Visas · Family
S1 and S2 visas: joining a foreign relative in China
The S visas are the family visas for foreigners whose relative is living in China temporarily — on a work permit or as a student. S1 covers stays of more than 180 days and converts into a private-affairs residence permit after arrival; S2 covers shorter visits of up to 180 days. If your relative is a Chinese citizen or holds Chinese permanent residence, you want a Q visa instead.
Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. Rules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you apply. Sources at the bottom.
First, the good news
Do you even need a visa?
At a glance
S1 or S2 — which one is yours?
Both are tied to a foreigner who is in China on work or study status. The length of your intended stay decides which visa the officer issues.
| Item | S1 visa | S2 visa |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Visiting a foreigner who works or studies in China, or coming for other private affairs. Intended stay is more than 180 days. Verified · official source | Visiting a family member who is a foreigner working or studying in China, or coming for other private matters. Intended stay is no more than 180 days. Verified · official source |
| Which relatives qualify | A narrower list: spouses, parents, sons or daughters under 18, and parents-in-law of the person in China Verified · official source | The fuller list: spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren and parents-in-law Verified · official source |
| Relationship proof | Original and photocopy of the marriage certificate, birth certificate, public security bureau kinship certificate or notarized kinship certification Verified · official source | Photocopy of the marriage certificate, birth certificate or notarized kinship certification |
| After you arrive | Apply for a private-affairs residence permit within 30 days of entry | No conversion needed — stay inside the visa’s duration of stay |
| Typical duration of stay | Set by the visa officer, then replaced by the residence permit Summary — decided case by case | Up to 180 days, set by the visa officer. A multiple-entry S2 cannot be valid longer than the inviter’s own stay in China. Verified · official source |
| Where to apply | The Chinese embassy or consulate-general for your area, or the China Visa Application Service Center that serves it. Summary — the center for your region handles it | |
| Official channel | China Visa Application Service Center (visaforchina.cn) · China Online Visa Application System | |
Who can apply
Two routes: family, or private affairs
Route one — joining family
Your spouse, parent, child or parent-in-law is in China on a work or student residence permit. You come to live with them (S1) or to visit (S2). This is the most common use of the S visas.
Route two — other private affairs
Neither S1 nor S2 is only about family. Both also cover “other private affairs” or “other private matters”, which is decided case by case. The consular officer will ask for documents identifying the nature of those affairs. Verified · official source
Property and long-stay routes
If you can show real estate ownership in China in your own name, or a property purchase and sale contract notarized by a Chinese notary office, you may be granted a multiple-entry visa valid for more than 12 months. Verified · official source
The inviter must be in status
The whole S route rests on the person in China holding a valid work or study residence permit. If their permit is short, yours will be shorter still — see the S2 cap below.
What you need
Documents for an S visa application
Most of the file comes from your relative in China rather than from you. Get those papers in hand before you book a visa appointment.
| Document | What to prepare | Varies? |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months with blank visa pages, plus a copy of the information page. It must stay valid at least as long as the visa validity plus the duration of stay. Verified · official source | Confirm with your center |
| Visa application form and photo | The completed online form, printed and signed, with a recent, front-facing color photo on a white background. | Photo format follows the center’s instructions |
| The inviter’s passport and residence permit | Your relative in China sends a copy of the information page of their passport and their Chinese residence permit. Verified · official source | Center-specific |
| Invitation letter from the inviter | It must state your details, the purpose of the visit, arrival and departure dates, the place of intended residence, the relationship between you, the source of funds, and the inviter’s name, phone number, address and signature. Verified · official source | Wording varies by center |
| Relationship certification | S1: original and photocopy. S2: a photocopy. Accepted forms include a marriage certificate, birth certificate, a kinship certificate from a public security bureau, or a notarized kinship certification. Verified · official source | Which paper counts varies by country |
| Certificates issued abroad | A marriage certificate, birth certificate, kinship certificate or a certification of a name change issued by a foreign authority or notary must carry an Apostille issued by the competent authority of that country (China joined the Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023); for countries not party to the Convention, consular authentication by the Chinese embassy or consulate-general still applies. Verified · official source | Procedure differs by country |
| Translations | Supporting materials in a foreign language must be translated into Chinese when you file the residence permit application in China, and centers usually want certified translations at the visa stage too. Verified · official source | Center-specific |
| Documents for “other private affairs” | Where you apply outside the family route, provide documentation identifying the nature of the private affairs, as required by the consular officer. Verified · official source | Decided case by case |
| Proof of legal stay, if you apply outside your own country | Your valid residence, work or study permit — or a valid visa — for the country where the center is located. | Depends on where you apply |
| Previous Chinese passports or visas | Required if you were formerly a Chinese citizen, or if you have held a Chinese visa before and are applying with a new passport. A name change needs an official document. | Only for some applicants |
| Documents for applicants under 18 | Birth or guardianship documents, the parents’ or guardians’ passports or IDs, and a signed parental consent letter where the parents are not traveling with you. | Varies by center |
The number one confusion
Validity vs duration of stay
Validity period
The window in which you may enter China. On an S2, the multiple-entry validity is capped by how long your relative may stay in China — it cannot outlast them.
