I am a 22 year old US Citizen and am applying for a Visa for a sports competition. A few days ago the Chinese embassy had requested my birth certificate, and I gave it to them. Now they are asking for my parents passports and birth certificates. Why would they do this? I know they frequently do it for those of Chinese descent, but I am not Chinese or have any relationship to China. My mother is part Filipino and born in US. My father is white and born in the US. I look of some Asian descent but also very white (it would depend on who you ask). Do you think it has to do with me being Asian? Or is it something completely different? Should I be concerned?

Hey everyone,

With the 30-day visa waiver for Canadian passports active through December 31, 2026, I know most people use visa-free entry.

For anyone who applied for a physical tourist visa regardless in 2026:

• When did you apply, and how long did processing take?
• What visa length did you get? (Did you get a multi-entry 5 or 10-year visa?)

Appreciate any experiences!

Is there an estimated timeframe to get a response from the embassy on the Preliminary review for business visa? I have to be in China for business meetings and visit the Canton fair. I already missed one part of the Canton fair as I am still waiting for my visa. I applied on October 15 and I am a repeat applicant with previous China business visa.

Indian passport holder with O1 US visa.

I sent an email but no response for a week now, and phone calls get disconnected after 5 min of putting on a hold every single time and no one responds. I visited the embassy and they dont entertain as well.

What is the best way to connect with the consulate/embassy and request expediting the review? Any one has a contact at the embassy who can help?

Hi everyone,

I applied for a Chinese visa on 22 October 2026 through the New Delhi Embassy and would like to know how long the processing usually takes.

• Application date: 22 October 2026
• Processing location: Chinese Embassy, New Delhi
• Visa category: F visa (exchange visit/training)
• For those who recently applied through New Delhi:

1. How many working days did it take to receive your visa online approval ?
2. When can I realistically expect approval?
3. I would really appreciate hearing about your recent experiences, especially from applicants who submitted their applications after 15 October 2026.

Hi. I’m planning to apply for a Hong Kong spouse visa for my wife. I’m not sure what financial and relationship proofs are needed to satisfy the requirements of Hong Kong immigration.

We have £30k in savings and my family can provide free housing in Hong Kong. Based on this, how likely will my application be rejected?

We are currently full-time university students, and we don’t have a job yet.

I’m also not sure what documents we need to prove that our relationship is genuine, like does pictures together count? We have also visited Hong Kong twice and have proof that we travelled together.

I’m a Hong Kong permanent resident, and my wife is a British citizen.

If I'm arriving prior to the 30 day visa free deadline, let's say December 1st, and mid-month I want to take the ferry to Macau for the day, come back the next day and spend the balance on the mainland, will that be an issue? Does that represent 2 entries and if so would that be problematic?

I've been asked to "Reply from Embassy/Consulate:1. Please upload the copy the birth certificate. 2. Copies of both parents' valid passports and foreign permanent residence documents, proof of parents' naturalization, and the passports. or permanent residence cards used by the parents at the time of the applicant's birth, which may vary depending on the case." However, I do not know my birth father and have never been in contact with him. What should I do?

I plan to fly from Taipei to Guangzhou, stay for ten days, travel by train to Hong Kong for a day, return by train(or another type of transportation?) to Guangzhou for another ten days, and fly back to Taipei.

I also plan to visit Beijing during this time.

Does this itinerary seem feasible?

US Passport

TIA!!!

Hi anyone recently applied for tourist visa to China and can guide on the timeline? How long it takes for online approval to come and then get passport stamped at VFS? Nationality Indian. Submitted application on 20th Oct, still under review

I applied for my category M visa for china on 5th October and haven’t heard back from them.
I applied in New York China consulate and it is still showing in premilary review and no response.
Is anyone else in same boat

Hi all, I am a US citizen and planning for my upcoming HK/Thailand/Japan/China trip in November/December. I will spend some time in HK first, but plan to visit Shenzhen for one day before I go to Thailand and Japan. After Japan I plan to visit my partner’s family in Beijing. I was wondering if the 240hr transit visa restarts after I exit out the first time? Or I can only stay 240hr total. Any advice is appreciated!

