Skip to content
China/Business (M) Visa

China Business (M) Visa: Invitation Letters, Fees and Multi-Year Validity

How the China M visa for commercial and trade activities works in 2026: the invitation letter, the COVA form, fees by nationality, processing, and when the 30-day waiver makes it unnecessary.

Processing: 4 working days standard; express 2-3 working days where offered
Fee: $140
Last verified:September 2026
Updated:
|
Verified:
|
Reviewed by Sam Calder
|Editorial Policy

What This Means for You

If you are going to China for meetings or a trade fair and your passport is not on the waiver list, ask your Chinese counterpart for a stamped invitation letter first; everything else follows the tourist-visa process. If your passport is British, European, Australian, Canadian, Japanese, Korean or Saudi, a business trip of up to 30 days needs no visa at all until 31 December 2026.

Overview

The M visa covers commercial and trade activities: meetings, negotiations, trade fairs, factory visits, after-sales service and similar work on behalf of a foreign employer. It is distinct from the Z work visa, which is for employment by a Chinese entity, and from the F visa, which covers non-commercial exchanges, research and study tours.

Who needs it: Business visitors whose passports are not on the 30-day waiver list, including Americans, Indians, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, South Africans, Bangladeshis and Vietnamese, and anyone from a waiver country who needs longer than 30 days per visit. Citizens of the 50 waiver countries and the treaty countries may attend meetings, exhibitions and negotiations for up to 30 days without any visa, since the policy explicitly covers business and exchange visits.

The invitation: The core document is an invitation letter from the Chinese company or organisation on letterhead, stating the applicant's details, the purpose, the dates, who pays, and the inviter's contact and registration details, signed and stamped with the company seal. Many missions also ask for the inviter's business licence. Trade-fair invitations from the organiser are accepted for exhibitions such as the Canton Fair, and applicants attending the Canton Fair have historically been able to use the fair's own invitation system.

Fees: The same reciprocal schedule as the L visa, reduced by 25% until 31 December 2026: US$140 for US citizens at any validity; £64, £128 or £191 for British citizens by validity; Rs2,900 single to Rs8,800 twelve-month multiple for Indian citizens; NGN 10,500 to NGN 31,500 for Nigerian citizens; nothing for Pakistani citizens. Centre service fees and express surcharges apply as for the L visa.

Validity: Frequent business travellers can request multiple-entry visas of six months, one year or longer, and US citizens are normally issued ten-year multiple-entry M visas. Indian applicants in the reduced schedule pay Rs5,900 for six-month and Rs8,800 for twelve-month-plus multiple entry. The duration of each stay, typically 30 to 90 days, is set separately.

Process and timing: Identical to the tourist visa: COVA form online, appointment at the visa application centre or mission, submission of the passport, four working days as standard, fingerprints waived for stays up to 180 days until 31 December 2026.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Purpose is commercial or trade activity for a foreign employer or your own foreign business: meetings, negotiations, trade fairs, technical visits, after-sales service
  • Invitation letter from a Chinese company or organisation, or from a trade-fair organiser
  • Ordinary passport valid for at least six months with two blank pages
  • Not taking up employment with a Chinese entity, which requires a Z visa and work permit
  • Not on the 30-day waiver list, or needing more than 30 days per entry

Required Documents

Passport

Required

Valid for at least six months from the planned entry with two blank pages

COVA application form

Required

Completed online, printed and signed, with the M visa category selected

Enter the inviter's details exactly as they appear on the invitation letter

Invitation letter

Required

From the Chinese company or organiser: applicant's name, passport number, purpose, dates, who bears the costs, inviter's name, address, phone and official seal

A scanned copy is accepted by most missions; some ask for the inviter's business licence as well Try it now

Employer letter

Optional

Letter from your own employer confirming your position, the purpose of the trip and that you remain employed abroad

Asked for by some missions and useful for multi-year validity requests Try it now

Photograph

Required

Recent colour passport photo on a white background, uploaded to COVA and one printed copy

Previous Chinese visas

Optional

Copies of earlier visas when requesting multi-year multiple entry

Proof of legal stay

Optional

Residence evidence if applying outside your country of nationality

Application Steps

1

Check whether the waiver covers you

Business visits of up to 30 days are within the 30-day waiver for 50 countries and the treaty exemptions. If your passport qualifies and the trip is short, stop here.

2

Obtain the invitation letter

Ask the Chinese company or trade-fair organiser for a stamped letter with your passport details, dates, purpose and who pays. Check the seal is present; unstamped letters are refused.

3

Complete the COVA form

Select the M category and enter the inviter's details. Upload the photo, print and sign.

4

Book and attend the appointment

At the visa application centre or, in the United States, the mission's visa office. Submit the passport, form, invitation and any employer letter. No fingerprints for stays up to 180 days until 31 December 2026.

5

Pay and collect

Consular fee for your nationality plus the service fee. Standard return in four working days; check the entries and duration of stay printed on the visa.

