24 Hour Passport & Visas is a private visa expediter. We are not the Chinese consulate and we are not a U.S. Passport Agency. The consulate decides on your visa. We check the file, hand-carry it to the Chinese Consulate General at 500 Shatto Place, and collect it when it is ready.
U.S. citizens need a visa for mainland China. There is no visa on arrival and the United States is not on China’s visa-free list. Start the visa before you book anything that cannot be refunded.
- $140consular fee, U.S. citizens, any entry type
- 4 business daysregular processing after the passport is in
- No appointmentand no fingerprints at the LA consulate
- 8170 Beverly Blvddrop-off and pickup, Mon to Fri 9 to 5
PLAN YOUR CHINA TRIP
Find the right starting point.
Start with the page that matches your question, then call us to go over your file.
Drop-off in Los Angeles
How the hand-carry service works at our Beverly Boulevard office, who the LA consulate covers, and what to bring.
China visa service in Los Angeles →Requirements and how to apply
Who needs a visa, which type fits the trip, the document list, and the COVA steps from first login to pickup.
China visa requirements for U.S. travelers →Fees
What the consulate charges by nationality and entry type, what express costs, and how payment works.
China visa fees →Photo
The 33 by 48 mm print spec, the COVA upload spec, and why a U.S. passport photo does not work.
China visa photo requirements →Visiting family
Q2 versus L versus Q1, who can host you, and what the invitation letter must say.
China Q2 family visa →Repeat trips
What a 10-year visa is, who the Los Angeles consulate issues it to, and what it does not mean.
10-year China visa →Have your travel date, passport nationality, state of residence and purpose of travel ready when you call.
Discuss your China tripWho we can file for
The Los Angeles consulate accepts applications only from people who live in Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii or the Pacific Islands. You prove that with a driver’s license, state ID, utility bill or bank statement. If you live in Northern California your file goes to San Francisco, and we will tell you so when you call. Nobody outside the United States can apply at a U.S. consulate.
Visa types we handle
Every application needs the basic file: a signed passport with more than 6 months of validity and at least 1 blank visa page, a compliant photo uploaded to COVA, and proof of residence in the LA jurisdiction. The list below is what the consulate adds for each type. The online system and the officer’s review notes are the final word.
| Type | For | Added documents |
|---|---|---|
| L Tourist | Sightseeing, visiting friends | None since January 1, 2024 |
| M Business | Trade, commercial visits, competitions | Invitation letter from the business partner or organizer in China |
| F Exchange | Non-commercial visits, study tours | Invitation letter from the host in China |
| Z Work | Employment | Notice for the Work Permit for Foreigners, or the Work Permit |
| X1 / X2 Study | Over 180 days / up to 180 days | Admission letter plus JW201 or JW202 (X1); admission notice and DQ form if available (X2) |
| Q1 / Q2 Family | Family of a Chinese citizen or Chinese permanent resident | Host’s invitation letter and ID; kinship originals for Q1 |
| S1 / S2 Private | Family of a foreigner working or studying in China | Inviter’s letter, passport and residence permit; kinship proof |
| C Crew | Airline, shipping and transport crew | Guarantee letter from the transport company and the applicant’s license |
Business travel is M, not F. A short visit to a parent or spouse who is a Chinese citizen is Q2, not L. Former Chinese citizens, children under 16 and anyone whose name has changed since their last Chinese document need extra paperwork; the requirements guide lists it.
How it works with us
- Call first. 310-913-7804. We confirm you are in the LA jurisdiction, pick the visa type, and tell you what to upload.
- Complete COVA. You fill in the China Online Visa Application at consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA and select Los Angeles. If you prefer, we complete it with you. Use a computer, and enter your details exactly as they appear in your passport.
- Wait for “Passport to be Submitted.” The consulate reviews the upload first. When the status changes, you have 30 days to get the passport in.
- Drop at Beverly Boulevard. Bring the original passport, the printed barcode page showing the status, and any originals your visa type requires. We hand-carry the file to 500 Shatto Place. No consulate appointment, no fingerprints.
- Pickup. Regular processing is 4 business days after submission. Express is 2 to 3 business days when the consulate approves it. We collect the passport and you pick it up from us.
What it costs
Two separate numbers. The consular fee is $140 for U.S. citizens for any entry type, $171 for J1 and J2 journalist visas, and $23 to $68 for most other nationalities, in force through December 31, 2026. Express adds $25. The consulate takes that fee by Visa or MasterCard at pickup and does not refund it. Our service fee is separate and we quote it on the call. The full breakdown is on China visa fees.
Our name says 24 hours. That refers to eligible U.S. passport services. No one can get a Chinese visa in 24 hours; the consulate’s fastest option is express.
Before you drop off
- Passport signed, more than 6 months of validity, at least 1 blank visa page, no damage.
- COVA status reads “Passport to be Submitted” and the barcode page is printed.
- Photo uploaded and accepted. One printed 33 by 48 mm photo in the file as a backup.
- Originals the consulate asks for at submission: the old Chinese passport for former Chinese citizens, kinship certificates for Q1 and S1, your current Chinese visa if it is still valid.
- Your travel date, so we can tell you whether regular processing is realistic.
Call 310-913-7804, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. Our Los Angeles office is at 8170 Beverly Blvd, Suite 101. Drop-off and pickup only; call before you come. If you are outside the LA consulate’s area, we will point you to the right post.
Call 310-913-7804Last reviewed: October 2026. Sources: Consulate General of China in Los Angeles, Apply for Ordinary Visas; Processing Time, Visa Fees, Pickup & Payments.