Documents
How to prepare your documents
Some papers are only accepted in China with a translation and certification, and doing that at home is cheaper and quicker.
What to take with you
Passport and visa — the originals, plus copies kept separately from them.
An invitation or proof of the purpose of your trip, if the visa is a business one.
Documents for the specific task: education records for study, marriage and birth certificates for family matters, constitutional documents for registering a company.
Worth knowing
Certification requirements depend on which authority in which city will receive the document. Check them before the translation, not after.
Translation and certification
Translation into Chinese is almost always required: not every authority accepts English.
Legalisation or an apostille is a separate step after translation, and it happens in the country that issued the document.
Certificates often stay valid for less time than you would think: obtaining them far in advance is pointless.
Tip
Keep a scan of every document in the cloud. If an original is lost, a copy speeds up replacement several times over.
Checked: 26 August 2026
Editor: The PANDA editorial team
What you can hand to PANDA
Sources
- Chinese Visa Application Service Centerofficial source
- National Immigration Administration of the PRCofficial source
- PRC government portal for foreignersofficial source
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