Chinese visas compose of diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, business visa, as well as the ordinary visa. Among them, the ordinary visa can be divided into eight types in accordance with the subject matter of applicant come to China, respectively marked with Chinese phonetic letters (L. F. X. Z. G. C. J. D).
L Visa (Tourist & Family Visit Visa): issued to an applicant who want to travel to China.
F Visa (Visitor & business Visa): issued to an alien who is invited to China on a visit, a study or lecture, business tour, an investigation, scientific-technological & cultural exchange, short-term furthering studies or intern practice less than six months.
X Visa (study visa): issued to an applicant who will study in China over 6 months.
Z Visa (work visa): issued to an alien who comes to China for a job or employment and to his accompanying family members.
G Visa (transit visa): issued to an applicant who is going to a third country in transit of China. Applicant should present the valid visa and an air ticket for the visiting country.
C Visa (steward & trainman visa): issued to crewmembers involving international-based transportation by airway, trains and ships and their accompanying family members.
J Visa (journalist visa): issued to an alien who works as a journalist in China. There are two types of J Visa, and they are J-1 Visa and J-2 Visa respectively. J-1 Visa is issued to foreign resident correspondents in China while J-2 Visa is issued to foreign correspondent on temporary interview missions in China.
D Visa (resident visa): issued to a foreign citizen who is going to reside permanently in China