China Work Visa Guide for Indian Citizens

Documents Required for China Work Visa

When preparing for a China Work Visa, it’s not a long list, but each piece has to be right. You’ll need your passport with at least six months validity left and blank pages. Then you’ll need a completed visa application form,  the newer ones have you upload your photo digitally, but some centres still ask for a printed version.

You’ll need your job offer or contract from your employer in China, plus the official invitation letter that they or their HR sends as part of the China work permit visa process. Often there’s a document called the “Foreigners’ Work Permit Notice”,  that’s vital and the embassy looks at it closely.

About photos: the requirement is usually two recent colour photos, taken within six months, in a plain light background. They don’t have to be glamorous, but they do need a clear view of your face with no shadows on the background. Several applicants forget to remove glasses or wear white shirts that merge with the backdrop,  so try a gentle contrast.

Some people also bring proof of stay (bookings in best hotels in Beijing), and medical check-ups if your employer has asked for them, though that varies a bit by city.

This is where China work visa requirements get real: if any paper is missing or looks like it’s been filled out in a rush, visa officers will flag it, and you’ll get a call to come back with corrected pages.

China Work Visa Application Process

Applying for your China Work Visa is easiest when you let someone who does this every day walk you through it. It’s easiest to apply through Akbar Travels, they handle the whole process smoothly, which means your documents are checked before submission so nothing gets rejected because of some small error. The application is either submitted at the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) or directly at the embassy, depending on where you are and the rules at that moment.

In typical practice, you fill the form online or on paper, attach your photos, passport, and all supporting documents, and then go to submit them. A few centres take appointments,  others help you walk in. At the counter, they will glance over the photo size, check that the invitation letter is genuine, and that your employer details in China match their records.

There’s a small visa application fee, and if you want faster service, you can pay extra,  though “rush” depends on local rules. 

You can also check out our personalized China Tour Packages, which include sightseeing, hotel accommodations, local transfers, and guided tours, to get the most out of your holiday.

China Work Visa Validity

Once the China Work Visa sticker is in your passport, it will show the validity period,  the dates between which you can enter China. The actual work visa duration is tied to your work permit and job contract. In most cases, you’ll see something like a 90-day or 180-day multiple-entry visa that then lets you enter China and complete formalities like health checks and residence permit processing.

After you arrive, there’s usually a window (often 30 days) to convert the initial visa into a China work permit and a residence card,  that’s the real document that lets you stay, work, and open a bank account. Once you have your residence permit, that’s what matters most for the length of your stay, not the visa sticker itself.

If your employer has arranged your papers well, the visa and the work permit align neatly. A common hiccup is when the entry date in your passport doesn’t match the start of your job contract, then officials might ask for a clarification. One tiny human correction from all the visa counters visited over the years: always double-check the “entry before” date versus your planned flight.

China Work Visa Processing Time

It helps to think of the China work visa processing time in parts. First is the time to prepare your paperwork,  that depends on how quickly your employer sends the invitation and work permit documents. Then there’s the visa centre’s turn.

Normally, the Chinese visa centre asks for about four to six working days once everything is submitted. If you choose express, it could be two to three days, but that’s not a guarantee, there can be local delays that nobody can predict. For China work visa processing time people often hear “five days,” but that’s really the average, not a hard rule.

For Indian applicants, sometimes there are peaks in demand around holidays such as Lunar New Year, and on those weeks the Chinese visa processing time gets a bit longer, actually, that’s less true in festival months when some centres pause completely. Planning for buffer days helps avoid last-minute stress.

Why Choose Akbar Travels

One practical thing to remember about your China Work Visa journey is that handling the paperwork is half the job. You’re juggling your employer’s timelines, your passport, embassy rules, and photo specs all at once. That’s where airfares and travel planning come in too, once the visa is in hand, you’re ready to look at cheap flights to Beijing, or maybe slot in a few days of holiday after all the formality.

A partner like Akbar Travels gives you pre-check services, explains exactly China work visa requirements in your city, and keeps you updated if anything changes at the visa office. That’s why many people ask for help instead of just walking in with a folder of papers they’ve glued together the night before.

This is your work journey; the last thing you need is to be turned away because of a tiny detail.