China tourist visa guide for applicants in the United States
Planning a trip to mainland China? Start here to understand the tourist (L) visa application, the work you handle, the consulate's role and the help available from China Entry Visa (CEV).
Content updated ·
In this guide
Do US citizens need a visa for China?
For a normal tourist trip to mainland China, US citizens need a visa. A qualifying trip through China to a third country or region may instead use 240-hour visa-free transit. Start with your passport and complete itinerary before buying a visa service.
China's 10-year multiple-entry tourist visa for US citizens
US citizens can apply for a multiple-entry tourist (L) visa valid for up to 10 years under the China–US reciprocal arrangement. The consulate decides what to issue, including the length of each stay. CEV cannot guarantee a 10-year visa.
China tourist visa requirements: a checklist for applicants in the US
Prepare your L-visa documents in stages: online application, document uploads, then passport submission. This checklist follows the Chinese Embassy’s published guidance; check the office responsible for your US residence for case-specific instructions.
China tourist visa cost and processing time for US applicants
Budget for the consular fee, your selected CEV services and shipping separately. For timing, distinguish the visa office’s processing window from the full period between placing an order and getting your passport back.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for US residents planning tourism or a visit to friends in mainland China. Living in the United States does not mean everyone travels on a US passport: start with your passport nationality, trip purpose and itinerary before choosing an application route.
CEV is an independent service provider, not an embassy or consulate and not government-affiliated. We can help with preparation and document handoffs; the responsible consular office decides acceptance and visa issuance.
Do you even need a visa?
Before paying for application help, check whether you need to apply at all. Use the “Do I need a visa?” guide in this cluster to work through your passport and travel route, including a possible transit stop in mainland China.
From the online form to passport return
The Embassy's published process starts in the China Online Visa Application system (COVA). Choose the embassy or consulate responsible for your US residence and follow that office's current instructions. Online preliminary review is a separate stage from the decision to issue a visa.
- What you do
- 1. Complete the online COVA form and upload the requested documents and photo.
- What the consulate does
- Reviews the submitted application in the online preliminary review stage.
- What CEV can help with
- Form review and photo processing as selected in your service package.
- What you do
- 2. Monitor the online status and make corrections or supply additional materials when requested.
- What the consulate does
- Requests changes or further documents where needed; updates the online status.
- What CEV can help with
- Help reviewing the form and preparation questions within your selected service.
- What you do
- 3. Once the status says “Passport to be submitted,” prepare the passport, printed barcode information page and requested originals. You or an agent can submit them at the visa office without an appointment.
- What the consulate does
- Handles the in-person document submission and subsequent application assessment.
- What CEV can help with
- Consulate drop-off. Confirm your order's receiving instructions before sending originals to CEV.
- What you do
- 4. Respond if the consular office asks for further documents or an in-person interview.
- What the consulate does
- Assesses the application and decides whether to issue a visa; may request an interview or more documents.
- What CEV can help with
- Document handoff coordination within the purchased service; no promise of approval or completion time.
- What you do
- 5. When the status says “Passport to be collected,” arrange collection with the pick-up slip and payment of applicable consular fees.
- What the consulate does
- Returns the passport through the visa office's collection process.
- What CEV can help with
- Passport pick-up and tracked courier return according to the shipping option selected in your order.
Courier delivery to CEV is not a mail-in application to the Embassy. The Embassy does not provide visa-application mailing services; the passport handoff at the visa office is a separate step. Passing online preliminary review does not guarantee a visa.
Our experience with tourist visa applicants
We have helped 1,108 tourist (L) visa applicants. Basis: legacy-site records (381) plus servicein records (727), data through September 2026, n = 1,108 L applicants, about 26% of our visa applicants across those two sources. These are applicant counts, not an approval rate or a forecast for your application.
Choose the help you need
Choose form review or photo processing for preparation help, consulate drop-off and pick-up for on-site handoffs, and passport courier service for tracked shipping. If you want broader preparation support, review the VIP package in the service configuration and check what it includes before ordering.
Official references
Follow the current instructions of the Embassy or Consulate handling your application. These references do not confirm CEV service availability or an order-specific receiving address.