What’s a Chinese Visa-Knowledge

What’s a Chinese Visa

A Chinese visa is a permit issued by visa authorities of the People’s Republic of China in accordance with its laws and regulations to a foreign citizen for entry into, exit from or transit through Chinese territory. The Chinese visa authorities will issue a diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, service visa or ordinary visa according to the foreign citizen’s status, purpose of visit and type of passport.

China's Visa Authorities are:

1. Chinese embassies, consulates general, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and in the Macao Special Administrative Region, and other resident organizations abroad authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are responsible for handling visa applications by foreign citizens for entry into and transit through Mainland of China and the Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the local foreign affairs offices authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are responsible for issuance, change and extension of diplomatic and service visas and for issuance of a residence permit to holders of this type of visa.

3. The Ministry of Public Security, and the local public security bureaus authorized by it, are responsible for inspection on entry and exit of foreigners, issuance of visas at the port of entry, extension and change of ordinary visas, and issuance of residence permit to holders of ordinary visas already in China.

4. The Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is responsible for matters relating to foreigners' entry into and exit from the SAR.

5. The Public Security Police Force of the Government of Macao Special Administrative Region is responsible for matters relating to foreigners’ entry into and exit from the SAR.

I. Application Procedure: Step 1 The document shall be sent to a local notary public, lawyer or Commissioner of Oaths of Canada for notarization. Step 2 The notarized document shall be brought to the Chambre des Notaires du Québec (Adresse: 2045 Rue Stanley, suite 101 Montréal, Québec, Tel: 5148791793) or the government of New Brunswick (Address: P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, N.B., Tel: 5064444417) for authentication. Step 3 The authenticated document shall be submitted to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre for consular authentication by the Chinese General Consulate in Montreal. Notes: If the applicant would like to bring the document to one of Chinese Consulates-General in Canada for consular authentication (Please click here for the consular jurisdiction of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Canada ),the notarized document shall be authenticated by the authentication office of the corresponding province or territory(Click here for the contact information of the above-mentioned offices). II. Important notes: 1. The document for consulate authentication should be true and lawful, and doesn’t contain any content which is injurious to national interests or social public interests of China; 2. If the document submitted for consular authentication contains more than one page, it shall be properly bound as a volume by applying sealing wax, eyelets, paging seal, steel seal or other methods to avoid any substitution and ensure the integrity of the documents . 3. According to the provisions of the relevant authorities of China, the certificate for no spouse or single status affidavit used for marriage registration in China remains valid for 6 months from the date of issuance. Therefore, the applicant should apply for it again if the mentioned certificate has been issued for more than 6 months from the date of issuance. 4. Notarial certificates of marriage status, health and non-criminal record, which are for the purpose of adoption in China, shall not be legalized if they have been issued for more than six months. 5. Consular officers of the Embassy or Consulates-General of China in Canada will review the documents to be authenticated. The Embassy or Consulates-General will not authenticate a document if its notarization or legalization procedure is found to be incomplete, its content is against Chinese laws and regulations, its format fails to meet the standards, or it is found to be forged or altered. 6. Consular officers may request the applicant to provide additional documentation to support the application. 7. If the content of an authenticated document is forged or altered, the consular authentication shall be invalid. 8. An authenticated document shall not be forged or altered. Any legal liability caused by the applicant's forgery or alteration of the document shall be borne by the applicant. 9. A document can only contain one single issue. A document that contains more than one issues or includes unrelated content should not be accepted for consular authentication.10. Documents issued in China, such as notarized certificates, IDs, Driver’s Licenses, Marriage Certificates, and so on, will not be accepted for consular authentication. 11. The Chinese Embassy or Consulates-General only confirm the authenticity of the signatures of the authentication officers and official seals of the Global Affairs Canada or the authorized departments or organizations of local governments , and should not be responsible for the content of the authenticated documents.III. Documents Required for Application 1. One fully and accurately completed and signed Application Form for Consular Legalization (Please click here to download) by the applicant. 2. The original and a photocopy of the document that has been authenticated by the Canadian authentication authorities. 3. The original and a photocopy of the data page of the applicant's valid passport or driver’s license. The passport or driver’s license will be returned as soon as the application is accepted. 4. The original and a photocopy of the permanent resident card, study permit or work permit(if applicable) is also needed, if the applicant is not a Canadian citizen. The above-mentioned original card or permit will be returned as soon as the application is accepted. 5. If an applicant entrusts someone else to submit the application on his/her behalf, a photocopy of both the entrusted person's and the applicant's passport or driver’s license should be provided. 6. If a document is of a company or an organization, a photocopy of the passport of the legal representative of the company or organization and an official document that can prove the person's legal representative status should be provided. Consular Authentication Process

