Visa-free business visit
- For eligible passport holders and permitted activities
- Some policies allow business visits up to 30 days
- Country, passport type and policy dates matter
Business Visa (M) for Shenzhen
Meet. Inspect. Negotiate. Know the limits.
Plan commercial visits, supplier meetings and trade fairs. Check the right entry route, build your documents and keep business visits separate from employment.
- Official sources linked
- Sources checked 27 Sep 2026
- Requirements vary by mission
- General information, not legal advice
On this page6 topics
1
Which route fits your trip?
Start with what you will actually do—not the easiest label.
Check nationality & policy
M visa
- Meetings, negotiations, fairs and supplier visits
- Invitation and mission-specific documents
- Not general employment permission
Work route
- Discuss the job and approvals with your employer
- Work permit and residence rules apply
- Technical assignments need a specific check
2
What M covers—and where to check further
Typical commercial visits
- Business meetings and supplier negotiations
- Trade fairs and commercial exhibitions
- Factory visits and product inspections
- Contract discussions and market research
Not a general licence to work
- A job is not authorised just because you hold M
- “Unpaid” is not an automatic exemption
- Installation, training and service tasks: confirm classification
Some short technical visits have specific rules. Describe the actual tasks to your host and issuing mission before travel.
Official M visa checklist · Mission example: technical-visit distinctions
3
Invitation letter anatomy
Ask your genuine host for a letter matching the current mission checklist.
SAMPLE STRUCTUREInvitation for a business visit
Not an official form. Not valid for submission.
- 1Applicant
- [Full name, sex, date of birth, passport details]
- 2Purpose & relationship
- [What you will do; relationship with the host]
- 3Dates & places
- [Arrival, departure and visit locations]
- 4Who pays
- [Source of funding for the visit]
- 5Inviting entity
- [Registered name, address and telephone]
- 6Authentication
- [Entity stamp and authorised signature as required]
Check for mismatches
- Passport spelling and document number
- Dates, activities and travel plan
- Host identity, contact and funding details
Ask the mission
Confirm stamp and signature requirements, whether a copy is accepted, and any business-licence or extra evidence. Do not assume all missions use one format.
Read the official content checklist4
How to apply—step by step
- 1
Check whether a visa is needed
Match passport, activities and stay to the current official rules.
- 2
Get the right invitation
Ask the Chinese host or fair organiser for accurate supporting documents.
- 3
Follow the local application process
Use the mission or visa centre serving your place of legal stay.
- 4
Submit what the mission requests
Attend, submit your passport or give biometrics when instructed.
- 5
Read the issued visa
Check entry count, enter-before date and duration of each stay.
- 6
Register accommodation after arrival
Hotels register guests. For non-hotel stays, register within 24 hours.
Fees, appointment rules, biometrics and processing times vary. Use your mission’s current instructions, not a universal turnaround estimate.
5
Three different things on your visa
Read each one before booking a side trip.
Entry validity
The enter-before date. It is not the number of days you may stay.
Number of entries
How many mainland entries the visa permits while valid.
Duration of each stay
The allowed stay for each entry. Confirm how your deadline is counted.
Check your itinerary
One mainland arrival
A Shenzhen-only trip normally involves one mainland entry. Confirm that the visa or applicable exemption covers your full stay and activities.
A travel pattern is not an eligibility decision. Check the document and rules that apply to you.
6
Plan your business trip in Shenzhen
Business illustration
Sourcing in Huaqiangbei
Book supplier meetings, compare samples and save Chinese addresses.
Explore the sourcing guide
Business illustration
Supplier & factory visits
Confirm the actual site, host and activities before arranging transport.
Plan local sourcing support
Guangzhou city view · 2017
Canton Fair in Guangzhou
Check the official phase, buyer registration and invitation process.
Open the official fair site
Hong Kong city view · 2019
Hong Kong connections
Plan every mainland entry, not just the first arrival.
Compare border routes7
Before you fly
- Check passport, visa or exemption and return entry
- Save the host’s phone and addresses in Chinese
- Keep document copies separate from originals
- Arrange payments, connectivity and airport transport
8
After arrival in Shenzhen
- Hotel guests: confirm registration at reception
- Non-hotel accommodation: register within 24 hours
- Track the end of your permitted stay
- Need an extension? Apply ≥7 days before your permitted stay ends
An extension is not guaranteed. Confirm current procedures with Shenzhen Exit–Entry.
Accommodation registration guideFrequently asked questions
Can I take a job on an M visa?
M is not general employment permission. Confirm the required work authorisation and residence arrangements with the employer before starting a job.
Read more / official guidanceWhat about installation, training or technical service?
The exact activity matters. Some short technical visits have specific M rules; other assignments require work authorisation. Send the mission a written task description, dates, contract context and host details. Do not infer permission from the word “business”.
Read more / official guidanceCan I visit for business without a visa?
Some nationality-specific ordinary-passport policies permit short business visits. Confirm your country, passport type, purpose, allowed stay and policy dates. Other exemptions have their own conditions.
Read more / official guidanceDoes Hong Kong use a mainland visa entry?
Leaving mainland China for Hong Kong ends that mainland stay. Returning is a new mainland entry: check remaining visa entries or a separately applicable entry exemption, plus Hong Kong’s own entry rules.
Read more / official guidanceCan an M stay be extended in Shenzhen?
Apply to the exit–entry authority at least seven days before the permitted stay expires. Approval is not guaranteed; total extension cannot exceed the original permitted stay. Confirm the local evidence and appointment requirements.
Read more / official guidanceCan I change to a residence permit inside China?
M does not itself grant residence or work permission. Some qualified applicants may use an in-country residence route under specific rules. Ask the exit–entry authority about your case before relying on a change of status.
Read more / official guidanceDoes every invitation need a red original stamp?
Follow the current checklist of the issuing mission. Official guidance requests entity details, stamp and an appropriate signature; original, copy and additional-evidence requirements can differ. This page’s sample is a structure guide, not a valid invitation.
Read more / official guidanceWhat fees and processing time should I budget for?
Use the current tariff and processing notice from your own mission or visa centre. Nationality, service choice, documents and additional review can affect the result; do not treat a quoted turnaround as guaranteed.
Read more / official guidanceImage notes & credits
The skyline hero and business cards are editorial illustrations, not documentary views of a factory, fair or appointment. The invitation is an HTML structure example, not a government form. City photographs are archival and cropped.
Guangzhou · Nissangeniss · 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0Hong Kong · Benh LIEU SONG · 2019 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Business visit preparation checklist
LifeShenzhen · lifeshenzhen.com/visas/business-visa/
Use the current issuing-mission checklist. This is a planning aid, not a visa approval or complete list for every applicant.
0 of 9 preparation checks complete
- ☐ Passport and copies required by your mission
- ☐ Genuine invitation matching your planned activities
- ☐ Application form and required confirmations
- ☐ Recent photograph in the required format
- ☐ Proof of legal stay where applying, if required
- ☐ Hotel or host address and contact details
- ☐ Travel plan and supporting bookings, if requested
- ☐ Entry count, return route and permitted stay checked
- ☐ Any additional documents on the local checklist
Official documents: cs.mfa.gov.cn · Application centre: visaforchina.cn · Shenzhen services: wgfw.ga.sz.gov.cn
Check rules again before applying. No questionnaire answers are included on this sheet.