Change of visa: switching the purpose of stay without leaving China

A change of visa is an application, made after a foreigner has entered China on a visa, to have that visa changed. Article 10 of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637) sets out the cases and the authority to apply to. For the wider visa rules, see Visas and residence.

Definition

Article 10 of the Regulations reads:

Article 10 Where, after entry with a visa, a foreigner changes his or her purpose of stay or is granted entry conveniences in accordance with relevant provisions of the State, or where a foreigner starts using a new passport or needs to stay separately from his or her tour group after entering China with a group visa due to objective reasons, the applicant may apply to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level in the place of his or her stay for a change of visa.

What the official text says

The National Immigration Administration's English service guide on visa extension, change and reissuance has a section 3, "Documents required for visa change". Its lead-in names the same cases as Article 10: a change of purpose of stay, entry conveniences under relevant provisions of the State, a new passport, and separation from a tour group after entering on a group visa for objective reasons. The lead-in says the applicant "may apply for a change of visa by submitting the following documents".

Item g of the English guide covers the change to an X2 visa. The applicant shall submit an official letter and a certificate of admission and enrollment issued by an education or training institution within Chinese territory. A zero-entry, single-entry or double-entry visa may be issued, with a validity period of no more than one year and a stay of no more than 180 days.

Item h of the English guide covers a new passport. A foreigner who starts using a new passport because the original one is about to expire or is running out of visa pages may apply for a change of visa by submitting the original passport for the latest entry, or relevant certificates issued by the embassy or consulate of the applicant's country in China specifying that the original passport has been withdrawn. A visa consistent with the original visa in type, validity period of entry, duration of stay and remaining valid entry times may be issued. The entry times of the new visa will be decided in accordance with the remaining valid entry times of the original visa.

The Chinese service guide on the same procedure is a separate document, published by the National Immigration Administration on its government service platform. The English wording below is this site's translation of the Chinese text, which is the original. The Chinese list of documents for a change of visa opens by naming the procedure 换发普通签证 (change to an ordinary visa), and states that the applicant 应当提交 (shall submit) the listed documents.

Item 7 of that list covers the change to an X2 visa. The applicant shall submit a letter issued by an education or training institution within China, together with an admission and enrollment certificate. A zero-entry, single-entry or double-entry visa may be issued, with an entry validity of no more than one year and a stay of no more than 180 days.

Item 8 of that list covers a new passport. A foreigner who starts using a new passport because the passport is about to expire, the visa pages are used up or similar situations arise shall submit the passport held at this entry, or a certificate issued by the embassy or consulate of the foreigner's country in China showing that the passport held at this entry has been withdrawn. A visa consistent with the original visa in type, entry validity, stay period and remaining valid entries may be issued. The entry times are issued according to the remaining valid entries of the original visa.

The two guides are worded differently in places. The English lead-in says the applicant "may apply" by submitting the documents, while the Chinese list says 应当提交, "shall submit", for the same documents. This entry reports each text as printed and does not choose between them.

Related terms

• Group visa
• X2 visa
• Residence permit for study
• Admission and documents
• Entry conveniences
• Original passport

Sources

• Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (English text), National Immigration Administration
• Service guide on visa extension, change and reissuance for foreigners (English), National Immigration Administration
• Service guide for the extension, change and reissue of foreigners' visas (Chinese text), National Immigration Administration

Checked 10 October 2026 for the Chinese guide and 11 October 2026 for the Regulations and the English guide.

This entry is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, and is not published by the bodies named. The official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail if they differ.