The numbers
Fees published by the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in the United States.
Reduced from $185. The reduction runs until 31 December 2026.
Multiple entry, at the consulate's discretion. Approval is not automatic.
Additional, if you need it faster than standard processing.
Up to ten days, but only if you are continuing to a third country.
Why single entry is a mistake
This is the most useful thing on the page and almost nobody says it.
One trip. Once you leave China, it is finished.
The same price. Valid for a decade of trips if the consulate grants it.
The fee for US citizens is flat. The published schedule charges Americans $140 whether the visa is single entry, double entry or multiple entry. Non-Americans pay by the number of entries, from $23 upward. So if you are American there is no financial reason to ask for a single entry visa.
When you can skip the visa
There is one genuine exemption, and it is narrower than people assume.
Flying through China on the way to a third country
Up to 240 hoursIf you arrive in China and then continue to a different country, you may stay visa free for up to ten days. You must hold a confirmed onward ticket and enter through a participating port.
Flying to China and back to the United States
Visa requiredThis is the trap. Returning to where you came from is not transit. A round trip from the US to China and home again needs a full visa, however short the stay.
Visiting only Hong Kong or Macau
No China visaBoth have separate immigration systems and Americans can visit without a Chinese visa. Crossing into mainland China from either one does require it.
Where to apply
China is different from most countries on this site. There is no electronic visa and no online application you can complete end to end.
us.china-embassy.gov.cnOfficial, embassynewyork.china-consulate.gov.cnOfficial, consulatechinavisa-online.comNot the governmentchina-visa-service.comNot the governmentAmericans apply through the Chinese embassy in Washington or the consulate general covering their state, which means New York, Chicago, San Francisco or Los Angeles. There is no separate application centre network in the United States as there is in Europe and Canada.
Because the process involves handing over a passport, agencies are genuinely useful to some people here in a way they are not for an e-visa. They still charge for it. Reported totals through an agency run to roughly $217 to $252 once service fees are added, against $140 direct.
How to apply
Plan for your passport to be away from you for part of the process.
- Find the embassy or consulate covering your state of residence. Jurisdiction is by state, not by whichever is nearest.
- Complete the online application form, then print it and sign it.
- Book an appointment if your consulate requires one, and prepare your passport, photo and supporting documents.
- Submit in person or by an accepted agent. Requirements differ by consulate, so check yours specifically.
- Pay $140, plus $25 if you want express service.
- Collect the passport with the visa inside. Check the entries and dates before you leave the counter.
What goes wrong
Four failures, and the first two are the expensive ones.
- Believing the visa free news applies to you. China has opened visa free entry to many European countries. The United States is not among them, and headlines about it rarely say so.
- Treating a return trip as transit. The 240 hour exemption only applies when you continue to a third country. Flying home again does not count.
- Asking for single entry. It costs the same as ten years, so you are paying full price for a fraction of the value.
- Leaving it late. Your passport is physically submitted, so you cannot travel anywhere else while it is being processed.
What changed
Two changes matter, and one has an expiry date worth knowing about.
China begins removing requirements to make applications simpler, and opens visa free entry to a growing list of European countries.
The visa fee for Americans is cut from $185 to $140.
The reduced fee is extended again, now running to 31 December 2026. After that date, check before assuming $140 still applies.