How to Apply for a 10-year China Visa at the San Francisco Consulate in October 2025

1. Confirm Your Jurisdiction

Before applying, please refer to our latest consular jurisdiction adjustment guide.

If you reside in Northern California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, or Alaska, you will apply for your China visa through the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco.

This jurisdiction includes major cities such as San Francisco, San Jose, Bay area, Sacramento, Oakland, Anchorage, Boise City, Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma, Henderson, Las Vegas, and Reno.

Embassy/Consulate	Jurisdiction
Embassy of China in the United States (Washington, D.C.)	District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Delaware
Embassy of China Also covers the former Houston Consulate jurisdiction)	Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico
Consulate-General of China in New York	Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Rhode Island
Consulate-General of China in San Francisco	Northern California, Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
Consulate-General of China in Los Angeles	Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Pacific Islands
Consulate-General of China in Chicago	Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

2. Complete New China Visa Online Application

New Chinese Online Visa Application System officially launched by the Chinese Embassy in the United States on September 30, 2025. Applicants could enjoy more convenience using the system to fill out forms, upload materials for online pre- review and track the status of application.

A, To help applicants adapt to the new system, you may try our  Limited-Time Offer: All-Inclusive Service: $155 (was $195), Consular Fee: $140. This service cover all states in US.

This service suitable for applicants don’t have the time, or if you don’t want to deal with complicated paperwork, or have urgent travel, With our all-inclusive service for $155, you just need to fill out a brief form https://visitchinavisa.com/brief-form/, and send us your passport—that’s it. We’ll handle the rest of the visa application process. You can stop here—there’s no need to keep reading this rather long China visa guide.

B, If you plan to complete the application form and upload the required documents by yourself, please refer to our Step by Step Chinese Application Filling Guide.

• Follow our step-by-step guide to fill out the New China Visa Application online and upload required documents.
• Waiting for the preliminary review by the embassy/consulate. Once the review is approved, the status will change to “passport to be submitted.” At this point, click on “Additional Reminders from the consulate” to display the reminder content. Then, take a screenshot of the page. The screenshot must include the applicant’s name, barcode, and show the message from the embassy/consulate. You will need to submit this screenshot along with your passport to the embassy/consulate for get your Chinese visa.

3. Detailed Explanation of Important Sections

When you are ready to fill out the China visa application form in the new system, be sure to note down your email and password, as you will need to log in multiple times to check information and take screenshots. Once you have selected the correct embassy or consulate, you can refer to the following text-based guide to complete your online application:

Part One: Personal Information

• Photo: Take a personal photo with your phone and ensure it has a white background. When uploading, please adjust the photo using the navigation bar to ensure a successful upload.
• Personal Information: The new system uses intelligent recognition technology, After you upload the passport information page, all personal details from the passport will be auto-filled. Although the new system has a high recognition accuracy, it is still recommended to double-check the information to ensure its correctness.
• Former Names: If you have any officially used other name or former names, please fill it in here.
• Name in Native Language: For those born in China (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan): fill in your Chinese name e.g., 张三. If you were not born in China, you can leave this section blank.
• Marital Status: For minors, please select Single.
• National ID Number: You can select “N/A” or enter your driver’s license number or passport number. Please do not fill in your SSN here.
• Have you “ever held other nationalities or resident statuses”? For those born in China (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan): select “Yes”, then select China. Continue to fill in the required information.
• Passport Type: Select Ordinary.
• Place of Issue: It is recommended to fill in your state name plus USA, for example: Texas USA, Or State Department of United States.

Part Two: Visa Type Application

• For L (Tourist) visa and M (Business) visa, please fill in 90 days, 120 months, multiple entries.
• For Q2/S2 (Family Visit) visa and R visa, please fill in 180 days, 120 months, multiple entries.
• For F (Exchange/Visit) visa, please fill in 90 days, 6 months, 2 entries. (YES Program Visa, Please select F visa, fill in 60 months and 90 days)
• For Z (Work) visa and X1 (Study) visa, Q1/S1 (Family Visit) visa please fill in 365 days, 3 months, single entry.
• For other visa types, please fill in according to your actual needs.

Part Three: Work

• Work Experience: Fill in at least 5 years of work experience. If you graduated less than 5 years ago, fill in your actual year of work experience. If you are retired, fill in the 5 years of work experience before retirement.
• Position and Responsibilities are also mandatory fields.

