Once a British colony for convicts from the United Kingdom, Australia is the largest island on earth, and the smallest continent. Majority of the land is desert, stretching from one side of the country to the other, with only the coastal areas and the eastern side of the country that are extremely fertile. Most of Australia’s population centers are found around the coastal regions of the country, in the east and southeast, the southwest, and on the northern coast. This former colony has now become an independent nation, and like the United States, became a haven for immigrants from around the world, with many Asians and Europeans traveling to make a new life in the New Territories. Nowadays, Australia is a modern nation, with a thriving economy and high per-capita incomes, and Australians are well known around the world as travelers. Australia is considered a wealthy country, and this shows well in the ability of Australian citizens to travel around the world. Being relatively close to Asia, this makes it ideal for Australians to travel to the many Asian countries for holidays, and travel to China is one of the more popular destinations for Australian tourists.

Chinese Entry Visa

For Australians, getting a visa for China is the same as for many of the western nations, and requires Australian passport holders to apply for a Chinese Entry Visa in much the same way as everyone else. China does not have an online visa application process, an E-visa, or a Visa On Arrival service, and all visa applicants are required to obtain their visa before traveling. There is no visa-free eligibility for Australian passport holders, and the standard visa applications affords a normal 30-day, single-entry visa for the People’s Republic of China that is valid for three months from the date of issue. 

Requirements

  The standard 30-day visa application has most of the same requirements as for everywhere else in the world. The requirements for the visa application for the tourist visa can be found on the website of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Australia at http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/vfc/t1423980.htm or through the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website at http://smartraveller.gov.au/countries/asia/north/pages/china.aspx. The standard requirements for a Chinese Entry Visa for Australian passport holders are:

• Your original passport valid for at least 6 months and with at least one blank visa page.
• Photocopies of the data and photo pages of the passport.
• One completely filled Visa Application Form (V. 2013). This can be done by downloading the PDF document from the official website at http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/bg/P020160114417040761211.pdf and printing. The completed application for must be signed..
• One photo that meets the specific requirements for the Chinese Visa. The photo must be a recent color passport photo, with bare head, full face, and against a light background. The photo must be 48mm high by 33mm wide and attached to the completed application form in the space provided.
• Proof of the legal status of non-Australian passport holders must be shown. Non-Australian applicants must have legal status to reside in Australia and a copy of the current status proof, such as VEVO, ImmiCard, or visa should be submitted.
• Your last passport, if you are 16 years old or over and your passport was issued after January 1, 2015, regardless of its nationality, should also be submitted.
• Any previous Chinese passport or Chinese visa must be provided if you are applying for your first visa with a new Australian passport for former Chinese citizens only, including copies of the data and photo pages.
• If the name on the current passport differs from that on the previous passport, an official document of name change must also be submitted as proof of the change of name.
• Your hotel reservation booking form for your visit to China.
• Documents showing the itinerary including the air ticket booking record (round trip or proof of onward travel).

Application Process

The application process can be done in one of two ways, by personal application or using the visa by mail service. Personal applications for Chinese Entry Visas are not handled by the Chinese Embassy and Consular Offices in Australia. Applications for visas must be made through the Chinese Visa Application Service (CVAS) centers located in a separate office of the Embassy or Consular Office for your area. For a personal application, you need to visit the CVAS center for your area, and submit the completed application form and other documents, including your original passport, to the center officials. The visa is normally ready to be collected from the same office after four working days. The CVAS also has an Express Service that takes three days and a Next Day Rush service, although all applications for Rush or Express services must be pre-approved by the Consulate General and are subject to additional fees. For mail applications, applicants must use only Express Post or Registered Post from the Australian Postal Service, and no other courier is accepted. It is advisable to keep a copy of the tracking number and track the mail through the Post Office website to ensure it is received. The mail application must contain the completed application form, your original passport, all supporting documents, and a money order or Payment Authorization Form for the fee. You must also include a pre-paid self-addressed envelope for the return of your passport and visa. The pre-paid service must also use the Express or Registered Post services of the Australian Postal Service. Mail applications normally take ten working days to process, and Rush or Express services are not available to mail applicants. The visa fee for the Chinese Entry Visa for Australian passport holders is AU$ 109.50, and can be paid by money order, company check, debit card, or credit card. Cash is only accepted for applications through the CVAS centers, and not applicable for mail applications. For payment by debit or credit card for the mail service, applicants must download and complete the Payment Authorization Form from the official Embassy website at https://www.visaforchina.org/CBR_ZH/upload/Attach/mrbj/268680.pdf. It should be noted that the CVAS centers for both personal and mail applications only accept credit or debit cards from MasterCard or VISA. Other cards are not permitted and personal checks are not accepted.  

Chinese Embassy and Consular Offices

  There are five offices for the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Australia. The main Embassy office is in Canberra, the nation’s capital, while Consular Offices can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. Each of these offices contains a separate department known as the Chinese Visa Application Service, or CVAS. These offices provide the visa and passport services for Australian nationals and Chinese citizens visiting Australia. The offices serve separate areas of the country, and all applications must be made to the relevant office for your area.

Contact Information

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Canberra

Chinese Visa Application Service Center Suite 201, level 2, Canberra House, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra, ACT 2600 Mail Address: P.O. Box 1862, Canberra, ACT 2601 Tel: 02 6279 7800 Fax: 02 6247 2888 Website: http://www.visaforchina.org/CBR_EN/ Email: [email protected] Service Area: Capital Territory (Canberra District), South Australia, North Territory Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Melbourne

Chinese Visa Application Service Center Ground Floor, 570 ST., Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia Mail Address: P.O. Box 20516, World Square , Sydney, NSW 2002 Tel: 02 9475 8800 Fax: 02 9261 2088 Website: http://www.visaforchina.org/MEL_EN/ Email: [email protected] Service Area: Victoria, Tasmania Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney

Chinese Visa Application Service Center Level 5, 299 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia Mail Address: P.O. Box 20516, World Square , Sydney, NSW 2002 Tel: 02 9475 8800 Fax: 02 9261 2088 Website: http://www.visaforchina.org/SYD_EN/ Email: [email protected] Service Area: New South Wales Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Perth

Chinese Visa Application Service Center Ground Floor, 256 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WA 6000 Mail Address: P.O. Box 3090, East Perth, WA 6892 Tel: 08 9220 3800 Fax: 08 9221 1888 Website: http://www.visaforchina.org/PER_EN/ Email: [email protected] Service Area: Western Australia Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Brisbane

Chinese Visa Application Service Center Part Level 4, 140 Ann Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia Mail Address: P.O. Box 12545, George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4003 Tel: 07 3031 6300 Fax: 07 3221 9388 Website: http://www.visaforchina.org/BNE_EN/ Email: [email protected] Service Area: Queensland Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm