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Family visiting a student in China: S1 and S2 visas

Unofficial summary · Sources checked

A family member of a student in China applies for an S (private affairs) visa, not the student's X visa. Apply for S1 for a long-term visit and S2 for a short-term visit (Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, Article 6(10)).

This site's visa check covers the student's own visa only. Use the X1 or X2 visa check to confirm whether the student needs X1 or X2; it does not assess a family member's S visa.

Who qualifies

S1 — long-term visit. The S1 visa is issued to the spouses, parents, children under the age of 18, or parents-in-law of foreigners residing in China for work, study, or other purposes who apply for a long-term visit to China (Regulations, Article 6(10)). It also covers persons who need to reside in China for other personal matters (Regulations, Article 6(10)).

S2 — short-term visit. The S2 visa is for family members of foreigners staying or residing in China for work, study, or other purposes who apply for a short-term visit to China (Regulations, Article 6(10)). It also covers persons who need to stay in China for other personal matters (Regulations, Article 6(10)).

The UK mission gives its own list of who counts as family for its applications. For S1 it uses "immediate family members": spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18, and parents-in-law (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two: How to Apply for a Visa for China). For S2 it uses "family members": spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters, and parents-in-law (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two).

Where the regulation and a mission's wording differ, follow the instructions of the office handling your application.

Documents to submit

Regulation baseline. To apply for the S1 or S2 visa, the applicant shall submit the invitation letter provided by the foreigner staying or residing in China for work, study, or other purposes and proof of family relationship, or the certification documents required for dealing with personal matters in China (Regulations, Article 7(10)).

UK mission document list. The UK embassy lists these for its applications:

S1: - Invitation letter from a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two). - Photocopy of the inviter's passport and residence permit (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two). - Original certification (marriage certificate, birth certificate, certification of kinship issued by Public Security Bureau, or notarized certification of kinship) showing the immediate family relationship (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two).

S2: - Invitation letter from a foreigner who stays or resides in China for work or studies (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two). - Photocopy of the inviter's passport and residence permit (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two). - Photocopy of certification (marriage certificate, birth certificate, or notarized certification of kinship) showing the family-member relationship (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two).

For S2 private affairs — medical treatment, estate inheritance, litigation, or property ownership — the UK mission lists further documents by case (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two).

These are one mission's requirements; the requirements of other missions may differ.

After an S1 entry: residence permit

A holder of an S1 visa shall, within 30 days from the date of entry, apply to the exit/entry administrations of the local public security bureau in the proposed place of residence for a foreigners' residence permit (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two).

The National Immigration Administration's service guide for residence permits is in Chinese; the English below is this site's translation. Under section 6(2), item 5 (private affairs category): an S1 entrant who is a visiting family member shall submit a letter from the visited person stating the relationship — spouse, parents, spouse's parents, or child under 18 — and the residence permit; a residence permit consistent with the visited person's stay in China may be issued. Other persons shall submit materials related to their private affairs; a residence permit not exceeding one year may be issued (National Immigration Administration — service guide for issuing, extending, replacing and reissuing foreigners' residence permits, section 6(2), item 5). Section 6(2), item 5 uses "may issue" and sets no guarantee of issuance.

Questions people ask

Can a student's brother or sister get an S1 visa?

The Regulations list S1 for spouses, parents, children under 18, and parents-in-law only (Article 6(10)). The UK mission treats brothers and sisters as "family members" for S2, not S1 (Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom — Part Two). Whether a brother or sister qualifies for S1 is decided by the office handling the application.

Does this site check a family member's S visa?

No. This site's visa check covers the student's own visa only. It does not assess an S1 or S2 application (Study in China Toolkit — what the tools ask and print).

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026. This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your application prevail if they differ.

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