X1 or X2 for a Chinese language course: how the 180-day line works
For a Chinese language course you apply for an X2 visa if the study period is 180 days or fewer, and an X1 visa if it is longer than 180 days. The type of course does not decide it. The study period written in your admission notice does.
Where the line comes from
The Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners create the two classes in Article 6(11): X1 for persons who apply for long-term study in China, X2 for short-term study. Article 36 then defines the words. Short-term means a stay of no more than 180 days, including the 180th day. Long-term means more than 180 days.
The Ministry of Education's Order No. 42 uses the same line for students: short-term study is 180 days or fewer, long-term study is more than 180 days (Article 45). The visa category table published by the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom words it the same way: X1 for study exceeding 180 days, X2 for study of no more than 180 days.
Three common cases
| Your course | What to look at | Visa class |
|---|---|---|
| A four-week or summer course | Well under 180 days | X2 |
| One semester | Count the days between the start and end dates in the admission notice | X2 if 180 or fewer, X1 if more |
| One academic year | More than 180 days | X1 |
What each visa needs
Under Article 7(11) of the Regulations, an X1 applicant submits the admission notice issued by the admitting institution and the certification documents provided by the competent authority. An X2 applicant submits certification documents such as the admission notice. The article ends by saying the visa authority may ask for additional material in a particular case, so read the page of the embassy or consulate where you will apply.
You apply before you travel. Order No. 42 says a foreigner admitted to a school applies before entry, according to the study period, at the Chinese embassy or consulate in the country of nationality or residence, or at another overseas body entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Article 35).
After entry on an X1
An X1 visa is the way in, not the permission to stay for the year. Where the visa says a residence permit is needed after entry, the Exit and Entry Administration Law gives you 30 days from the date of entry to apply to the exit and entry administration of the public security organ in the place you will live (Article 30). The embassy table adds that this applies to X1 visas marked with a "000" duration of stay. A residence permit that is not for work is valid for at least 180 days and at most five years.
What this page does not cover
Fees, processing times and appointment systems differ by visa office and change often. They are on the website of the mission or visa centre where you apply.