china visa for Self-driving overlanders

Chinese visa is a big topic, this article mainly introduces the relevant content of overlander applying for Chinese visa. Tourists with Chinese tourist visas can travel freely in most parts of China (except Tibet). This article contains information on the timeliness of visas, the factors that affect the obtaining of Chinese tourist visas, visa applications in other countries, and past traveller experiences.

Visa duration and validity

Chinese tourist visas are divided into one entry, two entry and multiple entry.

Citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Argentina can apply for a multi-entry Chinese tourist visa valid for up to ten years in their home country.

Generally, tourists apply for a single-entry visa with a stay of 30 or 60 days. A single entry visa is valid for three months, and you can enter China at any time before the expiration date. For example, if you apply for a single-entry Chinese tourist visa on February 12, the visa is valid until May 12 (it will be displayed on your visa page), then you can enter before May 12 China.

The double-entry visa is valid for 6 months, which means that if you apply on February 12, the valid date will be until August 12. For double-entry visas, the duration of each stay can also be 30 or 60 days.

If it is difficult to apply for a Chinese visa in the country you plan to travel through, we recommend that you apply for a double-entry Chinese visa with a validity of 6 months in your home country before departure to ensure that you can arrive China border before the expiration date of your Chinese visa.

Letter of invitation

Road Pioneer will provide you with a visa invitation and route according to the best visa application plan.

Hotel and flight bookings

You do not need proof of air ticket and hotel booking, with our Letter of Invitation, Hotel List and itinerary you can apply for China Visa yourself or at the agency.

However, there are exceptions. If you intend to apply for a Chinese visa in a Southeast Asian country (a third country other than your own country), and your passport has a visa or entry stamp from Muslim country such as Iran or Turkey, it will be very likely be denied.

Visa extensions in china

If you need to extend your Chinese visa, you can apply for an extension to your local China Immigration Bureau 7 days before your L visa expires. You need to submit passport, visa application form with recent color photos and travel itinerary. If your application is approved, you can get an extended stay not exceeding the original stay duration on your visa.

Turkey stamps in passport

There are a large number of tourists who were refused visas because their passports had visas and arrival stamps for Muslim countries such as Iran and Turkey. Visa center will not tell you exactly why your visa was refused.

If you are a journalist, NGO staff, religious or military person, try to avoid writing on the application form. These occupations are more likely to be denied visas.

Therefore road pioneer advises you not to put all your eggs in one basket and apply for Chinese visa as early as possible. If you have reached the last stop such as Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, writing a detailed travel note about Muslim destinations, proving that you are visiting the country for tourism purposes only, this should help.

Entering Tibet from Nepal

travelers who enter Tibet from Nepal are required to apply for Group Tourist Visa, a kind of single entry visa, at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu.

1. Tibet Tourism Bureau does not accept individual applications for Tibet Travel Permit. Visitors must apply through a travel agent.

2. Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu neither accepts individual applications. Visitors need to go through the local Nepal travel agency. We have partner in kathmandu.

3. The Visa is good for both Tibet and Mainland China. It is valid for the specified period of time which you confirm with the travel agency, usually no more than 30 days. Therefore, you should include your itinerary in both Mainland China and Tibet/qinghai/xinjiang.

4. Please be aware that the group visa is a special type of visa to Tibet. A Chinese visa obtained before automatically expires when the new one is given.

That means:

If you enter tibet from nepal, you don’t have to apply china visa in your country. The china visa you apply before, no matter it’s valid or not, it’s no use for tibet permits.

That also means:

You(or your passport) must stay in kathmandu for 4 working days.

Process: Road Pioneer will apply your travel information in Tibet Tourism Bureau – Tibet Tourism Bureau send  letter of invitation to Chinese embassy in Kathmandu – you give yor passport to our visa agency partner in Kathmandu – Get your group visa in 4 days.

Guide will bring Tibet permit to border and meet you there. then you can enter Tibet with goup visa and Tibet permit.

Indian pilgrims(or just India passport holders)  who will visit Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar

their travel permits can be only arranged by the Foreign Affairs Office of TAR(Tibet Autonomous Region), Tibet Military Region, Armed Police Tibet Frontier Corps and the Department of Public Security of TAR. To get the permit to kailash and Manasarover, india passport holders should travel in big group and use tibet bus/guide. Note: As an Indian passport holder, even are not a pilgrim, but still want to visit Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar or just cross Ngari(Ali ) Prefecture, they will be treated as a pilgrim. Prigrim should join in a group with government-authorized company in india.

So we don’t operate any kind of tour to Kailash, Lake Manasarovar and Ngari(Ali ) Prefecture for india passport holders.

