: entry and exit once / 30 days for foreign tourists.
Process to get Visa on arrival to Vietnam
Step 1:
Please send us a copy of each passenger’s US passport
Step 2:
After receiving your information, we will send the application to the Immigration Department to process your visa permission application.
Step 3:
We will send you the visa approval sheet after 3-5 working days for normal visas (excluding weekend and holidays)
Step 4:
Bring a hard copy of the approval sheet and 2 passport photos (size 4×6 cm)/per person with you from home. You will need them when you land in Vietnam.
Step 5:
Our staff will pick you up at the Immigration section with a sign board (with Client’s Name). We will help by taking you and assisting at the visa office to secure the stamp of approval.
Vietnam E-visa Services Package
US$100.00/per person for entry all airports at Vietnam
Email info@lotustours.net for any questions or assistance.
(The package price includes visa permission + visa stamping fee)
