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WHAT IS IT?

The Z-Visa is one of the various Chinese visa categories. It is issued to persons who intend to work in China.



The embassies and consulates of the People’s Republic of China stationed abroad or other agencies stationed abroad entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are responsible for issuing foreigners’ entry visas abroad.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

The following basic documents are required for a Chinese visa application across all categories:

1. Passport 

• Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, and a photocopy of the passport’s data page and the photo page if it is separate.

   2. Visa Application Form and Photo

• One completed Visa Application Form with a recently-taken color passport photo against a light background attached

   3. Proof of legal stay or residence status

• If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying.

   4. Photocopy of previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas

• If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you should provide your previous Chinese passport held and a photocopy of its data page.



• If you have obtained Chinese visas before and want to apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed foreign passport that does not contain any Chinese visa, you should present the photocopy of the previous passport’s data page and the photo page if it is separate, as well as the previous Chinese visa page.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

To complete your Z-Visa application, you will need an Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Entity or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by relevant Chinese entities AND one of the following supporting documents:

1. Foreigners Employment Permit of the People’s Republic of China issued by Chinese government authorities for Human Resources and Social Security;
2. Permit for Foreign Experts Working in China or Notification Letter of Foreigners Work Permit in China issued by the State Bureau of Foreign Experts;
3. Registration Certificate of Resident Representative Offices of enterprises of foreign countries(regions) issued by Chinese authorities of industrial and commercial administration;
4. An approval document for commercial performances issued by the Chinese government authorities for cultural affairs or Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Entity or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by relevant Foreign Affairs Office of provincial governments of China; OR
5. Letter of Invitation to Foreigners for Offshore Petroleum Operations in China issued by China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

References:

http://cs.mfa.gov.cn/wgrlh/lhqz/lhqzjjs/t1095035.shtml

http://losangeles.china-consulate.org/eng/visa/chinavisa/t1541771.htm