Duration of stay
The number of days you may remain per entry. Days are counted from the day after you arrive. For S2 the ceiling is 180 days.
| Item | Typical position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| S2 duration of stay and validity | No more than 180 days per stay. A multiple-entry S2’s validity shall not exceed the inviter’s own duration of stay in China. Verified · official source | Verified · official source |
| S1 duration of stay | Set by the officer; it only needs to cover your arrival, because the residence permit takes over. | Verified · official source |
| Residence permit needed? | S1: yes. Apply within 30 days of entry at the exit-entry administration of the public security bureau in the place you will live. Verified · official source | Verified · official source |
| How long the private-affairs permit lasts | Where you are joining family, a period consistent with the residence permit of the person you are visiting. For other private affairs, up to 1 year. Chinese nationals of foreign nationality aged 60 or over who own property in China may get up to 3 years. Verified · official source | Verified · official source |
| Fees | Visa fees vary by nationality and number of entries — read the official fee schedule. Residence-permit fees are fixed (see below). | Summary — check the official fee table |
Step by step
From invitation to residence permit
Confirm which S visa you need
More than 180 days in China → S1. Up to 180 days → S2. Check that your relationship is on the qualifying list, and that your relative in China holds a valid work or study residence permit. Verified · official source
Gather and authenticate the relationship certificate
Marriage certificate, birth certificate, a kinship certificate from a public security bureau, or a notarized kinship certification. If it was issued outside China, arrange the Apostille at the competent authority of that country — for countries not party to the convention, consular authentication by the Chinese embassy or consulate-general still applies. Verified · official source
Your relative in China prepares their papers
A copy of the information page of their passport and their Chinese residence permit, plus an invitation letter carrying your details, your dates, the place of intended residence, the relationship, the source of funds and their signature. Verified · official source
Apply for the S visa
Complete the online form and submit your passport and documents at the Chinese embassy, consulate-general or visa center for your area. For S1, bring the original relationship certification as well as a copy.
Enter China inside the validity window
Check every date on the visa sticker when you collect your passport, and register your address within 24 hours of arrival — your relative can help if you are staying with them. Living in China guide · pre-departure checklist.
S1 only: apply for the private-affairs residence permit within 30 days
Take your passport, a letter explaining the kinship, and the residence permit of the person you are visiting to the local exit-entry administration. Verified · official source
After you arrive
The private-affairs residence permit
This is what an S1 becomes once you are in China. Its length is tied to the person you joined, which is why their immigration status matters to yours.
