Visa application · United States
How to apply for a Chinese visa from the US
The application starts online and ends with handing in your passport at a visa office. Here are the steps, the documents and the photo rules for a tourist (L) visa.
This guide follows the Chinese embassy in the US (notice updated 22 September 2025, checked 27 October 2026). It is for people who live in the US.
Applying from another country? The required documents, fees and process differ by embassy, and we have not covered other missions yet. Use your own embassy’s page and look up your passport on our visa requirements list.
Not sure you need a visa?
Many nationalities can enter without one. Look up your passport before you start an application.
The steps
- 1
Check that you need a visa
Many passports now get visa-free entry or the 240-hour transit exemption, which means no application at all. Look up your passport first.
- 2
Find the embassy or visa center for where you live
Chinese missions in the US assign applicants by where they live. The embassy notice says you must live in one of the states in the mission’s jurisdiction, so apply to the embassy or consulate that covers your state.
- 3
Fill in the online form and upload your documents
The US embassy uses the New China Online Visa Application (COVA) system, launched there on 30 September 2025. You complete the form, upload your documents and photo, and wait for a preliminary review.
- 4
Submit your passport in person (or through an agent)
When the form shows “Passport to be submitted”, take your passport, the printed application info-page with its barcode and any other required originals to the visa office. An agent can do this for you.
- 5
Wait, then collect your passport
Check the status online. When it shows “Passport to be collected”, pick up your passport with the visa inside.
Documents for a tourist visa
For tourist applicants in the US, the embassy says an invitation letter, itinerary, hotel booking and round-trip flight record are no longer required, although each application is decided case by case. This applies to the US embassy; other missions can ask for more.
Upload online
- Passport bio page and blank visa pages. The passport must be valid for more than 6 months and have at least 2 blank visa pages.
- Your latest Chinese visa or residence permit, if you have had one.
- Proof of residence, such as a driver’s license, utility bill or bank statement.
- If you are a foreigner living in the US: a copy of your green card, visa, I-20 or I-94.
Bring as originals
- The passport you are applying with.
- The printed application info-page with its barcode.
- An old passport that still holds a valid Chinese visa or residence permit, if applicable.
The photo
A photo that does not meet the rules can get your application declined. Face the camera with a neutral expression, eyes open, lips closed and ears visible. Glasses are fine unless they are thick-rimmed, tinted or glare-prone. If the online system rejects your digital photo, bring a compliant printed one to the visa center. These figures come from the Chinese Visa Application Service Center’s photo FAQ, which is the Sydney center’s page. The US embassy notice does not list photo specifications, so check the US visa center’s requirements before you print.
- Size
- 48 mm × 33 mm
- Head width
- 15 to 22 mm
- Head height
- 28 to 33 mm
- Taken
- Within the last 6 months
- Background
- White or near-white, no frame
- Finish
- Color, printed on glossy paper
How long it takes
The US embassy gives an average of 4 business days for regular service and 3 for express, counted from the day you submit your passport. These are averages and some applications take longer, so do not book non-refundable flights until the visa is in your passport.
Frequently asked questions
Not completely. You fill in the form and upload your documents online through the COVA system, but you still hand in your passport at a visa office once the preliminary review is done. The embassy notice says an agent can do that step.
The US embassy notice gives an average of 4 business days for regular service and 3 business days for express, counted from the day you submit your passport. It says these are averages for reference only and some applications take longer.
For tourist (L) visa applicants in the US, the embassy notice says an invitation letter, itinerary, hotel booking and round-trip air ticket record are not required, though applications are decided case by case. Other missions can differ, so check the page for yours.
The Chinese Visa Application Service Center’s photo FAQ asks for a recent color photo, 48 mm × 33 mm, on a white or near-white background, with a head 15 to 22 mm wide and 28 to 33 mm tall. The US embassy notice does not list photo specifications, so confirm them with the US visa center. If the online system rejects your digital photo, bring a compliant printed one.
Fees depend on your nationality, the number of entries and the service speed, and they change. They are listed on the fee page of the visa center for your area, so we do not quote a figure here.
Sources: Embassy of the PRC in the US, requirements and procedures, Chinese Visa Application Service Center, photo requirements. Policy changes without notice. Always confirm with your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate before you book.