Visas are required by most foreigners entering mainland China. For a visa application from the European Union at the moment the following documents are needed:

• passport (with a validity of more than 6 months)
• completed visa application form
• 1 passport photograph
• airline ticket (round trip) or the itinerary
• official Chinese hotel confirmation letter
• invitation letter (only original)

At the homepage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China at www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/ (Missions Overseas => Chinese Embassies), you can find a link of your country’s embassy for downloading and printing the visa application form or further information on the application procedure.

For Germans: At the homepage of the Chinese Embassy (www.china-botschaft.de), you can find a link for downloading and printing the visa application form for China at www.china-botschaft.de/det/qz/P020090325675639621734.pdf.

A tourist visa (one-time entry) costs about EUR 50* (Germans: about EUR 20*). Additional EUR 30* will be charged for preferred processing of the application. The visa will be issued within four working days. All documents have to be handed in and picked up in person or by proxy. An application by mail is not possible. We would recommend a visa application via a travel agency.

If you have to sign contracts in China you need a business visa (one-time entry), which costs about EUR 50* (Germans: about EUR 20*). An official invitation letter by the trade fair organizers is required to apply for a business visa.

This invitation letter for exhibitors (free of charge) and visitors (subject to charge) will be provided by our office in Shanghai:

MMI (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. 11th floor, GC Tower, 1088 Yuanshen Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 200122, P.R. China

Mr. Steve Shen Phone: +86 (0)21 2020 5500 (ext. 863) Fax: +86 (0)21 2020 5666 shen.le@mmi-shanghai.com

* as of September 2009