How flexible are Chinese tourist visas? [duplicate]

I'm considering travelling with my sister (both British citizens) from the UK to China later this year. Mostly likely we would fly into a big city (Beijing/Shangai) and travel around somewhat from there by plane or rail, flying back to the UK from the same location.

From what I can tell from the Chinese embassy website, we would need an "L" type tourist visa, which seems to be relatively easy to apply for (just need hotel reservation and flight tickets).

However, I'm wondering if therefore the hotel reservation needs to be valid for the whole journey before we apply for the visa. Does the whole itinerary therefore need to be confirmed/planned?

In addition, I understood that in the past there were restrictions on foreigners travelling around China. Is this true, or do we mostly have freedom to travel where we want within China? (using our passports as ID, of course, if needed).

Best Answer

They never have said anything about our taking side trips that we didn't list on our visa applications (Trips we hadn't planned at the time of the application.) The application also only asks about your current trip--no matter how long your visa is good for. If you make another trip on the same visa there's nothing that even asks for your itinerary.

We currently hold 10 year visas (no, you can't get them at present, they're only offered to Americans), that's going to be several trips they have not asked about.

As mts said in his comment, Tibet requires a special permit but otherwise we are free to wander around. Note that you might have trouble trying to find a place to sleep in a small town off the beaten track--hotels that do not expect to ever have a foreign guest likely haven't set up the procedures required to check in foreigners. Also, if you get too far off the beaten track there will be basically zero English.

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How long are Chinese tourist visas valid for?

Tourism in China requires a visa and is typically a single entry visa with a stay duration of 30 days. US citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple entry visa. The tourism visa requires your passport to be valid for at least 6 months and it must have at least two blank pages.

Can you extend a Chinese tourist visa?

Can I extend the duration of stay of my visa in China? You may apply for an extension of the \u201cduration of stay\u201d of your visa at a local public security authority before it expires, but it doesn't mean that the application will be automatically approved. Overstay violates the laws of China and will be punished.

Is it easy to get a Chinese tourist visa?

The most popular type of visa for China, the L or tourist visa, is typically the easiest to apply for. You'll need to provide the three standard items (passport, application form, photo), an invitation letter from your host or travel documents (round-trip travel plus hotel booking), and proof of current residency.

What is double entry visa China?

China Double Entry Visa is a kind of visa given two/dual entries for aliens to mainland China. Easy to understand that, holding a China double-entry Visa, you can enter and exit, and enter again before the expiration date. No need to apply a visa for the second visit.

Chinese Tourist Visa- DENIED!!! 🤷🏼‍♀️

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