According to the World Without Borders professional association in the field of Russian-Chinese tourism, more than 1.5 million Russians visited the People's Republic of China in 2021. The tourist flow from the CIS countries to China remains stable every year, therefore, the questions of whether the citizens of the post-Soviet space always need a visa to China and where to get a permit are topical.
Opportunities for visa-free entry to the PRC
The most populous state in the world - the People's Republic of China - borders on many powers (Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and others), but it has the largest border line with the Russian Federation. In addition to the geographical proximity, China and the Russian Federation are allies in political and economic directions.
Such good-neighborly relations contributed to the opening for tourists of the possibility of visa-free entry to some regions of China for a limited period and simplified processing of a Chinese visa.
Visa-free regions
How many days you can stay in China without a visa for Russians in 2021 depends on the destination of the trip, the purpose of the visit and compliance with local immigration rules.
Travelers from Russia have the right to cross the Chinese border without a visa to visit the following settlements:
- Administrative region Hong Kong: must have a foreign passport, stay without a visa stamp - up to 14 days, the purpose of the visit is tourism, visiting relatives or friends, business trip without making a profit.
- The densely populated city of the world Macau: a tourist presents a valid passport, the purpose of a trip to Macau is on business, to visit relatives, friends or to see local attractions. Travel period without a visa stamp is up to 30 days.
- Pearl River Delta Areas (Guangzhou, Zhaoqing): A foreigner already in Macau or Hong Kong has the opportunity to visit the coastal cities of the Pearl River without applying for a visa stamp. Visa-free travel around the Pearl River Delta is possible with a guided tour organized by a registered tour operator.
- Tropical island and southern province of Hainan: visa-free entry to the resort is allowed only as part of a tourist group (for Russians - from one person). A group visa is issued free of charge if the travel group arrives on a direct flight to the Sanya International Airport and leaves home from the same air hub. An individual visa pass is issued through an accredited travel agency licensed for international tourism activities. The term for visiting Hainan Island without a visa is up to 30 days.
- Heihe Urban District: a Russian has the right to stay in this border town (1 kilometer from Blagoveshchensk) without a visa pass if he has a valid passport. The length of stay is a maximum of 30 days. Belarusians and Ukrainians are required to obtain a visa to enter Heihe.
- Suifenhe city county: citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to stay in a border city without a visa if they have a valid foreign passport. The duration of stay in Suifenhe is up to 15 days; it is prohibited by law to travel outside the city.
Since the authorities of the PRC every year open new territories for foreign travelers for visa-free entry, this list may expand over time.
Regions with a simplified visa regime
If you do not have time or desire to open a visa to the PRC at one of the consulates in Russia, apply for a pass upon arrival at one of the Chinese airports.
For citizens of the Russian Federation, a visa upon arrival is issued under the following conditions:
- if the traveler arrived in China by a direct international flight (direct);
- if you have an up-to-date foreign passport and a full set of required documents;
- if a foreigner arrived in China by plane of certain airlines (Transaero, Air China);
- if the tourist has not visited Syria, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan or Turkey since 2021.
Regions with a facilitated visa regime are:
- the capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing - a pass document is issued at the Beijing International Airport;
- Guangzhou - visa stamp is issued at Guangzhou airport;
- Hainan province - visas are issued at international air terminals in Haikou and Sanya;
- historical region of Manchuria - the stamp is put down upon arrival at the Manchurian air terminal Xijiao.
An electronic visa to China for Russian citizens is also issued at the airport of Urumqi. The pass is issued prior to arrival in Urumqi through the website of the Chinese diplomatic mission.
The visa permit is intended only for a group trip of two people and is issued on condition that the group of foreigners arrives in Urumqi by plane and returns to their homeland also through the airport in Urumqi. The cost of a group visa is lower than issuing a visa stamp for each individual tourist.
