For most foreigners, you may need a visa before visiting China. An easy way to do it is to apply for a tourist visa (strongly recommended). If for reasons you need a business visa or other types of visa, please provide us the relevant information in the registration form.
Please note that it is the conference attendee's responsibility to obtain an appropriate visa on time. The conference organizers will provide assistance (such as invitation letters) and suggestions during the process however please understand we are not associated with any visa office or agency and have no control of the outcome of the visa application process.
Applicants should initiate the process as early in their travel plans as possible, adequate time (> 1 month) should be allowed for processing visa applications. For more information and assistance on visa application, please contact Mr Yifeng Zhou from the LOC.
Visa Exemption (as of January 2025)
China offers visa-free entry or special transit visa exemptions for nationals of certain countries. Below are the key options (see https://www.china-briefing.com/news/china-visa-free-travel-policies-complete-guide/ for more information):
(1) Visa-Free Entry
- Starting from November 30, 2024, until December 31, 2025, China will implement a visa-free policy for holders of ordinary passports from the following 38 countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Citizens from these countries can enter China visa-free for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, or transit for up to 30 days. Those who do not meet the visa-free requirements must still obtain a visa before entering China. In addition, China has decided to optimize its entry policy by including "exchanges and visits" as a reason for visa-free entry and extending the maximum visa-free stay duration from the current 15 days to 30 days.
- Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card are eligible for visa-free entry for stays of up to 60 days.
- Residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan with valid travel documents can enter mainland China without a visa.
(2) 240-Hour Transit Visa-Free Policy
The 240-Hour Visa-Exemption Transit Policy is one of the visa-free policies that China provides to eligible foreigners. According to the latest policy from the China National Immigration Administration on December 17, 2024, foreign travelers from 54 countries that meet the conditions can enter and exit China from designated ports, stay in allowed cities, and enjoy a ten-day visa-free stay in China.
- Europe Schengen area (25 countries): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
- Europe (15 other countries): Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, and Belarus.
- Americas (6 countries): the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile.
- Oceania (2 countries): Australia and New Zealand.
- Asia (6 countries): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
- Must hold valid onward tickets to a third country or region. (e.g. the itinerary of USA -> Shanghai -> USA. is not suitable,
USA -> Shanghai -> Japan/Europe -> USA is available.) - Must enter and exit through designated ports in the approved cities.
Tourist Visa
You can apply for a tourist visa of China all by yourself. Such visa is issued to foreigners for sightseeing and visiting relatives or any other personal affairs, it belongs to visa category “L”. We strongly recommend applying for a tourist visa to attend the conference (invitation letter is NOT required for "L" visa), all you need is an itinerary including round trip air ticket booking record and proof of a hotel reservation. Visa "L" is characterized by a short duration of stay, usually 30 days, no more than 90 days, and cannot be extended upon expiration (as of Spring 2011, it is possible to do an extension while in China, however the procedure is complicated and the renewal is subject to approval).
Other Visa Types
If you receive explicit instructions or orders to apply for a non-tourist visa, you will need an invitation letter from us. As such, it may require more procedures/materials than the invitation letter itself and the situation varies from case to case, please consult with your local Chinese consulate/embassy or visa agency for detailed instructions.
For us to provide an invitation letter, please fill in the required visa information during registration. You are advised to submit your visa application to the appropriate authorities as early as possible
Further information
You can go to the Chinese Embassies, Consulates and other Chinese diplomatic missions to submit application in person. If you can't come personally, you can entrust someone, a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf. Applications directly sent to Chinese embassies and consulates by mailing are usually not accepted. No appointment is required for tourist visa application.
Please refer to the official webpage of Chinese Embassy or Consulates in your country for the most up-to-date procedure and requirement, some links are provided below for your convenience and for information purpose only. At the last link, we provide an example of a commercial service organization who may provide additional assistance in applying the Chinese visa ("Chinese Visa Application Service Center").
1. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America
3. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Switzerland
4. Botschaft der Volksrepublik China in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
5. Ambassade de la Republique Populaire de Chine en Republique Francaise
6. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Italy
Important Reminders
- Ensure you confirm your eligibility for visa-free or transit visa-free policies before traveling.
- If you are eligible for transit visa-free entry, prepare your confirmed onward flight ticket and necessary visas for the third destination in advance.
- Participants requiring a visa are advised to apply early and contact the organizing committee for an invitation letter and supporting documents.
