To facilitate gradually resuming personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the U.K. are ready to accept visa applications through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh as of August 18th 2020 from applicants who intend to travel to China for any of the following purposes.
1. British citizen and applicant from any of the 35 other European countries who is holding a valid Foreigner's Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, and needs to go to China for the same visiting purpose as shown on the Residence Permit;
2. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) who does not hold a valid Foreigner's Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, but has an "Invitation Letter (PU/TE)" or "Verification Confirmation of Invitation" issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of the provincial government or the provincial department of commerce of the intended place of visit to visit China for economic, trade, scientific, technological, culture or sport purposes;
3. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) who does not hold a valid Foreigner's Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, but has obtained "Notification Letter of Foreigners Work Permit" as well as "Invitation Letter (PU/TE)" or "Verification Confirmation of Invitation" to work in China;
4. Applicant who intends to visit China for the following humanitarian reasons:
A. Applicant intending to visit an immediate family member in China (including parents, spouse, children, grandparents, grandchildren) who is in critical medical condition and in need of care, or arrange funeral matters of an immediate family member in China;
Photocopies of a medical certificate or death certificate, proof of relationships (including birth certificate, marriage certificate, Chinese household registration, certificate letters from the local police bureau in China, notarial certificate of kinship, etc.), and an invitation letter from relatives in China are required.
B. Applicant who is spouse or child under the age of 18 of a Chinese citizen or who holds a valid Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, and intends to visit China for family reunion;
An invitation letter and photocopies of the Chinese Identity Card or the Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, and proof of relationships are required.
C. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) intending to visit China to take care of or support his/her Chinese parents;
An invitation letter from the Chinese parent and photocopies of his/her Chinese Identity Card, and proof of relationships are required.
5. Applicant who qualifies for a crew (C) visa.
Applicants are required to fill in the online application form and make an appointment with the nearest Chinese Visa Application Centre before submitting applications in person on the date of appointment. Minor children under the age of 14 are not required to go to the Visa Centre for biometric information collection.
Visa applications for other visiting purposes which are not included above can not be accepted at the moment.
Foreigner's Residence Permit of China (updated version)
Please be advised that the above are temporary arrangements and subject to further change. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
35 other European countries
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands
Foreigner's Residence Permit of China (updated version)
