I. Application conditions
People coming to China for travel, visit to their relatives or other private purposes can apply for L visa (including postponement, extension and change of visa).
II. Application procedure
Aliens shall personally apply to Division of Exit-entry Administration of Shenzhen Public Security Bureau for visa. The application of visitors for visa can be made by their relatives in China; that of group tourists can be made by their receiving travel agencies, and that of aliens coming to China for medical treatment can be made by their relatives or host organizations.
III. Application materials
(I) Fill completely in Visa and Residence Permit Application Form and attach one recently taken two-inch half-length, bareheaded and full-faced color photo with blue background to the form, and submit Visa Photo Receipt of Aliens in Guangdong Province connected with the Photo Inspection Center of Provincial Office;
(II) Submit valid international travel certificates, including the originals and copies of certificates such as ordinary passports for diplomatic and official purposes;
(III) Submit Registration Form of Temporary Residence for Visitors issued by the police station at the temporary residence in Shenzhen or by hotels which have been networked with public security organs
(IV) Certificates relating to the application reasons (Certificates issued by overseas institutions shall be subject to the authentication of Chinese embassies and consulates in foreign countries or relevant departments):
1. Tourists
(1) People applying for individual tourist visa shall provide official letters issued by host organizations; if there’s no host organization, they shall provide the documents (cash, traveler’s checks, drafts or cash cards) which can verify that they have enough financial sources to cover their living expenses during their stay in China. The estimated living expenses are US$100 per day;
(2) Application for the visa of group tourism is not admissible in principle. For irresistible reasons, the applicants can apply for, but only once, zero-entry group visa with period of validity corresponding with that of the actual situation, and shall provide official letters issued by host organizations;
(3) People applying for separation from the group visa can apply for zero-entry visa that is valid for up to one month, and shall provide official letters issued by host organizations;
(4) People applying for reissue of lost group visa can apply for zero-entry visa with the same duration of stay as that of the original visa, and shall provide official letters issued by host organizations and copies of group visa of this entry;
2. Visitors:
(1) If the applicants are foreign spouses, parents and children under the age of 18 of Chinese citizens and aliens in China with Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card, the following documents shall be submitted:
A Certificates of family relationship
Foreign spouses shall provide marriage certificates; foreign parents shall provide certificates of family relationship; foreign children shall provide birth certificates or certificates of family relationship. Besides:
B Identity certificates of people being visited
a. People visiting the residents of Chinese Mainland shall provide registered permanent residence certificates of the relatives being visited or relevant documents of the relatives’ current place of residence and the relatives’ ID cards;
b. People visiting overseas Chinese shall provide the relatives’ Chinese passports, documents of permanent residence abroad and documents to show that the persons being visited have resided in China for more than six months;
c. People visiting Hong Kong or Macao residents shall provide the relatives’ Permit to Hong Kong and Macao Residents for Traveling to and from Inland China, or the Home-coming Certificate of Hong Kong and Macao Compatriots and documents to show that the persons being visited have resided in China for more than six months;
d. People visiting Taiwan residents shall provide the relatives’ Permit to Taiwan Residents for Traveling to and from Inland China, or Travel Permit of the People’s Republic of China and documents to show that the persons being visited have resided in China for more than six months;
e. People visiting aliens with Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card in China shall provide the relatives’ Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card.
(2) If the applicants are foreign spouses and children under the age of 18 of foreign students, and parents or overseas guardians of foreign students under the age of 18, the following documents shall be submitted:
A. Certificates of family relationship
Foreign spouses shall also provide marriage certificates, foreign children shall provide certificates of family relationship and guardians shall provide the powers of attorney of foreign students’ parents.
B. Identity certificates of people being visited
Provide official letters issued by schools the foreign students study in and foreign students' passports or residence permit.
(3) If the applicants are aliens who are 60 years old, have no direct relatives abroad and turn to their direct relatives in China, the following documents shall be submitted:
Registered permanent residence certificates of Chinese citizens to whom the applicants turn or the Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card of the aliens, notarized certificates of family relationship and certificates certifying that the applicants have no direct relatives abroad, notarized certificates certifying the applicants’ financial source or financial guarantees of the people to whom the applicants turn and notarized certificates of house leasing or property of the applicants or of people the applicants turn to;
(4) If the applicants are expatriate Chinese who are 60 years old and purchase house property in China, their spouses and children under the age of 18, the following documents shall be submitted:
Certificates of house property, certificates certifying the applicants’ financial source (bill of exchange, bankbooks, cash cards, etc.) or documents of financial guarantee or financial self-guarantee notarized by public notary offices in China. Foreign spouses shall also provide marriage certificates and foreign children shall provide birth certificates or certificates of family relationship.
(5) If the applicants are children under the age of 18 fostered in China by expatriate Chinese and overseas Chinese, the following documents shall be submitted:
A. Birth certificates of the applicants, copies of passports of foreign parents. If both or one of the applicants' parents are/is Chinese, copies of documents of permanent residence abroad shall also be submitted;
B. The powers of attorney of the applicants’ parents that specify the authorized fosterage or guardians and period of fosterage and shall be subject to the authentication of the Chinese embassies and consulates in foreign countries;
C. Identity certificates of the persons bringing up children or guardians and written guarantees notarized by public notary offices. Written guarantees shall specify the contents such as the acceptance of the entrustment of fostered children’s parents, assumption of responsibilities of fosterage and guardianship and assurance that the fostered person will leave China on schedule;
(6) Other visitors shall provide the following materials:
A. People visiting the residents in Chinese Mainland shall provide the registered permanent residence certificates of the relatives being visited or related documents of the relatives’ current place of residence and the relatives’ ID cards;
B. People visiting overseas Chinese shall provide the relatives’ Chinese passports, documents of permanent residence abroad and documents to show that the persons being visited have resided in China for more than six months;
C. People visiting Hong Kong or Macao residents shall provide the relatives’ Permit to Hong Kong and Macao Residents for Traveling to and from Inland China, or the Home-coming Certificate of Hong Kong and Macao Compatriots and documents to show that the persons being visited have resided in China for more than six months;
D. People visiting Taiwan residents shall provide the relatives’ Permit to Taiwan Residents for Traveling to and from Inland China, or Travel Permit of the People’s Republic of China and documents to show that the persons being visited have resided in China for more than six months;
E. People visiting aliens with Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card shall provide their relatives’ Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card.
3. Other people shall provide the following materials:
(1) People coming to China for medical treatment shall submit certificates of diagnosis issued by hospitals above the county level;
(2) People coming to China for private purposes shall submit relevant documents.
(V) Relevant certificates which shall be submitted according to the requirements of the public security organs
Please fill in the application form in black or bluish black ink. A4 paper is required in the submitted copies and the aforesaid application materials shall be bound in sequence.
IV. Processing time
Five workdays.
V. For your information
(I) According to Article 26 of Law of the People's Republic of China on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens: The authorities handling aliens' applications for entry, transit, residence and travel shall have the power to refuse to issue visas and certificates.
(II) If you want to learn about more detailed information about certificate transaction or inquire relevant results, you can consult the Certificate Transaction Office of division of exit-entry administration of public security organs in Shenzhen or choose the following ways:
1. Information service hotline: 84465490, 96897 and 95000100 (automatic station)
2. Visit the website of Division of Exit-entry Administration of Shenzhen Public Security Bureau: http://www.sz3e.com
Division of Exit-entry Administration of Shenzhen Public Security Bureau
May 2009
This guide is subject to the interpretation of the Division of Exit-entry Administration of Shenzhen Public Security Bureau.
