China Passport & Visa Information

What passport and visa do I need to visit China?

Passports
It is a requirement of the Chinese Government that British visitors to China possess a valid 10 year passport which must have a validity date at least six months after the date you arrive. It is important that your passport is undamaged with no pages missing and you will need at least 2 blank pages for immigration purposes. Please check that your passport complies with the above well in advance of travel. If you do not have a British passport please contact the nearest Chinese Embassy for advice.

Visas for China
The Chinese government requires British passport holders to have a visa for entry into mainland China. Visas are valid for entry into China within 3 months of their issue date, so we recommend that you apply for your visa a month or two before your departure date to avoid any complications.

A single entry China visa, allowing a stay of up to 30 days, costs £87 and a 2-year multiple-entry visa costs £109. You will also be charged an administration fee up to £90, depending on whether you apply in person or by post.

Visas are processed by the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre which has offices in London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Once you have completed your application, if you are 14 to 70 years old, you must attend one of the visa centres in person where officials will take a scan of your fingerprints.

If you are 13 or under or 71 or over, you do not need to attend in person.

For up to date information and costs, and to apply online please visit the Visa for China website.

British passport holders can enter Hong Kong and Macao for up to 6 months without a visa. Please note visitors to Tibet will require a special entry permit in addition to the China visa, which is organised by our local representatives in Lhasa (not through the Visa Application Service).

Alternatively, if you do not have the time to apply for the visa yourself, or you would like assistance with the visa process, then you can use the services of Travcour, a visa company we recommend for this purpose. Although they will charge a fee for their service, they do streamline the entire application process, which includes completing all the necessary forms, submitting the visa application and meeting you in person at one of the China Visa Application Centres, where you would still be required to have your fingerprints taken, if between the ages of 14 and 70.

Travcour can be contacted on 020 8543 1846, or via their website travcour.com.

Find out more about our tours of China. To discuss your travel needs, you can complete an enquiry form or call our Asia experts on 020 7720 9285.