Last updated on December 4th, 2019 at 05:39 pm

Applying for a Chinese visa in Bangkok could be smooth sailing. Or a total nightmare. That’s depending on where you’re getting your information from. Because I’m heading to Guangzhou (广州市), China to check out the 124th Canton Fair for business and to eat some dim sum.

Which means I’m going to have to get a China visa for my US passport. So like any average Joe looking for information about applying for a visa to visit China. And I was in Thailand at the time so I did a google search on how to get a Chinese visa in Bangkok.

I started reading blog comments and caught a glimpse of what to expect. And the glimpse I caught frankly caught me off guard.

According to this blogger, regular service takes 4 days. Which is normal and if you’ve done proper travel planning shouldn’t be an issue. But I also read it was possible that it could take a month to get back your passport and a tourist visa to China!

Applying for My First China Visa in Bangkok

In the immortal words of Bart Simpson, “Aye Caramba!” we were hoping it won’t take that long. My wife and I were applying for our Chinese travel visas two weeks before our scheduled flight departs for Guangzhou. And we already paid for our hotel in full with no refunds.

Then, I’ve been reading Mark Wien’s experience when he went to apply for his China tourist visa. His experience was more streamlined and uneventful. But it was the comments from his readers that got me nervous.

Bear in mind that his information and experience was posted in 2014. A lot of things could’ve changed in that time span. Which I found out did.

I read someone’s comment that he had to hand in a color copy of their passport. I always thought it was illegal to make photocopies of passports in color.

There’s just so much information out there about getting a China visa in Bangkok and I didn’t know who or what to believe. There were a mix of helpful information about the process. And there were some info out there to make oneself paranoid about the Chinese visa application process.

So like anything else I knew nothing about, I started with baby steps. First, I started off with something easy. Like check what time the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok opens.

The First Big Change

One thing my years of travel experience had taught me is you go to an embassy or consulate of the country you’re planning to visit to apply for a tourist visa.

So it would make sense that I would have to go to the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, right?

Wrong!

Currently you cannot apply for a China Visa at the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok. You have to go to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in Thailand (CVASC) located inside an office building a few miles away from the Chinese Embassy.

Here’s the address for CVASC:

1550 Thanapoom Tower
5th Floor, New Phetchaburi Road
Makkasan, Bangkok, 10400

Business hours
Monday-Friday, Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays.
Submission of applications: 9:00 to 15:00.
Payment and collection: 9:00 to 16:00.

Good thing I came across this bit of info. Otherwise I would’ve ended up at the front steps of the Chinese Embassy.

With my visa application in hand only to have guards pointing and laughing at me like the idiot I am.

Be Sure to Check Out CVASC Website

Next thing to do is to download the China visa application. And also find out what supporting documents are required for a US citizen staying in Thailand needs. Which I found on CVASC (website) a list of requirements for your specific visa purpose. For tourist the visa category is L.

Again, because I am going to China for business I needed to apply for the M category.

Even though you’re reading this and applying for a China tourist visa, the documents and procedure required which I listed below is 95.9% the same.

The CVASC website is cool. There is an online form, not a PDF version like the one that I used from China Embassy website. And, you can make an appointment too. Which had I known, I would’ve used the CVASC website exclusively.

You do not need to make an appointment before showing up.

Getting Ready to go to China Visa Application Service Center

I didn’t use the CVASC online visa application form because I found out too late about it. Instead I used the this four page form I downloaded from Chinese Embassy in Thailand’s website.

Since it’s a PDF electronic form you can input your information directly in. And then print out and sign when completed.

Which is great because I’ve got horrible handwriting. There could be a few questions that could trip you up but I’ll highlight those later on. Make sure you put on the caps lock too while typing.

There are China visa application forms at the CVASC you can fill out with an old fashioned pen. But honestly printing out filled out forms beforehand is the smarter move.

Filling Out China Visa Application Form (V.2013)

Make Sure Your Visa Form is Filled Out Accurately

The visa form is straightforward with 5 sections with sub-sections. Chances are you won’t need to fill out all 5 sections in this China visa application.

There are just a few sections that might make you scratch your head though.

• Section 1.5 – This section you put in your current occupation. If you don’t see the listed description for yourself then just mark “other” and then write in specifically what you do. For me, I’m a business person so I checked marked that box. But that’s too vague. So the clerk personnel instructed me to check “Other ☑️” and write in specific occupation.
• Section 2.7 – This section is basically asking who’s paying for your trip. I just typed in “SELF FUNDED”.
• Section 2.6 – Here you get asked about your itinerary. I was just staying the entire week in Guangzhou. I just wrote on one line. For date “30-10-18 TO 05-11-18” and then for detailed address I just wrote in the address of the hotel I was staying at.
• Section 2.10 – This ones just an observation from myself. This section asks what other countries you’ve visited in the past 12 months. So I listed the countries I’ve been within 12 months and one of them was Taiwan. So if you don’t know by now, China and Taiwan are not so friendly towards each other. The clerk personnel who initially checked my visa form just taped over Taiwan with white out. So if you’ve been to Taiwan in the past 12 months, just leave it out.

