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Consular Section
Services
The
American Citizen Services Unit of the Consulate is located at
No. 4 Lingshiguan Lu in Chengdu.
The Consulate is open from 8:30 A.M. - 5:30 P.M. Monday through
Friday. The Consulate is closed on Saturdays and Sundays and on
American and local holidays. Office hours for non-emergency American
Citizen Services are Monday through
Thursday from 1:30 P.M. to
5 P.M. and Friday from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Non-emergency services
include services such as passport, report of birth, registration,
notaries, and certificates of marriageability. Americans may seek
emergency assistance at any time during regular business hours
or by calling the duty phone outside regular business hours. There
is a duty officer on call 24 hours a day for emergencies. The
duty officer may be reached at 13708001422. To contact us during
regular business hours or by email, call (028) 8558-3992, fax
(028) 8554-6229, or email consularchengdu@state.gov.The
Consular district includes the provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou,
and Yunnan, as well as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), and
the Chongqing Municipality.
If you are an American citizen who will be in
China for an extended time, please register with us. Registration
will enable us to locate you in case of a family emergency, be
informed about the number of Americans in the event of a large-scale
emergency. We are required by law to keep any information you
provide us completely confidential and will release ONLY when
authorize by you to do so.
If
you are an American Citizen or United States Legal Permanent Resident
who will be in traveling or residing in China, several helpful
tips can be found by visiting the State Department’s Consular
Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips_china.html. In addition,
the China Information Sheet provides detailed information about
China and issues you may face as an American residing in or visiting
China. The China Information Sheet is located at http://travel.state.gov/china.html.
Most Frequently
Asked Questions about Visas
General
Visa Questions
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Adoptions
Applications for US immigrant visas for adopted children are processed
at our Guangzhou consulate. Information about adopting children
in China can be found at the Guangzhou Consulate’s Adoption Unit
web site at:
www.usembassy-china.org.cn/guangzhou/acivu/. Additional
information regarding international adoptions can be found on
the State Department's Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov/adopt.html.
Arrests
and Detentions
When an American is detained by Chinese authorities, the Consulate
General does all it can to assist. In conformance with the US
- P.R.C. Consular Convention, a US citizen detainee may contact
a consular officer. A consular officer will visit American detainees
and provide a list of sources of legal advice or assistance. In
cases of lengthy incarceration, we try to visit American prisoners
at least every sixty to ninety days and to assure that Americans
receive treatment no worse than that accorded citizens of the
P.R.C.
The Consulate
General maintains a list of
legal advisory officers and attorneys for use
by Americans in need of such services. Consular officers cannot
give legal advice or act as advocates in private disputes.
Customs
Returning US residents are permitted to import $400 of goods duty-free
(provided the goods are accompanied by the individual). For US
citizens resident abroad who will be returning to China after
visiting the US, the limit is $100 of goods duty-free per visit
home. More specific information is available in Customs Service
pamphlets in the Consular Section.
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Emergency
Funds
Although the Consulate General recommends private inter-bank transfers
as the most efficient method to send money internationally, in
cases of real emergency the US Department of State can assist
relatives in the US who wish to send money to China. The Consulate
cannot cash checks.
If an American
citizen becomes destitute in China, the Consular Section can assist
in contacting family or friends in the US who can send money.
In extreme cases the Consulate General may arrange for a repatriation
loan to cover the expenses of returning to the US.
Taxes
Most federal income tax forms are available in the Consular Section.
State tax forms need to be obtained by corresponding directly
with state tax
offices. Their
fax number is (703) 368-9694.
Medical
Care
American
citizens who require medical attention or hospitalization may
contact the Consular Section for information on local physicians
and hospitals. A list of doctors, dentists, and hospitals known
to treat foreigners is available from the Consular Section. Consulate
medical personnel are prohibited from treating persons not employed
by the US government.
While the
US government cannot pay medical costs incurred by Americans abroad,
we can assist hospitalized Americans to notify family members
in the United States and arrange for the transfer of funds to
Chengdu.
