Student Visa Process for China

Individuals who plan to enroll in courses for credit in China are required to obtain a student visa. The visa is an official stamp or seal that is affixed to the inside of your passport prior to your departure from the United States. It is your responsibility as a student in this program to obtain a student visa prior to your departure.

The Chinese student visa, also known as the X visa, falls under two categories:

X1 visa = long term visa for students who are studying for more than 180 days (see below)
X2 visa = short term visa for students who are studying for less than 180 days (skip ahead)

X1 STUDENT VISA – ACADEMIC AND SEMESTER PROGRAMS

An X1 student visa is issued to individuals who have secured admission into a course of study at a Chinese university for more than 6 months. This type of visa allows for multiple entries during the duration of the visa. In addition, within 30 days of entering China, students who receive an X1 visa will need to apply for a temporary residence permit.

A visa can only be granted to you by the consulate if you supply the proper documentation regarding the purpose of your stay (i.e., academics) and evidence of accommodations, insurance, and financial support.

How to Apply:

API has partnered with a visa processing company called VisaCentral / CIBT to offer students discounted rates on facilitated visa processing. This means that you would submit your application materials to CIBT and they would appear at the consulate on your behalf. If you do not use this service, you would be required to travel to the consulate to submit your application in person and to pick up your visa once it is processed.

If you wish to use the CIBT service, refer to the following link for instructions and pricing: http://visacentral.com/apichina.

When you arrive at the page ‘Need a Visa?’, you will complete a series of questions. Select “Student” next to “I am traveling for”. On the next screen, select “Multiple Entries” and indicate the visa validity length based on the duration of your program.

If you choose not to use CIBT processing, you will apply directly to the consulate within your jurisdiction (based on your permanent residence). There are consulates in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Refer to the following link to determine which consulate you should apply to: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/zmzlljs/t84229.htm.

From there, visit the appropriate consulate’s webpage for detailed instructions.

Processing Time:

The standard processing time for a Chinese student visa is 10 business days. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee, which advances the processing time to 3-5 business days.

API will provide all students with an acceptance letter and a visa document from the host university following the university’s application deadline. These documents will be sent approximately 30-45 days prior to the program start date. You will not be able to complete your visa application until you receive these documents. Your API Program Manager will contact you as soon as these documents are available.

Pricing:

Students who choose to use CIBT processing will pay a service fee to the company as well as a visa application fee required by the consulate. Students applying to the consulate independently would pay the visa application fee required by the consulate only.
Standard fees for VisaCentral’s professional services per visa or passport request are available here: http://www.visacentral.com/service-fees.php.
Service fees are charged per item. The final cost is determined by the number of business days allowed for processing and the services required to complete your order.

Consular Fees:

In addition to VisaCentral’s service fees, consular processing fees are also required. VisaCentral submits payment for your application to the appropriate consulate on your behalf. A 5.7% processing fee is assessed on government fees when they are paid by VisaCentral. An additional fee may be required if a consulate requires payment by money order.

If you are applying directly to the consulate, U.S. citizens can expect to pay $140 for visa processing.

*Fees are subject to change

X2 STUDENT VISA – SUMMER PROGRAMS

An X2 student visa is issued to individuals who have secured acceptance into a course of study at a Chinese university for less than 6 months. Please note, the X2 student visa is usually issued for single entry with validity up to 6 months.

How to Apply:

API has partnered with a visa processing company called VisaCentral/CIBT to offer students discounted rates on facilitated visa processing. This means that you would submit your application materials to CIBT and they would appear at the consulate on your behalf. If you do not use this service, you would be required to travel to the consulate to submit your application in person and to pick up your visa once it is processed.

API will provide all students with an acceptance letter and a visa document from the host university following the university’s application deadline. You will not be able to complete your visa application until you receive these documents. Your API Program Manager will contact you as soon as these documents are available.

If you wish to use the CIBT service, refer to the following link for instructions and pricing: http://visacentral.com/apichina.

If you choose not to use CIBT processing, you will apply directly to the consulate within your jurisdiction (based on your permanent residence). There are consulates in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Refer to the following link to determine where to apply: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/zmzlljs/t84229.htm

From there, visit the appropriate consulate’s webpage for detailed instructions.

Processing Time:

The standard processing time for a Chinese visa is 8-10 business days. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee.

Pricing:

Students who choose to use CIBT processing will pay a service fee to the company as well as a visa application fee required by the consulate. Students applying to the consulate independently would pay the visa application fee required by the consulate only.
Standard fees for VisaCentral’s professional services are available here: http://www.visacentral.com/service-fees.php.
Service fees are charged per item. The final cost is determined by the number of business days allowed for processing and the services required to complete your order. In addition to VisaCentral’s service fees, consular processing fees are also required. VisaCentral submits payment for your application to the appropriate consulate on your behalf. A 5.7% processing fee is assessed on government fees when they are paid by VisaCentral. An additional fee may be required if a consulate requires payment by money order.