Three things to check on your admission notice before a visa application
Three things on the admission notice matter before you apply for an X1 or X2 visa: the study period it states, whether the school issued it, and which other papers the Chinese mission asks you to submit with it. The rules come from Article 35 and Article 45 of the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), and from Article 7(11) and Article 36 of the Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637).
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The study period
Order No. 42 measures short-term and long-term study by the time spent at a Chinese school. The Regulations use the same 180-day line for the stay in China.
| Document | Provision | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Order No. 42 | Article 45 | Short-term study is study at a Chinese school for no more than 180 days (including 180 days). Long-term study is study for more than 180 days. |
| Regulations (Decree No. 637) | Article 36(4) | Short-term means staying in China for a period not exceeding 180 days (including 180 days). |
| Regulations (Decree No. 637) | Article 36(5) | Long-term or resident means residing in China for a period exceeding 180 days. |
Article 35 of Order No. 42 ties the visa to the study period. It says the applicant shall apply for an X1 or X2 visa before entry, according to the length of study, at a Chinese embassy or consulate in the applicant's country of nationality or residence, or at another mission the Ministry of Foreign Affairs entrusts.
The Order No. 42 text is published in Chinese. The English wording of Article 35 and Article 45 in this article is this site's translation of the Chinese text.
The issuing school
Article 7(11) of the Regulations says that to apply for an X1 visa, the applicant shall submit the admission notice issued by the admission institution and the certification documents from the competent authority. To apply for an X2 visa, the applicant shall submit such certification documents as the admission notice issued by the admission institution.
Article 35 of Order No. 42 lists the admission notice issued by the school, together with a certification filed for the record with the education authority.
Check that the notice names the school as its issuer.
Papers the mission asks for with the notice
The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom lists the following papers on its page "Part Two: How to Apply for a Visa for China (Mainland only)". This is the embassy's own statement for applications made to it. It is not a rule that applies to every mission.
For the X1 visa, the embassy lists:
- The Admission Letter issued by a college, university or other educational institutions in China.
- Original or photocopy of "Visa Application for Study in China" (Form JW201 or Form JW202).
- Original or photocopy of "Confirmation Form for Elementary Stages Students Study in China issued by Chinese relevant authorities (for Elementary Stage)".
For the X2 visa, the embassy lists:
- Original or photocopy of Admission Notice issued by a college, university or other educational institution in China.
The page names an Admission Letter for X1 and an Admission Notice for X2.
Before you apply
- Read the study period on the notice.
- Set it against the 180-day lines in Article 45 of Order No. 42 and Article 36 of the Regulations.
- Confirm that the notice names the school as its issuer.
- Find the list for your visa type on your mission's website.
- Prepare the papers on that list together with the notice.
Sources
- Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637, English text), National Immigration Administration
- Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), Ministry of Education of the PRC
- Part Two: How to Apply for a Visa for China (Mainland only), Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom
Checked 11 October 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, and it is not published by the bodies named. If the official text or the instructions of the body handling your case differ from this page, the official text and those instructions prevail.