A student visa is required to study in China. Student Visa types include X1 and X2. To apply for a student visa in China, you can refer to the following procedures and materials for preparation:
I. Procedures for Chinese Visa Application
(1) Please log on to the website https://cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn and fill in your China Online Visa Application Form（COVA）. After completing the COVA online form filling, you must print out a full set of application forms, including the Confirmation of Online Visa Application and Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China. The signature on the Confirmation Page and the 9th item of the Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China must be handwritten by the applicant him/herself.
The application forms and materials for adults and children should be completed separately. Visa applicants under the age of 18 should have their parents sign on their behalf.
(2) Please log on to the website https://avas.cs.mfa.gov.cn to schedule an appointment for on-site submission of your application and print out the Voucher for Appointment for Visa Application Submission. If the application cannot be submitted on-site at the appointment time under special circumstances, the original appointment must be canceled at least 1 working day in advance at the website Appointment for Visa Application Submission (AVAS). Otherwise, it will be treated as a missed appointment, and the COVA Application ID and the AVAS Appointment Number will be invalidated. The applicant will be requested to fill out the Visa Application Form once again and schedule a new appointment.
(3) Submit your materials on-site at your appointment time
Applicants should submit their physical application documents, including Voucher for Appointment for Visa Application Submission, Confirmation of Online Visa Application, Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China and the required materials for each type of visa (see below), at the appointment time at the Embassy or Consulate.
Email for preview is not required for visa applications.
If the forms are not filled out correctly or the documents are not complete and do not meet the requirements, the application may be rejected on-site and the applicant will be requested to fill out the forms again and schedule a new appointment.
(4) Starting on April 3, 2023, the applicants for Chinese visas are required to be personally present at the Embassy for their fingerprint collection and facial scans. The following applicants can be exempted:
a. Applicants who are under the age of 14 or over the age of 70;
b. Applicants with diplomatic passports or applicants who are eligible for diplomatic, service, or courtesy visas;
c. Applicants who have applied for a Chinese visa with the same passport during the past 5 years and whose fingerprints have already been collected;
d. Applicants who suffer from mutilation of all ten fingers or whose all ten fingerprints are illegible due to physical reasons.
(5) Please click here for visa processing fees and payment options. It is recommended to complete the application for your visa to China at least one month in advance for the visa processing time.
II. Basic Application Materials
(1) Passport: An original passport valid for up to six months from the date of application with at least two blank visa pages, a photocopy of the bio-page of the passport, and a photocopy of the most recent Chinese visa (if any) are needed. All new passports must be accompanied by the old passports.
(2) Visa Application Form and Photograph: One completed and signed Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China affixed with one frontal photograph without hats in passport-size (48mm x 33mm) taken recently in color against a white background. Please click on the photo specifications for more.
Please print out and sign the forms after filling them out on the Visa Centre website.
Please note that the completed Visa Application Form is required for submission on-site.
(3) Proof of legal stay or residency: If you are not applying for a visa in your home country, please ensure to provide the original copy and a photocopy of the valid proof of legal residency, work, or study in the country or the original copy and a photocopy of your valid visa.
(4) A photocopy of the original Chinese passport and a photocopy of the original Chinese visa (for applicants who previously held Chinese citizenship but subsequently obtained foreign nationality) are needed:
When submitting your initial Chinese visa application, please provide your original Chinese passport, a photocopy of its information page, and the first permanent residency visa obtained in another country prior to naturalization.
If you have received a Chinese visa, please provide a photocopy of this Chinese visa. In the event that you are requesting for a visa utilizing a new foreign passport, please ensure to provide the information page of your original passport and a photocopy of the Chinese visa already obtained (if the name on the new passport differ from that on the original one, please provide the pertinent official name change records).
(5) For applicants who are under the age of 18, please provide both the original copy and a photocopy of the applicant’s birth certificate.
(6) For applicants who are under the age of 18 (with one parent holding or having held Chinese nationality) applying for their initial Chinese visa, please provide:
1. The original copy and a photocopy of the applicant's birth certificate are needed.
2. The original passports of both parents along with a photocopy of their passport information pages once the applicant was born are needed.
3. If one parent or both parents hold Chinese passports at the time of when the applicant was born, a photocopy of the foreigner's visa or residence certificate held at that time shall be provided.
Other Application Materials
To apply for an X1 visa for long-term (more than 180 days) study in China, one must submit additional documents in addition to the basic application materials:
(1) The original copy and a photocopy of the admission notice issued by the academic institution in the Chinese mainland are needed.
(2) The original copy and a photocopy of the Visa Application for Study in China (JW201 or JW202 form) are needed.
Notice: Upon arrival in China, it is mandatory for the visa holder to obtain a residence permit from the Exit-Entry Administration of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level within 30 days.
To apply for an X2 visa for short-term (no more than 180 days) study in China, one must submit additional documents in addition to the basic application materials:
The original copy and a photocopy of the admission notice issued by the academic institution in the Chinese mainland are needed.
Special Tips
(1) It is acceptable to fax, photocopy, or print the invitation for presentation purposes while the consular officer retains the right to request the original copy of the invitation letter. Individuals in China are required to provide a photocopy of their personal ID cards when presenting the invitation letter.
(2) In the event that it is deemed necessary, the consular officer may ask the applicant to provide additional supporting documents or supplemental materials. Additionally, the officer may also ask the applicant to attend an interview.
(3) The issuance of a visa, along with its validity period, number of entries, and duration of stay, shall be determined by the consular officer based on the applicant's individual circumstances.
(4) Notice: All materials submitted must be on A4 paper size.
(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, China Visa Application Service Center)