Question 1

Do I need a visa for China if I hold a US passport?

Accepted Answer

Yes. China has extended visa free entry to around 50 countries, and added the UK and Canada on 17 February 2026, but the United States is not on that list. Any tourist or business trip that is not a qualifying transit needs a visa issued before you fly. Atlys handles the whole application from your phone, and the only thing that leaves your house is your passport.

Question 2

What about the 240 hour visa free transit? Can I use that instead?

Accepted Answer

Only if you are genuinely passing through. US passport holders qualify for the 240 hour (10 day) visa free transit at 65 designated ports across 24 provinces, but you need a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, not a return to the United States, and a passport valid for at least three months. A round trip from the US to China and back does not qualify. If your trip is a normal holiday or work visit, you need a tourist (L) or business (M) visa.

Question 3

Can I really get a 10 year visa?

Accepted Answer

US citizens are one of a small group eligible for the 10 year multiple entry L (tourist) or M (business) visa, and the consular fee is identical to a single entry, so there is no reason to ask for less. Two things decide it: your passport needs more than 12 months of validity left, and it must be a standard 10 year passport book. If your passport has under a year on it, the mission will usually issue a six month visa instead, so renewing first is worth it. Each stay in China is capped at the number of days printed on the visa, even though the visa itself lasts a decade.

Question 4

Which visa type should I pick?

Accepted Answer

Tourism, sightseeing, visiting on your own: L.  No invitation letter, no bookings needed. Business meetings, conferences, trade visits: M.  You need an invitation letter from your host in China carrying their red company seal and a signature, plus the inviting organisation's details. Visiting friends or family: Q2 or S2.  Your relative or host in China writes the invitation letter and sends copies of their ID documents. If you are not sure between L and M, pick the one that matches the actual reason you are going. Consulates check.

Question 5

Do I need flight tickets and hotel bookings?

Accepted Answer

No, not for a tourist visa. China dropped that requirement on 1 January 2024. We ask for your planned entry date, your arrival city, your departure date and city, because the government form needs them. Flight numbers and hotel names are optional fields, filled in only if you already have bookings. Nothing gets rejected for being unbooked.

Question 6

How far ahead should I apply?

Accepted Answer

Start about five weeks before your entry date for standard processing. Four weeks is workable but tight. Under three weeks, talk to us before paying, because the consulate calendar may not allow it. On the other end, do not apply more than four months before you travel, since the mission will question an entry date that far out.

Question 7

What is COVA, and do I have to fill it in myself?

Accepted Answer

COVA is China's official online visa application system, mandatory worldwide since 30 September 2025. Paper forms are no longer accepted anywhere. It is long, unforgiving, and cannot be edited once submitted, which is the main reason people get returned applications.  Atlys  files it for you. You answer plain questions in our flow, our team transcribes your answers into COVA and checks them, then submits.

Question 8

Why does Atlys fill in COVA rather than just giving me a link?

Accepted Answer

Because COVA punishes small mistakes. A name that does not match your passport exactly gets the application returned, and the system limits you to two submissions in a short window before a 30 day cooling off period. Having someone check it before it goes in is the difference between four weeks and starting over.

Question 9

What do I have to answer before I pay?

Accepted Answer

About 15 fields and eight yes or no questions, roughly two to three minutes: Your state of residence and citizenship Visa category and trip dates, plus arrival and departure cities Passport number, issue date, expiry date Full name exactly as printed in your passport, date of birth, email, mobile number Any previous legal names, marital status, home address Eight quick screening questions covering things like military service, previous visa refusals, and travel to sensitive countries That is enough for us to confirm you are eligible, quote a firm price, and commit to a date your passport comes back.

Question 10

What comes after I pay?

Accepted Answer

The full government question set, which is long because COVA is long. Education, five years of employment history with supervisor contacts, parents' and spouse's details, children, emergency contact, past China trips and past Chinese visas, and the security declarations. You can send a share link to a co-traveler so they fill in their own section. We nudge you if anything is still pending after 48 hours, and nothing gets filed until it is complete.

Question 11

What is the statement page I have to sign by hand?

Accepted Answer

China still requires one wet signed page, the Visa Application Statement. Once we have filed COVA, we email you the completed page. You print it, sign it in ink, and put it in the FedEx envelope with your passport. That is the only paper in the whole process.

Question 12

What documents do I need to upload?

Accepted Answer

Passport bio page, colour scan or photo:  10 year book, at least six months of validity beyond your trip, at least two blank visa pages, undamaged. Visa photo:  taken in the last six months, colour, plain white background, no glasses, no smile, ears and forehead visible, sized 33 x 48 mm. Use the Atlys photo tool, which crops to the exact China spec. Driver's licence or state ID, colour:  current, not expired, with an address matching your application. This is what sets your consular jurisdiction. Conditional:  a copy of any previous Chinese visa, an invitation letter for M, Q2 or S2, green card front and back for non citizens, and birth certificate plus both parents' IDs for anyone under 18.

Question 13

Why is the photo such a big deal?

