Procedures for Travel Permit Application

A foreigner wishing to travel to cities or counties closed to foreigners shall apply in advance for a travel permit to the public security bureau of the city or county where he/she stays and may proceed there only with permission.To apply for a travel permit, the following procedures must be completed: (1) Submit passport or residence certificate for examination; (2) Provide documents supporting the purposes of travel; (3) Fill in a travel application form.

Lost Report and Re-application Procedures for Exit and Entry Certificates

In case of a lost passport, foreigners shall promptly report to the local exit-and-entry department of the public security bureau. After verification, the exit-and-entry department of the public security bureau will issue a lost passport certificate. The foreigners then can apply for a new passport at their own embassies or consulates in China with the lost passport certificate before they go through exit procedures at the exit and entry department of the public security bureau.

Inviting Foreigners to China and Applying for Approval

I. Foreigners may visit China by filing an application with the Chinese embassy or consulate stationed abroad in the following ways:

    1. Applying for an F Visa (for visitation) or L Visa (for tourism).

    2. Applying for visas with the invitation letters from Chinese government departments, enterprises or institutions.

    3. Applying for visas with “the Authorized Notification Form for Visa”.

II. The procedures for handling “Authorized Notification Form for Visa” (hereafter referred to as the Form) are as follows:

    1. Apply to the approval authorities in charge in accordance with relevant regulations, procedures and requirements.

    2. Handle the Form with the documents ratified by the approval authority.

    3. The host organization faxes or sends the Form to the foreigners, with which the foreigners may handle the visas.

III. Handling affairs, procedures and requirements of Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Office

    1. To invite the governmental officials at or above deputy ministerial or provincial level or invite former important government leaders, the relevant provincial departments (units) or relevant municipal people’s governments shall submit written applications to the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province. Such affairs shall be handled directly by Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Office.

    2. As for other affairs concerned with foreigners’ visiting to China which are subject to Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Office, the relevant provincial departments (units) or relevant municipal people’s governments or the municipal FAOs authorized by them shall submit applications to Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Office in a table form.

    Applicants shall submit the following documents in triplicate:

    (1) requests or Approval Form for Inviting Foreigners to China, which can be downloaded by clicking “Table Download” and selecting “Download” in “On-line service” on our website;

    (2) photocopies of foreigners’ passports;

    (3) previous visas and records of entry and exit;

    (4) cooperation agreements or contracts; and

    (5) other materials which the examination and approval authorities deem necessary.

IV. Other foreigners whose visits to China are approved by other authorities shall apply for approval according to the respective prescribed procedures.