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Marriages
in China
The process of American citizens marrying Chinese Nationals can
be lengthy and confusing if you are not aware of the procedures.
The American Citizen Service Unit has a detailed document on the
marriage procedures and the information that needs to be provided
to the particular agencies. It is available to you upon request.
Information concerning marriage records may be obtained by visiting
http://travel.state.gov/vital_records_services.html.
Notaries
Consular officers perform notary services customarily provided
by Notaries Public in the US. Persons requiring such services
should visit the Consular Section during regular office hours.
A fee of US$30 (approximately RMB 249) is charged per notary.
Birth
of a US Citizen in China
US Citizen parents with children born in China should register
their children with the Chinese Government. The birth should also
be reported immediately to the Embassy or Consulate General. Upon
application, the Consulate General will issue a Consular Report
of Birth Abroad and a US passport. However, if the child is born
to one parent that is a US Citizen and another that is a Chinese
National, the child may be issued a U.S. Consular Report of Birth
Abroad, but will require a Chinese passport to depart China for
the first time. A U.S. passport may subsequently be issued. The
Report of Birth Abroad may be used in lieu of a birth certificate
for school, work, or other purposes. Evidence required for a Report
of Birth and passport includes: (1) a certificate (notarized)
copy of the child's local birth certificate; (2) the parents'
passports; (3) a certified copy of the parents' marriage certificate,
if applicable; and (4) evidence of the termination of any previous
marriages. The application for a Report of Birth includes an application
for a social security number for the child, necessary for US income
tax purposes. The fee for this service is US$65 (approximately
RMB 540). Information concerning birth records may be obtained
by visiting http://travel.state.gov/vital_records_services.html.
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Death
of a US Citizen
The death of an American citizen in China, whether resident or
tourist, should be reported to the Embassy or Consulate General
as soon as possible. The Consular Section will notify the next-of-kin
and can assist in making the necessary arrangements regarding
the disposition of mortal remains and personal effects. The Embassy
or the Consulate General will also issue a Consular Report of
Death that may serve as a Death Certificate in the US for probate,
inheritance, and other purposes. In death and other emergency
cases, please call (86-28) 8558-3992 or fax 8554-6229 during regular
business hours. If after hours, please call the duty officer at
13708001422. Information concerning death records may be obtained
by visiting http://travel.state.gov/vital_records_services.html.
Teaching
English in China
Americans considering teaching English in China should first verify
that the school they plan to work for is authorized to hire foreigners.
Also, the American should enter China on a work visa if
his/her intent is to work. Please email the Consulate if you have
questions regarding English teaching in southwest China.
International
Child Abductions
For information concerning international child abductions, please
visit the State Department's Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov/abduct.html.
Registration
The Consulate recommends that every American residing in the Chengdu
Consular District for an extended period register with the Consular
Section. Registration will enable us to locate you in case of
a family emergency, and help keep us better informed of the number
and location of American citizens in the event of a large-scale
emergency. We are required by law to keep any information you
give us completely confidential, and will release it ONLY when
authorized to do so by you.
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Passports
Lost, stolen, or expired passports can generally
be replaced by a full-validity passport within the twelve working
days of receiving the application. If the applicant does not intend
to be present in the district long enough for a full-validity
passport to be processed, a temporary validity passport can usually
be issued on the same day. In either case, applicants should submit
a completed application form accompanied by three photographs
measuring 2 in. X 2 in. Recognizing that identification papers
are often lost with a passport, applicants are also requested
to provide, if possible, evidence of citizenship and identity
(i.e.. originally or photocopy of driver's license, expired passport,
birth certificate, sworn statement of U.S. citizenship, etc.)
If you have previously registered with us, this is not necessary.
The fee for adults is US$85 (RMB706); for children is US$70 (RMB
581).
Lost or
stolen passports must be immediately reported to the local Public
Security Bureau. The original report must be represented to the
Consulate when applying for a replacement passport. The report
must also be presented to Chinese authorities when applying for
a new visa to replace the visa in the missing passport. Failure
to obtain a replacement visa can result in a fine or greater difficulty
when attempting to leave China. For additional information about
passports, please visit the Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov/passport_services..html.
