Visa FAQs

1) Do I need a visa/entry permit to attend SIGGRAPH Asia 2014 in Shenzhen, China?
You are required to apply for a visa unless you meet the following visa exemption requirements. Citizens of some countries holding exempted passports may enter China without a visa.

Download the List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption between the P.R. China and Foreign Countries.

Please also click here to check if you meet the requirements for exemption or refer to our Visa Information page for more details.

 

 

2) Where do I apply for a Visa? / Can I apply for a visa online?
Please submit your application at the nearest visa center.

You cannot apply for a visa online. You are required to submit all the required application documents to the visa center and the staff onsite will handle your application from there or mail your application to your respective country’s visa center. Please click here or here (for US citizens) to find the visa centers for your country.

 

For Citizens from Canada, The United States or the United Kingdom please visit http://tours.travisa.com/66V41TVI/ for assistance with your visa application. 

 

 

3) Can I apply for a visa upon arrival in Shenzhen, China?
In general, visa applications should be done before arrival. However, there are some exceptions. Visitors holding the following passports can easily get a visa upon arrival in Shenzhen: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and United Kingdom.

Visitors holding passports not mentioned above would have difficulty getting the visa upon arrival if they have never been to People’s Republic of China (PRC). Visa application upon arrival would entitle the visitor to a single-entry 5-day Special Economic Zone Tourism Visa.

The single entry 5-day Visa can be applied for/purchased at Luo Hu (Lo Wu) Port (09.00-22:30), 7 days a week between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Please proceed to our Visa Information page for more details.

 

 

4) I need to apply for a visa. Which documents do I need to submit?
Visa requirements vary with each country. If you require a visa, please contact your country's embassy for more information.

 

 

5) When would be the optimal time to apply for the visa?
It is advisable to apply a month (working days) before your intended date of travel into China but no earlier than three (3) months. The Chinese visa is typically valid for three months from issue date; however this can vary depending on the visa type. Therefore, if you apply for it too early, the visa may be expired before your departure day. Please contact your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate for more information.

 

 

6) Is there a letter from SIGGRAPH Asia to verify my attendance to the event?
After registering on the SIGGRAPH Asia 2014 registration website, you will receive a registration record confirmation email together with your confirmation letter email and your official receipt email. With this registration record, you will be presented with a UserID and password, for which you are able to log back into the system to change your personal particulars and/or download all the required documents you might need for visa applications or for verification purposes.

You would need to present your printed registration confirmation letter in order to retrieve your badge onsite.

 

 

7) I need an invitation letter from SIGGRAPH Asia to apply for a visa. How can I get it?
You must have a letter of invitation from an authorized inviting Chinese company. If the letter is from a foreign company, such as a joint-venture company, then the letter must have the approval stamp from the local branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

You may also fill out this application form and submit it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax to (86) 10 8460 2480 by November 3, 2014. They will be able to prepare an invitation letter for you within 7 working days. The invitation letter will be either fax or mailed to you. The use of Burnaby’s coordinating services for the invitation letter costs CNY 160 per person.

Please note: The invitation letter issued by Burnaby Solutions China to apply for the Chinese visa is only applicable for passport holders of Asia, Europe, and United States. It is not applicable for passport holders of Pakistan, Nigeria, and all African countries.

 

 

8) Is an exhibitor from outside of Shenzhen, China required to apply for an employment visa/entry permit?
It depends on the activities to be performed by the exhibitor. If activities are business promotions and will not involve direct sale of goods or supply of services to the general public, or constructing exhibition booths, the exhibitor is not required to apply for an employment visa/entry permit. In any case, please check with your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate with regards to this.

 

 

9) Terms of validity of a visa, number of entries and duration of stay?

Validity of visa – the period within which the visa holder is allowed to enter China.

 

The number of entries – indicates the number of times the visa holder is permitted to enter China within the visa’s validity.

 

Duration of stay – The longest period the visa holder is allowed to stay in China on each visit, and this is counted from the day following the entry into China.

 

Please click here for more information.