Q visa or S visa: is your family member in China a Chinese citizen or a foreigner?
If your relative in China is a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with Chinese permanent residence, the family class is Q; if your relative is a foreigner staying or residing in China for work, study or other purposes, the class is S. The page lists the family members each class names.
If your relative in China is a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with Chinese permanent residence, the family visa class to check is Q. If your relative is a foreigner staying or residing in China for work, study or other purposes, the class to check is S.
The number after the letter separates the two lengths of stay. Regulations, Article 6, item 8 describes the Q1 visa for residence and the Q2 visa for a short-term visit. Item 10 describes the S1 visa for a long-term visit and the S2 visa for a short-term visit.
The four family classes at a glance
| Class | Your relative in China is | Intended stay in China (category table) |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | A Chinese citizen, or a foreigner with Chinese permanent residence | The category table gives no duration for Q1 |
| Q2 | A Chinese citizen residing in China, or a foreigner with Chinese permanent residence | No more than 180 days |
| S1 | A foreigner staying or residing in China for work, study or other purposes | Exceeds 180 days |
| S2 | A foreigner staying or residing in China for work, study or other purposes | No more than 180 days |
The table is a summary of the category table in the Visa Application Instructions of the People's Republic of China on the China Consular Services website. The full wording of each row follows.
Q1 and Q2: family of Chinese citizens and of permanent residents
The category table of the Visa Application Instructions gives Q1 as follows: "Issued to those who are family members (spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law) of Chinese citizens or of foreigners with Chinese permanent residence and intend to go to China for family reunion and residence, as well as those who apply to enter and reside in China for foster care or other reasons."
The same table gives Q2 as follows: "Issued to those who intend to visit their relatives who are Chinese citizens residing in China or foreigners with Chinese permanent residence, for a short-term stay of no more than 180 days."
Regulations, Article 6, item 8 uses the same family of Chinese citizens and of foreigners with permanent residence status in China. It states that Q1 is for family members "who apply for residence in China for family reunion, as well as for persons who apply for residence in China for fosterage or other purposes". Q2 is for "relatives of Chinese citizens living in China, or relatives of foreigners with permanent residence status in China, who apply for a short-term visit".
S1 and S2: family of foreigners staying or residing for work, study or other purposes
The category table gives S1 as follows: "Issued to those who intend to go to China to visit the foreigners residing in China for work, study or other purposes, to whom they are spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 or parents-in-law, and to those who need to reside in China for other private affairs. The intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days."
The same table gives S2 as follows: "Issued to those who intend to visit their family members (spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law) who are foreigners staying or residing in China for work, study or other purposes, and to those who need to stay in China for other private matters. The intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days."
Regulations, Article 6, item 10 gives the S1 visa for "the spouses, parents, children under the age of 18 or parents-in-law of foreigners residing in China for work, study or other purposes who apply for a long-term visit to China, as well as for persons who need to reside in China for other personal matters". Its S2 entry is for "family members of foreigners staying or residing in China for work, study or other purposes who apply for a short-term visit to China, as well as for persons who need to stay in China for other personal matters".
The family lists in the category table and in Regulations, Article 6, item 10 are worded differently, for example "sons or daughters under the age of 18" in the table and "children under the age of 18" in the Regulations. Each list is correct for its own document, so check the list in the document you are reading.
Residence permits in Regulations, Article 15
Regulations, Article 15 is a separate provision about residence permits. Item 4 reads: "The residence permit for reunion is issued to family members of Chinese citizens and family members of foreigners with permanent residence status in China who need to reside in China for family reunion, and to persons who need to reside in China for fosterage or other purposes".
Item 5 reads: "The residence permit for personal matters is issued to spouses, parents, children under the age of 18 or parents-in-law of foreigners residing in China for work, study or other purposes, who apply for long-term visit to China, as well as for persons who need to reside in China for other personal matters."
Article 15 does not tell you which visa class to apply for. Read it only as a description of the permit types.
What to check next
Suggestion, not a rule: write down the status of your relative in China before you choose a class. If the status is Chinese citizen or foreigner with Chinese permanent residence, start with the Q classes. If it is a foreigner staying or residing for work, study or other purposes, start with the S classes.
For the conditions that apply to your class, see the visa classes section of this site. Confirm the requirements with the embassy or consulate that will handle your application.
Sources
- Visa Application Instructions of the People's Republic of China, China Consular Services website (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC)
- Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, English text (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, and 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.