Visa Fees

TypeAmountNote
US citizens, any validity$140Reduced until 31 December 2026; express US$25; normally ten-year multiple entry
British citizens£64-191Single £64, five-year multiple £128, ten-year multiple £191, plus the centre service fee
Indian citizensINR 2,900-8,800Single Rs2,900, double Rs4,400, six-month multiple Rs5,900, twelve months or more Rs8,800; express Rs1,800, urgent Rs2,700
Nigerian citizensNGN 10,500-31,500Single NGN 10,500 to one-year multiple NGN 31,500
Pakistani citizensPKR 0Exempt from all visa fees; service fee only
View full China fee breakdown

Common Reasons for Refusal

Understanding these can help you strengthen your application

  • 1Invitation letter without a company seal, or with details that do not match the form
  • 2Purpose that amounts to employment, which needs a Z visa
  • 3Inviter that cannot be verified or has no business registration
  • 4Inconsistent employment history on the COVA form
  • 5Previous overstay or violation of visa conditions

If your application is refused: You will receive a letter explaining the reason. In most cases, you can reapply immediately with a stronger application addressing the concerns raised.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a business visa for a short meeting in China?

Not if your passport is on the 30-day waiver list or a treaty list: the policy covers business visits, exchanges, conferences and exhibitions for up to 30 days. Americans, Indians, Nigerians, Pakistanis and Filipinos do need the M visa for any business visit, and everyone needs it for stays longer than 30 days.

What must the invitation letter contain?

The applicant's full name, gender, date of birth and passport number; the purpose of the visit, the planned arrival and departure dates, the places to be visited and the relationship to the inviter; who pays for the trip; and the inviter's name, address, telephone, official seal and the signature of the legal representative. Missions may ask for the inviter's business licence.

Can I get a multi-year China business visa?

Yes. US citizens are normally issued ten-year multiple-entry M visas for US$140. British citizens can request five- or ten-year validity (£128 and £191). Indian citizens can apply for six-month (Rs5,900) or twelve-month-plus (Rs8,800) multiple-entry visas. Missions generally expect a previous Chinese visa and a clear business relationship before granting long validity.

Can I attend the Canton Fair on a tourist visa?

Visiting a trade fair is a commercial activity and belongs on an M visa. For citizens of the 50 waiver countries the point is moot, since the waiver covers exhibitions. For everyone else, apply for the M visa with the organiser's invitation.

What is the difference between the M and F visas?

The M visa is for commercial and trade activities. The F visa is for non-commercial exchanges: academic visits, cultural exchanges, scientific cooperation and study tours. The waiver policy covers both purposes for the 50 countries. If you are unsure, the inviting organisation's nature usually decides it: a company means M, a university or institution means F.

Generate Your Documents

Create all required documents for your Business (M) Visa application

Trip PlannerVisa Cover Letter GeneratorSponsor/Invitation Letter Generator
View all tools

Processing Time

4 working days standard; express 2-3 working days where offered
Standard processing

Important

Requirements may change. Always verify current requirements with the official embassy or consulate website before applying.

Travel essentials

Partner links
WisePartner

Pay visa fees in GBP, EUR, or USD at the real exchange rate — typically 3–5x cheaper than your bank's international transfer.

Check my rate
SafetyWingPartner

Travel medical insurance covering 180+ countries with up to $250,000 in coverage. Meets Schengen EUR 30,000 minimum. Download your proof-of-insurance visa letter instantly from your dashboard — no emails, no waiting.

Get covered

We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work

Official Sources

This information is based on the following official sources. Always verify with these sources before submitting applications.

China Online Visa Application (COVA)

The Foreign Ministry's online application form that every visa applicant completes before booking a submission appointment.

cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn
Chinese Visa Application Service Centre

Directory of the outsourced centres in more than 70 countries where most visa applications are lodged, with each centre's fees and opening hours.

visaforchina.cn
NIA — Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa-Exemption Policies (17 February 2026)

The National Immigration Administration's list of the 50 countries whose citizens may enter China visa-free for up to 30 days, with the permitted purposes and the day-count rule.

en.nia.gov.cn
Consulate General in San Francisco — Notice on Extension of Visa-Fee Reduction (30 December 2025)

Reduced fees in US dollars for US citizens and others until 31 December 2026, with the express surcharge.

sanfrancisco.china-consulate.gov.cn
Chinese Embassy in the UK — Notice on Extension of Visa-Fee Reduction (26 December 2025)

Reduced consular fees in pounds for British and other passports until 31 December 2026.

gb.china-embassy.gov.cn
Chinese Embassy in India — Notice on Extension of Visa-Fee Reduction (4 January 2026)

Reduced consular fees in rupees for Indian and other passports until 31 December 2026, and the unchanged express and urgent surcharges.

in.china-embassy.gov.cn

Links open in a new tab. VisaCalm is not responsible for external website content.

More China Visas

View all China visas