Do I need an X1 or an X2 visa for China?
Unofficial answer · Sources checked
Apply for an X1 visa if your studies at a school in China will last more than 180 days, and an X2 visa if they will last 180 days or fewer. The dividing line is fixed in the rules, not set case by case: the Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners define short-term as a period in China of not more than 180 days and long-term as a period exceeding 180 days (Article 36(4) and (5)). Order No. 42 uses the same line for time spent studying at a school in China (Article 45), so 180 days exactly falls on the X2 side.
What the rules say
The Regulations state the purpose of each visa: "The X1 visa is issued to persons who apply for long-term study in China; the X2 visa is for persons who apply for short-term study in China" (Article 6(11)). Read together with the definitions in Article 36, that means X1 covers study of more than 180 days and X2 covers study of 180 days or less.
Order No. 42 — the Administrative Measures for the Enrolment and Education of International Students by Schools, issued by the Ministry of Education together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security — repeats the same two categories for the schools it covers: short-term study is study at a school in China of no more than 180 days, counted inclusively, and long-term study is study exceeding 180 days (Article 45). Article 35 of Order No. 42 places the application before entry, at the Chinese embassy or consulate in the country of your nationality or of your residence, or at another overseas institution entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The English rendering of Order No. 42 on this page is this site's translation; the Ministry of Education page carries no official English version.
The decision rule
| Length of study in China | Visa | What follows after entry |
|---|---|---|
| More than 180 days | X1 | Not stated by the articles read for this page |
| 180 days or less | X2 | Not stated by the articles read for this page |
The two texts measure slightly different things — Article 45 of Order No. 42 measures time spent studying at a school in China, while Article 36 of the Regulations measures staying or residing in China — but both place the cut at 180 days and both lead to the same visa.
What one embassy's page says
The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom publishes its own list of visa categories. It describes X1 as issued to those intending to study in China for a period exceeding 180 days and X2 as issued to those intending to study in China for a period of no more than 180 days. The same page describes the F visa for exchanges, visits, study tours and other such activities, and the Z visa for work. That is the statement of one mission's guide; other Chinese missions publish their own pages.
What the official pages read for this page do not say
The articles and sections read for this page do not set out the documents required for an X1 or X2 application, do not give processing times, and do not describe any step you must take after arriving in China. For any of those, ask the university's international student office, the embassy or visa centre handling your application, or the exit-entry office of the public security organ.
Related questions
Which visa do I need if my programme lasts exactly 180 days?
X2. Article 45 of Order No. 42 counts study of no more than 180 days as short-term study, and Article 36(4) of the Regulations defines short-term as a stay of no more than 180 days, including 180 days.
Do I apply before or after I travel to China?
Before. Article 35 of Order No. 42 requires the X1 or X2 visa to be applied for before entry, from the Chinese embassy or consulate in the country of your nationality or your country of residence, or from another overseas institution entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Is the X visa right for a short exchange or study tour?
The UK embassy's guide describes the F visa for exchanges, visits, study tours and other such activities, and reserves X1 and X2 for study of more than 180 days and of no more than 180 days. That wording is that mission's own; check the page of the mission that will handle your application.
Sources
- Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners — National Immigration Administration
- Administrative Measures for the Enrolment and Education of International Students by Schools (Order No. 42) — Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
- Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part One: Visa for China (Mainland only) — Ministry of Foreign Affairs mission
Checked 11 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, and is not published by or affiliated with any of the bodies named above; where the official text or the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case differ, theirs prevail.