Stuck Longer Than Expected? Find How to Extend Your Visa Easily Here!

Part 1: Extending a Tourist Visa

1. Required Documents for Tourist Visa Extension

• Extension Application Letter: The letter must include the reasons for needing to stay longer than expected, a record of the itinerary after entry, and plans for the itinerary following the extension.
• Proof of Itinerary and Planned Activities: This includes tickets for attractions, hotel bookings, transportation payment receipts, and reservation confirmations.
• For Group Tours: Submit a letter of consent from the travel agency agreeing to the extension, which should detail the group’s activities in China during their stay and the reasons for needing to extend the visa.

2. Tips for Extending a Tourist Visa

Tourist visa holders must not engage in employment or non-touristic activities locally. While a Chinese tourist visa can be extended, it is generally limited to two extensions.

Part 2: Extending a Business Visa

1. Required Documents for Business Visa Extension

• Foreigner Visa Application Form: Attach a 2-inch, front-facing, no cap, half-body color photo on a blue background, stamped with the seal of the inviting organization and signed by the applicant.
• Valid Passport or International Travel Document: Applicants must provide a valid passport or another recognized international travel document.
• Applicant’s Photo and Receipt: Ensure the receipt includes the applicant’s signature.
• Proof Letter from the Local Inviting Entity or Individual: The inviting organization must provide a “Proof of Visa Application Document (Guarantee Letter)” to attest to the business purposes of the stay.
• Proof of the Applicant’s Commercial Activities

2. Tips for Extending a Business Visa

Entities not previously recorded with local immigration authorities need to submit proof of registration. After the renewal, the extended stay cannot exceed 180 days. A business visa cannot be extended indefinitely, and the maximum stay period should not surpass the validity period of the visa initially granted.

• Complete the Foreigner Visa Application Form: Applicants must fill out the form thoroughly.
• Standard 2-Inch Frontal Color Photograph Without a Hat: The photo must meet the Entry-Exit Document Photography Guidelines.
• Valid Passport or Other International Travel Document: Applicants should include copies of the passport’s front page, the page with the valid visa, and the entry stamp page.
• Letter and Identity Proof from the Person Being Visited: This includes a letter from the relative being visited along with their identification.
• Proof of Family Relationships: Documents verifying the familial ties between the applicant and the resident in China.
• Additional Necessary Supporting Materials

• Documents issued by foreign authorities must be authenticated by the Chinese embassy in that country and translated into Chinese.
• Presenting the original documents for verification while retaining copies for records is essential.
• Foreign nationals staying in China must register their temporary accommodation details either at the local hotel or with the police station in their residential area.

• Visa-exempt foreigners who need to stay in China longer for reasons other than diplomacy or official business,
• Foreign crew members who need to leave their docking city along with their accompanying family members,
• Individuals who have renounced Chinese nationality but still need to stay in China,
• Foreigners whose residence reasons have been terminated but need to stay longer in China for humanitarian reasons,
• Foreign-born infants who need to stay in China, and
• Other situations requiring a stay visa.

• A valid passport or other international travel document, copies of the current entry visa and the entry stamp.
• A visa application form for foreigners.
• Relevant supporting documents matching the reason for application are necessary: if a foreigner’s residence permit has been terminated, proof of the termination must be submitted.
• For children under 18 who have not undergone nationality determination and are applying for their first visa, a birth certificate and copies of foreign parents’ passports are required; if one or both parents are Chinese nationals, copies of the parents’ Chinese passports and documents proving permanent residence in the host country must be submitted. If the child is determined to have Chinese nationality, they can proceed with an exit-entry permit according to relevant regulations.
• Other proof of reasons for staying might include (1) documentation of a work permit application or proof meeting application requirements, (2) documentation for registering a business such as a company registration name check form, and (3) government-provided documents or other valid proof materials for online applications.