Part 1: Seven Circumstances for Chinese Visa Exemption

I. Foreigners applicable in the Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement between China and foreign countries.

II. Foreigners holding valid Chinese permanent resident ID card.

III. Foreigners holding valid Chinese residence permit of various types.

IV. Foreigners holding valid APEC Business Travel Card (APEC virtual card is excluded).

V. Foreigners intending to transit via China by international flights, ships, or trains to third countries or regions with valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed seats, provided that their stay period in China will not exceed 24 hours and that they will remain within the corresponding ports.

VI. Pakistanis holding valid diplomatic and official passport and planning to stay in mainland China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China for up to 30 days.

VII.  Pakistanis holding valid diplomatic passport and planning to stay in Macau Special Administrative Region, China for up to 14 days.

 

Part 2: Visa Type, Applicant Category and Required Documents

Please apply for the appropriate type of visa according to the primary purpose of the visit to China, and submit both the characterized and common documents as required in the following table.

 

Part 3: Appendices

Appendix 1：An ordinary invitation letter from a real inviting organization or entity in China for F and M visa should contain the following elements:

Personal information of the invitee: name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.

Information of the invitee’s visit: purpose of the visit to China, arrival and departure dates, places to visit, relationship with the inviting organization or entity, source of expenses, etc.

Information of the inviting organization or entity: the accurate and complete name of the inviting organization/entity, contact number, address, organization/entity formal stamp, signature of the legal representative or the inviter of the inviting organization/entity, signature date, etc.

Please note: The stamp of the inviting organization/entity in China should be the formal and certified stamp. It can be the official seal of the organization/entity registered in the local public security authority in China, or it can be the special seal used only for handling matters related to foreign affairs, such as inviting foreigners to China, passport and visa matters, etc. The latter special seal is different from the official seal both in name and shape, and can only be used with approval of the organization/entity’s leader in China according to Chinese laws and regulations. The State Council of China stipulates that the seals of Chinese administrative agencies, enterprises/companies, institutions, and social groups must be circular, and forging seals or using forged seals is unlawful. The most common Chinese company seal sample is provided as follows:  

 

Appendix 2：Conditions in Which an Invitation Letter (TE) or Verification Letter of Invitation is exempt.  

When applying for F or M visa, the individual applicant should get from the inviting organization/ entity in China an Invitation Letter (TE) or Verification Letter of Invitation. However, Invitation Letter (TE) or Verification Letter of Invitation could be exempted if the individual applicant satisfies either of the following two conditions.

I.The individual applicant should be the person who works and is appointed certain posts in Pakistani government departments, official organizations and institutions with private passport in which “Government Officer” or “Government Employee” is annotated. Additionally, No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Travel Abroad which is issued by the employer and attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, and the applicant’s personal bank 

statement for the latest 6 months which can cover all expenses during the applicant’s real stay period in China, no less than US $100 per day or equivalent Pakistani Rupees, should be submitted. For the first-time visitors to China, round trip itinerary or e-airline ticket booking information, and hotel reservation paper should be provided as well. 

II.The individual applicant should be the person who has visited China for more than three times since 1st Jan 2016. Additionally, the passport personal information page, the copy of the passport visa pages on which the Chinese immigration officer stamped exit-entry border seals for these three times, and the applicant’s personal bank statement for the latest 6 months which can cover all expenses during the applicant’s real stay period in China, no less than US $100 per day or equivalent Pakistani Rupees, should be submitted.

Please note: The individual applicant still needs to submit an ordinary invitation letter from the inviting organization/entity in China, even though he/she is exempt from Invitation Letter (TE) or Verification Letter of Invitation. 

Appendix 3：Sample of an invitation letter for Q1, Q2, S1 and S2 visa is as follows:

Inviter's name____, gender___, date of birth: __/__/__, Chinese national ID card number____ (or foreign passport number___, Chinese permanent resident ID card number____), current address in China ______, contact number_____, email______.

