United Kingdom visa requirements for Chinese citizens
Chinese citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Consular fee
- 135 GBP
- Minimum passport validity
- Whole stay
Last verified: 8 October 2026
How this visa is processed
Online application on GOV.UK and biometrics at one of the UK visa application centres in mainland China (VFS Global), by appointment
A Chinese passport holder needs a visitor visa for the United Kingdom. The application and fee are paid online and biometrics are given, by appointment, at an application centre that VFS Global runs for the British Government. Mainland China has centres in fifteen cities, open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 15:00: Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jinan, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Xi'an. Chongqing, Nanjing and Shanghai also have a service point inside a Bank of China branch that only opens on certain weekdays.
Official application site →Application details verified on 8 October 2026. Sources: gov.uk, "Find a visa application centre" (China points to the VFS Global centre); visa.vfsglobal.com/chn/en/gbr/attend-centre, UK visa application centres in China run by VFS Global for UK Visas and Immigration (cities, Bank of China points and opening hours). Checked 8 October 2026.
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Fee
135 GBP
Fee for the Standard Visitor visa of up to six months. Long-term visas, with stays of up to six months per visit, cost GBP 506 (2 years), 903 (5 years) and 1,128 (10 years). The application centre's service charge is added to the fee.
Required documents
- A passport or travel document valid for the whole of your intended stay. Unlike other destinations, the UK does not require extra months of validity beyond the trip
- Evidence that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit
- Evidence that you can support yourself and any dependants for the duration of the trip without recourse to public funds
- Evidence that you can pay for your return or onward journey
- Where someone else is paying for the trip, documentation showing who is covering the costs
Health insurance
Not mandatory for this destination.
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓Transit rules
The UK draws a line between two kinds of transit. If you are only changing planes and will not pass through border control, the relevant permission is the Direct Airside Transit visa (DATV), and you stay in the transit area without entering the country. If you do pass through border control but leave the UK within 48 hours, the relevant permission is the Visitor in Transit visa. Staying longer than 48 hours rules both of them out: you then need a Standard Visitor visa. Whether you need a transit visa at all depends on your nationality.
More United Kingdom rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the United Kingdom page:
Official portal: https://www.gov.uk/eta. Destination data verified on 10 August 2026. Sources: gov.uk/eta (20 GBP fee, validity, multiple entries and decision time); gov.uk/government/news/uk-enforces-digital-permission-to-travel (ETA mandatory since 25 February 2026 and automated decisions within minutes); homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk (April 2026 factsheet); gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use (alcohol and tobacco allowances); gov.uk/bringing-cash-into-uk (cash declaration) (checked 29 September 2026).
Travel insurance for the United Kingdom
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
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Things to see and do in the United Kingdom
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of the United Kingdom can enter China visa-free. See the United Kingdom → China page.
Of the 8 passports from Eastern Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to the United Kingdom 5 need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival and 3 need a visa. Same result as China: Mongolia and North Korea.
With a passport from China, in the rest of Northern Europe you need a visa for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
A passport from China ranks 108 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 77 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
What minimum passport validity is required?
A passport or travel document valid for the whole of your intended stay. Unlike other destinations, the UK does not require extra months of validity beyond the trip
What currency is used in the United Kingdom?
British Pound (GBP).
In which Chinese cities can biometrics be given for a UK visa?
In fifteen: Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jinan, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Xi'an, all Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 15:00, by appointment.
What are the Bank of China service points?
VFS Global service points inside Bank of China branches in Chongqing, Nanjing and Shanghai. They do the same as a centre but only open on certain weekdays.
What do Chinese passport holders need for the countries near the United Kingdom?
With a passport from China, in the rest of Northern Europe you need a visa for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
Related pages
See United Kingdom requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.