China Travel Guide

Passports

Country	Passport Required	Visa Required	Return Ticket Required
Other EU	Yes	Yes/2	Yes
USA	Yes	Yes/2	Yes
Canadian	Yes	Yes/2	Yes
Australian	Yes	Yes/2	Yes
British	Yes	Yes/1/2	Yes

Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above. Passports must be valid for at least one month from your fixed departure date from Hong Kong for a single entry, 12 months for a double entry or six month multiple entry and 18 months for a 12 month multiple entry visa.

Passport Notes

(a) China does not recognize dual nationality.
(b) HIV-positive travelers are not permitted to enter the country.

Visas

Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) 1. nationals of the UK traveling to Hong Kong only for stays of up to 180 days;
(b) 2. all nationals referred to in the chart above traveling only to Macao for stays of up to 90 days (except nationals of the USA for stays up to 30 days; and nationals of the UK for stays up to six months);
(c) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting plane to another country within 24 hours who hold valid onward documentation and do not leave the airport;
(d) some passengers (not including nationals of the USA or UK) who transit through Pudong or Hongqiao airports only, with all necessary documentation, within 48 hours.

Visa Note

(a) Journalists need to apply for accreditation from the press department of the Chinese embassy before applying for a visa.
(b) Business travelers are required to provide an official invitation from the company or institution in China when applying for a visa.
(c) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.

Types of Visa and Cost

The following prices apply for UK applicants:

Tourist/Business/Transit UK nationals: £30 (single-entry); £45 (double-entry); £90 (multiple-entry; six months and proof of travel ticket required); £150 (multiple-entry; 12 months and 24). Group (at least five people): £24 per person. The express service costs £30

US nationals: £70 per person regardless of the visa applied for.

Validity

Single entry visas are normally valid for three months, double entry for six months, multiple entry either six, 12 or 24 months. A transit visa generally allows you to stay in the country for seven days but is valid for either three or six months depending on the number of entries (single/double).

Applications to:

The Chinese embassy in London and the consulate in Manchester no longer accept applications. Applicants from anywhere in the UK except Scotland need to apply through the visa center. Applicants who live in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Derbyshire, Tyne and Wear, Yorkshire, Lancashire and Durham may apply at the center in Manchester, everyone else at the center in London. Applications are also accepted by post at the London center from anywhere within the UK.

Working Days Required

Applications should be made one month in advance. The express service (£15 fee) requires three days and the regular service (£32.25 fee) takes four days. Postal applications (£52.88 fee) will be processed and returned within 5-14 working days, if all the documentation is in good order. It takes two weeks to process group visas.

Travel Warnings

Most visits to China are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

In April 2009 a bomb blast in Urumqi City (capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) killed one and injured several others. In early July, state media (Xinhua news agency) reported 197 deaths and more than 1,600 injuries after serious rioting erupted in Urumqi City.

Further violent protests erupted in early September leading to five deaths and an unknown number of injuries and arrests. An increased military and armed police presence and the sacking of a number of senior party officials and Public Security Bureau staff in Urumqi has reduced the tensions and the city has returned to normal. British nationals are advised to be aware of ethnic tensions and disruption to travel at times in Xinjiang and to avoid all areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place during times of tension.

It should be noted that, within Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, access to the internet and to international telephone lines is blocked; text messaging remains blocked at this time. There is no indication when normal services will be restored.

Travelers to Tibet should check with tour operators or travel agents and monitor the international media and this travel advice for information relating to travel to Tibet.

Travelers should be aware that ongoing political and ethnic tensions can lead to the spontaneous eruption of unrest and violent protest in Tibet. While foreigners are not normally targeted during such unrest, travelers should remain alert to the possibility of being caught up in unexpected outbreaks of violence.

Travel to Tibet or the ethnic Tibetan provinces requires the permission of the Chinese authorities.

On 12 May 2008, an earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale struck south-western China, 92 kms northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan Province. Transport links have been damaged. Chengdu airport is closed but Chongqing airport has reopened though flights are heavily delayed. Visitors are advised against all but essential travel to Sichuan given the damage to infrastructure and a warning from Chinese authorities warning about the possibility of aftershocks in the affected regions.

There have been outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) in poultry in China. Since November 2005, this has led to a small number of human fatalities in rural areas of Liaoning, Guangxi, Anhui, Sichuan, Hunan and Guangdong provinces, believed to have arisen through close contact with infected poultry. The risk to humans from avian influenza is believed to be low. However, as a precaution, travelers should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds could occur; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the possibility that the avian ifluenza outbreaks could lead at some point to a human flu pandemic, if the virus mutates to a form which is easily transmissible between people.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

Health Care

Medical services tend to be offered through local hospitals rather than private clinics. Costs at local hospitals are low and standards vary. Medical facilities in international hospitals are excellent and many common drugs are available over the counter. Traditional Chinese medicine treatments are also used widely in China, such as acupuncture, meridian massage, cupping and herbal medications. Medical insurance is strongly advised.

Vaccinations

Vaccination	Special Precaution
Diphtheria	Yes
Hepatitis A	Yes
Malaria	Sometimes
Rabies	Yes
Tetanus	Yes
Typhoid	Yes
Yellow Fever	No*

Special Notes

* A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travelers arriving from infected areas.