Current itinerary:

NYC-> HK -> Shenzhen -> HK -> Bangkok-> Japan-> Beijing -> NYC

Hi i’m a Canadian traveller planning to visit China in late December. Right now I have a round trip flight where I land in Shanghai December 21, 2026 and return to Canada leaving Shanghai January 19, 2027. With the current policy is this itinerary safe under the 30 day visa free travel? Can’t seem to find confirmation of whether there is a hard cut off on December 31st 2026. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I have today got online approval after 12th calendar day. I will be visiting the Embassy in couple of days. From Embassy site, it seems there is no need to pay during doc submission and only need to pay in DD form during the passport collection. Just wanted to know if my understanding is correct. Anyone had experience? already submitted docs at Delhi Embassy?

Embassy site - https://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/tzts/202408/t20240820_11476941.htm

whole timeline -- https://www.reddit.com/r/Chinavisa/comments/1x41zfm/vfs_delhi_timeline/

Hiii. I submitted my online application form a few weeks ago (X2 visa, submitted from Islamabad) . They asked me to amend a few things and I did. After that I haven't heard anything from them. It's been about 5 days and my application still says under review. Should I be worried? Is there anything I can do to make it faster. Can anyone share their experience with me as well. Any help will be appreciated thank you!!

I am curious to know whether anyone got the online review email for a China visa over the last week. Also, what happened to those applications submitted before Oct 23, 2026. Has anyone got an online review email for those applications this week?

I submitted my application last night as an Indian citizen. What’s the expected time of response for the online review?

Hi! Has anyone travelled outside China and returned using two passports, with a valid Chinese residence permit in the old passport marked “CANCELLED”?
Did you have any problems at immigration, or did you need to transfer your residence permit to the new passport first?
I found an official Shanghai Government FAQ saying this may be allowed. I’d appreciate any firsthand experiences. Thanks!

Does anyone have experience regarding M type (non canton) as well, as an Indian citizen, I had applied on 22nd Oct but still no reply. Last time before 7 months I had received the approval in 2 days.

I have a flight that starts in the evening at 6PM, but my arrival to China is actually at 12:05 AM the next day. Just wanted to double check if my visa application should be for the day before or the day next?

Recently applied for the tourism visa online, but i am yet awaiting the pre approval online, any idea how long does it take nowadays, before it used to be quick, max 1 week and you have your visa.
I'm kind of stressed as i have a confirmed flight ticket on the 7th of next month. Anyone been through similar situation? should we reach out to the consulate? Any recommendations will be appreciated
Thanks

Indian Passport Holder
Dubai Center

Hi, I wanted to share my experience when applying for the Q2 visa (and L visa for my travel buddy) for New York City as a US citizen.

PLEASE, take note of the CHINESE holidays in addition to the US ones (I went on Oct 5 to drop off the passports originally once the applications were approved and found out the consulate was closed due to the Chinese national holiday) for consulate closure dates!

The application was straightforward for both types of visas; my travel partner and I submitted our applications on Sep 17 and checked the status daily on the website as no emails were sent regarding any status updates. On Sep 23, 4 business days after my original submission, I saw that there was an update to my Q2 application. The consulate had requested additional materials (proof of address had to be within 3 months I believe, I had provided an older bill because I missed this requirement). I uploaded the requested items and resubmitted my application the same day. After checking daily, the application was approved on Sep 29, 4 business days later. (My travel buddy had their applications approved on Sep 23, by the way, since their bills were all within the requested timeframe.)

I successfully dropped the passports off on Thursday Oct 8. I got to the consulate around 9:30 AM and was done around 10 AM. There was a brief security scan going into the building and plenty of seating. When called, which took about 15-20 minutes, I presented the old and current passports for me and my travel partner and although the clerk took all of them and reviewed them, she only kept the current passports. She did not request anything else, not even the barcode and the application which I had printed just in case. I did note at this time there was a line for the passport pickup, maybe about 10 people.

I was given a slip that requested me to pick up the passports on Tuesday Oct 13, 3 business days later. I arrived around that day around 10:05 AM and was done around 10:10 AM, payment and all! There was absolutely no line to pick up so my timing worked out.

