China Visa Service in Los Angeles: Documents, Fees & Processing Times (2026)

Sameday Passport & Visa prepares and files China visa applications from its West Los Angeles office, handling tourist, business, work (Z), and flight crew visas from start to finish. Here’s what to expect if you’re applying through our office.

Visa Types We Handle

• Tourist (L) visa, for travel to see family, friends, or sightseeing
• Business (M) visa, for trade fairs, client meetings, and business trips
• Work (Z) visa, for accepting employment in China
• Flight crew visa, for airline crew members

Every application is completed through the China Online Visa Application (COVA) system with our team, reviewed against consulate rules, and submitted on your behalf.

What You’ll Need for a Tourist Visa

1. Completed COVA application, filled out and reviewed with our team before submission
2. Valid US passport, current, undamaged, signed, with two blank visa pages, and valid for at least six months from your departure date. Non-US passport holders present a green card at submission as proof of legal residence (it isn’t kept.)
3. Copy of valid identification, your driver’s license address must match your application; if it doesn’t, a recent utility bill (water, power, or sewage) works instead
4. Copy of flight itinerary, include one if you have it; if you don’t have a travel itinerary or ticket yet, that’s okay
5. Visa photos, 2″ x 2″ on a white background, no older than one month. Photo services are available in our office for $20
6. For minors under 18, a copy of the birth certificate and each parent’s passport information page or driver’s license. If the minor isn’t traveling with both parents, a notarized consent from the non-accompanying parent or guardian is required
7. Service order form, needed if you’re applying by mail

What You’ll Need for a Business Visa

1. Completed COVA application
2. Valid US passport (same requirements as above)
3. Invitation letter from your host company in China, on company letterhead, stating purpose, duration, and your contact details
4. Business letter from your US employer, on company letterhead, signed by a manager, stating your position, purpose of travel, and financial guarantee
5. Copy of valid identification
6. Visa photos, taken in our office

Work (Z) Visa and Flight Crew Visa

Work (Z) visa, six things to prepare: completed COVA application, valid US passport, work permit notice issued by the Chinese labor authority for your position and employer, signed employment contract, copy of valid identification, and visa photos.

Flight crew visa, four things to prepare: completed COVA application, valid US passport, crew member certificate from your airline confirming crew status and flight schedule, and an airline letter on company letterhead stating your position, routes, and request for a crew visa.

Fees and Processing Times

Your total cost is made up of three separate charges added together, not one flat price:

1. Government (Consulate) Fee, set by the Chinese Consulate, not by us. This is the same fee any applicant pays, whether they use our service or apply on their own. For 12-month, multiple-entry visas:

• Regular: $165
• Rush: $185

2. Sameday Passport & Visa Service Fee, this is what we charge for completing your COVA application with you, reviewing every document against consulate rules, and handling the submission for you:

• Express (10 to 14 days): $199
• Rush (5 to 7 days): $249

3. FedEx Return (optional), only applies if you want your passport and visa shipped back instead of picking them up in person:

• Priority overnight (next business day): $48
• First overnight (by 8:30 AM): $87
• Saturday delivery: $68
• Prepaid label or FedEx account: $5 air bill

Example total: Rush consulate fee ($185) + Rush service fee ($249) + Priority overnight FedEx ($48) = $482.

If you pick up in person instead of shipping, skip the FedEx charge entirely.

Note: your client’s page separately displays a default “estimated total” of $472 before any options are selected. That figure doesn’t match this specific rush + rush + priority-overnight combination, or any other combination I could find in the published numbers. It’s likely a placeholder default in the page’s pricing widget rather than tied to one exact combination, worth checking with whoever built the calculator so it reflects a real selection.

Current consulate processing runs 7 to 10 days. Call us at (310) 402-1619 for today’s exact timeline before booking travel.

Applying by Mail

Not local to Los Angeles? Fill out the service order form and send it with your documents. We handle the consulate submission for you.

Lost a Previous China Visa?

If you can’t provide the original or a copy of a previous Chinese visa, download and complete the Lost China Visa Form and bring it with your application. If the consulate has asked for a travel-history supplementary form, use the China Supplementary Form instead.

Passport Not Ready?

A China visa is stamped into the passport you currently hold. If yours expires within six months of your departure date or has fewer than two blank visa pages, we can renew it first and then file your visa against the new passport.

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents do I need for a China tourist visa?

A completed COVA application, a valid US passport with two blank visa pages and at least six months of validity, a copy of valid identification matching your application address, a flight itinerary if you have one, and visa photos. Minors under 18 need additional documents.

What is the difference between the consulate fee and the service fee for a China visa?

The consulate fee is set by the Chinese Consulate and is the same whether you apply yourself or use an expediting service. The service fee is what Sameday Passport & Visa charges separately for completing your application, reviewing your documents, and handling submission. These are two separate charges.

Can I apply for a China visa by mail?

Yes. Fill out the service order form and send it with your documents, and we handle the consulate submission on your behalf.

What if I lost my previous China visa?

Download and complete the Lost China Visa Form and bring it with your application. If the consulate has asked for a travel-history supplementary form, use the China Supplementary Form instead.

What if my passport is expiring soon?

A China visa is stamped into your current passport. If it expires within six months of your departure date or has fewer than two blank visa pages, we can renew it first and then file your visa against the new passport.

Visit Our Los Angeles Office

11022 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 100, West Los Angeles, CA 90025

• Mon – Fri: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
• Saturday: 8 AM – 3 PM
• Sunday: 9 AM – 3 PM

Walk-ins are welcome seven days a week. Call first and we’ll tell you exactly what to bring for your visa type.

Ready to apply? Call us at (310) 402-1619 or email la@samedaypassport-visa.com.

This article reflects Sameday Passport & Visa’s published fees and requirements at the time of writing. Call our office to confirm current pricing and processing times before you apply.