Visa-free procedure for residents of border areas of the Russian Federation
Residents of the following regions of the Russian Federation are not required to obtain a visa stamp to China:
- Amurskaya;
- Irkutsk;
- Chitinskaya;
- Primorsky Krai;
- Khabarovsk region;
- Zabaykalsky Krai.
To live anywhere in the PRC, residents of border areas need to present to the Chinese border guards a general passport, a foreign passport and an invitation from the host. Such citizens have the right to stay in the Middle Kingdom from 15 days to six months.
Visa-free transit
The State Council of the People's Republic of China is expanding the number of cities to which the visa-free transit policy applies. Transit should not be confused with visa-free travel to China: transit implies a temporary stay in the republic without a visa stamp for transferring to the next flight to a third country.
The Migration Service of the PRC has extended transit 72 hours without a visa in China for a period of up to 144 hours in the following settlements:
- from January 30, 2021 - Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou;
- from December 28, 2021 - Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang;
- from January 1, 2021 - Shenyang and Dalian;
- from January 1, 2021 - Chengdu, Wuhan, Xiamen, Qingdao and Kunming.
Such conditions apply to travelers arriving at an international airport, seaport or railway station of one of these cities. Travelers have the right to travel to a third state from any port of a transit city or province (air, sea or rail).
Visa-free transit for 6 days is available, provided that the Russian citizen has tickets to a third country and does not travel outside the region. For example, the city of Qingdao. If a tourist arrives in Qingdao, he is given the opportunity to travel throughout Shandong province for 6 days of transit and then make a transfer.
Russians are entitled to 72-hour visa-free transit in the following cities:
- Guangzhou,
- Chongqing,
- Xi'an,
- Guilin,
- Harbin,
- Changsha.
Also, foreigners, including tourists from the Russian Federation, who arrived in the Celestial Empire by plane, rail or sea vessel to board the next flight, have a 24-hour visa-free stop at any air terminal in the PRC, except Yanji and Fuzhou.
Types of visas to enter China
The official website of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Russian Federation contains the rules for obtaining visa permits to the Middle Kingdom and provides a list of 16 categories of visas.
Applicants for the issuance of a visa stamp are issued a type of document corresponding to the purpose of the trip. Let's consider the conditions for obtaining the most popular visas.
Business or business visa to China
To conduct commercial activities (trade) in one of the cities of the Celestial Empire or attend a business event, the embassy issues a visa category M to China.
Business visa type M may differ in the number of entries to the republic:
- single entry - allows one trip, valid for 90 days with the right to stay in the country for 30 or 60 days;
- two-time - entitles you to two trips lasting one or two months, valid for 90 days;
- multivisa - for 6 months or one year with the right to repeatedly cross the Chinese border and reside in the republic for 30 or 60 days.
Based on the results of the first application, a Russian can count on a one-time visa stamp.
Visitor visa to the PRC
An application to the embassy for a visa by invitation is submitted only after receiving an invitation letter from the inviting party.
Chinese immigration law provides for the following categories of guest passes:
- S1 (long-term) or S2 (short-term) - if the guest is received by a friend or acquaintance;
- Q1 (long-term) or Q2 (short-term) - a visitor visa to China of these categories is issued to meet with relatives.
Guests are entitled to receive a native Chinese or a foreigner with a residence permit living in one of the settlements of the Middle Kingdom.
Study visa to China
The PRC's policy is aimed at attracting foreign students to study at the republic's universities. Russians planning to study at one of the educational institutions in China are required to obtain an educational visa stamp in advance.
Among the 16 categories of visa passes, types X1 and X2 are official study permits.
A student visa to China can be long-term (X1) or short-term (category X2).
Work visa to China
Both citizens of the Russian Federation and non-residents (persons with a residence permit in Russia) have the right to obtain an entry permit for labor activity in the PRC.
A work visa (category Z) is issued if the applicant:
- has no criminal record;
- has no debts for loans, fines and alimony;
- is not sick with infectious or chronic diseases;
- has his own business or an amount of money on the card in the amount of one thousand dollars;
- has a higher education and at least two years of work experience, which can be documented.
