How to... get a business (F) visa 如何获得商务签证

(Feb 12th, 2009) L to F conversions are back in the 'Jing, but for maximum 6 months F visa with double entry.

(Jan 9th, 2009) Attention: Please note that the conversion from L/X/Z to F visas is currently NOT POSSIBLE in Beijing through any agency! We still have to find out if this measure is temporary or permanent.

F visas used to be the hassle-free option for business travellers and self-employed expats but are now a lot harder to obtain. You can apply for them abroad or in China and will need to hand in

• Flight bookings
  
• Stamped (chopped) hotel reservation OR
  
• Proof of residence in China (lease contract for own apartment), although only very few embassies will accept this
  
• Original invitation letter from a relevant department of the Chinese government, company or institution, under the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
  

While in the good old days nearly any invitation letter was accepted, it seems now that very specific requirements need to be met, at least for stays over 30 days duration and/or with multiple entries. Click here to see an example of an official invitation letter. For shorter stays with one only entry to China needed, an informal letter from your company will usually do the trick.

Read my "How to... get an invitation letter for a business visa" post to find out how a company can apply for an official invitation letter.

F visas can sometimes be extended in China if the following situation occurs:

• you currently hold an F visa which you got outside of China
• you still have a copy of this invitation letter, which needs to have the official format
• you can provide the business license of the company inviting you.

In that case, you can take the copy of the original invitation letter and your current visa to the PSB and ask to extend it; however, the duration of the extension will be decided by the officer.
In case your company is unable to get the officially approved invitation letter, you might also want to contact one of China's many visa agencies. They can usually provide 6 and 12 months F visas to people who are already in China.