China Visa for South Africans

Yes, for mainland China on an ordinary passport. China's list of countries whose ordinary passport holders enter visa-free does not include South Africa, and the visa exemption agreement between the two countries covers diplomatic and service (official) passports only. If you also hold a passport from a country on that list, the rules for that passport apply when you travel on it. Tell us where you are going, why and on which passport, and we will confirm the visa category that fits.

Only in narrow cases. South Africa is not on the list for the 30 day visa-free entry scheme for Hainan. The regional visa-free schemes open to South African ordinary passports are for tour groups organised through a registered travel agency, such as groups arriving by cruise ship, or groups entering Hainan or parts of Guangdong from Hong Kong or Macao. For independent travel you need a visa, and we can arrange it.

Only for a direct connection. Travellers of any nationality may transit for up to 24 hours without a visa if they hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region and stay inside the port's restricted area. The 240-hour visa-free transit scheme, which allows a stopover of up to 10 days, is limited to a published list of countries, and South Africa is not on it. If your layover involves leaving the airport, tell us your routing and we will confirm what you need.

No. The Chinese Embassy states that visas for the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao are applied for separately, and each sets its own entry rules. Hong Kong's Immigration Department lists South African passport holders as visa-free for visits of up to 30 days. Tell us your full route and we will confirm what each leg needs.

At the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre, which has its main centre in Sandton, Johannesburg, and offices in Cape Town and Durban. Ordinary passport holders do not apply at the Embassy in Pretoria. The centre asks applicants to apply in the country where they lawfully reside, so tell us where you live and we will confirm where your application has to be lodged.

The centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban accept passport submissions without an appointment during working hours, once the online review of your application has been passed. Our guide to the China visa appointment and application centre process walks through each stage, and we manage them for you when you apply through us.

The centre's FAQ says applicants come in person so that fingerprints can be collected, with applicants under 14 or over 70 exempt from fingerprinting. Fingerprints are collected for long-stay categories that lead to a residence permit, including work, long-term study and family reunion visas. For short visits, whether they are taken depends on the embassy's exemption in force when you apply. The centre's guidance on the online process also says someone else, including a travel agency, can apply on your behalf. We confirm whether you need to attend for your category when you enquire.

The visa centre's guide to applying estimates 7 to 8 working days from preparing your documents to collection. Applications handed in close to the centre's holidays take longer to come back. The centre recommends applying online one month before departure, so tell us your travel date early.

The Chinese visa fee, the visa centre's service fee, any express or courier charge you choose, and our service fee. The visa fee depends on the number of entries, so we confirm the current figures upfront, before we start.

Not for an ordinary tourist visa. The centre's tourist visa checklist does not ask for either. If your employer, your university or the Chinese authorities ask for them for a work or long-stay route, South African public documents for use in China take a DIRCO apostille, because the Chinese Embassy no longer legalises them. Our police clearance service and attestation and apostille service handle both.