Obtaining a visa for China is one thing, extending it once you're there is quite another... The Terre de Chine editorial team explains the procedures to follow so you can extend your stay without any hassle.

Your Chinese visa is about to expire but you need to stay longer? Unless it's during a major international event like the Olympics, when foreigners flock to the country and authorities restrict their stays, it's possible. Here are some practical tips.

Standard Procedures

In normal times (outside the Olympics or other major events that restrict the arrival of foreigners in China), once you've arrived in the country and want to extend your stay, you can do so by going directly to the local immigration office (公安局) or by using private companies that handle this procedure.

The first option only works if you have "valid" reasons to stay beyond your visa's expiration date (such as a Chinese language HSK exam you've registered for, or the fact that you need to take a train to Russia and it crosses the border 2 days after your visa expires, etc.).

In this case, you can try speaking with the prefecture staff to help you get your papers in order. Here is the English webpage of Beijing's immigration service: http://www.bjgaj.gov.cn/eng/. A similar institution exists in every city that is the capital of a Chinese province.

If you don't have strong enough arguments to convince authorities that you must stay in China, it would be better to contact private companies that handle visas for foreigners.

In Beijing there is such a company with an excellent reputation: Traderslink (商联国际). This company handles all types of visas for foreigners, but the visa they obtain for you depends on the visa you arrived with. So if you have an L visa, you'll never get a Z visa, as you must return to France or go to Hong Kong to obtain one. For a 6-month F visa, expect to pay between 4,000 and 6,000 yuan, depending on the season and your country of origin.

Another possible solution that might be less expensive is to enroll in language courses at a university or language school that welcomes foreign students. During your course period, they will be obliged to provide you with a visa. For example, the Bincai school in Harbin (宾才外语学校) handles visas for its foreign students, and course sessions remain financially very accessible.

Finally, you can also obtain an internship agreement from a Chinese company and go to Hong Kong to get an F visa that will allow you to return. This is a solution, though it is more expensive than obtaining an extension without leaving Chinese territory.

Special Cases

In theory, you can enter China without requesting a visa in the following cases:

1. If a Chinese institution has invited you to participate in an official event or included you in a delegation at the last minute;

2. If you are invited to participate in important business transactions, sales, or purchases with the government;

3. If you are authorized to carry out an inspection or quality control or consult with Chinese authorities on any technical project;

4. If you have accepted a request from Chinese authorities regarding compensation for damage suffered by a Chinese company;

5. If you are replacing a delegation member or tourist group member who already has a visa but was unable to travel for any reason;

6. In other special cases, involving your inability to submit a visa application on time or special circumstances related to the situation of your family members who are in China.

But in practice, you can access a Chinese border crossing from a neighboring country (or special territory) and try your luck to get a visa. This will work for obtaining an L visa valid for one month, which you can obtain at a Chinese border crossing for approximately $80.

The experience of some European tourists shows that this system works at the 3 main Chinese border crossings with Russia (Manzhouli, Heihe, Suifenhe), for Erlian, the Chinese border city with Mongolia, and for Shenzhen, if you're traveling from Hong Kong. This list is likely not exhaustive.

Whatever arguments you use, remember to remain polite and persistent. That's the key to success in any administrative procedure in China.

Tips and Tricks