China Entry Visa · CEV

Which China visa type: M, L, Z, X, Q or S?

Choose by what you will actually do in mainland China, then check the host, relationship and intended stay. A short assignment is not automatically a business visit, and a long-validity visa is not permission for a long stay.

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Compare the purpose and the boundary

The category descriptions below follow the Embassy's published requirements, checked October 1, 2026. They identify an application route, not every activity permitted in every case. Work requires the applicable work authorization under Article 41; a business, tourist, family or study visa alone does not grant ordinary employment permission.

Category

M · Commercial and trade

Official purpose
Commercial and trade activities, such as a trip whose actual purpose is business with a Chinese trade partner.
Evidence / duration distinction
Commercial-activity documentation from the Chinese trade partner. The visa's own entries and stay terms control travel.
Boundary to check
Not a substitute for employment authorization. Describe any hands-on assignment to the employer and authorities; a short trip or overseas payroll does not decide the category by itself.

Category

L · Tourism

Official purpose
Tourism in mainland China.
Evidence / duration distinction
For applications in the US, the published L simplification removes routine flight, hotel, itinerary and invitation submissions; case-specific requests remain possible.
Boundary to check
Does not authorize work. For a mixed business-and-tourism itinerary, disclose both purposes and ask the consulate which route fits; do not assume M and L are interchangeable.

Category

Z · Work

Official purpose
Working in China.
Evidence / duration distinction
The US Embassy lists the work-permit notification. Employer and local-authority steps precede and follow the visa application.
Boundary to check
The visa is not the completed work/residence process. Short-term work has specific conditions; no automatic M category for work lasting fewer than 90 days.

Category

X1 / X2 · Study

Official purpose
Study in China: X1 for more than 180 days; X2 for no more than 180 days.
Evidence / duration distinction
School documents are required. For higher education, X1 includes admission and JW201/JW202 confirmation; X2 includes admission and Form DQ if available. School-level requirements differ.
Boundary to check
A school trip is not automatically X: exchanges and study tours can fall under F. Confirm the actual program with the school and consulate; study status alone is not general work permission.

Category

Q1 / Q2 · Chinese or permanent-resident family

Official purpose
Family reunion / visits involving Chinese citizens in China or foreigners with Chinese permanent residence; Q1 also includes foster care.
Evidence / duration distinction
Q1: intended stay over 180 days. Q2: no more than 180 days. Invitation and inviter identity evidence apply; Q1 also requires relationship evidence.
Boundary to check
The host's Chinese citizenship or permanent residence matters. A foreign worker with a temporary residence permit is not a permanent-resident host for this distinction.

Category

S1 / S2 · Foreign worker/student family

Official purpose
Visits to foreigners working or studying in China, and certain other private affairs.
Evidence / duration distinction
S1: over 180 days, with the specified immediate-family scope. S2: no more than 180 days, with a broader family scope. Invitation, host and relationship evidence apply to family visits.
Boundary to check
S1 family scope: spouse, parents, parents-in-law and children under 18. Do not assume every adult relative qualifies for S1 or that a dependent may work.

Five questions to resolve before choosing

  • Question
    Only commercial meetings or trade activity?
    Next action
    Start with M and the actual invitation. If a meeting is an academic exchange or the trip includes work duties, ask about the appropriate route.
  • Question
    Doing a job or a short assignment in China?
    Next action
    Have the China employer verify the work-permit route. Duration and who pays you do not settle the question.
  • Question
    Joining a school or visiting on an exchange?
    Next action
    Ask the host school whether its documents support X1, X2 or another category such as F. Do not choose solely from the word “student.”
  • Question
    Visiting family?
    Next action
    Identify the inviter's nationality / permanent-residence status, your relationship and intended stay, then compare Q with S.
  • Question
    Holding an existing visa for a different purpose?
    Next action
    The Embassy FAQ says to apply for a new visa when the travel purpose differs from the current category. Disclose the planned activities before relying on an existing visa.

Validity, entries and stay are separate

Entry validity tells you the period in which the visa can be used to enter. Entries tells you how many entries are available. Duration of each stay limits the stay on an entry; the 180-day category thresholds above are not a promise of the stay you will receive. Read the issued visa and its remarks.

Chicago's FAQ says Z, X1, Q1 and S1 holders must apply for residence permission within 30 days after entry unless the visa's duration of each stay is marked 30 days. Article 30 sets the deadline for visas requiring residence formalities. Confirm the applicable route; visa validity does not replace that obligation.

Use the guide for your next task

This comparison covers common routes, not every visa category or visa-free policy. CEV does not decide eligibility and does not issue invitations, work permits or residence permits. The service links explain only the existing US application-support services.

Related guides

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.

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