How to Get a China Business (M) Visa
What the M visa covers, who can invite you, the documents, and the difference between how long it's valid and how long you can stay — explained, and handled for you.
China business (M) visa at a glance
What the M visa is — and isn't
Three things to be clear on before you start.
For commerce & trade
The M visa is for commercial and trade activity — meetings, sourcing, factory visits, negotiations and fairs. Being employed and paid in China is different, and needs a Z work visa.
Usually required
Most applicants need an invitation from a company or contact in China. We cover exactly what it must contain in the invitation-letter guide.
Embassy or visa centre
You apply at the Chinese embassy, consulate or visa application centre that serves you — the online form first, then in person to submit.
China visa types: M vs Z vs L vs F
Choosing the wrong category is the most expensive mistake you can make — here's the short version for business travellers.
| Visa | What it's for | Work in China? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| M (business) | Commercial & trade activities | No | Sourcing, factory visits, fairs, negotiations, meetings |
| Z (work) | Taking up employment in China | Yes — needs a work permit | A job offer from a China employer |
| L (tourist) | Tourism & leisure | No | Holidays and sightseeing — not trade activity |
| F (exchange) | Non-commercial visits & exchanges | No | Study tours, cultural or academic visits |
How to get a China business visa, step by step
A clear sequence — HCSG keeps the invitation, documents and timing aligned so nothing slips.
Secure a genuine invitation
Get an invitation from a legitimate business contact or partner in China — or have HCSG arrange one. It must carry the correct details and the inviter's official stamp.
Complete the online application
Fill in the official visa form online — through the COVA portal or the China visa-centre system that serves your country — and assemble your documents.
Book and submit in person
Book an appointment and submit at the embassy, consulate or visa application centre. In many countries — including across much of Africa — submission is in person, not fully online.
Give biometrics if required
Fingerprints are currently waived for short stays of 180 days or less through 31 December 2026; because that's time-limited, confirm the rule that applies on the day you submit.
Collect your visa
Once approved, collect your passport with the M visa. Standard processing is typically around four working days when the file is complete.
Visa validity and length of stay are not the same thing
This catches people out constantly. Validity is the window in which you may enter China — it runs to the “Enter Before” date on the visa. Duration of stay is the maximum number of days you may remain per entry, counted from the day after you arrive. They are independent: a one-year multiple-entry visa with a 60-day duration of stay lets you enter repeatedly for a year, but no single visit may run past 60 days. And once the validity date passes, the visa is finished — even if you still have entries left. Confusing the two is a common cause of accidental overstays.
What African business travellers should plan for
African importers are a fast-growing share of China's business visitors — but a few realities differ from the generic guides, and we plan around them for you.
No fully-online route
In Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana you complete the form online but submit in person at the visa centre or embassy — Abuja, Nairobi or Accra. Build the trip to the centre into your timeline.
Expect more than the basics
Some posts ask for more — for example a verification of your invitation, bank statements, or company and tax papers. We tell you exactly what your post expects, so nothing is missed.
The M visa is the route
China's short visa-free transit schemes don't cover Nigeria, Kenya or Ghana, and the long 10-year business visas aren't offered for these markets either. The M visa is the route — we make it straightforward.
Locked out of the “cheap invitation” market? You're not alone
Many budget agents that hand out a “free” China invitation letter quietly refuse Nigerian applicants — and several other nationalities — leaving exactly the travellers who most need help with nowhere to turn. Here's the honest picture: a genuine invitation from your business partner carries no government charge, and the official Canton Fair invitation is free, so HCSG never charges you for the document itself. No one can “guarantee” a visa either — approval is the consulate's decision, and that promise is a red flag. What you pay us for is the done-for-you process: sourcing a legitimate, qualified inviter even when others won't, assembling your file correctly, and supporting your visa from start to finish.
How HCSG handles this for you
Your China business visa, handled end to end — from the invitation to the day your passport comes back.
Official invitation letters
We arrange a correct, properly-stamped invitation from a legitimate inviter — including for applicants the budget market turns away.
Business visa support
We assemble and check your documents and guide the M-visa application so it's right the first time.
Delegation coordination
Travelling as a team? We coordinate group and executive delegations so everyone's paperwork and timing line up.
Meeting arrangement
We set up and schedule the business meetings your visit is built around, so the trip earns its keep.
Protocol, etiquette & hosting
From etiquette guidance to corporate hosting on the ground, we make sure high-stakes meetings go smoothly.
The outcome: a clean invitation, a well-prepared visa application, and a trip organised around real meetings — while we carry the paperwork, timing and on-the-ground detail.
Questions founders ask us
Specific, net-new answers — not a repeat of the guide above.
Do I need an invitation letter for a China business visa?+
Can I do business in China on a tourist visa?+
What's the difference between an M visa and a Z visa?+
How long can I stay in China on a business visa?+
Can I get a long, multi-year China business visa?+
How much does a China business visa cost?+
Do I still need a PU or TE invitation letter?+
Will I need to give fingerprints?+
Can HCSG arrange my invitation and visa even if other agents declined?+
Planning a business trip to China?
Tell us your country and your reason for travel — we'll arrange the invitation, prepare your documents and support the M-visa application end to end.
