China is located in East Asia and is the second-largest country in the world in terms of land area. For this reason, it has the longest borderline among all countries in the world. In fact, China has a border with 14 different countries. That is why many tourists travel to China by land. In addition to its size, China is also one of the top economies. In fact, China has the second strongest economy in the world. China is a favorite destination for foreign students around the world; in this regard, the Chinese government offers 2 kinds of visas for their parents and relatives to come to China: China private visit visa S1 and S2.
For this reason, apart from tourists, many businessmen and merchants travel to China every year. Of course, people in most countries of the world are required to obtain a Chinese visa to enter China. So, if your sister, brother, child, parent, or spouse is living in China and wants to visit him or her, you must apply for a China private visit visa – more familiar to foreigners as an S visa or sometimes as a dependent visa.
How to obtain China private visa?
As we said, the condition for entering China to visit a relative is to obtain a china private visit visa. To obtain such a visa, you must follow the rules. Fortunately, for China private visit visa, you do not require to be present at the embassy in order to obtain a visa, as the Chinese embassy does not interview applicants. Therefore, you can entrust it to experts in this field to rely on their experience and knowledge to obtain the visa for you as soon as possible.
Whether you do it yourself or leave it to your lawyer, In any case, before going to the embassy, you must fill out two copies of the visa application form. Then submit the forms and other necessary documents to the Chinese Consular Office. After confirmation, the documents and forms must be submitted to the China Embassy.
Of course, sometimes, even though all the documents are valid and there are no problems, the embassy prevents the issuance of a China private visit visa. Under these circumstances, the type of visa you are applying for may conflict with your purpose of traveling to China. Therefore, you should be careful in choosing the type of visa. In addition, it is necessary to know the types of visas.
China Private Visit Visa (S) visa or dependent visa
Since China is the center of the world economy, after the United States, many businessmen and capitalists migrated to this country. China is also a popular destination for international students, with millions of students entering the country each year to continue their education.
Therefore, the parents of these people and their relatives are very eager to meet their loved ones in China. On the other hand, the China government has provided a specific visa for relatives of those who are doing business in this country or are students of a Chinese university. This visa is called China private visit visa – or S visa.
What is China Private Visit Visa S1?
This type of China visa is issued for travel to China and living with a first-class family. First-degree families include spouses, parents, children under the age of 18, and mother-in-law and father-in-law.
This visa is a one-time entry, and its duration is more than 180 days. Proof of kinship is one of the requirements of this visa. Holders of S1 visas (China private visit visas) must apply for a residence permit from the China Public Security Administration (Police Station) within 30 days of arrival in China. Having a residence permit, a person will be allowed to enter and leave the country legally.
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What is China Private Visit Visa S2?
The S2 China Private Visit Visa is a short-term S1 visa issued to foreigners visiting their family members working in China. The length of stay allowed on this type of visa is between 30-90 days per visit. Proof of kinship is required to meet with family members. S2 visas are usually multiple-entry, and their validity for US passport holders is 10 years.
With this chart below, all the application conditions are explained:
| China Private Visit Visa S1 | Application Conditions | China Private Visit Visa S2 |
| More than 180 days | Intended Duration of Stay | Less than 180 days |
| Family members of foreigners living in China for work or study, including spouses, parents, children under the age of 18, or parents-in-law | Applicants Restrictions | Family members of foreigners residing in China for work or study, including spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters, and parents-in-law |
What are the China Private Visit Visa (S Visas) Requirements & Documents?
Invitation from the inviter (a foreign national who resides in China for work or study), which includes:
Specific documents for China Private Visit Visa S1
- Information about the applicant (name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
- Travel information (purpose of the trip, date of arrival and departure, place of residence, the relationship between the applicant and the invitee, source of funding for expenses, etc.)
- Inviter information (name, contact number, address, signature, etc.)
- Photocopy of passport and residence permit of the inviting person
- Original and copy of the certificate (marriage certificate, birth certificate, kinship certificate issued by the Public Security Office, or notarized certificate of kinship) which shows the relationship between the applicant and the invitee.
“First-degree family members” are referred to as the couple, parents, children under 18, and parents-in-law.
Note: S1 visa holders must submit their application to the General Directorate of Exit / Entry of Public Security Institutions under the supervision of the Local Government at the provincial level in the proposed places for the residence of foreign nationals within 30 days from the date of arrival.
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Specific documents for China Private Visit Visa S2
The following documents are required to visit family members for a short period:
- Information about the applicant (name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
- Travel information (purpose of the trip, date of arrival and departure, place of residence, the relationship between the applicant and the invitee, source of funding for expenses, etc.)
- Inviter information (name, contact number, address, signature, etc.)
- Photocopy of passport and residence permit of the inviting person
- Copy of certificates (marriage certificate, birth certificate, certificate of kinship, or notarized certificate of kinship) which shows the relationship between the family members of the applicant and the inviter.
Note: In private affairs, documents identifying the nature of private affairs must be provided to the consular officer.
Let’s Sum Up…
This article is recommended for those who have a first-degree family in China and are looking to visit them. You have seen that China’s private visit visa is divided into two categories, S1 and S2, each of which has its own characteristics. On the Visa Library website, you can learn about other US visas (like tourist visas, F visas, group visas, and transit visas) as well as ways to immigrate to other countries.
If you already have this visa, be sure to leave us a comment. Your feedback will be very useful for our readers. You can also get updated information on all European, American, Asian, and Oceanic visas on the visa library website.