Before applying to the embassy for a work visa, the applicant should find a verified employer in China and receive an official letter of invitation for employment from him. Together with the invitation letter and the rest of the package of documents, the applicant has the right to submit a visa application.
The Z visa is valid for the period specified in the employment contract concluded with the employer.
Other types of visa stamps in the PRC
Chinese legislation also provides for the following categories of visas:
- C - issued to employees of international airlines (members of the air crew), employees of trains, steamers.
- D - intended for foreigners applying for a residence permit in the PRC.
- F - issued for an exchange trip, for the purpose of an internship, educational courses or conducting a scientific expedition.
- G - provided for transit through the PRC to a third country. Issued if the conditions of travel through the territory of the republic do not fall under the rules of visa-free transit.
- J1 - intended for foreign journalists and other media workers (valid for more than 6 months).
- J2 - issued to foreign correspondents and media representatives for short-term work (up to 180 days).
- L visa is a tourist visa pass, issued for one tourist or tourist group. Valid for 3 months with the right to reside in the state for up to 30 days per trip.
- R - permission for people with genius abilities or talents in demand in the republic.
A Russian who has received a visa pass for a period of more than 6 months (categories D, J1, Q1, S1 and visa X1) must apply for a residence permit after crossing the Chinese border within 30 days.
Holders of entry permits of types C, F, G, L or M are not required to open a residence permit in the PRC. Visitors have the right to stay in one of the settlements of the country for the time specified in the visa stamp, and after the expiration of the period they must leave the state.
Step-by-step instructions for applying for a visa to China
Is it difficult to make your own visa at the PRC Embassy? The procedure will turn out to be simple, if you follow the requirements of the diplomatic mission, collect an exhaustive package of papers and submit it in advance so that you have time to correct the mistakes.
Application centers for applying for a visa pass
You can apply for a Chinese visa yourself at the embassy or consulate of the country, using the services of a private travel agency or through the China Visa Application Center in Moscow.
The table below lists the services on the territory of the Russian Federation involved in issuing visa passes to the PRC.
| Institution | Address | Working hours | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Russian Federation | Moscow, st. Friendship, house 6 | Monday-Friday from 09.00 to 18.00, acceptance of documents Monday-Friday from 09.00 to 12.00 | +7 (499) 951-84-43 (reception of the embassy), +7 (499) 951-84-35, consular department (phone is available from Monday to Friday from 15.30 to 18.00) |
| Consulate General in St. Petersburg | emb. Griboyedov Canal, 134 | Monday-Friday from 09.00 to 12.00 and from 15.00 to 18.00, reception hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 09.00 to 12.00 | +7(962) 703-50-69, +7(812) 714-62-30, +7(812) 713-80-09, +7(812) 713-76-05 |
| Consulate General in Khabarovsk | stadium them. Lenin | Monday-Friday from 10.00 to 13.00 and from 15.00 to 18.00 | +7-4212-30-61-63, +7-4212-30-25-90, +7-4212-32-83-90 |
| Consulate General in Yekaterinburg | st. Tchaikovsky, house 45 | Monday-Friday from 09.00 to 12.30 and from 15.00 to 18.00, office days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 09.30 to 12.00 | +7-343-253-57-78 |
| Consulate General in Irkutsk | st. Karl Marx, house 40 | Monday-Friday from 09.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 17.00, reception hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, from 09.00 to 12.00 | +7-3952-781-431, +7-3952-781-446, +7-3952-781-444, +7-3952-781-442 |
| Consulate General in Vladivostok | st. Krygina, house 3 | Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 09.30 to 12.30 | 8-4232-30-27-42 (the phone is available from Monday to Friday from 09.30 to 17.30); 8-4232-49-72-04 (call from Monday to Friday from 15.00 to 18.00) |
| China Visa Application Center in Moscow | st. 1st Kadashevsky lane, house 13, building 1 | Monday-Friday from 09.00 to 19.30; Saturday, Sunday from 11.00 to 16.30 | 8(499)-215-15-66, 8(800)-775-26-66 |
Registration for submission of documents to the Chinese Computing Center is not required.