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Voting
Applications for absentee ballots and general information on voting
eligibility and procedures are available by contacting the U.S.
Consulate Chengdu’s American Citizen Services Section. We may
be contacted by email at ACSChengdu@state.gov. Additional
information regarding overseas voting assistance can be found
at www.fvap.gov/.
Chinese
Visas
American citizens seeking to enter China with out a valid visa
may be fined RMB 1,000 to 10,000 or receive 3 to 10 days detention.
Those who overstay their visa, may be warned or fined RMB 500
per day up to the maximum of RMB 5,000, or detained 3 to 10 days.
Americans who wish to reside in China for extended periods of
time or to work in China, should obtain a resident visa from the
local Exit and Entry Department of the Public Security Bureau.
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Exit and Entry Department
Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau
144 Wen Wu Lu
Tel: (028) 8662-6577
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Exit and Entry Department
Sichuan Provincial Public Security Bureau
40 Wen Miao Hou Jie
Tel: (028) 8663-4124
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Immigrant
Visas (IV)
Immigrant visas are processed only at the US Consulate General
in Guangzhou. IV applications, including fingerprinting, are handled
only in Guangzhou. Information about Immigrant Visa application
procedures may be obtained by visiting the Guangzhou Consulate’s
web site at www.usembassy-china.org.cn/guangzhou/.
Non-Immigrant
Visa (NIV) Applications
For non-Americans wishing to travel to the US, applications are
reviewed at the Consulate General's Visa Unit on Monday through
Friday mornings between 8:30 AM and 12:00 AM. During periods when
there are high numbers of applicants, the consular section also
schedules interviews in the early afternoons Monday through Thursday.
Interview appointments must be made in advance by calling the
appointment call center at 4008-872-333. Fee:
Callers will need to pay a small fee to access the Call Center.
The initial charge will be 54 RMB for 12 minutes of use. Any calls
that take longer than 12 minutes, of which we anticipate there
will be relatively few, will be assessed an additional 54 RMB
for each 12-minute segment.
Payment options: Callers will be able
to pay for the service using credit card, debit card, bank draft,
or postal order.
Credit/Debit card: Payment can be made
by entering the credit/debit card number into the telephone for
validation.
Bank draft/Postal order: Applicants can
send either of these to the Call Center, and 10 days later may
call and access the service.
CITIC Bank: Applicants may purchase Call Center
calling cards directly from CITIC Bank at the time application
fees are paid.
Note: Non-immigrant visa appointments
will no longer be made by calling the US Embassy or an individual
consulate directly - all non-immigrant visa appointments will
be made through the Visa Information Center which may be reached
at 4008-872-333.
Application fees must be paid at a local CITIC
Bank location. For those applicants that are issued visas, the
applicants may return to the Consulate at 4:00PM on the date of
the interview to pick up their visas.
In addition,
visa applications must be filled out completely before the visa
interview occurs. A complete application will include answers
to all questions listed on the application form. Simply answering
"hotel" to the question regarding where the applicant
plans to stay in the U.S. is not sufficient. If the applicant
has previously traveled, it’s always a good idea to bring your
old passport to the interview so the adjudicating officer can
verify your prior travels. Visa applicants should also bring information
such as housing documents and proof of income and bank savings
to the visa interview. If you are planning to visit a relative
in the United States, proof of your relationship to that person
should be provided. Proof of relationship may include photos together,
housing documents, birth certificates, visa copies, passport copies,
etc.
