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UK Visa for Chinese Citizens

Chinese citizens need a UK Standard Visitor visa. We prepare the application. You attend a biometrics appointment.

From $224

$35 Visarun service + $189 government fee

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Visa information

UK Visa for Chinese citizens

For visits of up to 6 months for tourism, family and friends, or business meetings.

visa required

Chinese citizens need a Standard Visitor visa before they travel. They cannot use the UK ETA.

UK government fee

£135

About $189. Not refunded if the visa is refused.

Usual decision time

3 weeks

After your visa centre appointment. Faster options cost extra.

Stay per visit

Up to 6 months

Tourism, family and friends, business meetings.

Long-term visa

2, 5 or 10 years

2 years costs £135 if you apply in mainland China.

When to apply

Up to 3 months ahead

Do not travel until it is approved.

Where to apply

Online at gov.uk

Then fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre.

Passport

Valid for your whole stay

Check the expiry date before you apply.

Not allowed

Work or marriage

Permitted paid engagements are the exception.

Start Your UK Visa Application

We prepare and check your application. You then give fingerprints and a photo at a visa centre.

Get started for free

Start with a free eligibility check. You pay after you fill in the application form.

Last checked in October 2026. Sources: Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor: apply (GOV.UK), Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026, Transit visas (GOV.UK)

UK Visa documents for Chinese citizens

Valid Passport

Valid for your whole stay in the UK. You bring it to the visa application centre and get it back the same day.

Biometrics Appointment

Fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre, unless you are told you can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app.

Proof of Funds

Evidence that you can support yourself and any dependants during the visit and pay for your return or onward journey.

Proof You Will Leave

Evidence that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit and will not live there through frequent or successive visits.

Certified Translations

Any document that is not in English or Welsh needs a certified translation. We point out which of yours need one.

UK Visa application steps for Chinese citizens

Your journey to the United Kingdom in 4 easy steps.

Fill Application

Answer our questions once. We prepare your Standard Visitor visa application for the official gov.uk form.

Upload Documents

Upload your passport and supporting documents. We check them against the visitor visa requirements.

Pay and Submit

Pay our service fee and the official visa fee. We submit your application online and guide you to book your appointment.

Give Biometrics

Attend a visa application centre for your fingerprints and a photo. A decision usually follows within 3 weeks.

UK Visa cost for Chinese citizens

No hidden fees. Pay only for what you need.

We are not affiliated with any government or embassy. Visa decisions are made solely by the consulate.

Estimates only - not legal advice or a guarantee. Total cost may include third-party fees beyond the government fee and our services.

Visit Visa up to 6 Months

$224

Government fee

$189

Service fee

$35

Decision usually within 3 weeks after biometrics
Online application prepared and submitted
Document check and translation guidance
Guidance for your biometrics appointment

Apply for UK Visa

What happens after you pay?

Order Confirmation

You get an email with your order details and a link to follow your visa application.

Document Review

We review your documents against the Standard Visitor rules and tell you what is missing or needs a certified translation.

Online Application

We complete and submit your gov.uk visa application and guide you to book a visa application centre appointment.

Biometrics and Decision

You give fingerprints and a photo at the centre and get your passport back the same day. A decision usually follows within 3 weeks.

In Progress

Document Check✓ Verified

Online Application✓ Submitted

Biometrics AppointmentBooked

Visa DecisionAwaiting

Which UK Visa do you need?

Standard Visitor visa

For tourism, family visits and business meetings. You can stay up to 6 months, and the visa costs £135. Approved visas are issued as an eVisa, a digital record linked to your UKVI account.

Long-term visitor visa

Valid for 2, 5 or 10 years (£506, £903 or £1,128), with up to 6 months per visit. Chinese nationals applying in mainland China pay £135 for the 2-year visa.

British-Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)

If you live in China, your UK visitor visa may be endorsed BIVS. It then also covers short visits to Ireland of up to 90 days. You must enter the UK first.

Transit through the UK

If you pass UK border control and leave within 48 hours, you can get a Visitor in Transit visa (£74.50). Some nationalities also need a Direct Airside Transit visa (£41.50) to change planes. A valid US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa may exempt you.

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Individual results may vary. The consulate makes the final decision.

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Approval Chances

Answer a few questions to see how ready your Standard Visitor visa application is.

Passport

Chinese

Destination

United Kingdom

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Individual results may vary. The consulate makes the final decision.

UK Visa FAQ for Chinese passport holders

Do Chinese citizens need a visa for the UK?

Yes. Chinese citizens travelling on a People's Republic of China passport need a Standard Visitor visa and must not travel until it is approved. You apply online, then give your fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre, and you get your passport back the same day. The visa usually lets you stay up to 6 months per visit. Tour groups visiting for less than 30 days can apply for an ADS visa instead. Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR passport holders need an ETA, not a visa.

How much does a UK Standard Visitor visa cost?

The official fee is £135 for a Standard Visitor visa of up to 6 months. If you apply in mainland China under the Chinese visa scheme, a 2-year long-term visa also costs £135. Otherwise long-term visas cost £506 for 2 years, £903 for 5 years or £1,128 for 10 years, with a maximum stay of 6 months on each visit. The fee is not refunded if your application is refused. Visarun's service fee is separate and shown in the pricing section.

How long does a UK visitor visa take?

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks. Where available, the priority service usually gives a decision within 5 working days for £500 extra, and super priority usually by the end of the next working day for £1,000 extra. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel, and you must not travel until your visa is approved.

How long can Chinese citizens stay in the UK?

You can usually stay up to 6 months on each visit. A standard visa is valid for up to 6 months, while a long-term visa lasts 2, 5 or 10 years with the same 6-month limit per visit. For applicants under 18, a long-term visa is valid only until 6 months after they turn 18. On a visitor visa you cannot do paid or unpaid work, apart from permitted paid engagements, or claim public funds. You cannot marry or register a civil partnership, which needs a Marriage Visitor visa, and you must not live in the UK through frequent or successive visits.

What documents do Chinese citizens need for a UK visitor visa?

You need a passport valid for your whole stay and evidence that you can support yourself and any dependants, pay for your return or onward journey and will leave the UK at the end of your visit. Any document that is not in English or Welsh needs a certified translation. At the visa application centre you give your fingerprints and a photo, unless you are told you can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app instead.

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