China Visa Requirements for U.S. Citizens (2026): Do You Need One & What to Submit

If you hold a U.S. passport, you need a visa to visit mainland China — there's no visa-free entry for tourism (with one transit exception we'll cover). Here's exactly what's required in 2026 and how the process works.

Do U.S. citizens need a visa for China?

Yes. Americans aren't on China's visa-free list, so you must obtain a visa before you travel. The one exception is the 240-hour visa-free transit policy — but that only applies if you're passing through China to a third country, not if China is your destination. (More on transit and layovers here.)

Which China visa do you need?

• L (Tourist) — sightseeing or visiting friends. The most common.

• M (Business) — trade, meetings, commercial activity.

• Q (Family) — visiting Chinese relatives.

• F / X / Z / S — exchange, study, work, and family-of-resident categories.

Most U.S. travelers need the L tourist visa.

What you'll submit (2026)

• A passport valid 6+ months with at least two blank pages.

• A completed COVA online application (China's official form).

• A compliant photo — stricter than a U.S. passport photo. (Exact China photo specs here.)

• Supporting documents by visa type: round-trip flights, hotel bookings or an invitation letter, and your itinerary.

• The government visa fee — $140 in 2026.

Two things in your favor in 2026

• The visa fee is reduced to $140 (through December 31, 2026).

• Fingerprinting is waived for most short-term visitor visas through December 31, 2026 — which is what makes a mail-in service possible for most applicants.

Where you apply: by your home state

China assigns your application to one of five consulates by your state of residence — Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. Send it to the wrong one and it's returned. See your state's consulate and how we handle it.

How we help

We provide private application assistance: we review your documents, complete the COVA form, format your photo, and coordinate the in-person consulate submission — by mail, from any U.S. state — so you don't travel or risk avoidable errors.

Get My Passports is a private company that provides passport and visa application assistance and courier coordination where available. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Government authorities make all approval decisions and control official processing times. Our service fees are separate from government fees.

Ready to start your China visa?

Complete the quick intake form at chinavisa.getmypassports.com and choose your service. We'll review it and send you a prepaid FedEx label to ship us your passport — then we submit it in person at the consulate (they don't accept mailed applications — that's what you're hiring us for).