Generally speaking, you should submit your application in person and collect your passport with an issued visa. If circumstances really prevent you from doing so (e.g. illness), you may entrust someone else to do it for you (no need to provide a power of attorney) providing that you have prepared all the documents required and signed the application form.

No, it doesn’t. The Visa Centre is a commercial service organization registered in accordance with local laws and regulations and recognized by a Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General to handle the daily routine work of processing ordinary visa applications.  However, it operates independently of diplomatic missions and is neither a branch nor an affiliated organ. Please note that the Visa Centre does not participate in the assessment and approval of Chinese visas.

If you lost your pick-up form, you must come in person to collect your passport.  Kindly present your photo identity card to the Visa Centre’s staff for verification. Only after the Visa Centre confirms your identity card can the passport be released. If you cannot come in person due to some special reason, you can entrust someone else to pick up your passport as long as he or she brings your notarized power attorney as well as his or her and your own identity card.

Validity of a visa refers to the period within which the visa holder is allowed to enter China. Unless otherwise specified, a visa is effective from the date of issuance to midnight Beijing Time on the last date of validity.

The number of entries refers to the number of times the visa holder is permitted to enter China within the visa’s validity.

Duration of stay refers to the longest period the visa holder is allowed to stay in China on each visit, and this is counted from the day following entry into China.

When all the permitted entries are used up, the visa is no longer valid. Even if there are still unused entries, the visa is no longer valid if the validity has already expired. In either case, the visa holder should apply for a new visa if another visit to China is planned.

The holder of a visa is eligible to enter China at any time prior to the expiry of its validity (allowed to enter China before midnight Beijing Time on the last date of its validity) provided that permitted entries on the visa have not been used up; the holder’s planned duration of stay in China must not exceed the duration stated in the visa.

You may apply for an extension of the “duration of stay” of your visa at a local public security authority before it expires, but without an assumption that the application will be automatically approved. Overstay violates the laws of China and will be punished.

Generally speaking, there should be at least six months left before the passport expires.

It is not possible to apply for a visa through the Internet currently. You need to submit all the required application documents to the Visa Centre, and the Visa Centre staff will then handle your application.

Kindly refer to the following websites:

The Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: http://www.immd.gov.hk

Public Security Police Force of the Government of Macao Special Administrative Region：http://www.fsm.gov.mo/psp/eng/main.html

As an independent applicant, the child needs to fill out a separate visa application form. However, if the child shares the same passport with a principal applicant, this is not required.

It is not possible to apply for a visa through the Internet currently. You need to submit all the required application documents to the Visa Centre, and the Visa Centre staff will then handle your application.

It is advisable that you apply for a visa one month before your intended date of entry into China but not earlier than three months. The Chinese visa is typically valid for three months. If you apply for a visa too early, the visa may expire before your departure. For instance, if you plan to enter China on July 1, the best time to submit your application would be around June 1 (counting working days only).

Please note that the validity of some visas is equal to or shorter than one month. In that case, you may apply for the visa around two weeks before your intended date of entry into China.

1.Regular service: The processing time is usually 4 working days. 

2. Express service: The processing time is usually 3 working days. ( Express Application Submission: 9a.m.-11a.m.)
3. Urgent service: The processing time is usually 2 working day. ( Urgent Application Submission: 9a.m.-11a.m.)