I now invite the following relatives to visit China for a short-term visit/long-term stay. They plan to come to China on __/_/_(date) and stay for ____ days. During their stay in China, the expenses will be covered by _____.

Information of the invitee: Name___, gender___, date of birth__/__/__, nationality___, passport number__, and the relationship with the inviter is______.

Signature of the inviter:               Date:

 

Part 4: Visa Application Acceptance Area Divided by Consular Districts

According to the consular district division, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan located in Islamabad accepts visa application from the applicant who permanently  resides in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan and other districts, including Pakistani citizens and third country citizens.

Consulate General of P.R.C. in Karachi accepts visa application from the applicant who permanently resides in Sindh and Balochistan, including Pakistani citizens and third country citizens.

Consulate General of P.R.C. in Lahore doesn’t accept visa application currently. On behalf of Consulate General of P.R.C. in Lahore, the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad handles visa application from the applicant who is a permanent resident in Punjab (Rawalpindi not included), including Pakistani citizens and third country citizens.

Since May, 2019, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates have authorized Gerry’s Chinese Visa Application Service Center to accept the Chinese visa application. The applicant should submit visa application to Gerry’s Center correspondingly in Islamabad, Karachi or Lahore, based on his/her permanent residence.

 

Part 5: Visa Application Process and Requirement

I. Visit the website: https://cova.mfa.gov.cn to complete the online Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China. Upload a digital ID photo, print out the form and confirmation page, and sign the name on the confirmation page and the last page of the application form. If the online system indicates that the photo is not qualified and cannot be uploaded successfully, the applicant should prepare a qualified photo when he/she goes to Gerry’s Chinese Visa Application Service Center to submit the application. Gerry’s Center could kindly help to upload it upon the applicant’s request. Click here for detailed photo requirement: 

https://www.visaforchina.cn/template/common/photoRequirementsModal-en.html

II. Submit all the application documents at Gerry’s Center.

Gerry’s Center will view roughly all the documents for the first time to make sure the most fundamental documents are submitted, and return those cases with visible deficiency at the front counter. Please supplement the document and make necessary adjustment as advised.

1)Staff service tel: 021-3515 5247/48 (available from 9:00 to 17:00 on working days, English and Urdu)

2)Voice service tel: 051-8439385 (English and Urdu)

3)Website: https://www.visaforchina.org

4)Address: 9F Bahria Complex IV, Main Chaudhary Khaliq Uz-Zaman Road, Gizri, Clifton

III. Gerry’s Center will forward the application to the Chinese Consulate. The Consulate generally needs 4 working days to process the application, and doesn’t provide fast service. Processing time may vary from case to case for different reasons, such as document supplementation, Consulate interview, etc. The Consulate will make a final decision based on the application itself. If the application is returned and the applicant reapplies again, this will be considered as a new application., and processing time will be recalculated from the date the new application is forwarded to the Consulate.

IV. The applicant could go to Gerry's Center to collect a visa according to the pickup time on the pick-up form issued by Gerry’s Center. However, the pickup time is uncertain for special cases, for which Gerry's Center will notify the applicant by phone. The applicant is advised not to miss the call. When collecting a visa at Gerry's Center, the applicant should check the visa information at the front counter and communicate with the staff right away for any questions. 

 

Part 6: Guide to Complete Online Visa Application Form (COVA)

The applicant should fill in Visa Application Form of the People’s Republic of China truthfully, completely and accurately. Untrue, incomplete and inaccurate information will result in return or rejection of the application. The applicant must bear the whole legal liabilities and consequences.

I. Visit the website：https://cova.mfa.gov.cn/. Read the online instructions carefully and complete one item after another of the form. Please be noted that once the form is submitted, no modification can be made. If the applicant wants to make any change, he/she will need to start a new form.

II. Select the corresponding Chinese Embassy or Consulate in Pakistan to submit the application according to the 

consular district.