Accepted Answer

COVA rejects non compliant photos automatically, and a rejected photo costs you days. The two mistakes that cause almost all rejections are using a US passport style 2 x 2 inch photo instead of the 33 x 48 mm Chinese size, and a background that is off white or shadowed. Our photo tool handles both, and our team checks it again before filing.

Question 14

My licence address is different from where I live now. Does that matter?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because the address on your ID decides which mission processes your application. If your licence does not match your current address, we ask for a recent utility bill in your name for electricity, gas or water. Phone and cable bills are not accepted.

Question 15

Which embassy or consulate will handle my application?

Accepted Answer

Your state of residence decides it. China maintains a visa office at its embassy in Washington DC, plus consulates general in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Houston consulate is closed and its states are now handled by Washington DC. We assign your jurisdiction automatically from the state you select and show you where your passport is going before you pay.

Question 16

Do I have to go in person or give fingerprints?

Accepted Answer

For most travelers, no. From 17 December 2025 through 31 December 2026, China waives fingerprint collection for all short term visa applicants staying up to 180 days, which covers L, M, Q2, S2, X2 and G visas. Long stay categories that convert into a residence permit after arrival, meaning D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z, still require fingerprints in person. Chinese missions in the US do not accept applications by post, but they do accept submission by an authorised representative, which is how Atlys hand delivers your passport for you.

Question 17

I have a criminal record. Can I still apply through Atlys?

Accepted Answer

Not through this flow, and we will tell you that before you pay rather than after. Applications involving a criminal record need to be presented in person by the applicant, so a mail in service cannot carry it for you. Nothing is charged, and we point you to the right route.

Question 18

I was born in China, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan, or I used to hold a Chinese passport. What changes?

Accepted Answer

Your application still works, it just needs more paperwork and more time. Expect to provide your name in Chinese characters, your former Chinese passport or ID number, your previous nationality, your date of US naturalisation, and a copy of any Chinese visa you have held. If you have never held one, the mission usually wants your original Chinese passport, naturalisation certificate and birth certificate. The same applies in a lighter form if you were born in the US but your parents were born in China, or if you were adopted from China. We flag these to our specialist team the moment you tick the box and give you a realistic timeline instead of an optimistic one.

Question 19

I have traveled to countries China treats as sensitive. Will I be refused?

Accepted Answer

Usually not, but you will be asked for more. If you have visited any of the countries on China's sensitive list in the past five years, including places like Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and several others, we collect a full five year travel history with dates, purpose and length of each stay. It adds time, so we adjust your delivery estimate rather than letting it slip quietly.

Question 20

I served in the military. Does that stop me?

Accepted Answer

No. Military service, including reserves, means an extra government form, the Declaration of Military Service, which you sign by hand along with the statement page. We collect your branch, rank, posting, specialisation and service dates, and make sure they line up with your employment history, since a mismatch is one of the things reviewers do check.

Question 21

I work for a non profit, a media outlet or a religious organisation. Is that a problem?

Accepted Answer

It is not a bar, but it does trigger extra scrutiny. You will need a letter from your employer and a short personal statement explaining the purpose of your trip. Delays are common here, so we set expectations up front and keep your case with a reviewer who has handled it before.

Question 22

My China visa was refused before, or I have been fingerprinted for one previously. Should I mention it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, always. A previous refusal, a cancelled visa or a prior fingerprint record is not a disqualification, but omitting it is a serious problem, because the mission has the record and you do not. Tell us on the screener question and we handle the disclosure properly.

Question 23

How long does the whole thing take, and how safe is my passport?

Accepted Answer

Plan on about four weeks door to door for standard service. That breaks down into a few days for COVA pre review, the time your passport spends in transit, and four business days of consular processing once submitted. Every leg is tracked. You ship with a prepaid tamper evident FedEx label, we hand carry your passport to the mission, and it comes back to you by tracked FedEx. Optional passport protection is available as a single checkbox at checkout, off by default, with cover up to $2,000. Atlys has processed more than 2 million applications across more than 150 destinations, with roughly 99.2 percent accuracy on delivery predictions, which is why we can put a date on it rather than a range.

Question 24

Anything I need to do after my visa arrives?

Accepted Answer

One thing, and it is free. Since 20 November 2025, everyone entering China fills in a China Arrival Card. Do it online before you fly through the National Immigration Administration website or the NIA 12367 app, ideally 24 to 72 hours before departure. You can also complete it at the airport on arrival, but the queue is longer. Atlys sends you a reminder with the link once your passport is back in your hands.

The visa process

Visa not on time? No charge.

Atlys in the news

Frequently asked questions

The visa process

Visa not on time? No charge.

Atlys in the news

Frequently asked questions

China Visa for US citizens: Fees, Requirements, and Visa Process

China Visa Requirements

Visa Fees & Processing Time

How to Apply Online

Documents Required

Frequently Asked Questions

The visa process

Visa not on time? No charge.

Atlys in the news

Frequently asked questions

The visa process

Visa not on time? No charge.

Atlys in the news

Frequently asked questions