Different Types of Invitations Required for China Visa Applications

When you plan to travel to China, whether for business, professional engagements, or to visit friends and family, your visa application must include a specific type of invitation. There are three main categories of invitations you can use:

Types of Invitations

Business Invitation: Most commonly, a business invitation is issued by a company or institute. This invitation:

• Is created on the company’s letterhead,
• Includes the travel dates and
• The birthdate of the invitee,
• Must always be hand-signed and
• Stamped with the seal of a company registered in China.

The invitation need not be presented in its original form; a printed scan suffices. Typically, this invitation grants a visa for a 30-day visit to China. However, at the explicit request of the inviting company, the visa can also be issued for 60 or 90 days, or even up to 180 days if it involves a language course.

If the invitation is for a double entry, the duration of each stay is limited to 60 days. Ninety days are also possible if both dates of entry are precisely specified. Both entries must occur within 180 days of visa issuance. Business visas for multiple entries are subject to special conditions. You can request a sample of an English-language business invitation from us for free.

Provincial Authority Invitation:

Since 2017, an invitation from a provincial authority (invitation of duly authorized unit) is no longer common and is only required in exceptional cases.

This type of invitation cannot be organized from UK and must be requested by your business partner in China. You can request a sample of an authority invitation from us for free.

Private Invitation:

A private invitation is required if you intend to visit relatives or acquaintances in China. Invitations can be issued by Chinese nationals or by foreigners residing in China with a residence permit.

The invitation must always include:

• The address and phone number of the inviting party,
• The name,
• Birthdate,
• The planned period of stay (from ... to ...),
• The relationship to the guest, if applicable,
• It must also be hand-signed.

As with the business invitation, presenting a printed scan is sufficient. A private invitation is only valid if accompanied by a copy of the host’s identification documents.

• For Chinese citizens: ID card (front and back).
• For foreigners residing in China: passport (photo page and the page with the Residence Permit or a valid visa + entry stamp).

Language of the Invitation:

Invitations to China can be written in English or Chinese.

The invited person’s name must always be written in Latin letters.

Typically, the invitation is scanned and sent as a PDF file by email to UK. Original invitations are only required by visa offices in exceptional cases.

Apply for a Chinese Visa Online

1a Visa Consulting Limited processes visa applications from all regions in the UK. We offer daily free consultations at Tel. 020 - 3239 5990.