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Applying for a Chinese Family Visit Q Visa
Are you planning to visit your relatives in China who are Chinese nationals? If so, you'll need to apply for a Chinese Family Visit Visa (Q Visa). If your relatives are foreigners residing in China due to work or study, you would need to apply for an S Visa instead. The Q Visa is typically required for visits exceeding 60 days. For shorter stays, a Tourist Visa (L Visa) is appropriate.
Key Details of the Chinese Family Visit Q Visa:
| Purpose of Travel: | To visit Chinese family members. |
| Duration of Stay: | Q2: up to 180 days; Q1: up to 2 years. |
| Number of Entries: | Single, double, or multiple entries (Q1: Single, convertible to a multiple entry upon obtaining a residence permit). |
| Validity Period: | 90 days from issuance for entry into China, or 6 to 12 months for multiple entries. |
Introduced in September 2013, the Q Visa was specifically designed to facilitate visits by overseas Chinese and their relatives, enabling them to care for ageing parents or in-laws in China. Applicants must prove a first-degree kinship (i.e., parents, children, siblings, and their spouses) through birth and/or marriage certificates. Former Chinese nationals are exempt from providing these family relationship proofs but must present a naturalization certificate or previous Chinese visas instead.
Differentiating Between Q1 and Q2 Visas:
- The Q2 visa is suitable for stays of up to 180 days.
- The Q1 visa, after arrival in China, is convertible into a residence permit allowing a stay of up to three years, facilitating visa-free entry and exit during this period.
Important Application Information for the Chinese Family Visit Q Visa:
The Q2 visa can be issued for single, double, or multiple entries within 180 days, with each stay lasting either 180 continuous days or increments of 30, 60, or 90 days.
Q1 visa holders must register with local police within 30 days of arrival and apply for a Residence Permit, which typically requires additional documentation such as authenticated birth and/or marriage certificates and occasionally a health certificate.
Required Documents for the Q Visa Application:
- Completed Visa Application Form: As of May 2019, applications must be submitted online.
- Colour Biometric Passport Photo: This photo should be taken against a light background and must be uploaded digitally to the online form. Optionally, it can also be printed on photo paper, approximately 3.5 x 4.5 cm in size.
- Passport: The passport must have at least six months of remaining validity and at least one blank page (two pages if a multiple entry visa is required).
- Proof of Kinship: Copies of birth and/or marriage certificates to demonstrate close family relations with the host in China. For visa conversion into a residence permit in China, original documents or authenticated copies certified by Chinese consulates are necessary within 30 days of entry.
- Formal Private Invitation: From your relative in China, which includes complete address and contact number, the name, intended period of stay, and birthdate of the invitee. The invitation must be signed by the host and include two copies of the host's passport identification page and valid China visa or Residence Permit. If the host is a Chinese national, copies of both sides of their ID card are required.
This requirement does not apply to former Chinese nationals. Instead, they must either provide proof of a previous visa for China or present their naturalization certificate.
Understanding the Private Invitation for a Chinese Q Visa
A private invitation for a Chinese Q Visa can be issued for a single visit of up to 180 days or for multiple visits of 30, 60, or 90 days each. This flexibility is particularly useful if you plan to leave China for a short visit to a neighboring country or Hong Kong and then re-enter. The invitation is issued in China, scanned, and sent via email to UK as an attachment. An original copy of the invitation is not required for the visa application process.
We are happy to send you a template for a formally correct private invitation via email, available in English or Chinese upon request. order a template for an invitationValidity and Duration of the Chinese Family Visit Visa (Q Type)
Q2 Visa (Short-term)
The Q2 type of the Chinese Family Visit Visa is valid for entry into China for 90 days from the date of issue. Once you enter China, the visa allows for a stay of 30, 60, 90, or up to 180 days. It is generally possible to extend your stay once through the Chinese police. A 30-day visa can be extended for another 30 days, and a 60-day visa can be extended for another 60 days. However, such extensions are at the discretion of the Chinese police and cannot be guaranteed.
Q1 Visa (Long-term)
The Q1 type of the Chinese Family Visit Visa allows entry into China within 90 days of visa issuance for an initial period of 30 days. By the 30th day following entry, you must apply at the local registration office for a residence permit, which is valid for at least one year and can be up to three years in the best-case scenario. This permit allows for multiple entries and stays in China for any length of time during its validity. When applying for the residence permit, birth and/or marriage certificates must be presented either in the original (if they are Chinese documents) or as copies authenticated by Chinese diplomatic missions abroad (if they are foreign documents).