J2 Visa (Short-Term Foreign Journalist)
🇨🇳 China visas · Work
What it is
Chinese visa for foreign journalists entering China for short-term news coverage, a stay of no more than 180 days.
Key facts
- Category
- Work
- Duration
- Validity and stay set by the issuing Chinese mission.
- Application fee
- Visa fee set by the Chinese mission (varies by nationality and number of entries).
- Processing time
- 4–5 days
- Maximum validity
- 6 months
- Extendable
- Yes
- How to apply
- Mixed
Standard figures for this route. Some applicants pay a reduced fee or none at all, so confirm your own case on the official page.
Key requirements
- Passport valid for the intended stay
- Completed visa application form and photo
- Documents evidencing the purpose of the visit
- Application at a Chinese embassy, consulate or visa application service centre
Working on this visa
Short-term reporting is the purpose of the visa; the 短期采访记者签证 itself is the working credential and must be carried and shown when interviewing. Reporting without it is prohibited and can be stopped by the police.
Facts checked against the official source. Last updated 4 August 2026.