China Business Visa Invitation Letter: What It Must Contain
The invitation letter is the document your M visa rests on. Here's who can issue it, exactly what it must include, how to spot a fake — and how HCSG gets yours sorted.
The invitation letter at a glance
What the invitation letter is — and the forms it can take
Three things to be clear on before you start.
The usual document
Written by your inviting company or partner in China, on their letterhead, with their official stamp and signature. This is what most applicants use.
For some nationalities
Some consulates require the inviter to obtain a separate verification letter from a local Foreign Affairs Office. Whether you need one depends on your nationality — we check.
Largely retired
These pandemic-era letters are largely no longer required, though a few consulates still mention them. We confirm the current rule so you don't chase an outdated document.
The details a China invitation letter must include
Letters are most often rejected for a missing field — this is the checklist your inviter needs to cover.
| Section | What it must show |
|---|---|
| About you | Your full name, gender, date of birth and passport number |
| Your trip | Purpose of the visit, dates of arrival and departure, places to visit, and your relationship to the inviter |
| Who pays | Who covers the costs of your trip |
| The inviter | The inviting company's full name, address and contact details |
| Made official | The company's official stamp, the signer's signature and the date — usually with a copy of the business licence |
How to get your China business visa invitation letter
The path in plain terms — HCSG runs it for you and keeps the visa timing aligned.
Identify a genuine inviter
Your invitation should come from a real business contact or partner in China. No supplier yet? HCSG can arrange a legitimate inviter for you.
Get the letter with the right details
Make sure the letter carries every required detail and the inviter's official stamp — a missing field is a common reason letters are rejected.
Add a verification letter if your post needs one
If your nationality requires it, the inviting company obtains a verification letter from a local Foreign Affairs Office. We tell you whether this applies to you.
Submit it with your visa application
Lodge the letter with your M-visa application at the embassy, consulate or visa centre that serves you — in person in many countries.
How to tell if a China invitation letter is genuine
Invitation-letter fraud is common, so check before you rely on one — or pay anyone. Be wary if: someone charges a fee for the “official” letter itself (a genuine partner's letter carries no government charge); the letter has no verifiable company details, stamp or signature; a barcode or QR “verification” leads nowhere; or anyone “guarantees” your visa for an up-front payment. Approval is always the consulate's decision. When something feels off, it usually is — ask us to check a letter before you act on it.
No charge for the document, paid for the work — and we help when others won't
To be completely clear: a genuine invitation from your partner carries no government charge, and you never pay HCSG for the document itself. Many budget agents go further and refuse Nigerian and several other applicants outright. What our fee covers is the done-for-you process: sourcing a legitimate, qualified inviter even when others decline, getting every detail on the letter right, arranging a verification letter where it's needed, and supporting your full M-visa application. The document stays free of charge; the work of getting it right is what we handle.
How HCSG handles this for you
From a blank page to an accepted letter — and a visa application built around it.
Source a legitimate inviter
We arrange a correct, properly-stamped invitation from a genuine inviter — including for applicants other services turn away.
Get every detail right
We make sure the letter carries every required field, so it isn't bounced for a missing line.
Handle verification letters
Where your post requires it, we coordinate the Foreign Affairs Office verification letter through the inviting company.
Support the whole visa
We assemble your documents and guide the M-visa application from invitation to collection.
The outcome: a letter that's accepted, a visa application that's complete, and none of the guesswork — even if you've been turned away elsewhere.
Questions founders ask us
Specific, net-new answers — not a repeat of the guide above.
Who can issue my China business visa invitation letter?+
Is the invitation letter free?+
What is a verification letter and do I need one?+
Can I get a business visa without an invitation letter?+
Someone offered to “guarantee” my visa for a fee — is that legitimate?+
Do PU or TE letters still apply?+
My supplier sent a letter — how do I know it's correct?+
Will an invitation letter alone get me the visa?+
Can HCSG arrange an invitation even if I've been refused service elsewhere?+
Need your China invitation letter sorted?
We'll source a legitimate inviter, prepare a correct letter, arrange a verification letter where it's needed, and support your full M-visa application.
