China BUSINESS visa
(M visa)

To apply for a China Business visa (M visa), you will need to provide the following:

• A valid passport with at least six months of remaining validity and more than one blank visa page.
• A completed application form with a recent colour photo.
• Proof of legal stay or residence if you are applying from a third country.
• A letter of invitation. According to M visa rules, one of the following is required:
  • Invitation letter issued by a Chinese business or trade partner.
  • Invitation letter or confirmation letter of invitation issued by duly authorized Chinese institutes or relevant units.
  • Invitation letter of a trade fair.

The invitation letter should cover:

• Information about the applicant (including full name, date of birth, passport number etc).
• Information about the inviting party (including name, address, contact number, signature, official stamp etc).
• Information about the intended trip (including purpose of the visit, arrival and departure dates, places to be visited etc).

The basic steps to apply for a China Business visa (M visa) are as follows:

• Obtain your invitation letter and prepare the other required documents.
• Complete the online visa application form.
• Book an appointment with the nearest Chinese embassy, consulate or visa application centre based on your country of residence.
• Attend the visa appointment, where you will submit your documents and provide your biometric information.
• Pay the visa application fee and service fee, if applicable.

The government fee to apply for a China Business visa (M visa) varies depending on the submission location, the applicant’s nationality and number of entries required.

Applicants should note that government fees are subject to change at short notice. Please ask Smith Stone Walters for more details on China visa fees. 

Most applications for China Business visas are processed within 8 to 10 working days. If you require a faster processing time, express services may be available at an extra cost. Please note, the actual processing time remains at the discretion of local authorities and may vary. 

A China Business visa (M visa) is typically valid for 3 months but varies on a case-by-case basis. Your visa will be granted with 1, 2, or multiple entries and a permitted stay of 30 days for each entry.

If you need to stay for longer than the validity period of your visa permits, you may be able to apply for a visa extension at least  days before the original M visa expires.

A China Business visa (M visa) allows you to enter China for commercial and trade activities, such as attending trade fairs, visiting clients and factories, negotiating with clients, and signing contracts. If you wish to take up employment in China, you may need to apply for a work permit instead.