The Folder Is Not the Same as the Online Form
Most visa rejections happen on the documents that aren't on the form — the day-by-day itinerary, the hotel proof, the round-trip flight, and the consistency of names across them. The online form is the surface; the folder is what the consulate actually reviews. The China travel visa application page covers the form and the booking flow; this page covers the folder you check the night before you walk into the visa center.
The folder is a one-night job. The form is a one-week job. Mixing them up is the most common cause of a returned application: the form is complete, but the folder doesn't match the form, and the consulate sends the application back without a decision.
Passport and Photo
The two items that sit on the top of the folder.
- Passport validity: at least six months beyond the planned entry date, with at least two blank visa pages. Some consulates accept one blank page; check the specific consulate's requirement before booking the appointment.
- Recent photo: white background, full face, no glasses, taken within the last six months. The size requirements vary by consulate — 48mm x 33mm is the standard for Chinese visa applications, but verify on the consulate's site at booking time.
- Photocopies of the passport bio page: typically two copies, one for the consulate file, one as a personal backup. Some consulates accept the digital scan; others require a paper copy.
The passport name must match the form name exactly. Middle names, suffixes, and any diacritical marks go on the form as they appear on the passport, not as they appear on the airline ticket or the hotel booking. A mismatch is a returned application, not a fixable error.
Itinerary, Hotel Proof, and Flight
Three documents that must match each other.
- Day-by-day itinerary: a written plan that lists the cities, the nights in each city, the main activities, and the inter-city transport. The level of detail varies by consulate; the U.S. and U.K. consulates typically expect city-by-city with hotel names; Schengen-style consulates are lighter on detail.
- Hotel proof: confirmation emails for each hotel, with the guest name matching the passport. Some consulates require the full set of hotels for the entire trip; others accept a partial set with a note for the rest.
- Round-trip flight: a booked round-trip itinerary showing entry and exit, with the passenger name matching the passport. Some consulates accept a held reservation; others require a paid ticket.
The three documents need to tell the same story. If the itinerary says four nights in Beijing but the hotel proof only covers two nights, the application is inconsistent. If the flight lands in Shanghai but the itinerary starts in Beijing without an internal flight, the application is incomplete. The consulate reviews the documents as a set, not as a list of items.
Supporting Documents by Trip Type
Three trip shapes come with their own supporting documents.
- Tourist visa (L): itinerary, hotel proof, round-trip flight. No invitation letter required.
- Business visa (M): invitation letter from the Chinese company or trade partner, plus the company's business license copy, plus the itinerary. The invitation letter has a specific format and must come from a registered Chinese entity.
- Family visit visa (Q): invitation letter from the family member in China, plus the family member's Chinese ID or residence permit copy, plus proof of the family relationship (birth certificate, marriage certificate).
Most private travel falls into the L category. The M and Q categories are separate forms, separate fees, and separate review timelines. Mixing them up at the form stage is the same returned-application pattern.
Bank Statements and Proof of Ties
Two documents that aren't always required but show up in some consulates.
- Bank statements: the last three to six months of statements, showing stable income and the funds to cover the trip. Not required by every consulate; required by the U.S. and Schengen consulates in some cases.
- Proof of ties to home country: employment letter, property ownership, family ties. The consulate reviews these as evidence that the applicant plans to return. Most tourist visa applications don't require them; some consulates request them on a case-by-case basis.
If the trip is on a private tour with a booked itinerary and a paid round-trip flight, the bank statements are usually redundant. If the trip is loosely planned and the application looks under-documented, the consulate may request them, and the response window pushes the visa timeline back.
The Night-Before Checklist
Run this list the night before the visa center visit.
- Passport: validity, blank pages, name matches the form and the flight ticket.
- Photo: recent, white background, correct size for the consulate.
- Passport photocopies: bio page, plus any previous Chinese visas if renewing.
- Itinerary: day-by-day, cities and nights match the hotel proof.
- Hotel proof: confirmation emails for each hotel, guest name matches the passport.
- Round-trip flight: booked or held, passenger name matches the passport.
- Visa application form: completed online, printed, signed. Verify the form version is the current one for the consulate.
- Supporting documents: bank statements, employment letter, invitation letter, depending on the visa category and the consulate's requirements.
- Visa fee payment: the fee structure varies by consulate; some accept cards, others require cash or a bank transfer. Verify on the consulate's site.
If any item doesn't match, fix it before the appointment. Rescheduling the appointment costs more than fixing the folder.
What This Page Does Not Cover
This page is the folder read. It does not cover the visa application form step-by-step, the appointment booking process, the visa fee structure, the processing time, or the appeal process for a rejected application. The China travel visa application page covers the form; the China tourist visa page covers the L category in detail; the do I need a visa page covers the eligibility and the visa-free schemes.
Where TravelToQin Can Help
If a private tour is the trip shape, the itinerary, the hotel proof, and the round-trip flight are the three documents the consulate reviews most carefully. TravelToQin provides the day-by-day itinerary in writing, with hotel pairings and the city-by-city transport, against the dates and the party size. The round-trip flight is the traveler's own booking; the hotel proof sits with each hotel's confirmation email.
What we don't do: file the visa application on the traveler's behalf, guarantee the visa is approved, or backfill the supporting documents for an under-documented application. The consulate decides; we provide the documents the application asks for.
What Must Be Verified at Booking Time
- Current visa requirements for your passport at the date of application. The do I need a visa page covers the current rules; rules change by month.
- The specific consulate's photo size, supporting document requirements, and processing time.
- Whether the trip fits the visa-free or the 240-hour transit scheme for the passport.
- Whether the trip dates align with the consulate's appointment availability.
Send the passport country, the trip dates, and the trip shape (private tour, business, family visit). We come back with the itinerary document and the visa application pointers for the specific consulate.
Quick Reference
- Passport: six months validity, two blank pages, name matches everything
- Photo: recent, white background, consulate-specific size
- Itinerary: day-by-day, cities and nights match hotel proof
- Hotel proof: confirmation emails, guest name matches passport
- Round-trip flight: booked or held, passenger name matches passport
- Bank statements: required by some consulates, not all
- Visa fee: consulate-specific, verify payment method
