Visa

Compass

Before travelling to China, you will need to apply for a travel visa. This is a piece of paper that goes in your passport to indicate that you have China's permission to enter the country. It is generally advisable to apply early, allowing plenty of time for your visa application to process.

  • As of September 2012, the visa application process for Scottish residents has changed.

Due to the high demand for Chinese visa processing, the Chinese Visa Application Service Center has just opened in Edinburgh. 

Features include:

  • Online application form (for printing)
  • Book an appointment to submit your application
  • Check the status of your application
  • Easy-to-access information on how and what you'll need to submit

Note: if you live outside Edinburgh, you can now also apply for your visa by post. 

  • You will need to submit a passport-sized photograph with your application. You may be asked to stick it to the application form, so bring glue.
  • Depending on the type of visa you apply for, you may need to submit a physical examination record with your application. This needs to be filled out by a doctor before you submit your application. To determine which visa you need to apply for, see the Visa Instruction page.