The Chinese government requires most foreigners to obtain a visa prior to arrival in Mainland China. Only citizens of Japan, Singapore and Brunei can enter the country for 15 days without a visa. Individuals who fly to China without a visa may be fined, and will be sent back at their own expense. Visa applicants should submit their request at least one month prior to their trip, as the process takes approximately 20 days and the embassy does not provide rush services. A visa is not required if a passenger will enter China in transit for less than 24 hours and will not leave the airport.
The Chinese want visa applicants to come to an embassy or consulate to apply for a visa, and do not accept applications by mail. They sometimes require a personal interview of American citizens seeking to go to China. However, if a visa applicant does not live near a Chinese embassy or consulate, he can use a visa agency as a proxy or send family members to obtain a visa. There are consulates in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The Chinese embassy and consulates in the U.S. typically are closed for both American and Chinese holidays.
All visa applicants will need to submit a completed visa form, two passport photographs, and a valid passport. The passport should be valid for at least six months prior to the planned trip and have enough blank pages.
The applicant must also provide a self-addressed prepaid envelope in which the travel documents will be returned once processed. The envelope must be from one of the following delivery services: Airborne, DHL, Express Mail, FedEx, Priority Mail or UPS. There is an additional $5 handling fee, which must be included with the application.
Additionally, China requires a visa fee, which can be paid via credit card, company check, money order or cashier's check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Visa fees depend on the type of visa being obtained (tourist, business, foreign correspondent, work, student or crew visa). The visa fees are more expensive for American citizens than they are for other foreign nationals.
Long-term visitors, those seeking to stay longer than six months, must present a health certificate that must also indicate the person's HIV/AIDS status. Chinese laws do not permit the entry of HIV/AIDS-infected individuals into China.
Americans traveling to Hong Kong do not need a visa as long as their trip lasts only 90 days. However, American citizens entering Hong Kong for a stay of more than 90 days, or for education, employment, investment, residence or training purposes, must apply for and receive a visa prior to arrival. American citizens do not need a visa to enter The Macao Special Administrative Region. However, all foreigners going to Tibet or other restricted locations must have a permit, which can be obtained from local travel agents. Failure to comply with this rule can result in a fine, arrest, and/or deportation.