Don’t forget to sign your China visa application form and date it.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Okay, so everyone reading this will probably have to bring different documents depending on their traveling situation.

Here’s my situation. I’m married to a Thai with a Non-Immigrant O visa based on Thai family. And my work is based in the USA. I’m heading to China on a business/tourism purpose.

Here’s a list of documents I brought with me for submission:

My Prepared Documents (You only need to hand in one set)

1. Visa application (China visa application form)
2. Two recent passport sized photos (size and requirements) Glue one photo on the area indicated on first page of visa application. The other photo will be clipped to your passport.
3. Photo copy of passport photo page, Thailand entry stamp, Thai visa page
4. Proof of residence in Thailand (Not necessary if you have a Thai Tourist Visa)
5. Thai marriage certificate to prove I’m married to a Thai and the reason why I’m in Thailand (Also, don’t need this if you’re just a tourist in Thailand)
6. Flight itinerary – Into China and out of China
7. Hotel confirmation
8. * Invitation letter from Canton Fair
9. ** Letter of intent (What’s all this about? You’ll find out below)
10. Recent bank statement

In Mark Wien’s blog post he stated Americans needed to hand in two sets of applications. I was only required to hand in one. I made an extra set, just to be safe. Again his blog post was made 4 years ago. In any case, the agency clerk took only one set from me.

There are copy machines and passport photo booths inside. I don’t remember how much they charge but just make your life easy and have all the copies and passport photos ready. Chances are, it’ll be cheaper to get all this done outside of the CVASC office.

* Letter of Intent

For #9 I mentioned letter of intent. This is a short letter you sign declaring what you’ll be doing in China. I didn’t even know I had to write this letter until I read this blogger’s post on getting a China visa in Bangkok.

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Here’s what my letter of intent looked like:

To Whom it May Concern

My name is Warren Chan. I am a citizen of the United States with passport number ********. I have a Thai wife and currently staying in Thailand with a type “O” non immigrant visa based on marriage/family.

I would like to travel to Guangzhou China to attend the 124th Canton Fair and tourism with my wife. I have already pre-registered for attendance to Canton Fair and have included my invitation letter with my visa application.

I would like to stay in Guangzhou, China from October 30th, 2018 to November 5th, 2018.

Sincerely,

When you’re writing your own letter of intent just make it simple. My first letter of intent was long and too specific in detail. And I changed it to the one you see above.

** As my letter states I’m planning on attending the Canton Fair which upon registration I could download an invitation letter. Whenever you’re going to China for business if you can get an invitation letter from the company or factory you’re planning to visit make sure you get a letter from them so you can submit along with your China visa application. This is only needed if you’re applying for a China business visa.

If you know a Chinese citizen living in China and you’re planning to visit them, ask them to write a letter of invitation on your behalf. Same goes for education purpose, say for example if you want to study Chinese martial arts at an institution.

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Going to Chinese Visa Application Service Center

The Chinese Visa Application Service Center is not an embassy nor a consulate. It’s just an agency operating on behalf of the Chinese government for processing and handling China visas. And they charge a service fee which you can see below on my receipt.

With my stack of documents organized like an anal retentive applicant I felt prepared for the worst.

The easiest way to reach Thanapoom Tower is by using the MRT subway train. The closest station is Petchaburi MRT station. Use Exit #2 and make a left turn when you’re outside. It’s a 700 meter walk, pass Saint Dominic’s School and Thailand Tourism Authority office building.

Remember the China visa application service office is on the 5th floor.

Inside CVASC Office

During my research on submitting China visa applications in Bangkok I read a lot of blog posts and comments where people complained of long lines and long waits. However, there were also lots of comments saying it was a quick, easy and painless process.

I got inside 9:10am and there was a line but wasn’t that bad. There were 3 lines for individual applicants to queue up on. There were about 10 people ahead of us. So things went smoothly. But I can understand why this part of the process could be a slow going.

First of all from my sharp ears I could listen to the staff telling people they were missing documents. Or some parts of their visa forms were filled out incorrectly.

