China Travel Forum

[Clement]

I will be going to China on a business trip and would like to stay back for a week for sightseeing. Is this allowed on a business visa? I tried to find this information through the China embassy website as well as by google-ing but didn't find anything that addressed this issue. Many thanks for your help.

[Andrew]

I believe that if you want a business visa you need to submit a letter of invitation from your Chinese business partner and another letter from your home office explaning your purpose. There really isn't a distinct line between business and tourist activities. A tourist visa won't prevent you from conducting business while in China. If you already have the necessary documentation and can easily get a buisness visa, go ahead. Extending your trip by a week or two isn't going to make a difference. I've been to China a dozen times on business, for up to 6 weeks at a time, dealing with the cultural relics bureau (at times at the invitation of the Chinese Government), and have always traveled on a tourist visa and never had a problem.