Journalist Visa （J-visa）is issued to foreign journalists. J-visa has two categories:  J-I visa and J-2 visa. J-1 visa is issued to resident foreign journalists in China and their accompanying spouses and under-age children; J-2 visa is issued to foreign journalists who visit China for temporary news coverage.

Please provide the following documents:

(i) Original passport which has more than 6 months left before it expires from the date of application and sufficient blank visa pages.  

(ii) One completed Visa Application Form (Download) with a recently-taken passport photo. The application form should be fully filled in with genuine information; if the applicant has a Chinese name, the Chinese name should be filled in; false or incomplete information and illegible characters may lead to refusal of a visa. 

(iii) Applicants for J-1 visa (resident journalist) should provide a letter or fax of visa notification issued by the Information Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry (the media employing the journalist should apply for the visa notification from the Information Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry). His or her accompanying family members need to provide certificate(s) to prove their status as dependants of the journalist. 

(iv) Applicants for a J-2 visa (journalist visiting China for temporary news coverage) should provide a letter or fax of visa notification issued by competent Chinese authorities. The journalist should complete a Declaration Form for any news reporting equipment he or she brings into China as accompanying luggage for his or her own use while in China.    

Method and Time for Submission of Application:

(i) Journalists and media staff applying for J1 or J2 visa shall contact directly with the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi or the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai.

CHINESE EMBASSY IN NEW DELHI:

Tel: 0091-11-26881249     Fax: 0091-11-26882024

CHINESE CONSULATE GENERAL IN MUMBAI:

Tel: 91-22-66324303/4/5/6 ext 20      Fax: 91-22-66324308

(ii) J-1 visa issued by the Chinese Embassy or the Chinese Consulate General  is valid for 3 months with single entry and 000 duration of stay. J-1 visa holders should go through formalities for a residence permit at a local public security bureau within 30 days after entry into China, to avoid illegal stay in China. The validity period of the residence permit is the duration of stay of the J-1 visa holder. J-2 visa issued by the Chinese Embassy or the Chinese Consulate General  is valid for 15 days with single entry, and duration of stay on the visa is decided by consular officers in the light of actual need. 

(iii) Consular officers decide on the visa's period of validity, duration of stay and number of entry in the light of China's laws and regulations. 

(iv) Whether a visa is to be issued or not to be issued, and what type of visa to be issued shall be decided by Consular officers in the light of China’s relevant laws and regulations.

Please note：

(i) Please apply for a visa about one month in advance of your intended date of entry into China, and do not apply 3 months earlier that your intended date of entry into China. You should take upon yourself any consequences resulting from your failure to submit visa application at an appropriate time, which may lead to either your already-issued visa becoming expired or it would be too late to get a visa before your planned departure date.  

(ii) The visa application form should be fully filled in and signed by the applicant upon completion (application for an applicant under 18 years of age should be signed by one of his or her parents). Items which are not applicable should be filled in with N/A. 

(iii) Consular officers may request an applicant to provide additional supporting documents when called for. The applicant should provide it as soon as possible. 

(iv) If two or more foreign news agencies appoint the same foreign citizen as their resident journalist in China, each of them should go through normal application procedures, and indicate in the application the status of the resident journalist in China.