Opening hours for visa office: 8:30 am to 11:30 am , 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Working days (Morning for submission, Afternoon for pay and collection), except holidays and for special circumstances.

1. Please read carefully before preparing the documents and submitting the application.

(1) The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has the right, in accordance with the laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China, to interpret, adjust and change the specific methods of visa application; it has the right to review, suspend, refuse and cancel the issued visa without explaining the reasons; and it has the right to decide the validity period of the visa, the period of stay and the number of entries into the country according to the specific circumstances of each case. At the same time, the Embassy shall not be liable for any financial loss incurred by the applicant due to the above-mentioned reasons. If the visa is not available or cannot be used due to personal reasons or force majeure, the applicant is responsible for this and the Embassy will not refund the fees paid by the applicant.

(2) Since June 30th 2025, the Embassy has launched the China Visa Online Processing System (https://consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA/).

All applicants (except those applying for visas for Hong Kong,China and Macao,China) are required to register and log in to the China Visa Online Processing System, fill in the application form truthfully and completely, and then submit the completed information and application materials online and wait for the online preliminary examination. After passing the online preliminary examination, applicants can submit their passports and collect biological information at the Embassy without making an appointment. Any inaccurate or incomplete completion of the application form or provision of false documents may result in rejection of the visa application or denial of entry into China. If necessary, the consular officer may ask the applicant to provide other supporting documents or additional materials, depending on the situation, or ask the applicant to agree to come to the Embassy for an interview.

(3) Once the visa application has been submitted online, it takes 1-3 working days for the visa application to be verified. When the applicant comes to the Embassy to submit the passport and other documents, the visa processing time is usually 3-4 working days.

(4) The Embassy does not accept postal service and online payment.

2. Steps for visa application.

Step 1: Preparation of visa application materials

Please read Part 3 “Documents Required for Visa Application” carefully and prepare relevant documents as required.

Step 2: Fill in the online form

Please register and login to China Visa Online Processing System (https://consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA/) to fill in and submit the visa application form online. After logging in, please click “Guidance on Visa Application”to understand the process of visa processing, and then click “Start My Application” to apply and submit.

Attention:

All applicants are required to fill in the application form online using this system. Each applicant (including minors) must complete the application form.

The visa application will be considered successfully submitted only after clicking “Confirm and Submit” in the interface. At this time, the “Track the status of my application” will show “Preliminary review is in progress. Please follow closely the status changes of your application”.

Step 3: Waiting for review

Please go to “Track my application” to check the progress of your application. Once the application has been submitted, it will take 1-3 working days for a preliminary review to take place. The Embassy may at any time notify the applicant that further documentation is required. If there is a problem with the information on the application form or the content of the documents, the Embassy will return the application to the applicant for amendment, so please go to “Track my application” to make changes or additions.

The Embassy will only notify the applicant in the system whether the visa application has been approved or refused. In case of doubt, the Embassy will contact the applicant for further verification, so please be sure to check the Email address and telephone number provided with your visa application.

Step 4: Submission of visa application documents

No appointment is required to submit your application documents. If the "Track the status of my application" system displays "Please visit the Embassy/Consulate for your application. Please check the office address and opening hours before your visit", the applicant can come in person during the Embassy's visa office working hours.

Step 5: Payment of fees and collection of documents

Applicants should pay the fees at the Embassy using the Pick-up slip issued at the time of passport submission.

3. Documents required for visa application

(1) Basic application materials

a) Original passport and a copy of its first page: valid for more than 6 months, with a blank visa page. Please provide previous passport if you have.

b) Photo. Must be a recent colour ID photo (48×33mm), facing forward and with white coloured background, and bareheaded (if the photo uploaded by the system is not qualified, the paper photo will be used for scanning and replacement).PHOTO REQUIREMENTS.jpg

c) Proof of legal stay or residence (for those who do not apply for visa in their country of nationality): If the applicant does not apply for visa in his/her country of nationality, he/she is required to provide the original valid proof of legal stay, residence, work or study in Sri Lanka or the original valid visa.

d) Original Chinese passport or original Chinese visa (for those who had Chinese nationality and later joined a foreign nationality); If the applicant is applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, he/she must provide the original Chinese passport; if he/she has been granted a Chinese visa before and is applying for a visa with a newly renewed foreign passport, he/she must provide the photo page of the original foreign passport and a copy of the Chinese visa he/she used to be granted (in case the name in the new passport does not correspond to the name in the original passport, a document certifying the change of name issued by the relevant official is required as well).

(2) Other original or photocopy of application documents required by the Embassy.

Please refer to the website:

http://lk.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/qz/201804/t20180416_1999850.htm

DOWNLOAD:

Guidance on Online Visa Application.pdf