(J2) Foreign journalist visiting China for short-term news coverage

2026-08-26 · Short term journalist

The service area are QC. and NB. for us.
It is mandatory to fill out the application form via our website. The 2013 version application form is not used anymore.
All the application files should be printed out.
(1) Passport
Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and with at least two blank visa pages, a photocopy of the passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate.

(2) Visa Application Form and Photo
One Visa Application Form completed on the computer and signed by hand with a recently-taken colour passport photo (bare-head, full face) against a white background (size: 48mm x 33mm) attached.

You need to complete the online application form in your account.

Please remember to bring the colour photo on paper to the Visa Centre to submit your application.

(3) Proof of legal status (applicable for those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship)

If you are not applying for a visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates of residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal stay provided by the relevant authorities of the country where the Visa Centre is located.

(4) Photocopy of previous Chinese passports and previous Chinese visas (applicable for those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship).

If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, please provide the last Chinese passport held and 2 photocopies of its data page together with the data page of the present Canadian passport ( the data page of the previous Chinese passport and the data page of the present Canadian passport need to be shown on the same paper); and the Canadian citizenship card(original and photocopy).

If you have obtained Chinese visas before and apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed passport that does not contain any Chinese visa, you should present the photocopy of the previous passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate, as well as the previous Chinese visa page (If your name on the current passport differs from that on the previous one, you must provide an official document of name change). If you cannot provide the documents mentioned above, please prepare ducuments as you apply for the first time.

(5) A child born in China, whose parents are both Chinese or one of the parents is Chinese, has Chinese nationality, shall apply for a Chinese Travel Document at the Chinese Consulate- Genral.

A child of Chinese origin, born in Canada,holding a Canadian passport, shall applying for a Chinese visa if the parents' status at the time of the child's birth falls into one of the following categories: A) Both of the parents were Chinese and at least one of them was holding a foreign permanent resident card; B) One parent was a foreigner and another was a Chinese and holding a foreign permanent resident card; C) One parent was a foreigner and another used to be Chinese but joined other nationalities before the child was born; D) Both of the parents used to be Chinese and both of them joined other nationalities before the child was born. If the parents' status does not belong to the 4 categories, the child needs to apply for a Chinese Travel Document at the Chinese Consulate-Genral.

For the first time, you should present the child's birth certificate (original and photocopy, has parents information) besides passport, application form and photo, and other supporting documents. For condition A and B mentioned above, applicants also need to provide either of the parent's Chinese passport with permanent residence card (original and photocopy, issued before the child's birth). For condition C and D, applicants need to provide ① proof of the nationality change of the Chinese origin parents before the child was born(foreign passport, foreign citizenship card or citizen ship certificate issued before the child's birth, both original and photocopy), and ② passport of the parent who is a foreigner(both original and photocopy).

(6)An visa notification issued by the information department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and an official letter issued by the media organization for which the journalist works.

Applicants must contact the relevant press authorities in China in advance and complete the required approval formalities.

Notes:
(1) The invitation letter may be in the form of fax, photocopy or computer printout, but the consular officer may require the applicant to submit the original of the invitation letter. An issuer of invitation letter who is an individual in China should also provide a photocopy of his/her Chinese ID.

(2) If necesssary, the consular officer may require the applicant to provide other proof documents or supplementary materials, or require an interview with the applicant.

(3) The consular officer will decide on whether or not to issue the visa and on its validity, duration of stay and number of entries in light of specific conditions of the applicant.