Student Visa is divided into X1 and X2. X1 is issued to aliens who come to China for study, advanced studies, or fieldwork for more than 6 months. X2 is issued to aliens who come to China with same purpose but for a period of less than 6 months.

The organization must be accredited for offering courses or internships to foreigners.  They will send you a JW201 or JW202 form and an admission letter.  Submit these with photocopies with your application. 

You are not permitted to work on the X type visa. But part-time work and internships off campus may be authorized in near future. You should contact you university or employer after you have settled in to see what can be arranged.  For foreign students who work in violation of the regulations on the administration of foreign students working to support their study in China and work beyond the prescribed scope of jobs or prescribed time limit, they shall be deemed unlawful employment and will probably have to stop or be expelled. 

X1 holders shall apply for a Temporary Residence Permit from the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) within 30 days upon entry into China. The temporary residence permit can be issued with validity of 180 days to 5 years.  X2 holders shall stay in China within the duration period as indicated on the visa, and it is not necessary for them to apply for the temporary residence permit.

Requirements

1. Applicant's original passport valid up to at least six months with at least one blank page.

2. One truly completed Application Form.  

3. Please affix one recent passport style color photo with full face, front view, no hat, and against a plain light background on the application form. 

4. Original and a copy of approved Foreign Student Visa Application Form JW201 or JW202 (for X1 appliction only). 

5. Original and a copy of Admission Notice from the university or Chinese school. Note: for foreigners who want to apply for Chinese Medical Internship, the original and a copy of Application Form for Medical Internship and Admission Notice for training in practice issued by the university are required.

How to Apply

1. You may submit the application to the consular office of the Chinese Embassies or Consulates in person. 

2. Or you can entrust someone else (e.g. friends, relatives), a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf if you can't come personally. Power of attorney is not required. 

3. Mailed applications are not accepted and will be refused by most of Chinese embassies or consulates. 

4. Appointment is not required by most embassies and consulates. But if you are required to submit application to CVASC, you may need to make an online appointment via CVASC's website. 

Processing Time

The regular processing time is 4 working days. If you want to collect your visa earlier, the express service and rush service are available. Express Service: 2-3 working days processing; extra US$ 20 will be charged. Rush Service (for emergencies): 1 working day processing; extra US$ 30 will be charged. 

Visa Fees

The fee for X is same to the fee for other types of Chinese visa. Generally speaking, Chinese embassies or consulates only issue single entry X to foreigners. If you apply for it in the United States of America, the fee is US$140 for American citizens, US$30 for other citizens.