Good luck to everyone applying for their visa! :)

Summary of timeline:

Sept 17 - application submission

Sept 23 - additional materials requested from consulate and application resubmitted, though approval was obtained for the other application by this day

Sept 29 - application approved

-

Oct 8 - passport dropoff (I believe you have about 90 days after approval when you can drop your passport off)

Oct 13 - passport pickup

道教的演变

一句话概括：道教不是道家，而是东汉末年形成的宗教实体；它最初的理论根基更接近《太平经》的元气说，而不是后来大家熟悉的“太极阴阳”图式；“太极阴阳”是后世逐步融入并后来居上的。而这样一个土生土长的中国宗教，作为组织化宗教实体正式成形的时间，其实比佛教传入中土的起始节点还要晚。

一、思想源头：道家是哲学，黄老之学是治国理念

道家是先秦诸子之一的哲学流派，以老庄为代表，属于学术思想。道教则是后世形成的宗教实体，拥有教团、成套教义、神仙信仰、科仪制度等一整套宗教建制，二者不能混为一谈。道家并不谈论炼丹符箓、鬼神巫术；道教的核心追求则是修炼成仙。道家的治国理念集中体现为黄老之学，盛行于战国末至汉初，核心是“清静无为”“与民休息”，并且援法入道、道法结合。西汉文景时期将这套思想付诸施政实践，成就“文景之治”。

二、正式形成：东汉末年（晚于佛教传入的起始记载）

道教正式形成的标志，是东汉末年早期道教教团的出现。五斗米道，后世文献记载张道陵于东汉顺帝时期在蜀地创立，后世尊其为“张天师”；而该教团走向制度化，并在汉中建立政教合一的势力，主要是其孙张鲁时期完成。太平道则由张角在东汉灵帝时期创立，并以此组织黄巾起义。

道教的形成，是黄老之学、神仙方术与民间鬼神信仰逐步融汇的产物。它借用了道家的“道”作为最高信仰，但已经演变为追求“成仙得道”的宗教。

这里需要澄清一个常见误解：道教虽然根植于中国本土思想，但作为有组织的宗教实体，其正式形成时间反而晚于佛教传入中土的最早记载。佛教入华的相关传说与文献记录可追溯至西汉末至东汉初，东汉明帝“永平求法”是流传最广的传说，即便早期佛教在中土影响有限，但从时间坐标来看，其传入的起始节点，早于东汉末年才成型的道教教团，两者相差近百年。换言之，先秦老庄的道家哲学虽然远早于释迦牟尼的时代，但那仅仅是学术思想；道教融汇道家哲学、神仙方术、民间巫术、谶纬神学，构建起完整宗教体系的过程，直到东汉末年才最终完成——这个宗教体系成型的时间点，确实晚于佛教落地中土。

三、早期道教的根基：《太平经》与元气说

早期道教并不是以“太极阴阳”为根本，而是以《太平清领书》（即《太平经》）为关键经典。它常被称作“道教第一部经”，构成早期道教两大派别的共同底色：太平道奉《太平经》为主要经典，五斗米道也以《太平经》为基本教义，并深刻影响《老子想尔注》。

早期道教的宇宙论是元气说，尚未建立后世那种太极分化阴阳的模式。《太平经》说“夫物始于元气”，元气是化生万物的终极源头。元气的生成逻辑是：元气→天、地、人“三统共生”→万物。“道”在这个体系中更多是元气运行的法则，所谓“元气行道，以生万物”，并非元气之上独立存在的本体。需要注意区分：《老子》“道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物”本为先秦道家文本，和后世定型的太极阴阳宇宙图式不是同一套理论框架。早期《太平经》主导的元气生化体系，并没有将太极置于最高本原，演化出太极分阴阳的解释模型。

四、太极阴阳：后来居上

“太极阴阳”并非道教最初的理论根基。“太极”作为宇宙生成概念被凸显，与东汉纬书神学有关，但在早期道教的理论体系里面，元气的地位比太极更为根本。南北朝陶弘景仍提出“元气成然后有太极”，明确将太极置于元气之后。作为道教标志性符号的太极阴阳图定型时间很晚：阴阳图与太极图开始结合是南宋时期，最终定名为“太极图”要迟至明代。宋明理学兴起之后，“太极”被推至“理”的层面，视作最高本原，儒道之间双向交融，这套思想反过来深刻塑造了后世道教的理论面貌。

为什么“元气说”后来被“太极阴阳”逐步吸纳、取代？这背后有思想史内在逻辑：早期道教的元气说偏重宇宙生成论，回答万物从何而来；但缺少一套统摄万有的本体论，解释万物何以依循稳定秩序运行。而太极阴阳提供了一套更加精密的秩序解释框架，阴阳消长、五行生克，恰好可以用来系统化道教的修炼体系，例如内丹的坎离交媾、外丹的铅汞配比。宋明以后，太极阴阳不再只是符号，更成为道教理论自我发展、完善的重要思想资源。

五、演变脉络总结

纵观整个发展历程，先秦至汉初属于道教的思想源头阶段，此时仅有老庄道家作为哲学流派流传，黄老之学在这一时期作为重要的治国理念得到应用。到西汉末至东汉初，佛教开始传入中土，其入华的早期记载，要早于道教教团正式形成近百年。东汉末年，太平道、五斗米道等教团相继登场，标志着道教作为独立宗教实体正式落地，其中五斗米道传说创教于顺帝年间，教团制度化建设则主要完成于张鲁时代。

在道教诞生的早期阶段，其理论根基依托《太平经》，宇宙观以元气说为核心，主张“元气→天地人→万物”的生化路径，还没有形成后世以太极为最高本原的图式。进入后世漫长的发展阶段，道教不断吸收、融合太极阴阳等思想资源，太极图式慢慢后来居上，演变为道教极具代表性的符号与重要理论框架，尤其在宋明时期，儒道两家双向渗透，进一步推动这套理论的普及。

总体来看，道教并不是直接等同于先秦道家，它是从老庄哲学、黄老治国理念、神仙方术以及民间信仰当中逐步完成宗教化，最终形成以成仙得道为追求的复杂宗教体系。它的理论根基并非自始就是太极阴阳，早期以元气说为主，经过长期思想演变，太极阴阳才上升为后世道教的核心框架之一。

我为什么要写一篇这样的东西？因为我发现很多人把道教和道家思想给搞混了。道家思想是一种哲学，他是人的行为处事或者人生哲学。而道教只是揉杂了部分的道家思想，他的终极目标是得道成仙。这两者是有严重的区分的。

Hi, I am looking for some information that can hopefully clear up some confusion I had on applying for a visa to visit China. I was:

a. Born in China to parents who were Chinese nationals

b. Immigrated to the US as a child and then became a naturalized US citizen through my parents, as a minor

c. A few years later, applied and had a Chinese Travel Document (CTD) to visit China (still a minor)

Now, it has been over a decade since then and I am looking to visit China again, as an American adult. However, I am not sure if I am just supposed to apply for a regular L visa or a CTD. I still have the expired CTD if that makes the process easier. Any info would be great, thanks!

Hi everyone! I'm hoping to get some advice from people who could be in a similar situation as I am or just general advice too.

It's my first time applying for a visa in general and I've been trying to figure it out by myself. It also doesn't help that I'm in the biggest grey area ever, so I'm anxious that even putting in all the effort my application could just straight up get rejected.

For some context, both my parents and I were born in China and immigrated to NYC, United States when I was four. Then after around a decade of living permanently in the U.S, my mother passed the citizenship test and was naturalized, so she is now a U.S citizen. (Note: My father is not a U.S citizen and to this day still has just a green card) At the time I was under 18 (a minor), so I was able to gain U.S citizenship automatically through her.

Now, I know that in the application there are certain documents that foreign Chinese (those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained for foreign citizenship) need: Their past Chinese passports and certificate of naturalization.

The thing is, because I naturalized through my mother automatically, I never received or was given a certificate of my own (I know I could've applied to get one and I have recently, but that is going to take like literally months to recieve and I want the visa soon since I'm planning a trip).

I literally have every single document: all my passports, all my green cards, my birth certificate, my mother's naturalization certificates, all of both of my parents passports and green cards. I have all of it except my own naturalization certificate.

I have emailed the consulate agency and the translated response was: You can transfer all the materials you currently have to the COVA system and upload a signed written statement about your situation.

Sorry for the ramble, but I was just hoping if anyone could give me any guidance or if anyone has been in a similar situation as me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 😖