III. Application form, Section 1-Personal Information.

(I) Fill in the surname, given name, gender, date of birth, nationality, and passport number, exactly the same with the applicant’s passport personal information page. Otherwise, the application will be returned.

(II) Upload a standard colored digital ID photo of the applicant, which is recently taken with 2-inch size in white background. For detailed photo requirement, please click here: 

https://www.visaforchina.cn/template/common/photoRequirementsModal-en.html

(III) Item 1.1D “Chinese Name (if applicable, in Chinese)”: if the applicant does have a Chinese name, he/she should enter the Chinese character, rather than entering“中文”、“汉”, etc.

(IV) Item 1.6 “Nationality and permanent residence”, if the applicant selects "Yes" in any of the three questions listed in this item about the current and former nationality and permanent residence, he/she should specify the information as instructed.

(V) Item 1.6G “Please provide the following information if you have ever had Chinese nationality” is a mandatory item, and cannot be left blank. If the applicant used to be Chinese national and applies for Chinese visa for the first time since his/her naturalization to another country, he/she needs to enter the former Chinese ID number and the number of his/her last Chinese passport number. If the applicant has applied for the Chinese visa before, he/she will be required by the web page instruction to enter previous Chinese visa information on Page 7 .

IV. Application form, Section 3-Work Information.

(1) Write down work experience for the past five years as instructed.

(2) Item 3.2C “Position” and 3.3D “Duty/Position” must be completely and accurately filled in .

V. Application form, Section 4-Education.

(I) Item 4.1: fill in the highest academic degree.

(II) Item 4.1B“Diploma/degree”and 4.1C “Major” must be completely and accurately filled in.

VI. Application form, Section 5-Family information.

Please complete all the addresses in this section. Item 5.5A “Spouse Address” means the spouse's current address, not the address of the birthplace. Ensure that the address is fully detailed, including street, city, province, and country.

VIII. Application form, Section 6-Travel information.

In this section, Item 6.2 “Inviting person or organization in China”: for C, F, M, X, and Z visa, please complete Item 6.2A with the correct name and true contact number of the inviting  organization/entity in China. Here, the applicant should fill in the inviting organization’s name, rather than the contact person’s name as the inviter. If the inviting organization/entity in China is a company, please fill in the company’s name exactly the same as that of its legal business licence in China.

Please make sure all information in Item 6.2 is truly, completely and accurately filled in. Otherwise, the application will be returned.

IX. If the applicant selects “Not applicable” for any item in the form, he/she must provide a reason as instructed online.

X. Print out the form and sign the name. After completing the online application form, the applicant must print out the entire set of application form, including China Visa Online Application Confirmation Page (one page only) and Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China (the 7-page table and additional pages which are generated automatically according to the information submitted by the applicant). The entire set of the form is thus generally more than 8 pages, and must be printed out page by page. The confirmation page and the last page covering the signature and date must be handwritten by the applicant. The applicant under the age of 18 can have his/her parent or other lawful guardian sign the guardian name in the blank where the applicant is supposed to sign the name. 

 

Part 7: Common Reasons for Visa Refusal

I. Dishonest behaviour, such as fabricating the purpose of visiting China, or submitting the fake or modified documents, etc.

II. Wrong and insufficient information. For instance, the visa application form is filled out with untrue, inaccurate or incomplete information. The inviting organization/entity’s name is incorrect. The contact number cannot be reached. The  invitation letter doesn’t have the arrival and departure time, or lacks the signature of the legal representative or the inviter of the inviting organization/entity in China. The stamp’s shape and other features don’t comply with Chinese laws and regulations, and thus has a high forgery possibility. 