Basic documents for a Chinese visa and requirements for them
The Chinese Embassy in the Russian Federation has established a standard list of documents for opening a visa of any category. It includes:
- application form - the data is entered by the applicant in Chinese, English or Russian. The application for a visa to China is accepted in one copy with the applicant's personal signature, without corrections. The questionnaire form can be downloaded from the official website of the diplomatic mission. You can fill out the application form electronically through the service of the Chinese Visa Application Center;
- national passport - copies of the first page and registration;
- foreign passport - a copy of the first page with a photo. The certificate must have empty sheets for affixing a stamp. The passport must be valid for another six months from the moment of contacting the embassy;
- photograph - color photograph 33x48 mm, no more than 6 months old. The applicant is photographed full-face, against a white background and without a headdress;
- previous Chinese passports or closed visas (copies);
- a copy of the previous passport - pages with the applicant's photo and sheets with past Chinese visa passes are copied;
- round-trip flight booking;
- hotel reservation indicating the name and details of the tourist;
- international insurance;
- original statement of the availability of funds in the current bank account (at the rate of $ 100 per person per day). The validity of the certificate is not more than 30 days from the date of issue;
- certificate from the place of work - valid for no more than a month from the date of issue;
- proof of legal residence in Russia: original and copy of visa, residence permit or other documents of temporary residence.
Upon arrival at one of the airports in the PRC, foreign tourists (ages from 14 to 70 years old) are required to pass biometrics (fingerprints).
Additional documents depending on the reason for the trip
For each type of visa stamp, you need to prepare an accompanying list of documents:
- Visa for children:
- national passports of parents (original and copies of the first page and registration);
- a separate questionnaire for a child filled out by one of the parents;
- a copy of the birth certificate;
- notarized permission of the parent to leave the child from the Russian Federation;
- visa pass of a third person accompanying the child.
- Entry permit for a pensioner:
- photocopy of the pension certificate;
- certificate with an extract from the current account in the bank on the availability of the amount of money necessary for the trip.
- Unemployed:
- data on the financial ability to pay for the trip: confirmation of the amount for the trip on a personal bank card or information on the funds on the current account of a relative, friend - with a sponsorship letter;
- an invitation letter describing the history of acquaintance or justification of the relationship with the relevant documents.
- For pupils and students:
- a letter with notification of enrollment in school or an invitation to training courses from an educational organization or an invitation from a university on a letterhead with a seal;
- student visa application.
- For business (business) travel:
- an invitation letter from a Chinese organization or business partner stating the purpose of the visit;
- copy of the passport or residence permit of the inviting party.
- For treatment:
- letter of invitation from a medical institution on letterhead;
- certificate of good conduct;
- certificate of disability.
At his discretion, the visa officer has the right to require the applicant to provide additional papers not listed above.
Application processing times and the cost of a visa to China
The duration of the consideration of visa cases depends on the type of permit issued.
The processing time for a Chinese visa may vary, for example:
- standard application - 5 working days;
- urgent application - 2 working days;
- express visa - the decision to issue is made on the day the documents are submitted.
To speed up obtaining a visa, the applicant justifies the need for urgent consideration of the application (plane tickets with departure time or other) and pays the cost of the service.
The consular fee for the services of the department depends on the category of the visa and the period for consideration of the application:
- single entry - RUB 3,300;
- double entry - 6 600 rubles;
- multiple entry - 9,900 rubles.
The visa fee for urgent processing is 2,000 rubles, for express issuance - 4,600 rubles.
The bank's commission is charged from the amount of the state duty in the amount of 2.5%.
A visa to China through a travel agency will cost the applicant more: in addition to the state duty, the services of a travel agency are paid.
