US Citizens: Get your China Employment / Work visa with the TDS Washington DC Office

After completing the COVA forms as required, please make sure to print the full set of COVA forms (8-9 pages) and sign on the Confirmation Page and the 8^th page. If the COVA forms are not prepared as guided, the application will not be accepted.

Please note: Travel Document Systems will make the appointment at the Embassy/Consulate for you once we receive all your documents, you do NOT need to go to the Embassy/Consulate. Appointments for submission of application are currently 2-4 weeks from current date.

Please send TDS your current valid and signed passport, plus one photocopy of the vital information page. It must not expire within 6 months and must have at least one blank visa page. Foreign Embassies cannot issue a visa on a page not labeled as a Visa page. Amendment and Endorsement pages in the back of the passport cannot be used for issuance of a visa.
A visa cannot be stamped on a page even if only one Small Stamp is on the visa page. If you do not have any blank visa pages in your passport, TDS can assist you in applying for additional pages. If your passport expires within 6 months, you must renew your passport and then we will secure your visa with the new passport.

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New Chinese Embassy Visa Requirement Effective October 24th, 2018.

Proof of residential address in the United States; clear copy of applicant drivers license or state issued photo ID. Address on the Drivers License must match the address on the visa application form.

A clear enlarged photocopy or scanned copy of your driver's license or ID is recommended by the Chinese Embassy to apply for a visa.

 

The original and a photocopy of an Invitation Letter by a Duly Authorized Unit, or a Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by an authorized Chinese agency, and one of the following documents: Please be sure to include the applicants passport number on the letter of invitation:

A. Foreigner Employment Permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China;

B. Foreign Expert Confirmation Document issued by State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of China;

C. Letter of Invitation to Foreigners for Offshore Petroleum Operations in the People's Republic of China issued by China National Offshore Oil Corporation;

D. Registration Certificate of Foreign Enterprises' Permanent Representative Offices in China issued by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, or the approval document for the permanent representative offices of foreign enterprises issued by related commercial departments;

E. Approval document issued by the Ministry of Culture for those who come to China for commercial performances.

F. Invitation Letter by a Duly Authorized Unit or a Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of a province (autonomous region, city).

Accompanying family members of foreigners working in China should submit an Invitation Letter by a Duly Authorized Unit or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by an authorized Chinese agency, and proof of kinship, e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc. There is no need for them to submit documents of employment permit.

If you are staying in a hotel(s) you MUST provide copies of confirmed hotel confirmations. Multiple hotels will require multiple confirmations covering your entire stay in China.

The Chinese Embassy may require certain former foreign nationals to appear in person at the embassy to apply for a visa.
If you’re current U.S passport shows your place of birth as one of the countries listed below the embassy could request that you make a personal appearance to be finger printed and interviewed as part of the visa application process.

Once you have completed the interview process and supplied any required additional documentation requested the visa processing time can extend to up to 3 months in some cases.
 
Nationalities that maybe required to appear in person are:
 
Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chad, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, France, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, Libya, Lebanon, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Yemen.
 
This list and or information is subject to change without prior notice.

Photocopy of previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas (applicable to foreign citizens, those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship).
If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you should provide your previous Chinese passport held and a photocopy of its data page.
If you have obtained Chinese visas before and want to apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed foreign passport that does not contain any Chinese visa you should present a photocopy of the previous passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate, as well as the previous Chinese visa page. If your name on the current passport differs from that on the previous one, you must provide an official document of the name change.

Documentations for a child with Chinese descent born in US
A child with Chinese descent born in US applying visa for the first time should provide the original and a photocopy of either parent's foreign passport or green card and Certificate of Birth besides other regular materials.

A child with Chinese descent born in US applying for a visa who has had a Chinese visa before could provide a photocopy of the former visa instead of either parent's foreign passport or green card or Certificate of Birth.

Applicant's MUST submit a copy of their last visa to China and a copy of their entry stamp to China, if visa is still valid you must submit the old passport with the old visa in it, or if not available then you MUST write a letter of explanation.