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Applicants That Have Previously Traveled
to the United States
Applicants
applying for a B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourist/visitor) visa may
drop off their visa applications at the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu
for adjudication and are not required to appear for a visa interview
so long as their previous visa is currently valid or expired less
than twelve months ago, and they are applying for the same type
of visa. Applicants seeking to renew F and J visas may also drop
off their applications at the consulate for adjudication if their
prior visas of the same classification expired less than twelve
months ago and they are returning to the same school or institution
as was indicated on their previous visa application. Additionally,
to qualify to drop off your application at the consulate for adjudication,
applicants must be residents of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Tibet,
or the Chongqing Municipality. Applicants that do not require
an interview may drop off their visa applications and supporting
documentation at the consulate between 8:30AM and 10:30AM Monday
through Thursday. Issued visas may be picked up on the same day
at 4:00 PM.
Non-Immigrant Visa Photo Requirements
The photograph of each visa applicant must be an
un-mounted full-face photo, taken within the past six months.
A "full face" photo is one in which the applicant is
facing the camera directly. The applicant should not be looking
down or to either side, and the face should cover about 50 percent
of the area of the photo. Although variations in hair styles and
in head coverings make it difficult to rigorously define the term
"face," in general, the head of the applicant, including
both face and hair, should be shown from the crown of the head
to the tip of the chin on top and bottom, and from hair line side-to-side.
It is preferable that the ears be exposed. The key requirement
is that the photograph clearly identify the applicant.
The photograph should measure 2 inches square (roughly
50 mm square) with the head centered in the frame. The head (measured
from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure
between 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm) with the eye level
between 1 1/8 inch to 1 3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from the
bottom of the photo. Photos may be either in color or black and
white and must be taken against a white or off-white background.
Photos should be printed without borders. Photos should be stapled
or glued to Form DS-156, Nonimmigrant Visa Application. If the
photograph is stapled, the staples should be placed as far away
as possible from the applicant's face. Photos taken in front of
busy, patterned, or dark backgrounds will not be accepted.
Starting immediately, nonimmigrant visa applications
should include a photo that meets the requirements outlined above.
These are identical to the requirements for U.S. passport photos.
Applicants are free to use the services of any studio that can
produce photos meeting these requirements; however, it may be
easier to get the required photos at studios that can already
produce U.S. passport photos. If you cannot find a photo service
near you that can produce photos consistent with the requirements,
the Consular section can provide the names and addresses of photos
studios in Chengdu that currently produce acceptable U.S. passport
and visa photos. After April 10, only photos meeting these new
standards will be accepted for nonimmigrant visa applications.
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The Sample Photo
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Nonimmigrant Visa
Application Forms
DS-156 Visa Application Form - All applicants
applying for a visa with a Chinese passport must complete two
DS-156 application forms, one in English and one in Chinese. Each
form is two pages, and must be printed on the front and back of
each sheet of paper. Only A-4 or 8.5 x 11 inch paper will be accepted.
DS-157 Supplemental Visa Application Form -
All applicants 16 years of age and older must complete two
DS-157 application forms, one in English and one in Chinese. Each
form is one page, and must be printed on separate sheets of paper.
Only A-4 or 8.5 x 11 inch paper will be accepted.
DS-158 Contact Information and Work History
for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant - All applicants applying
for F (Student), J (Exchange Visitor) and M (Non-academic Student)
visas, and their dependents (F-2, J-2 and M-2 visas), must complete
two DS-158 application forms, on in English and one in Chinese.
Each form is two pages, and must be printed on the front and back
of each sheet of paper. Only A-4 or 8.5 x 11 inch paper will be
accepted.
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Help
Us Fight Visa Fraud
If you have information concerning any type of visa fraud, please
contact the Consular Section’s Fraud Prevention Unit at: ChengduFPM@state.gov of by fax
at (86-28) 8554-6229.
Non-Immigrant Visa Applicants From
Countries Other Than China
If you are a citizen of any country other than
China, please bring the following items to your visa interview:
- A valid Chinese re-entry visa/permit
- Your Chinese residence card (Green Card)
- An itinerary
- Evidence of marital status
- Submit a DS-156, DS-157, and DS-158 form
Please be
aware that special administrative processing time is sometimes
required for visa applicants from some countries, even when applying
for visas in China. If you have other questions not answered here,
please access the Department
of State's Consular Affairs Web Page.
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