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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  

Visa Type	Consulate Fee	Service Fee	Total
Multiple Entry with Regular Processing	$140 (valid for 10 years)	$140	$280 per person

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