Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Business Visa—M (
贸贸易
, màoyì)
This visa has replaced the old F visa, and is specifically for those coming to China for com-
mercial and trade purposes, such as a trade show or short-term business project. You will
need to have an official invitation letter from the company that you will be working for or
with.
Study Visa—X1 and X2 (
学学习
, xuéxí)
The X visas are issued to students coming to China for more than 180 days (X1) and those
coming for up to 180 days (X2). X1 visas require you to do a health check upon arrival and
apply for the Residency Permit within 30 days of arriving.
Journalist Visa—J1/J2 (
记记者
, jìzh
ě
)
If you plan to come to Beijing to work as a foreign correspondent you'll need the right visa.
If it's just a short assignment it will be a J2 visa, but if it's for a permanent position, you'll
need a J1 visa, which lasts for one year. Your family will also be eligible for this visa. If you
apply for a J1 visa, like the Z visa, you'll also have to apply for a Residency Permit within
30 days of arrival and get the health check. Those who will work as other staff members of
a news agency or the like should apply for a Z visa.
Journalists, unsurprisingly, come under a lot of scrutiny in mainland China, so rather
than draw attention to themselves, many local magazines and newspapers hire people under
the classification of “foreign expert” and arrange a Z visa instead. In most cases, this is fine
and doesn't cause any problems. Doing legitimate foreign correspondent work without ap-
proval, however, is highly illegal.
It can sometimes be a pain to have a J visa stamped in your passport, particularly if
you're out of Beijing, visiting smaller towns and checking into the hotels there. It's like
waving a red flag. Ultimately, it does, however, provide you with more protection if you
are legitimately approved to be in the country and writing about it. Even if you write negat-
ively, you'll have a bit of leeway. Without the visa, you have no protection should you write
anything that ruffles the government's feathers.
Other Visas
In addition to these, there are several other visas available, including:
Residence Visa
(D—
定居
, dìngj
ū
)—A rare visa, bestowed on someone who has spent
more than 10 years in China, has contributed in some significant way to the country, and
