Finally, after waiting for more than 2 weeks, my visa has been approved! Although not very many people get rejected in applying for a Chinese student visa, I couldn't say it was very easy to get one.
Different countries may not have the exact same embassy procedures. Let me clarify that the steps I'm gonna be posting are for Filipino Citizens applying for a Chinese student visa for the first time in the Manila Chinese Embassy. If you live in a different country, you can still read on though just so you get an idea.
A short introduction about the Chinese F visa: It is issued for people who are planning to stay in China for 180 days or less. They could be for business trips, seminars, or for students who wish to study in China.
What to check before preparing other documents?
I had to renew my passport 2 months ago because I found out that it was about to expire! So first things first, you have to check your passport. It's not supposed to expire in the next 6 months from your intended travel date. China will not allow you to travel if your passport is close to it's expiry.
Make sure you still have the JW202 form that the school sent you. That document is very very important in applying for your visa. Through that form, the embassy knows you are seriously doing some legitimate business in their country and not just fooling around.
For some reason, people born in the years 1988-1991 are required to have a personal appearance before the embassy. So if you fall between those years (like me), then you should have a scheduled appearance before the Chinese embassy. I had mine around 2 weeks after I submitted my documents.
Do you need an agent?
For people living in provincial areas, where you can't directly go to the embassy without riding a plane, I suggest you get an agent. In my experience, I can't say it will be totally smooth sailing, but it will lessen the hassle on your part since they take the responsibility of mailing the documents and contacting the embassy when problems arise.
But if you live where the embassy is, then you can apply for a visa yourself. Just submit the complete documents, schedule your interview if you need one and don't forget to do constant follow-ups.
What are the requirements?
1. Fill up the Chinese Visa Application form, prepare 1 passport-sized photo with white background. Write your name at the back of the photo just to be sure. This will be glued to the application form.
2. Prepare a photocopy of your roundtrip ticket. A One-way ticket will do though, especially if your going to stay for months in China and don't have a definite date of coming back yet.
3. Obtain an NBI clearance - make sure it is valid for travel abroad.
4. Request for a bank certificate with official receipt from the bank. If you're still unemployed, or in no way able to prove that you can pay your expenses, ask your father/mother to prepare a guarantee letter, to assure the embassy that your parents are going to sponsor your education, food and stay. Submit it together with the bank certificate.
5. Don't forget your JW202 form and original passport. Compile all these papers and submit to your designated agency or to the embassy personally if you can.
After submitting all the requirements, you can schedule your personal appearance a week after with the embassy. Sometimes they only open half day, so the earlier you arrive, the better.
A few simple questions will be asked during the interview. No worries on your part though, they're really easy! So when it's done, the consul will just say "Okay", then you're free to go. If he/she returns the JW202 form, keep it! You're still going to need it in China. If not, it will be sent along with your passport and chinese visa 1 week after your interview.
That's about it.I hope future applicants will not encounter the same problems as I did. I lacked the bank certificate and many other documents because the consul didn't ask it from me when I appeared for the interview. When I followed up the week after, I found out that they did not process my visa because of lacking requirements. Now that you know them, submit them in full! I'm 99% confident you're Chinese student visa will be done in no time.
Best of luck!
Different countries may not have the exact same embassy procedures. Let me clarify that the steps I'm gonna be posting are for Filipino Citizens applying for a Chinese student visa for the first time in the Manila Chinese Embassy. If you live in a different country, you can still read on though just so you get an idea.
A short introduction about the Chinese F visa: It is issued for people who are planning to stay in China for 180 days or less. They could be for business trips, seminars, or for students who wish to study in China.
What to check before preparing other documents?
I had to renew my passport 2 months ago because I found out that it was about to expire! So first things first, you have to check your passport. It's not supposed to expire in the next 6 months from your intended travel date. China will not allow you to travel if your passport is close to it's expiry.Make sure you still have the JW202 form that the school sent you. That document is very very important in applying for your visa. Through that form, the embassy knows you are seriously doing some legitimate business in their country and not just fooling around.
For some reason, people born in the years 1988-1991 are required to have a personal appearance before the embassy. So if you fall between those years (like me), then you should have a scheduled appearance before the Chinese embassy. I had mine around 2 weeks after I submitted my documents.
Do you need an agent?
For people living in provincial areas, where you can't directly go to the embassy without riding a plane, I suggest you get an agent. In my experience, I can't say it will be totally smooth sailing, but it will lessen the hassle on your part since they take the responsibility of mailing the documents and contacting the embassy when problems arise.
But if you live where the embassy is, then you can apply for a visa yourself. Just submit the complete documents, schedule your interview if you need one and don't forget to do constant follow-ups.
What are the requirements?
1. Fill up the Chinese Visa Application form, prepare 1 passport-sized photo with white background. Write your name at the back of the photo just to be sure. This will be glued to the application form.
2. Prepare a photocopy of your roundtrip ticket. A One-way ticket will do though, especially if your going to stay for months in China and don't have a definite date of coming back yet.
3. Obtain an NBI clearance - make sure it is valid for travel abroad.
4. Request for a bank certificate with official receipt from the bank. If you're still unemployed, or in no way able to prove that you can pay your expenses, ask your father/mother to prepare a guarantee letter, to assure the embassy that your parents are going to sponsor your education, food and stay. Submit it together with the bank certificate.
5. Don't forget your JW202 form and original passport. Compile all these papers and submit to your designated agency or to the embassy personally if you can.
After submitting all the requirements, you can schedule your personal appearance a week after with the embassy. Sometimes they only open half day, so the earlier you arrive, the better.
A few simple questions will be asked during the interview. No worries on your part though, they're really easy! So when it's done, the consul will just say "Okay", then you're free to go. If he/she returns the JW202 form, keep it! You're still going to need it in China. If not, it will be sent along with your passport and chinese visa 1 week after your interview.
That's about it.I hope future applicants will not encounter the same problems as I did. I lacked the bank certificate and many other documents because the consul didn't ask it from me when I appeared for the interview. When I followed up the week after, I found out that they did not process my visa because of lacking requirements. Now that you know them, submit them in full! I'm 99% confident you're Chinese student visa will be done in no time.
Best of luck!
