China visa from UK

[qumhh]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could help me with some visa questions for visiting China please?
I am planning to get a tourist visa to visit China this October but the visa process is a bit confusing. Please could anyone with experience help me with these questions?

According to the visa application website, I can apply for the visa WITHOUT providing flight and hotel booking information if I have a letter from a Chinese national detailing: a) Information of the applicant (incl. full name, gender, date of birth, etc.); and b) Details of the planned visit (incl. arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, accommodation arrangements, etc.); - is this true? I have heard from a lot of people that you always need to provide flight and hotel booking proof.

How much detail needs to be included in the letter about accommodation arrangements and places to be visited? Can I just list the places I plan to stay and cities I plan to visit? Or do I need to provide a detailed itinerary? and what happens if i deviate from my itinerary a bit e.g. take a spontaneous day trip?

Thank you everyone

[LeyanXX]

I see it's been a while since this topic was discussed, but I wanted to ask if anyone has recently applied for a China visa from the UK. Have there been any changes in processing times or document requirements? Also, if anyone has gone through the process lately, did you find any unexpected challenges? Would be great to hear about recent experiences!

[AunkerSlave]

If you're submitting an application from the UK, make sure to check whether you need an appointment or if they accept postal applications. Some have had success mailing their documents, but others had to visit in person. Keep in mind that the rules change often. Also, if you're planning a stopover in the U.S. before heading to China, Monticello budget accommodation is a good option for saving money while traveling.