Anyone entering China must have a visa issued by a Chinese consulate before they arrive in the country. Entry visas cannot be issued at the airport. Passport holders from Japan, Brunei and Singapore are the exception, and may enter for business, travel or transit for up to 15 days without an entry visa.

To enter China, your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date when you made the visa application.

There are several types of visa and each comes with its own set of stringent rules. A Q1 form, two passport photos and a fee (see below) will need to be submitted, along with any visa-specific paperwork.