I. Application Procedure:
Step 1
The document shall be sent to a local notary public, lawyer or Commissioner of Oaths of Canada for notarization.
Step 2
The notarized document shall be brought to the Chambre des Notaires du Québec (Adresse: 2045 Rue Stanley, suite 101 Montréal, Québec, Tel: 5148791793) or the government of New Brunswick (Address: P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, N.B., Tel: 5064444417) for authentication.
Step 3
The authenticated document shall be submitted to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre for consular authentication by the Chinese General Consulate in Montreal.
    Notes: If the applicant would like to bring the document to one of Chinese Consulates-General in Canada for consular authentication (Please click here for the consular jurisdiction of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Canada ),the notarized document shall be authenticated by the authentication office of the corresponding province or territory(Click here for the contact information of the above-mentioned offices).

II. Important notes:
    1. The document for consulate authentication should be true and lawful, and doesn’t contain any content which is injurious to national interests or social public interests of China;
    2. If the document submitted for consular authentication contains more than one page, it shall be properly bound as a volume by applying sealing wax, eyelets, paging seal, steel seal or other methods to avoid any substitution and ensure the integrity of the documents .
    3. According to the provisions of the relevant authorities of China, the certificate for no spouse or single status affidavit used for marriage registration in China remains valid for 6 months from the date of issuance. Therefore, the applicant should apply for it again if the mentioned certificate has been issued for more than 6 months from the date of issuance.
    4. Notarial certificates of marriage status, health and non-criminal record, which are for the purpose of adoption in China, shall not be legalized if they have been issued for more than six months.
    5. Consular officers of the Embassy or Consulates-General of China in Canada will review the documents to be authenticated. The Embassy or Consulates-General will not authenticate a document if its notarization or legalization procedure is found to be incomplete, its content is against Chinese laws and regulations, its format fails to meet the standards, or it is found to be forged or altered.
    6. Consular officers may request the applicant to provide additional documentation to support the application.
    7. If the content of an authenticated document is forged or altered, the consular authentication shall be invalid.
    8. An authenticated document shall not be forged or altered. Any legal liability caused by the applicant's forgery or alteration of the document shall be borne by the applicant.
    9. A document can only contain one single issue. A document that contains more than one issues or includes unrelated content should not be accepted for consular authentication.
　　10. Documents issued in China, such as notarized certificates, IDs, Driver’s Licenses, Marriage Certificates, and so on, will not be accepted for consular authentication.
11. The Chinese Embassy or Consulates-General only confirm the authenticity of the signatures of the authentication officers and official seals of the Global Affairs Canada or the authorized departments or organizations of local governments , and should not be responsible for the content of the authenticated documents.

III. Documents Required for Application
    1. One fully and accurately completed and signed Application Form for Consular Legalization (Please click here to download) by the applicant.
    2. The original and a photocopy of the document that has been authenticated by the Canadian authentication authorities.
    3. The original and a photocopy of the data page of the applicant's valid passport or driver’s license. The passport or driver’s license will be returned as soon as the application is accepted.
    4. The original and a photocopy of the permanent resident card, study permit or work permit(if applicable) is also needed, if the applicant is not a Canadian citizen. The above-mentioned original card or permit will be returned as soon as the application is accepted.
    5. If an applicant entrusts someone else to submit the application on his/her behalf, a photocopy of both the entrusted person's and the applicant's passport or driver’s license should be provided.
    6. If a document is of a company or an organization, a photocopy of the passport of the legal representative of the company or organization and an official document that can prove the person's legal representative status should be provided.