TIPS: What you'll need for a Chinese visa application

Are you setting your sights on China as your next great adventure? Suzhou's expansive gardens, Yangshuo's backpacking haven, and Xi'an's terracotta army are certainly enough for the travel bug to bite. 

If you're planning on going to mainland China soon, remember that Filipino passport holders need a visa to enter. Travelers entering as tourists need the L-visa; students set to study in China need the X-visa; and individuals traveling for business meetings and to conduct commercial trade require the M-visa. 

Ready? Visit the Chinese Visa Application Service Center online and create an account. Through your account, you may begin the process of application. 

Take a look at the following requirements to apply for a Chinese visa:

• A completely filled visa application form. Download it here. Remember to use all capital letters. Also, do not leave anything blank. If the item does not apply to you, type N/A. The form requires a wet signature, meaning you cannot simply affix a digital signature at the end of the form. 
• Two passport-size photos (33mm x 48mm). Use a plain white background with a full-face front view. Remove any earrings and head coverings. Paste or tape one on the application form; do not staple. 
• Original passport that is valid for at least another six months after your trip. The passport must have at least two blank visa pages. Include a photocopy of the passport's information/photo page, as well as the last page with the emergency contact information.
• The most recent original expired passport, if any. If it was lost or if you have only ever held your current passport, clearly state it in item 3.7 of the visa application form. 
• A bank certificate containing the following details:
  1. Type of account
  2. Account number
  3. Account opening date
  4. Average daily balance and current balance, which should not be less than P100,000 
  5. Attach the original official receipt / debit memo / certification of waived fee

• Statement of accounts covering transactions of the last six months or a passbook with monthly updates. The bank account number and name on these supporting documents should match those in the bank certificate. Submit both the original and a photocopy of all pages. 
  • If you are submitting documents for a joint account, provide proof of relationship, such as birth certificates or a marriage contract issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority. 
• The latest income tax return with BIR received stamp. Submit both the original and a photocopy. 
• A copy of the round-trip plane ticket and flight itinerary
• Hotel booking confirmation or hotel voucher
  • If these are not available yet, submit an invitation letter from a relevant unit or individual in China instead. Ask them to include a photocopy of both sides of their Chinese ID if the letter is coming from a Chinese citizen or, if the letter will be written by a non-Chinese citizen, they will need to include a photocopy of their passport and residence permit. 
  • The invitation letter must provide information consistent with that in the visa application form. Take special note of the spelling of names. Include the applicant's full name, gender, and date of birth, as well as arrival and departure dates, places to be visited, accommodation arrangements, and other pertinent information. 
  • Include details on the inviting organization or individual, as well, such as full name, contact phone number, address, ID number if it is an individual extending the invitation, official stamp of an inviting organization, and the signature of the organization's legal representative or of the inviting individual. 

• The latest departure and arrival stamps from your most recent flight. If you cannot provide one, submit a printed-out screenshot of your latest e-travel information from the eGovPH app. 
• First-time visa applicants must submit a certificate of employment that details their salary, job position, and length of employment. It must include your HR head's wet signature. 

First-time applicants also need to submit their income tax return. 

Applicants under 18 years old need to submit additional requirements:

• Photocopy of the child's birth certificate with both parents' names
• Photocopy of the parents' passports
• If the child is traveling with only one parent, they will need to submit a consent letter written by the parent who is not accompanying the child, giving the child permission to travel without them.

Once the documents are complete, you may submit them to the Visa Center for processing. 

At the Chinese Visa Application Center

After showing your requirements for a preliminary check, you will be given a queue number for submission. When your number is called, submit your requirements at the given counter. The center may then ask to capture your fingerprints, but this is not consistent for all applicants.

In some cases, applicants may be asked to come in for an interview or to submit additional requirements. If you need to sit for an interview, staff at the center will set a time with you.

Once your documents have been reviewed and received, staff will hand you a pick-up form and a queue number for payment of the visa fee. Payment has to be made in cash on the same day as the submission of the requirements. 

The pick-up form will contain your application information and the expected date of visa collection. Keep the pick-up form secure, as you will need to present it at the center to claim your passport. 

Fees and submission schedules

After your application is accepted, you need to pay the visa fee. There are different fees depending on the number of entries into China you require and the urgency of your visa need:

The following are the visa application fees for Philippine passport holders:

• For single entry - P2,898 for regular processing, P4,922 for express, P6,446 for rush

• For double entry - P3,448 for regular processing, P5,472 for express, P6,996 for rush

• For multiple entries within six months: P3,948 for regular processing, P5,972 for express, P7,496 for rush

• For multiple entries over six months: P4,998 for regular processing, P7,022 for express, P8,546 for rush

The Chinese Visa Application Center is on the 6th floor of Noble Square, 6762 Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Submission of requirements is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. Visa collection is between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. 

Other details you need to know

The Chinese Embassy advises you to submit your requirements at least one month ahead of your travel date, but no more than three months. 

If you are exempt from fingerprint collection and are unable to submit your visa requirements in person, you may send a trusted individual to submit them for you at the Visa Center. Otherwise, you will need to go yourself. 

The Visa Center in Makati will accept applications from Filipinos residing in the Philippines. If you are a Filipino citizen but residing outside the country, you will need to submit your application at the Visa Center in the country of your current residence. Or you may also begin your application at the Visa Center once you are back in the Philippines. 

Take note that the acceptance of your visa requirements and fee does not mean your visa is approved. The Chinese Embassy in Manila grants the approval or disapproval of visas. If your application is declined, or the visa the embassy issues is not in the category you applied for, the visa fee will not be refunded. 

To track the status of your application, click "My Account" on the Visa Center website, which should display the status clearly.