India passport holders who will not go to Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarovar and Ali Preffecture:

Ok, they can drive to Tibet and other parts of China. We  can operate driving road tour for them. They can drive to destinations like EBC, Lhasa and other parts of China except Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarovar and Ali Preffecture.

Embassy reports

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Address: Chinese Consulate General in Almaty, Kazakhstan 12, Baitasov Street 050010 Almaty Kazakhstan

Tel: (+7) 7272 700 207

Email: chinaconsul_alm@mfa.gov.cn

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in KZ for more than 6 months.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Kazakhstan.

Ankara, Turkey

Address: FERİT RECAİ ERTUĞRUL CAD. NO: 18 ORAN , ANKARA, Turkey

Tel: 0090-312-4900660

Email: chinaemb_tr@mfa.gov.cn

Accept: only accept application for Turkey citizen or if you have valid residence permit or working permit.

Self-driving overlanders:Not possible to get Chinese visa in Turkey.

Self-driving overlanders:

Ashkabad, Turkmenistan

Address:  No. 45, Hotel “KUWWAT”, Road Archabil, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744036

Tel: +99312488105

Email: chinaemb_tm@mfa.gov.cn

Accept：Locals, or need to be a student or working in Turkmenistan for more than 6 months.

Self-driving overlanders:It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Turkmenistan.

Astana, Kazakhstan

Address: 37, Kabanbai batyra Av. Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan, 010000

Tel: 007-7172-793561

Email: chinaemb_kz@mfa.gov.cn  

Accept：Locals, or need to be a student or working in KZ for more than 6 months.

Self-driving overlanders:It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Kazakhstan.

Athens, Greece

Address: 10-12, Dimokratias, P. Psychico, 15452 Athens

Tel: +30-210-6723819

Email: chinaemb_gr@mfa.gov.cn

Accept: Accept applications from Greek citizens and third-party nationals who legally stay in Greece.

Self-driving overlanders:  It is possible for overlanders to get Chinese visa in Greece, we had clients from German has got his Chinese visa successfully in January 2020.

Bangkok, Thailand

Address: 55 AA Building 2nd fl. Ratchadaphisek Soi3，Bangkok 10400，Thailand

Tel: 0066-2-2450888

Email: chinaemb_th@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Baku, Azerbaijan

Address: No. 67 Street Khagani, Baku 370010, Azerbaijan

Tel: +994-12-4936587, 4986257

Email: chinaemb_az@mfa.gov.cn

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Azerbaijan.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Azerbaijan.

Bishkek，Kyrgyzstan

Address: Peace Avenue 299/7, Bishkek 720001, Kyrghyz Republic

Tel: +996-312-597485

Email: chinaemb_kg@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Brussels, Belgium

Address: No. 109 Rue Neerveld, Woluwe Saint-Lambert 1200, Brussels

Tel: +2-775 0888 

Email: brusselscenter@visaforchina.org

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Kyrgyzstan.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Kyrgyzstan.

Budapest, Hungary

Address: No. 20-22, Benczur Utca, 1068 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: +1-4132400, 4132401

Email: chinaemb_hu@mfa.gov.cn 

Busan, South Korea

Address: 1418, U-2 Dong, Haeundae-Gu, Busan, 612022, Korea

Tel: +82-51-7437990  

Email: chinaconsul_bu_kr@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Address: No. 111 Changloh Road, Haiya District, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand

Tel: +66-5-3280380, 3276125, 3276457

Email: chinavisa.cm@gmail.com

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Address: 120/3B, Vidya Mawatha, Colombo 07

Tel: +94-11-2676658

Email: consulate_lk@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Address: No.35 Street, Kaharova, Dushanbe 734001

Tel: +992-37-2222618

Email: tj@mofcom.gov.cn  

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Tajikistan.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Tajikistan.

Ekaterinburg, Russia

Address: No. 45, Tchaikovsky Street, Ekaterinburg

Tel: +7-922-1509999, +7-922-6193399

Email： chinaconsul_ye_ru@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Hanoi, Vietnam

Address: 46 Hoang Dieu Road, Hanoi 

Tel: +84-4-38235569

Email: chinaemb_vn@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Irkutsk, Russia

Address: No. 40, Str.Karl Marx, Irkutsk

Tel: +7-3952-781431

Email: consulate_irkutsk@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Islamabad, Pakistan

Address: Ramna 4, Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad

Tel: +92-51-8255059

Email: chinaemb_pk@mfa.gov.cn

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Pakistan.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Pakistan.