| Item | What the official guide says |
|---|---|
| When to apply | Within 30 days of entering China. Verified · official source |
| What you submit | Your valid passport, a completed application form with a compliant photo, a letter explaining the kinship, and the residence permit of the person you are visiting. Verified · official source |
| Who the kinship letter must cover | For the family route, the relationship must be as spouse, parent, spouse’s parent, or a minor child under 18. Verified · official source |
| How long it can last | A period consistent with the residence permit of the person you are visiting. For other private affairs, up to 1 year. Verified · official source |
| Translations | Supporting materials in a foreign language must be translated into Chinese. Verified · official source |
| Health certificate | Required if you apply for a permit valid for more than 1 year, issued by a local health and quarantine authority or a health institution at or above county level. Verified · official source |
| Decision time and fee | A residence-permit decision is made within 15 working days. The fee is CNY 400 for a permit valid up to 1 year; CNY 800 for 1–3 years; CNY 1,000 for 3–5 years. Verified · official source |
| Extending it | Apply 30 days before the permit expires, with updated documents from the person you are visiting. Verified · official source |
Before you pay or fly
Four things people get wrong
Visa fees are not one price
Fees depend on your nationality and the number of entries, and some nationalities pay under a bilateral agreement. We deliberately do not quote a number — read the official fee schedule at the visa center that serves you. Summary — see the official fee table
Your passport must have room and time
At least 6 months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, and it must stay valid for the whole visa validity plus duration of stay. Verified · official source
Register your address within 24 hours
Staying with a relative is not a hotel stay. You or your host must register with the local public security authority within 24 hours of arrival. Since 21 September 2026 this can be filed online nationwide, and the offline counter remains available. Verified · official source Living in China guide.
The S2 cap catches people out
A multiple-entry S2 cannot be valid beyond the inviter’s own period of stay in China. Buy flights and plan return trips around their permit end date, not the visa’s printed validity. Verified · official source
Keep reading
Related pages
Live in China
Address registration, banking, medical care and everyday life as a resident.
Living guides →Q1 & Q2 visas
For family of Chinese citizens or foreigners holding Chinese permanent residence.
Compare Q visas →All Chinese visa types
Compare L, M, Z, X, Q, S and R visas side by side.
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Sources & disclaimer
Facts on this page are linked to the official sources below, checked on 13 October 2026. Requirements, fees and timelines change — always confirm with the issuing authority. This page is for reference only — official sources prevail; always check the latest version with the relevant Chinese authority. General information, not legal advice.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China Consular Service Network — Visa Application Instructions of the People’s Republic of China: S1 is for visiting a foreigner working or studying in China, or other private affairs, for more than 180 days; S2 is for visits of no more than 180 days or other private matters; both list the qualifying relatives.
- Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sweden — Instructions for Applying for a Visa (2026): the S1 document list (inviter’s passport and residence permit, invitation letter, original and copy of the relationship certification, and the immediate-family definition of spouse, parents, children under 18 and parents-in-law); the S2 rules including the multiple-entry validity cap at the inviter’s stay in China; the property-based multiple-entry route; and the 30-day residence-permit reminder.
- National Immigration Administration — Service Guide on Issuance of Residence Permit for Foreigners: the private-affairs residence permit for S1 holders (kinship letter plus the visited person’s residence permit, validity consistent with that of the person visited, or up to 1 year for other private affairs), the health certificate rule for permits over 1 year, the translation requirement, the 15-working-day decision, and the fee schedule.
- National Immigration Administration — Guidelines for foreigners’ visa, stay permit and residence permit applications: private-affairs residence permit documents for S1 visa holders and the application rules.
- National Immigration Administration — Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China (English): foreigners who need to stay beyond the visa’s duration of stay must apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entry, and the grounds on which a permit may be refused.
- National Immigration Administration — Regulations on Filing Accommodation Registration for Foreigners: the 24-hour registration duty for anyone not staying in a hotel, including a relative’s home, and the penalties for missing it.
- National Immigration Administration — List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption Policies (as of 17 February 2026): 30-day visa-free entry covers business, tourism, family visits, exchange visits and transit.
- National Immigration Administration — Visa-Free Transit Policies (2026): 24-hour visa-free transit for all nationalities and 240-hour transit for nationals of the listed countries.
- China Visa Application Service Center — notice that reduced Chinese visa fees continue to 31 December 2026, with a national-flag table showing why fees differ by nationality and number of entries.
- China Visa Application Service Center (visaforchina.cn) — the official application portal, the online visa form and the fee schedule for the center serving your region.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China — the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention) took effect in China on 7 November 2023: public documents exchanged between China and the contracting states need only an Apostille, not consular legalisation.
- China Consular Service Network — consular authentication guidance: how the Apostille route works for documents from contracting states since 7 November 2023, and the consular-authentication route that still applies to documents from countries not party to the Convention.
- National Immigration Administration — Announcement No. 7 of 2026 (21 September 2026): nationwide online filing of accommodation registration for foreigners staying outside hotels, with the offline counter retained and equal legal effect.