Chinese visa readiness check
It is possible to find out at what stage the consideration of a visa application is in several ways:
- contact an employee of the consulate or consular department of the embassy by phone;
- use the service of the visa center.
To check the status of a visa to China through the website of the visa service, register in the service and indicate the application number.
Extension of a visa to the PRC
7 days before the expiry of the visa stamp, contact the migration police in person in the town of China where you are staying.
To extend your visa in China, present the following documents to the Migration Police Officer:
- foreign passport (original and copy);
- color photo 35x45 mm, taken on the day of the call to the police;
- a document confirming the place of residence (registration certificate);
- a copy of the page of your passport with a visa pass that you want to renew;
- confirmation from the bank about the availability of funds on the card (at least $ 3,000);
- a completed application form for an extension of an entry permit.
Only a single entry visa is extended: once and for a period equal to the number of days specified in the original permit.
Refusal to issue a visa permit
The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China makes a negative decision and returns the visa application when:
- mistakes were made in the questionnaire;
- not all documents or outdated certificates have been presented;
- provided false personal information or fake data;
- there were violations of migration legislation during the last trip;
- a foreign passport has been stamped with a stamp on being in Turkey for more than 30 days per entry;
- the applicant's age does not meet the conditions for applying for the selected visa category.
The visa officer is obliged to explain to the applicant the reason for the refusal. After correcting the mistakes made, the candidate has the right to apply again (usually three months after the refusal) to the department and issue a pass.
Do citizens of other CIS countries need a visa to China
Ukrainians and Kazakhstanis have the right to stay in Hong Kong for up to 14 days for tourist purposes, and on Hainan Island - up to 30 days as part of a tourist group of 5 people.
When asked whether citizens of the Republic of Belarus need a visa to visit China, the answer is a visa-free agreement with the government of the PRC: according to it, Belarusians can live in the republic without a visa pass for up to 30 days within six months.
Citizens of Ukraine passing through Chinese cities to a third country do not need to issue a visa stamp. In many localities of the republic, Ukrainian tourists have the right to stay for up to six days and then leave the country.
Moldovans and citizens of Armenia apply for a Chinese visa without fail for any purpose of the trip.
Traveling abroad rules
Before boarding an international airline flight from Russia to China, travelers fill out customs declarations, which indicate:
- the amount of foreign currency;
- items worth over 20,000 yuan;
- alcoholic drinks from 1.5 liters with a strength of more than 12%;
- animals and plants;
- goods that are imported for the purpose of sale.
For tourists traveling with a pet, it is important to know: upon arrival in China, the animal will be sent to quarantine (up to 30 days), paid by the owner.
Passengers entering the PRC by car cross the border through an automobile checkpoint. The driver presents: Chinese driver's license (international or Russian are not accepted), local license plates, entry and exit permits, papers on the serviceability of the vehicle (inspection), insurance.
Participants of the road trip go through border control, and the customs inspector inspects the car and checks for items prohibited for import.
The rules for entering China state that it is prohibited to import:
- any weapon;
- fake currency;
- pornographic materials;
- poisons and drugs;
- fruits vegetables;
- carcasses of animals;
- animals other than cats and dogs;
- animals and plants from areas with an increased risk of epidemic.
It is important to know that, according to the laws of the Celestial Empire, an amount of $ 5,000 and above is necessarily declared. Chinese currency is allowed to carry no more than 20,000 yuan.
After arriving in the republic, before the passport control procedure, a migration card is filled in upon entering China. The form contains the personal data of the visitor, information about the visa and the purpose of the visit. Airport employees provide assistance in filling out the card; samples of completed forms are posted on the stands.
Finally
Knowing the main provisions of the Chinese immigration legislation, a Russian can use the right of visa-free residence, stay in transit for several days in the republic, or successfully issue a Chinese visa pass on the territory of the Russian Federation for any purpose of travel.