Istanbul, Turkey

Address: Ahi Çelebi Cad. Çoban Çeşme Sok. No: 4, Tarabya, Sarıyer, İstanbul

Tel: +90-212-2993731, 2992634

Email: chinaconsul_ist_tr@mfa.gov.cn 

Accept：only accept application for Turkey citizen or if you have valid residence permit or working permit.

Self-driving overlanders: Not possible to get Chinese visa in Turkey.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Address: JL. Mega Kuningan No.2, Jakarta Selatan 12950, Indonesia

Tel: +62-21-5761039

Email: NA 

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Karachi, Pakistan

Address: Plot No. ST.20, Block 4, Clifton, Karachi

Tel: +92-21-35874168

Email: chinaconsul_khi_pk@mfa.gov.cn

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Pakistan.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Pakistan.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Address: Hattisar, Naxal, Kathmandu

Tel: +977-1-4431511, +977-1-4425520  

Email: chinaemb_np@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Khabarovsk, Russia

Address: Stadium of Lenin, Khabarovsk, 680028, Russia

Tel:  +7-4212-421601, 306163

Email: chinaconsul_khab_ru@mfa.gov.cn 

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Kolkata, India

Address: EC-72, Sector I, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700064

Tel: +91-33-40048169, 0091-9163390711

Emailchinaconsul_kkt@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Kuala Lumpur, Mylaysia

Address: 1st Floor, Plaza OSK, 25 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +60-3-21645250

Email: lingshikl@gmail.com

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Minsk, Belarus

Address: 22, Berestyanskaya Street, Minsk 220071, the Republic of Belarus

Tel: +7-499-9518435   

Email: chinaemb_by@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Moscow, Russia

Address: No. 6, UL. Druzhby, Moscow, 117330, Russia

Tel: +7-499-9518435   

Email: china_emb_ru@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Mumbai, India

Address: 11th Floor, Nariman Bhavan, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021, India

Tel: +91-22-66324303/4/5/6 ext 21, 22 

Email: chinaconsul_mum_in@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

New Delhi, India

Address: Gate No. 4, Chinese Embassy, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110021

Tel: +91-11-24675259 

Email: chinaemb_in@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Odessa, Ukraine

Address: No. 32, Grushevskogo Str., Kyiv 01901, Ukraine

Tel: +38-044-2533154, 2531049

Email: chinaembassy@kiev.relc.com

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Address: Chinese Consulate General in Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Tel: (+996) 777-908 558 

Email: NA

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Kyrgyzstan.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Kyrgyzstan.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Address: No.156, Blvd Mao Tsetung, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Tel: +855-23-217086, 12-901937 

Email: chinaemb_kh@mfa.gov.cn 

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Pyongyang, North Korea

Address: Kinmaul-dong, Moranbong District, Pyongyang, D.P. R of Korea

Tel: +850-2-3813116

Email: chinaemb_kp@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Singapore

Address: 150 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247969

Tel: 65-64712117

Email: chinaemb_sg@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Sofia, Bulgaria

Address: Street Alexander Von Humboldt 7, Sofia 1113, Republic of Bulgaria 

Tel: +359-2-9733910

Email: chnemb_bg@live.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

St.Petersburg, Russia

Address: No. 134, Nab. Kanala Griboedova, St. Petersburg, 190121, Russia

Tel: +7-812-7147670, 7138009

Email: chinaconsul_sp_ru@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Surabaya, Indonesia

Address: Jalan Paris Argosari V D-3, Surabaya

Tel: +62-31-5682814

Email:  chinaconsul_sur@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Sydney, Australia

Address: 39 Dunblane Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia

Tel: +61-2-85958002

Email: NA

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Address: No.79, Akademik Yahyo G’Ulomoy Street, Tashkent 700047, Uzbekistan

Tel: +998-71-2334728Email: chinaemb_uz@mfa.gov.cn

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Uzbekistan.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Uzbekistan.

Tbilisi, Georgia

Address: N 52 Barnov Street, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia

Tel:  +995-32-2259000, 2252670

Email: zhangling@access.sanet.ge

Accept: Locals, or need to be a student or working in Georgia.

Self-driving overlanders: It is difficult to obtain Chinese visa unless you are citizen of Georgia.

Tirana, Albania

Address: No.57 Skenderbej Road, Tirana, Albania

Tel: +355-4-2232385

Email: chinaemb_al@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Vientiane, Laos

Address: Wat Nak Road, Sisattanak, Vientiane, Lao P. D.R

Tel: +856-21-315100

Email: chinaemb_la@mfa.gov.con

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders:

Yerevan, Armenia

Address: No.12, Marshal Bagramian Street, Yerevan, Armenia

Tel: +37410-560663

Email: chinaemb_am@mfa.gov.cn

Accept:

Self-driving overlanders: