1. Who can apply for a Chinese visa by mail-in packages?

Foreign passport holders in Jamaica, Belize and Cayman Islands are eligible for visa applications by mail-in packages if they meet one of the three following criteria:

A. Persons that are under the age of 14 years old or above the age of 70 years old;

B. Persons that intend to apply for short-term visas with a maximum stay period of 180 days;

C. Persons that have applied for a Chinese visa during the past 5 years with their fingerprint having been collected and intend to apply for a Chinese visa using the same passport.

2. What are short-term visas?

Short-term visas generally refer to single or double-entry visas that are valid for three months and allow holders to stay in China for a period of no more than 180 days as specified on the visas.

3. Three years ago, I applied for a Chinese visa at the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica using my Jamaican passport and have my fingerprint collected. Now I would like to apply for a new Chinese visa using my US passport. Do I meet criterion C?

No. To meet criterion C, one has to use exactly the same passport as the previous application.

4. I can meet criterion C. Can I mail my application for a multi-year, multi-entry visa?

Yes. Persons that meet criterion C are exempted from fingerprint collection and can apply for multi-year, multi-entry visas. In addition, persons that meet criterion A or B can also apply for multi-year, multi-entry visas.

5. I am a Jamaican passport holder and am now in Florida of the US. Can I mail my application for a Chinese visa?

No. The Chinese Embassy in Jamaica only accepts mail-in applications by foreign passport holders in Jamaica, Belize and Cayman Islands. Persons outside the three places need to apply for their Chinese visas in a Chinese diplomatic or consular mission that corresponds to their place of residence or stay.

6. I am an Indian passport holder in Belize, and I have no Belizean passport. Can I mail my application for a visa?

Yes. Foreign passport holders that legally enter or stay in Jamaica, Belize or Cayman Islands can mail their Chinese visa applications as long as they can meet one of the three above-mentioned criteria.

7. I am a 72-year-old French passport holder and am temporarily visiting Cayman Islands. Can I mail my application for a multi-entry visa?

No. Foreign passport holders that are above 70 years old and are staying in Cayman Islands can mail their Chinese visa applications. But for third-country passport holders that are temporarily visiting Jamaica, Belize and Cayman Islands, the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica does not issue multi-entry visas in principle.

8. If I forgot to sign the Confirmation Page and Visa Application Form in the mail, can I reprint the two documents, get them signed and email to you a scanned copy of them?

No. The two documents must be signed and mailed in their originals.

9. My child is 8 years old, and I would like to mail a Chinese visa application for him. Is there anything special I need to pay attention to?

Please sign both your name and your child’s name at appropriate sections of the Confirmation Page and Visa Application Form. 

10. I am a foreign passport holder of Chinese descent and have never applied for a Chinese visa before. Is there anything special I need to pay attention to before mailing my visa application?

Foreign passport holders of Chinese descent are subject to Chinese citizenship finding. For Chinese citizenship finding, please click here. If you find yourself in conflict between Chinese citizenship and foreign citizenship, you need to apply for a Chinese travel document. Otherwise you can mail your visa application. Please prepare all required documents for Chinese citizenship finding on top of other required documents, and make sure that your birth certificate must be mailed both in its original and in its hard copy format. The Chinese Embassy in Jamaica will return the original format after verification.

Foreign passport holders of Chinese descent with previous Chinese visas are not subject to Chinese citizenship finding. They are required to mail a hard copy of their previous Chinese visas.

11. How should I frame my invitation letter as required for my Chinese visa application?

Please use the invitation letter template as provided by the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica. As a minimal requirement, an invitation letter otherwise produced must contain every information set out in the template.

12. Where and how should I obtain a cheque to foot my Chinese visa application fee?

Please obtain your cheque in USD or JMD at an international renowned bank and make sure that the amount printed on your cheque is accurate, complete and distinct. If you are in Jamaica, please note that the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica will charge you in JMD only.

13. If the cheque I mailed has an incorrect amount, can the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica refund the excess or allow me to mail another cheque to make up the shortfall?

No. If the amount on the cheque is incorrect, the application package will be returned. The Chinese Embassy in Jamaica can neither refund the excess or accept additional cheques to make up the shortfall. Please check against the following Visa Application Fee Form to prepare your cheque.

14. What does the third country in the Visa Application Fee Form refer to?

The third country refers to most countries such as the UK, India and Belize. Fees for a handful of countries are subject to country-specific arrangements, and please consult the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica for details if need be.

15. My passport has only 10 months’ validity left, and I intend to apply for a multi-entry visa valid for 8 months. Do I need to prepare my cheque according to the fees for a 6-month, multi-entry visa or a 12-month, multi-entry visa in the Visa Application Fee Form?

If you intend to apply for a multi-entry visa valid for more than 6 months, you need to pay the fees for a 12-month, multi-entry visa. In addition, if you intend to apply for a multi-entry visa valid for more than 12 months, you also need to pay the fees for a 12-month, multi-entry visa.

16. Does the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica have any preferred or suggested courier service providers?

No. So far most applicants have chosen renowned and reliable courier service providers such as DHL and FedEx. There are courier service providers that do not allow their clients to prepay return service bills, and therefore, no return envelope and waybill can be provided. Please confirm with your courier service provider on this matter.

17. I have mailed my application. Will the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica send to me a confirmation of receipt of my mail?

No. The Chinese Embassy in Jamaica does not inform applicants about receipt of their applications. Please use the Tracking Number of your mail-in package to track the status of your application.

18. I forgot to enclose in my mail-in envelope the return envelope and waybill. Can the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica foot the return service bill and return the envelope on my behalf?

No. The Chinese Embassy in Jamaica cannot foot the return service bill on behalf of applicants. If there are no return envelope and waybill, the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica will require you to email a soft copy of a prepaid return waybill. To avoid delivery schedule delay, please ensure that a return envelope and a waybill are enclosed in your mail-in envelope.

In addition, please do not enclose a cheque in your mail-in envelope for paying the return service bill. Return service bills need to be prepaid, and the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica cannot foot a return service bill using a mail-in cheque on behalf of an applicant.

19. I have mailed my application, and I wish to inquire how many days does it take for me to receive my Chinese visa?

The Chinese Embassy in Jamaica needs 7 to 10 days to receive and process mail-in applications and cannot control the time for mail delivery. Please use the Tracking Number of the mail-in package to track the status of your application.

20. I need to make an urgent visit to China. Can I get an urgent service for my mail-in application?

No. The Chinese Embassy does not provide urgent service or extra urgent service for mail-in applications. For urgent visit to China, please come to the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica in person during our opening hours for your visa application.