China Business Visa (M Visa)
The M visa is China's visa for people entering to carry out commercial and trade activities — meetings, negotiations, factory visits, contract signing, attending a trade fair. It sits between tourism and employment, and most of the confusion around it comes from not knowing which side of that line a trip falls on.
This page covers the part that actually decides whether your application succeeds: the invitation letter. The rest of the paperwork is standard; the invitation letter is where applications get sent back.
Do you need one at all?
Check this before you spend anything:
| Your situation | What you need |
|---|---|
| Short business visit — meetings, site visit, trade fair — 30 days or less, and you hold a passport from one of the 50 countries on China's unilateral visa-free list | No visa. Business is one of the permitted purposes under the 30-day visa-free entry |
| Same trip, but longer than 30 days | M visa |
| You'll be employed in China, or paid by a Chinese entity | Z visa, plus a residence permit after arrival — an M visa does not cover this |
| Attending Canton Fair or another trade fair | Usually visa-free if short, otherwise M visa — the fair's invitation acts as the trade-fair invitation |
The 30 days count from 00:00 on the day after you arrive, not from your landing time. And the visa-free waiver is itself a policy with an end date — check Do You Need a Visa for China? for your nationality before you rely on it.
The invitation letter: three blocks it must contain
An M visa needs an invitation letter issued by your Chinese trade partner, or an invitation to a trade fair or economic exhibition. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifies what has to be in it:
- Details of the person invited — name, gender, date of birth, and (per the application service centres) passport number.
- Details of the visit — purpose of the trip, arrival and departure dates, places to be visited, the relationship between you and the inviting company or person, and who pays.
- Details of the inviter — name of the inviting company or person, telephone number, address, the company seal, and the signature of the legal representative or the inviter.
Missing any one of the three is the most common reason an application is returned for correction. It is worth writing the letter against this list rather than adapting a template you found online.
Four details that get applications sent back
- The M invitation letter has its own format. It must not be filled in using an L (tourist), Q (family) or S (private affairs) template. It has to be a formal invitation issued by the inviting unit in China.
- If the inviter is Chinese, they must sign in Chinese characters. If the inviter is not a Chinese national, their passport and Chinese residence permit are required instead.
- The company field on the form is not the company name. When the inviting unit is a Chinese company, the relevant field of the application form (6.2A) asks for the Unified Social Credit Code from the company's business licence — not the company's name. This one trips up a surprising number of applicants.
- Expect to be asked for more. Consular officers may request supporting business documents — the Chinese company's business licence, a cooperation agreement or contract, or proof of your employment — and may call you in for an interview.
Some posts also ask for a scan of the inviting company's business licence and both sides of the Chinese inviter's ID card at the online-upload stage. Check your own post's checklist; requirements vary more than most guides admit.
Multiple-entry M visas
If you've been to China before, you can ask for a multiple-entry M visa — up to five years is the maximum commonly cited. But the bar is higher than for a single entry:
- You need to supply copies of your previous Chinese visas as evidence of the earlier trips.
- Alongside the invitation letter, you need a letter of dispatch from your employer — or other material confirming your business identity, such as proof that you're a company legal representative, an investment certificate, or a business licence.
- The employer's letter must cover your personal details, the trip details, and the employer's own details: name, relationship to you, the cooperative relationship with the Chinese inviting unit, telephone, address, company seal, and the name, title and hand-written signature of the legal representative.
- Both letters must state that a multiple-entry visa is being requested. If neither letter says it, don't expect to be granted one.
What the M visa does not allow
An M visa covers commercial and trade activity. It does not permit you to take up employment in China, and it is not a route to a residence permit. Paid work requires a Z visa with a work permit behind it. If your trip blurs the line — for example, several months on a client's premises doing the work of an employee — expect questions, and get the category right before you apply rather than after.
Other things worth knowing:
- Duration of stay is set by the consular officer, not chosen by you. For a first application it is commonly 30 days per entry, sometimes longer.
- Fingerprints are waived for short-stay applicants with a stay of 180 days or less at most posts. Visas that lead to a residence permit (Z, X1, J1, Q1, S1, D) still require them, and the waiver itself has an end date at some posts — check your post's notice.
- Express service is not always available. Some posts refuse express and urgent processing for first-time applicants and for F, M, X1, X2 and Z visas. Apply early rather than paying for speed you may not be offered.
How the application runs
- Complete the online visa application at the official online system for your jurisdiction and upload your documents. Beware lookalike sites that charge for the form.
- Watch the status. If it changes to "returned for correction", fix what was flagged and resubmit.
- When it reads "passport to be submitted", print the application form with the barcode, sign it, and take it to the post with your original passport and the listed documents.
- Pay and collect according to the post's payment instructions, then collect on the date given — or use the postal return service if offered.
Once your status becomes "passport to be submitted", submit it promptly. At least one post cancels the order automatically if you don't attend within 30 days, which sends you back to the start of the queue.
Fees vary by nationality and by the number of entries, and a separate service-centre fee applies where you apply through one — the full breakdown is on China Visa Fees & Processing Times. For the application itself step by step, see Application Step by Step.
Getting around once you're in
If your trip involves visiting suppliers in more than one city, the rail network is usually the faster option — see China's High-Speed Rail for Foreigners for booking with a passport and the luggage limits. For arranging factory visits, meeting schedules and ground logistics, see Business Trips & Factories.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a business visa if my trip is only two weeks?
Possibly not. Holders of passports from the 50 countries on China's unilateral visa-free list can enter for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, exchange or transit. If your trip is longer than 30 days, or you'll be employed in China, you need a visa — M for trade activity, Z for employment.
Who issues the invitation letter?
Your Chinese trade partner — the company you're meeting, or the organiser of the trade fair. It must be a formal invitation from a unit in China, and it must cover your details, the trip details and the inviter's details including a company seal and signature.
Can I use a tourist invitation letter instead?
No. The M invitation letter must not be completed using an L, Q or S visa template. Using the wrong format is a common reason for an application to be returned.
Can I get a multiple-entry business visa?
Yes, if you've travelled to China before and can supply copies of those earlier visas. You'll also need a letter of dispatch from your employer, and both that letter and the invitation letter must explicitly request multiple entry.
Can I work in China on an M visa?
No. An M visa covers commercial and trade activity only. Employment in China requires a Z visa and, in most cases, a work permit and residence permit after arrival.
How long can I stay on each entry?
The consular officer sets it, based on your application — commonly 30 days per entry for a first application. It is not a figure you choose.
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs — M visa: who it is issued to and required materials
- China Visa Application Service Centre — Commercial and trade activities (M): materials and notes
- China Visa Application Service Centre — M visa multiple-entry and employer dispatch letter requirements
- Chinese Consulate-General — visa application process, document list, fingerprint waiver and processing times
- Official China Online Visa Application system