China M visa: the business invitation and what it must contain

An M visa applicant needs an invitation document issued by a commercial or trade partner in China. Regulations, Article 7, item (7) says the applicant "shall, as required, submit the letter of invitation provided by the commercial or trade partner in China", and the M Visa section of the Visa Application Instructions lists what that invitation must contain.

Which rule covers the M visa

Regulations, Article 6, item (7) states: "The M visa is issued to persons who come to China for commercial trade activities."

The category table in the Visa Application Instructions gives the M row as: "Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities."

Both texts describe the same purpose. The category table is the reference for the purpose of the trip. The Regulations text is the legal basis.

What the invitation document must contain

The M Visa section of the Visa Application Instructions describes the document as "Invitation documents issued by a trade partner in China, such as documents on commercial activities or invitations to economic and trade fairs." It then says the invitation documents must contain the following information:

• Personal information of the invited: name, gender, date of birth, etc.
• Information about the invited person's visit to China: reason for coming to China, dates of arrival and departure, place of visit, relationship with the inviting entity or the inviting person, who will pay for the travel, etc.
• Information of the inviting entity or the inviting person: name of the inviting entity or name of the inviting person, phone number, address, official seal of the entity, signature of the legal representative or the inviting person, etc.

The section uses "etc." in each group. Prepare the items it lists, and check with the embassy or consulate handling your application for any further items it requires.

Form of the letter: fax, copy or original

Section III, Important Tips of the Visa Application Instructions, first point, says: "The invitation letter may be a fax, a photocopy or a printout, but the consular officers may require the applicant to provide the original one."

The word "may" applies to both parts. The letter can be sent in those forms, and the officers can still ask for the original.

As a suggestion, not a rule: keep the signed original of the letter ready, in case the officers ask for it.

Other materials the officers may ask for

Section III, Important Tips, second point, says: "When necessary, the consular officers may require the applicant to provide other supporting documents or supplementary materials, or require the applicant to attend an interview."

Regulations, Article 7, the last paragraph, says: "The visa authority may, in light of specific cases, require a foreigner to submit additional application material."

Validity, duration of stay and number of entries

Section III, Important Tips, third point, says: "The consular officials will decide whether to issue a visa and determine its validity, duration of stay and number of entries according to the applicant's specific circumstances."

The number of entries and the duration of stay are therefore set by the consular officials in each case. The M Visa section does not set a fixed number of entries or a fixed duration.

Basic documents

Section I, Basic Documents of the Visa Application Instructions begins: "As required by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General in your locality, please fill in the visa application form online and submit the applicant's passport and photo, proof of legal stay or residence, and the previous Chinese passport or previous Chinese visa." It then says the list is to be submitted "together with the following", which leads to the class-specific requirements such as the M Visa section.

For the online form and the requirements of your local office, use the China Online Visa Application System and the website of the relevant Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General, as Section I names them.

Questions people ask

Can the M invitation be sent as a photocopy?

Section III, Important Tips, first point of the Visa Application Instructions says the invitation letter may be a fax, a photocopy or a printout. The same point says the consular officers may still require the original.

Who decides whether the visa is issued?

Section III, Important Tips, third point says the consular officials decide whether to issue a visa and determine its validity, duration of stay and number of entries. This site cannot say how that decision will go.

For the other visa classes and the entry rules, see visa classes.

Sources

• Visa Application Instructions of the People's Republic of China (申请办理中华人民共和国签证须知), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC (China Consular Services)
• Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, National Immigration Administration

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, any embassy, consulate or visa application service centre. It is not legal or immigration advice. If the official text and the current notice of the office handling your case differ, the official text and that notice prevail.