China Visa Invitation Letter and Invited Visa Application
China Visa Invitation Letter and Invited Visa Application
In some cases, when submitting your Chinese visa application to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate, you must submit a Chinese visa invitation letter as a supporting document.
A China visa invitation letter is a visa document that includes your reason for visiting China and details about your planned trip, and is mandatory when applying for a China visa for certain types of visas.
Types of Chinese Visa Requiring an Invitation
Types of Chinese visas that require an invitation are listed below.
- China crew visa
- China F visa
- China business visa
- China work visa
- China family reunification visa
- China visit visa
There are two exceptions to the Chinese visa invitation letter for the Chinese tourist visa and transit visa. If you have a confirmed flight ticket for the Chinese transit visa application, you do not need to present an invitation letter. In the Chinese tourist visa application, you must present an invitation letter if you are invited by a friend or travel agent; however, if you want to travel without receiving an invitation, it is sufficient to present proof of flight ticket and accommodation reservation. If you do not have any friends, family members, relatives or inviters in China, an invitation letter is not required; receiving an invitation letter from someone you do not know may make your visit seem suspicious and result in a visa rejection.
How Should a Chinese Visa Invitation Letter Be?
There is no template determined by the Chinese embassies and consulates for the Chinese visa invitation letter. Since the invitation will be given to the foreign representative office with the visa application, it should be written in an official language, addressed to the foreign representative office where the application will be made. The visa invitation letter should start with a title and salutation that includes the name and contact information of the foreign representative office, explain the applicant's travel purpose and travel plans in detail, include information about the applicant and the inviting person, and end with the date and signature. The contact information of the inviting person who prepared the letter should also be included at the end of the invitation letter.
The China visa invitation can be handwritten, computer-written, scanned or faxed, but must be submitted in hard copy during the visa application. The letter format may vary depending on the inviting person or organization.
A sample Chinese visa invitation image is given below.
Information Required in the People's Republic of China Visa Invitation
Although the information that must be included in the People's Republic of China visa invitation may vary depending on the visa type, the basic details about the inviting party, the person invited, and the invitation must be included in the invitation content.
The China invitation letter must include information about the applicant such as full name-surname, passport number, nationality, gender, date of birth, departure and return dates for the planned trip to China, cities to be visited, and information about the inviting person or institution such as the name, telephone number, address, legal representative or signature of the inviting person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions to our consultants about the China visa invitation letter are provided below.
Who Should Write the China Visa Invitation Letter?
If you are invited by an organization in China, the invitation letter for a Chinese visa should be written by the inviting organization, preferably on a letterhead. In China, the existing central and state organs, provincial foreign relations and trade departments, and central enterprises and municipal foreign relations departments can issue invitation letters.
If you have been invited to China by someone, the invitation letter must be prepared by the inviting person to meet the requirements.
Who Can Get a Chinese Visa Without an Invitation?
Certain people can obtain an invitation-free Chinese visa without presenting an invitation.
People who are approved by the Chinese government to work in the country are not required to submit an additional invitation letter issued by the government authorities in their applications for a Chinese work visa. Family members of people who will continue their work or production in China, including their spouse, mother, father, children under the age of 18, and the spouse's parents, are not required to submit an invitation letter issued by the government authorities in their applications for a residence or visit visa ; other family members who want to go to China must apply for the appropriate type of visa, but they do not need to submit an invitation issued by the government.