Visa Information
=============================================================================================================================
Visa Application
For most foreigners, you need a visa before visiting China. An easy way to do it is to apply for a tourist visa. If for reasons you need a business visa or other types of visa, you can write to us for an appropriate invitation letter (see detailed information below) and specify what kind of visa you are applying for.
Please note that it is the conference attendee's responsibility to obtain an appropriate visa on time. The conference organizers will provide assistance (such as invitation letters) and suggestions during the process however please understand we are not associated with any visa office or agency and have no control of the outcome of the visa application process.
Applicants should initiate the process as early in their travel plans as possible, adequate time (> 1 month) should be allowed for processing visa applications.
Tourist Visa
You can apply for a tourist visa of China all by yourself. Such visa is issued to foreigners for sightseeing and visiting relatives or any other personal affairs, it belongs to visa category “L”. Applying for a tourist visa to attend the conference (invitation letter is NOT required for "L" visa), all you need is an itinerary including round trip air ticket booking record and proof of a hotel reservation. Visa "L" is characterized by a short duration of stay, usually 30 days, no more than 90 days, and cannot be extended upon expiration (as of Spring 2011, it is possible to do an extension while in China, however the procedure is complicated and the renewal is subject to approval).
If you receive explicit instructions or orders to apply for a non-tourist visa, you will need an invitation letter from us (see below). As such, it may require more procedures/materials than the invitation letter itself and the situation varies from case to case, please consult with your local Chinese consulate/embassy or visa agency for detailed instructions.
You can go to the Chinese Embassies, Consulates and other Chinese diplomatic missions to submit application in person. If you can't come personally, you can entrust someone, a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf. Applications directly sent to Chinese embassies and consulates by mailing are usually not accepted. No appointment is required for tourist visa application.
Please refer to the official webpage of Chinese Embassy or Consulates in your country for the most up-to-date procedure and requirement, some links are provided below for your convenience and for information purpose only. At the last link, we provide an example of a commercial service organization who may provide additional assistance in applying the Chinese visa ("Chinese Visa Application Service Center").
1. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America
2. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
3. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Switzerland
4. Botschaft der Volksrepublik China in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
5. Ambassade de la Republique Populaire de Chine en Republique Francaise
6. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Italy
7. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Japan
8. Chinese Visa Application Service Center
Letters of Invitation
If you require a letter of invitation (for Official or Business Visa) when attending the conference, please send the request to us (leeastronomy@sjtu.edu.cn) as soon as possible AFTER registration and prepare the following information:
* Scanned copy of passport's first page (contains photo, full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, expiration date of the passport)
* Financial source for travel expenditures
* Expected date of arrival in China
* Expected date of departure from China
* Affiliation
* The embassy or consulate of China where you apply for visa
The same information is required for your accompany person(s), please indicate the relationship with your accompany person(s)
| 
