China · Other
Issuance of Travel Permits for Foreigners
Issuance of Travel Permits for Foreigners is issued by National Immigration Administration (NIA). VisaAI tracks 13 official requirements for it, each traced to the government page that states it.
Last verified against the official source on .
VisaAI is not a government body and does not issue visas. It cannot decide, predict or guarantee the outcome of an application, and this page is not legal or immigration advice.
Requirements change. Confirm every item on National Immigration Administration (NIA)’s own page before you apply.
Each requirement below is written in plain English by VisaAI. The indented text beneath it is quoted from National Immigration Administration (NIA)’s own page, so you can check what we say against what they say. Where a quotation shows “ ... ”, text has been left out.
Conditions you must meet
- Scope: foreigners applying for travel permitsThe guide states its own scope.
This service guide is applicable to foreigners applying for travel permits.
- Legal basis: the Exit and Entry Administration LawOne instrument, unlike the other guides in this index.
Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China
- Where it is accepted: prefecture-level and above public security exit-entry authoritiesThe NIA entrusts acceptance rather than accepting directly.
The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has entrusted exit-entry administrations authorities of public security organs at and above the prefecture-level (including districts and counties under the administration of municipalities directly under the central government) to accept and handle foreigners' applications for travel permits.
- County-level authorities are authorised by the NIA on provincial requestA second channel.
With the approval of NIA at the request of exit-entry administration authorities of provincial public security organs, exit-entry administration authorities of public security organs at the county-level are authorized by NIA to accept and handle applications for travel permits.
- Issued to foreigners travelling to places NOT OPEN to foreigners, on providing identification as requiredThe permit carries a prescribed period, which the authority states in the same sentence.
Foreigner's travel permits with prescribed period may be issued to foreigners who apply to travel to places not open to foreigners and provide relevant identification documents as required in due course.
- Failing to attend an interview without justifiable reason may itself defeat the applicationThe same verification regime as the exit-entry permit guide.
The exit-entry administration authority of public security organs shall verify the authenticity of the application reasons through interviews, telephone inquiries, field investigation and other means, and confirm the applicant is of foreign nationality. Where an applicant or relevant entity/individual is notified to take an interview but fails to do that at the agreed time without justifiable reasons, the application may be denied by law.
- A decision within 30 WORKING days of acceptanceWorking days, not calendar days.
A decision shall be made within 30 working days from the date of acceptance.
Documents you must provide
- Individuals: evidence of the reasons for staying in the destination areaThe whole individual document list is this one item.
1. Individuals applying for a foreigner's travel permit shall submit evidentiary materials related to the reasons for staying in the destination area;
- Tour groups: a reception plan filed with the PROVINCIAL authority 60 days before arrivalQuoted whole because the rest of the sentence decides the outcome: routes clear of prohibited regions need no approval, while routes passing through them require the plan, personnel lists, and copies of passports and visas or permanent resident ID cards.
2. For tourist groups of foreigners who apply for travelling to places not open to foreigners, travel agencies shall submit reception plans to the exit-entry administration authority of the provincial-level public security organs in their location. Reception plans shall be submitted 60 days prior to arrival of the tourist groups, and the exit-entry administration authority shall verify whether tourist routes pass through regions where foreigners are prohibited from entry. No approval procedures are required for tourist routes clear of the prohibited regions, while approval procedures shall be observed for tourist routes passing through regions where foreigners are prohibited from entry and travel agencies shall submit reception plans, lists of relevant personnel, copies of valid passports and visas (or permanent resident ID cards) of the foreigners to apply for approval.
Steps in the process
- Apply in person — or through a travel agency to the provincial authority where the rules allowThe agency route is conditional on the application meeting the relevant regulations.
To apply for foreigners' travel permit, foreigners shall complete relevant procedures in person at the exit-entry administration authority of public security organs. Where the application meets relevant regulations, travel agencies may apply to the exit-entry administration authority of provincial public security organ under the local government on the behalf of the applicants.
- On acceptance a receipt is issued, and missing items must be notified AT ONE TIMEThe decision follows within the validity of that receipt.
Upon examination of applications for foreigners' travel permit, eligible applications shall be accepted, and a receipt of acceptance shall be issued, followed by a decision on issuance or not being made within the validity period of the receipt of acceptance. For applications with incomplete procedures and materials, the exit-entry administration authority of public security organs shall inform the applicant of the formalities to be completed and the materials to be supplemented at one time.
- Collected IN PERSON with the acceptance receiptThe receipt issued at acceptance is what the permit is exchanged for.
Approved and issued travel permits for foreigners shall be collected by the applicants in person at the relevant exit-entry administration authority of public security organs with the acceptance receipt.
Government fees
- Travel permit for foreigners: CNY 50CNY 50Half the exit-entry permit fee, from the guide's own charging-standards section.
Travel permit for foreigners: CNY 50
Official sources
- Service Guide on Issuance of Travel Permits for Foreigners — Requirements, National Immigration Administration (NIA)