Which visas can be extended, changed or reissued inside China

2026-10-11

Question IV of the National Immigration Administration's port visa Q&A lists M, F, S2 and Q2 visas for extension, renewal and re-issue, and L visas for extension and re-issue, at the exit-entry office where the holder stays.

Short-term visitors to mainland China can extend, renew or reissue some visas at a local exit-entry office without leaving the country. Question IV of the National Immigration Administration's Q&A on port visas says that M, F, S2 and Q2 visas may be extended, renewed and re-issued, and L visas may be extended and re-issued, if the holder has legitimate reasons to keep staying.

Which visas can be handled locally

Question IV covers foreign nationals who come to China for short-term, non-diplomatic and non-official activities. The Q&A's English answer reads: "may submit applications to the nearest exit-entry administrations of the public security organs located in the places where they stay".

Visa class	Extension	Renewal	Re-issue
M (business)	Yes	Yes	Yes
F (visit)	Yes	Yes	Yes
S2 (short-term private affairs)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Q2 (short-term family visit)	Yes	Yes	Yes
L (tourist)	Yes	Not listed in Question IV	Yes

Question IV names the activities as business cooperation, visit and exchange, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, tourism, and private matters. It also requires "legitimate reasons" for extending the stay.

Extending a visa

Under the extension section of the National Immigration Administration's service guide for foreigners' visas, the application shall be filed with the exit-entry administration of the public security organ seven days prior to the expiry of the stay period marked on the visa. The English in this article is this site's translation of that Chinese guide.

The guide sets stay limits for two classes:

F visa: Under item 2, the holder shall submit a certification letter from the inviting or receiving unit. The stay may be extended for no more than 180 days.
S2 visa: Under item 9, a family visit applicant shall submit a letter from the person being visited, a residence certificate for foreigners, and proof of the family relationship or a declaration of it. The stay of a family visit applicant may be extended for no more than 180 days. Other S2 applicants shall submit proof of private affairs or humanitarian reasons, and their stay may be extended for no more than 90 days.

The guide also states that the total of extensions must not exceed the stay period originally marked on the visa.

Changing a visa

Article 10 of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners says that after entry with a visa, a foreigner may apply to change the visa in the following cases:

the foreigner changes the purpose of stay or is granted entry conveniences under State provisions;
the foreigner starts using a new passport;
a group visa holder needs to stay separately from the tour group for objective reasons.

The application goes to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ at or above the county level in the place of the foreigner's stay.

The guide's change section says that the stay under a changed visa is counted continuously and cumulatively from the date of this entry, and does not exceed one year. The guide also lists supporting documents for a change. Check that list on the official page before you apply.

Reissue after loss, theft or damage

Article 11 of the Regulations says that where a foreigner's visa is lost, damaged, destroyed, stolen or robbed, "the applicant shall, in a timely manner, apply" to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ in the place of stay for reissuance.

The guide's reissue section lists these documents:

For a lost or stolen visa, a passport loss report or a notice from the holder's country's embassy or consulate in China, plus a new valid passport or other international travel document.
For a damaged visa, the damaged passport or the notice from the holder's country's embassy or consulate in China, plus a new valid passport or other international travel document.
For a lost, stolen or damaged group visa, a certification letter from the local receiving travel agency and a copy of the group visa.

The guide says a visa may be reissued that matches the original visa in type, validity for entry, length of stay, and remaining number of valid entries.

Questions people ask

Can an L visa be renewed inside China?

Question IV names extension and re-issuance for L visas. It does not name renewal for them.

How long can an F visa be extended?

The guide's extension section says the stay of an F visa holder may be extended for no more than 180 days.

What should I do if my visa is lost?

Article 11 of the Regulations says the applicant shall, in a timely manner, apply for reissuance at the exit-entry administration of the public security organ where the foreigner is staying.

Planning suggestion (not a rule): File well before the seven-day deadline. Confirm the current rules on the official page before you travel.

Sources

Checked 10 and 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. The official text and the current notice of the office handling your case prevail if they differ.