UK Visitor Visa for Chinese Citizens: 2 Years for £135
Chinese nationals can be granted a 2-year visitor visa at the standard price. This guide covers the specific requirements, financial evidence in CNY, and processing from Chinese visa application centres.
- Section
- Visitor Visa
- Reading time
- 9 min
- Last checked
- 9 June 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- 2-year multiple-entry visa at the standard £135 price.
- No TB test for standard visitor visa.
- Financial evidence should show consistent income in CNY.
- VACs available in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, and other cities.
Chinese nationals applying in mainland China can be granted a 2-year visitor visa at the standard 6-month price. This guide covers the specific requirements, the financial evidence the rules ask for, and how applications are made from Chinese visa application centres.
The 2-Year Visa Arrangement
Under the Chinese visa scheme, Chinese nationals applying in mainland China for a Standard Visitor Visa automatically receive a 2-year multiple-entry visa for the same fee as a standard 6-month visa (£135). This means you can visit the UK multiple times over 2 years without reapplying. Each visit is still limited to 6 months maximum.
Why Visitor Applications Are Refused
GOV.UK does not publish a refusal rate for visitor applications made in China, so this guide does not give one. The published rules set out what an application has to show, and these are the requirements refused applications most often fail on:
- Incomplete or poorly translated documentation
- Insufficient financial evidence
- Vague travel purpose or itinerary
See our refusal reasons guide for more.
Financial Evidence
Chinese applicants should provide:
- 3-6 months of bank statements showing regular income
- Employment certificate (from employer or hukou)
- Property ownership certificates
- Business licence (if self-employed)
All documents in Chinese should be accompanied by professional English translations. See our financial evidence guide and our UK visa fees guide for cost comparisons.
Processing Times
- Standard: 3 weeks
- Priority: 5 working days, for an extra £500
- Super priority: Next working day, for an extra £1,000 (available in major cities)
VFS centres are in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shenyang, Wuhan, Jinan, Changsha, Kunming, Xi'an, and Fuzhou. Apply on GOV.UK. See our processing time guide.
Document Translation
All supporting documents in Chinese must be translated into English by a professional translator. The translation should include the translator's credentials and certification that it is an accurate translation. Poor translations can delay or harm your application.
Next Steps
Related guides:
Questions and answers
How many visitor visa applications from China are refused?
The Home Office does not publish a refusal rate for Chinese visitor visa applications on GOV.UK, so this guide does not give a figure. The published statistics report outcomes by nationality and route in the quarterly immigration statistics release. The reasons a visitor application can be refused are set out in the visitor rules, and the most common are financial evidence that does not meet the requirements, and documents that do not match what the application says.
Do Chinese visitors get a 2-year visa by default?
Yes. Under the Chinese visa scheme, Chinese nationals applying in mainland China for a Standard Visitor Visa are issued a 2-year multiple-entry visa for the same price as a standard 6-month visa (£135). The Home Office fee table lists this as a footnote to the 2-year visit visa. This is a unique arrangement not available to most other nationalities.
Do Chinese visitors need a TB test?
A TB test is not required for a standard Visitor Visa. China is on the TB-testing list, but GOV.UK says the test is only needed if you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more.
How long does a UK Visitor Visa take from China?
Standard processing from Chinese VACs takes approximately 3 weeks. Priority (5 working days) and super priority (next working day) services are available at major VACs.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.