Are you looking to travel to China? The first support document you will need to process your Chinese Visa is a China invitation letter, also known as a letter of support. An invitation letter for China Visa is the primary step that could make or break your China visa or its application process. Therefore, if this letter is as important as it seems, what is a China invitation letter?

CHINA INVITATION LETTER?

A China invitation letter is the primary, official, and first document that must be submitted during your application and request for a China visa. An invitation letter for China visa kick-starts your visa application process, thus, it is of utmost importance that your invitation letter is authentic and it’s from a legal or registered body in China to prevent the rejection, delay or outright denial of your visa application process or China visa.

An invitation letter for China serves as an essential document needed to process your visa for China. It also serves as a factor that determines the type of visa that will be issued to you.

However, not all China visas require an invitation letter such as China tourist and transit visas. The reason for this is that if you are not travelling to China independently, a travel itinerary like a travel tour or group registered and recognized in China, airline ticket, hotel reservations documents and receipts can be presented at the consulates embassy instead of an invitation letter to China. Whereas, if you are travelling to see your families or friends an invitation letter to China is compulsory.

There are necessary information in which your invitation letter to China must-have. If for one reason or the other this information or details are absent, your application process may be looking fake and lead to the cancellation of your visa.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS AN INVITATION LETTER TO CHINA SHOULD CONTAIN.

The Chinese government do not have a recommended format or size a China invitation letter should have, however, you should endeavour to make your invitation letter as formal as it can be. The following details are the basic information which any invitation letter for China visa must contain, they are;

  • The subject/title: This should include the heading, name of the embassy and their contact information (ensure that it is well –addressed).
  • The greeting /acknowledgement
  • Purpose of travel
  • The inviting party details
  • Signature
  • An official seal
  • Date and its enclosures such as when the invitation letter for China visa was written)

However, the requirement for a China invitation letter may vary depending on the type of visa to be issued.

TYPES OF CHINA INVITATION LETTER

As stated earlier, the type of China visa to be issued should correspond with your invitation letter, for example, if you require a China business visa, a China business invitation letter should be gotten.

When getting an invitation letter, the purpose of your travel will justify which invitation letter will be required, and thus the type of invitation letter issued will determine the type of visa that will be given to you. Below are the major types of invitation letters;

  1. China tourist invitation letter: This is the most common type of invitation letter to China, It is issued to foreigners who want to travel to China for tourist purposes such as taking trips to Beijing, Shanghai, Xian and Guilin. If you are travelling to China through a travel group or organization, an invitation letter is not needed. But if you are travelling independently, a tourist invitation letter will be needed.
  2. China business invitation. This type of invitation letter is issued to foreigners for business, commercial or trade activities.
  3. China family invitation letter: This type of invitation letter is issued to family members of Chinese citizens who would be travelling to China and will be staying there permanently or for 6 months.
  4. China private invitation letter: This is issued to foreigners who have relations or families working or studying in China and will like to stay in China for 6months or more than 6 months.
  5. China work invitation letter: If you are intending to work or carry out commercial activities in China, you will need a work invitation letter to process your China work visa.
  6. China study invitation letter: This is required for people intending to study in China for more than 6 months or within 6 months.
  7. China journalist invitation letter: This is only required for foreign journalist or media crew posted to china either for 6 months or more than 6 months to process their China journalist visa.

Therefore, when getting an invitation letter to China, find out the best that matches the intent of your travel before getting one.

TOURIST INVITATION LETTER FOR CHINA VISA

A China tourist invitation letter is only required if you are not travelling with a tour group, thus, if you are travelling alone a tourist invitation letter will be needed. To save you the stress involved in getting an independent tourist invitation letter, why don’t you use an affordable, and stress-free visa services at Visa Express. However, a tourist invitation letter for China visa should contain the following information;

  • Information of the foreigner or invitee such as; the individual’s full name, passport number, email address, phone number and relationship with the host (a picture of yourself and the host or inviting party can be used in this regards).
  • Information of the host or the inviting party such as the full name, properties the host has in China, status, personal address, phone number, email address and the host’s signature.
  • Information on where you will be staying (hotel or residential area), the dates you would be arriving and leaving China, the duration of your stay and places you intend to visit.

To make the invitation not look questionable, you should attach additional documents like the inviting party permanent resident permit or address and means of identification.

BUSINESS INVITATION LETTER FOR CHINA VISA

If you are travelling to China for business transactions like signing contracts, closing business deals, negotiating with clients or other business and commercial activities. You would require a business invitation letter for China visa before your China business visa can be issued or even processed. Thus, you must have an authentic China business invitation letter. This can be issued by the inviting company or institution in China. The following information should be on your business invitation letter;

  • The business invitation letter for China must have the company’s letterhead.
  • It must be directed to the China embassy.
  • It must contain the information of the foreigner such as the name, gender, date of birth, passport number, issuing and expiration date of the passport.
  • The reason why the foreigner is needed.
  • The position in which the foreigner has in the company.
  • The relationship between the foreigner and the invitee.
  • It should state the date in which the foreigner will be arriving and leaving China.
  • The business invitation letter for China must state, who would be responsible for feeding and accommodating the foreigner.
  • It must also contain the host phone number both mobile and home because the consulate can send random calls, the department and position in which the host has in the company, the name of the individual that signs and seals the letter.

If any of the above information is missing, this could lead to out-right denial or delay in getting a China business visa.

FAMILY INVITATION LETTER FOR CHINA VISA

A family invitation letter for China visa is needed or issued when you have families or relatives who live in China and are Chinese citizens. The information a family invitation letter must have are;

  • Information of the foreigner or invitee such as; the individual’s full name, passport number, email address, phone number and relationship with the host ( a picture of yourself and the host or inviting party can be used in this regards).
  • Your date of arrival and departure date.
  • Your relationship with the inviting party.
  • The letter should contain the reasons you are visiting China.
  • Your place of accommodation.
  • The inviting party details such as full name, phone number, email address and signature.

Getting an invitation letter for China visa could be quite a hassle, and even after getting one, if it doesn’t meet the consulate’s requirements or it doesn’t have the detailed information needed. It could put your China visa application process on hold or denial of your China visa.

Thus, because an invitation letter can make or mar your visa application process. We at visa express provides swift and authentic visa invitation letter within 24hours. We also help our clients with other stages of the China visa application process. With visa express, we will make your invitation letter for China as seamless as possible. Our invitation letter for China visa can be emailed or fax to you wherever you are. Invitation letter from visa express is recognized and accepted worldwide in any Chinese embassy. An adage says “time is money”, therefore why would you want to go through the lengthy, difficult and sometimes the tiresome process of your China visa application when you can just skip to the part where you are on your flight to China, while we handle your invitation letter for China visa and the other stages of your China visa application process at an affordable price even if you are on a budget.