From March 31, 2025, French citizens applying for a visa to China will have to familiarize themselves with a new procedure. The Chinese authorities are implementing a mandatory online verification stage, which represents a potential technological advance, but could also complicate administrative procedures. An official press release was published on the website of the Chinese visa service center in Paris.
An online application form
From March 31, 2025, all visa applicants for China will have to go through an online pre-check.. This requirement applies to two Chinese visa centers in France (Paris and Marseille). Applicants will need to complete an online form and upload all the necessary documents before they can submit their physical file. After submitting the documents, they will have to wait for the visa center to contact them to confirm whether their file can be submitted physically.
The Chinese authorities claim that this new procedure simplify administration, reduce errors and speed up claims processing. It should increase efficiency, particularly for work, study and long-term residence visas.
The current system will be under maintenance
It is therefore advisable to anticipate your visa application before this new online verification stage. The current online system will be suspended for maintenance from March 28 at 3:00 p.m. to March 31 at 9:00 a.m.. The authorities advise travellers to finalize their files before this date or wait until March 31 to fill out a form in line with the new system.
Which travellers are affected?
This new procedure corresponds to a desire to modernize Chinese consular services, with the aim of reduce waiting times for applicants. However, the online verification process could further complicate procedures for some travelers, particularly those who are unfamiliar with online administrative procedures or who encounter technical difficulties.
This new procedure will apply to long-stay visa applications. All travelers who are exempt from the 30-day visa requirement will not be affected, particularly those on business or tourist trips.
The procedure remains standard and the process will not be changed to apply for a visa to enter Hong Kong or Macao. You will not be asked to re-check online.
Ultimately, the reform of the visa application process for China could simplify and speed up the processing of applications. Nevertheless, the transition to this new system, especially with the maintenance period and the need to master an online procedure, could also cause inconvenience for some applicants.
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