Also, there are a lot of Thai tour agencies handing in piles of China visa applications with Thai passports. Obviously this is for large Thai tour groups. So one messenger would bring in stacks and stacks of applications which would take time for Chinese visa agency staff to sort through.

But the office clerks went through the piles of Thai passports quickly as Thai travel agencies already know the document process and requirements.

Getting the Ticket Number

Okay, so the line my wife and I first queued up on is really where CSAVC clerks check your application to make sure you have all the necessary information filled out properly. And they take a look at your supporting documents.

The staff are all Thai. They can speak English but not fluently. From my short interactions with them they are sincere. They are there to really help out and offer suggestions to make your application as squeaky clean as possible. So your China visa application process goes smooth.

Ahead of us were a couple of young European travelers that were in line ahead of us. I overheard they did not have their paperwork together. From the looks of it they seemed frustrated. On their hands were only two China visa application forms. It didn’t look too good for them as they stepped off line.

Waiting to Be Called

Your number could come up quickly. Which happened in my case. Because I had to change my letter of intent a little under the advice of the CVASC staff who first looked at my papers. Luckily, I brought my laptop and made the corrections right on the spot.

But I needed to print it out. On the second floor there is a small convenience shop with a computer and printer. I emailed the letter to my email account and printed it off from there. It cost 15THB per print out.

By the time I got back to the 5th floor my number had passed. No big deal. Just go back to the desk where you got the first ticket and let them know what happened. They’ll print you a new one.

There are television screens at the front with ticket numbers as well indications for which counter to go. There’s no automated voices announcing numbers. Just the sound of a bell whenever a new number is displayed. Which means you have to have your eyes glued to the screens when your number is almost up.

When your number does comes up head to the designated counter. And hand in your paper work to the nice clerks.

Here’s what documents were taken from me:

1. Visa application
2. Two recent passport sized photos (size and requirements)
3. Photo copy of my passport photo page, entry stamp, Thai visa page
4. Proof of residence in Thailand (again, you won’t need this if you’re on a Thai tourist visa)
5. Thai marriage certificate (no, you do not have to marry a Thai to get a Chinese visa)
6. Flight itinerary – Into China and out of China
7. Hotel confirmation
8. Invitation letter from Canton Fair (to prove I’m going to China for business)
9. Letter of intent
10. Recent bank statement

The agency clerk went through our applications and it was pretty straight forward. We had all our papers ready and in order.

Only our hotel confirmation and bank statement copies were not needed and returned to us. I recommend bringing them anyways. Because you just never know.

Then we were given our receipts and because we chose regular service we were told to come back in 4 days. You pay the fee when you pick up your passport.

My China visa fee was 5060THB. If you think about it that’s a pricey visa fee. However USA charges Chinese citizens the same amount in US currency when they apply to visit USA. The CVASC clerk that handled my case recommended I get the 10 year multiple China entry visa.

Which made a lot of sense because it’s the same price as a single entry visa which I had initially marked on my visa form.

Everything was simple and easy for my experience. As long as you have all your papers in order the China visa process in Bangkok should be painless.

I was out of the CVASC office just a little over an hour. So didn’t take much time at all really.

Picking Up My Passport

4 days later I got back to the CVASC office. Passport pick up time is scheduled between 9am to 4pm. I got there about 1pm and the place looked quieter than the first time I went.

Perhaps, it’s best to go hand in visa applications in the afternoon time instead to beat the morning rush?

I went straight to the counter, with no line to wait and showed my receipt and got a ticket number. I plopped my ass down on one of the chairs and a few minutes later my number came up.

Went to the counter and handed in my receipt and paid my 5060B fee for my brand new Chinese visa. My wife has a Thai passport her fee is 1500B. I checked my passport with my brand new China visa and saw I had a 10 year expiration date. So that’s cool. Be sure to check that your name is spelled correctly and your passport numbers match before you leave the center.

My wife wasn’t with me this time but as long as I had her receipt I could pick it up for her. I spent no more than 10 minutes this time.

Smooth Sailing

Thankfully, everything went through without a hitch. I learned a few things about getting a Chinese visa in Bangkok to share with everyone here.

Granted I went for the business visa, I don’t think getting a tourist visa to visit China could be any much harder. Not that it was hard to begin with.

It’s not difficult at all as long as you have all your supporting documents with you, before you show up. That’s the main key. Also bring your laptop to make quick changes on your China visa application forms if necessary. There’s no internet access inside, but you can use your mobile phone to act as an internet hotspot.

With all the proper documents in hand you shouldn’t have any problems also while applying for a China visa in Bangkok whether you’re going as a tourist or for business.

Finally, if you’ve never been to Guangzhou before, check out my first ever travel experience in Guangzhou for some travel tips and advice.