III. Discrepancies between the stated purpose of visiting China and the applied type of visa.

IV. Insufficient financial resource to cover the expenses  during the stay in China.

V. Other circumstances in which the Consulate considers not suitable for issuing a visa.

 

Part 8: Kind Reminder

Please be kindly reminded that: processing visa requires a certain period of time. The applicant should take all the factors into full consideration, and reserve enough time for visa application. The factors include communication with the inviting organization/entity in China, document preparation, application submission, air-ticket booking and hotel reservation, etc. The applicant should bear all the loss for the change or cancellation of air ticket and hotel due to visa refusal or visa-issuance delay.

Consular officers is justified to require the applicant to submit other supporting documents, and have interviews based on specific situations. The applicant should cooperate actively. Failure to cooperate will directly affect the outcome of 

visa application. 

Consular officers will make the final decision whether to issue a visa, as well as visa validity period, duration of stay,  number of entries based on the applicant's personal situation. In accordance with the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China, visa authorities are not obligated to expose reasons for visa refusal.

If the applicant or agent fails to collect the completed visa for more than one year, the Chinese Consulate will deal with it directly. The applicant must bear all the consequences of destroying visa, travel documents and other application documents.

 

Part 9: Fingerprint Collection

According to the relevant Chinese laws and regulations, starting from June 15th, 2018, the Chinese Consulate has been collecting ten fingerprints from all the applicants all over the world, including Pakistani citizens. 

The following individuals are exempt from the fingerprint collection:

I. Individuals under 14 years old or over 70 years old.

II. Individuals holding diplomatic passports, or meeting the requirement for the Chinese diplomatic, service/official or courtesy visa.

III.Individuals who have applied for Chinese visa and had their fingerprints collected with the same passport at the same location within the past 5 years starting from October 22nd, 2018.

IV. Individuals whose ten fingers are all mutilated, or fingerprints are unable to be collected.

The applicant is required to have his/her own fingerprints collected at Gerry’s Center. Forging fingerprints or leaving other person’s fingerprints will result in denial to enter China’s border and other consequences, which will be borne by the applicant himself/herself.

Latest notice: In order to offer more facilitation for visa applicant, from September 2nd, 2024 to December 31th, 2025, Consulate General of P.R.C. in Karachi exempt fingerprints collection for the applicant applying for single or double entry visa（duration of stay in China is less than 180 days).

 

Part 10: Hong Kong and Macau Visa

Individuals intending to travel to Hong Kong, China should submit the visa application directly via the website of Hong Kong Immigration Department: https://www.immd.gov.hk/hkt/.

Individuals intending to travel to Macau, China need to submit the visa application through Gerry’s Center. For more visa policy information, please visit the website of the Public Security Police Force (Portuguese Abbreviation: CPSP), Macau:  https://www.fsm.gov.mo/psp/cht/main.html. 

 

Part 11: Fees

I. Chinese visa

(I) Holders of diplomatic and official passport from every country (except the United States), as well as ordinary passports from Pakistan, are exempt from paying all types of visa fees.

(II) Other circumstance needing to pay are as follows:

A. US passport holders: 39400/- PKR, and US journalist visa fee is 46700/- PKR.

B. Canadian Passport holders: 15200/- PKR.

C. Third country passport holders:

(a) Single Entry: 7200/- PKR

(b) Double Entry: 10800/- PKR

(c) Six Months Multiple entry: 14400/- PKR

(d) One Year and more，Multiple entry: 21600/- PKR

D. Fees for passport holders of other special countries are subject to actual practice.

II. Hong Kong & Macau visa

(I) China Hong Kong visa: 13700/- PKR, including 5500 Pakistani rupees visa communication fee charged by the Consulate General of P.R.C. in Karachi. If the applicant applies via the website of of Hong Kong Immigration Department, the communication fee is exempt.

(II) Entry permit to Hong Kong, China: 2,700/- PKR.

(III) China Macau visa: 13700/- PKR, including 5500 Pakistani rupees visa communication fee charged by the Consulate General of P.R.C. in Karachi.

Please note: The fee mentioned above is per person.