Passports --Visitors must have a validpassportwith a 6-month validity beyond the date of arrival and two blank pages remaining.
Visas --All visitors to mainland China (but not the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau) are required to have avisa.Tour groups are usually issued a group visa, with the paperwork handled by the travel agency (check with your agent). Individual travelers should apply for visas from your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate. Contact information for all Chinese embassies and consulates can be found at www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng. Some consulates require in-person applications while others allow applications by post or courier with extra charges. Visas are typically processed in 3 to 5 business days, though 1-day service is possible if you apply in person and pay extra fees.
The most common type of visa is the single-entry "L" tourist visa, usually good for 30 days, though you can request a longer validity period. Your request may not always be granted, and in some cases, you may be asked to produce supporting documentation (such as a travel agent-issued itinerary or an airline ticket with a return date). If you're going to be leaving and then returning to mainland China, apply for a double-entry visa. There is also a multiple-entry 6-month visa, but these are significantly more difficult to come by (requiring mounds of documentation) in most countries except in Hong Kong. Visas are typically valid for 1 to 3 months after the date of issue.
To apply for a visa, you must complete anapplication form,which you can request by mail or download from the various consular websites. Also required is onepassport photoper individual traveler (including a child traveling on a parent's passport). Though the visa is valid for the entire country (with a few exceptions that may require special permits), in general, avoid mentioning Tibet or Xinjiang on your application.