What Invitation Letter is Required In Order To Apply for Chinese Visa

If you hold a foreign passport and needs to apply for Chinese visa in order to visit China, you need an invitation letter from someone in China.  

Tthe following information was provided by a visa officer from the China Embassy in Washington DC regarding the invitation letter:

1) Long term visa requires invitation letter. Invitation letter can be mailed, faxed or emailed. However, invitation letter must have the sponsor's signature. Email invitation letter is notacceptable. However, if a scanned invitation letter is sent through email, you can reprint the invitation letter with sponsor's signature, that's acceptable.

2) You must attach a copy of the sponsor's China ID card (身份证复印件).

3) Invitation letter should contain sponsor's personal information, such as name, birthday, address and phone number in China.

4) Invitation letter should also contain all invited persons' personal information, such as name,birthday, address and phone number in US, and the relationship with the sponsor.

5) The invitation letter should state the purpose of visits (family visit, for example) and who will pay for the travel expenses and the living expenses in China.

6) All persons want to apply 5-year visa must apply in person. For example, if a couple want to apply the 5-year visa, then both persons must present in the visa office and be interviewed by the visa officer. If not, the one goes to visa office can get 5-year visa, those do not show up can only apply the 2-year visa.