Part Four: Education Background

• Fill in your highest degree only. The name of the School and your major are required fields.

Part Five: Family Information

• Current Address: Your detailed address in the U.S., including street, city, state, and zip code.
• Contact Phone Number and Email: Mandatory fields.
• Spouse, Parents, Children: Please fill in truthfully. If deceased, please check “N/A” and indicate “Deceased.”

Part Six: Travel Information to China

• Currently, Chinese consulates no longer require flight and hotel information.
• Address of Stay: This can be a hotel address or a residential address. If it’s a Q2 family visit visa, it usually matches the inviter’s address.
• Inviter Information:
  • For L (Tourist) visa, Please check the “Not Applicable” box and indicate that you are applying for a tourist visa.
  • For Q1/Q2/S1/S2 (Family Visit) visas, please fill in the information of your Chinese inviter.
  • For M (Business) visa and F (Exchange/Visit) visa, please fill in the information of the Chinese inviting company or institution.
  • For Z (Work) visa, please fill in the information of your Chinese employer company.
  • For X (Study) visa, please fill in the information of the Chinese school or educational institution.
• Travel Expenses: If the applicant is a minor, please select “Other” and fill in the information of one of the parents. For Business visa, Please select Organization and fill in the company information.
• Companion Persons: For applications in the U.S., please be sure to select “No.”
• Have you been to China before? If you are a Chinese citizen who naturalized in the U.S. and are applying for the first time, please select “Yes” here.
• Countries visited in the last 12 months: This does not include the U.S. and China. Please fill in truthfully.

Part Seven: Past Travel Information

• Have you been to China before? If you are a Chinese citizen who naturalized in the U.S. and are applying for the first time, please select “Yes” here.
• Countries visited in the last 12 months: This does not include the U.S. and China. Please fill in truthfully.

Documents Upload Part

• Please upload your documents in the corresponding sections as required. If you cannot find the appropriate section for certain materials, please upload them under the “Supplementary Documents” category.

4. Submit Your Application In Person

Note: As of October 23, 2023, appointments are not required for Chinese visa applications in the U.S.

1. Submit the passport and approve page screen shot in person at the Visa Office; applications by mail are not accepted.
2. If you cannot apply in person, you may authorize a trusted agency or expediting service such as VisitChinaVisa.com to handle your application. To help applicants adapt to the new system, you may try our  Limited-Time Offer: For submission+ Pick up+ Mail back service for just $59, Consulate fee will be $140. We offer the service for all US States.

San Francisco Consular Visa Office Address:
1450 Laguna Street (Entrance on Geary Blvd),
San Francisco, CA 94115

Office Hours:
Monday to Friday (except holidays): 9:30am—2:30pm

5. Processing Time

• Regular Service: 4 working days
• Express Service: 3 working days (for urgent situations)

Note: Processing times are average estimates. Some applications may require additional time. The pick-up date may not be confirmed until notified by the Visa Office.

6. Pay the Visa Fee and Collect Your Visa

• Return to the Visa Office on your assigned pick-up date with your pick-up receipt.
• Upon receiving your visa, verify that all information is correct. If you spot any errors, notify the staff immediately to avoid future inconvenience.
• Accepted payment methods: MasterCard, Visa, money order, or cashier’s check.

This guide is current as of October 2025 with New China visa online application system and reflects the latest procedures and document requirements for China visa applicants at the San Francisco Consulate.

Tip:
Applying for a China visa at the San Francisco Consulate is straightforward if you’re prepared. Following these steps carefully will help ensure a smooth process and minimize delays in your travel plans.

If you are unable to apply in person, pressed for time, or prefer to avoid paperwork, you may use a trusted agency or expediting service like VisitChinaVisa.com. for our all inclusive service, Once your passport received, your visa will typically be issued within 3–5 business days.

To See Why Other Applicants Choose Visit China Visa Center:

• Full Refund Guarantee – If your visa is not approved, you pay nothing.
• Nationwide Service – Serve you anywhere in the U.S.
• Fast Turnaround – As quick as 2–5 business days.
• Professional Review – Avoid mistakes and delays.
• Step-by-Step Guidance – Clear instructions and support.
• Trusted by Thousands – Excellent customer reviews.
• Secure Shipping – Trackable passport with Visa Shipping.

📞 Call: 202-202-2888
📧 Email: service@visitchinavisa.com

✨ Wishing you a smooth visa application and a wonderful trip to China!