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China · M visa

China Business Visa (M Visa) from Pakistan

Business travellers from Pakistan visiting China for commercial and trade activities apply for the M visa. The key document is the invitation: a formal Invitation Letter (TE) or Verification Letter of Invitation, a Canton Fair or China International Import Expo invitation, or an ordinary invitation letter from the Chinese company backed by bank statements and bookings. You fill in the form online, upload documents, then hand in your passport at the authorised Chinese visa application service centre in Islamabad, Karachi or Lahore.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Official name
M visa (commercial and trade activities)
Key document
Invitation from a real organisation in China, with its official seal
Application
Online form and uploads, then passport submission at a visa application service centre
Consular districts
Islamabad embassy for Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan; Karachi for Sindh and Balochistan
Police certificate
Required for applicants aged 10 and above
Work allowed
No. Employment needs a Z visa and work permit

Who this is for

  • Importers sourcing goods and visiting factories or suppliers
  • Traders attending the Canton Fair, the China International Import Expo or other trade fairs
  • Managers negotiating with Chinese partners, including companies working on CPEC projects
  • Buyers carrying out quality checks or follow-up meetings with Chinese suppliers

When another route fits better

  • You will work in China: you need a Z visa, which starts with a work permit arranged by the employer.
  • Your visit is a non-commercial exchange, such as an academic or cultural visit: the F visa fits better.
  • The trip is for tourism: apply for an L visa.

Documents to prepare

Common documents

  • Passport with enough validity and at least one blank visa page, plus a copy of the photo page
  • Copy of the front and back of your CNIC
  • Police character certificate covering your life since birth, apostilled by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs if it has no verifiable QR code
  • Completed online visa application form with a clear digital photo

M visa documents

  • Invitation Letter (TE) or Verification Letter of Invitation, submitted with an ordinary invitation letter from the Chinese company
  • Or a Canton Fair or China International Import Expo invitation letter
  • Or an ordinary invitation letter from the Chinese company with all the required details and its official seal
  • If you use an ordinary invitation only: your personal bank statement for recent months covering the cost of your stay
  • Return flight and hotel booking (recommended)
  • Letter from your Pakistani employer or company, as supporting evidence

Step by step

  1. 1

    Get the right invitation

    Ask your Chinese partner which invitation they can issue. An ordinary invitation letter must give your personal details, the purpose and dates of the visit, places you will go, your relationship with the company, who pays, and the company's full details, signature and official seal.

  2. 2

    Get your police character certificate

    Apply for the certificate early. If it has no verifiable QR code, have it apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Scan any QR code yourself to check it shows your own certificate.

  3. 3

    Fill in the online form

    Complete the visa application form on the official China visa application website and upload all your documents. Choose the embassy or consulate that covers where you permanently live.

  4. 4

    Wait for online approval

    The documents are checked online first. If your case is returned, fix what is asked for. Go ahead only when you receive the 'Online Visa Approved' email.

  5. 5

    Submit your passport

    Take your passport, the application certificate and original documents to the visa application service centre in Islamabad, Karachi or Lahore, according to where you live.

  6. 6

    Collect the visa

    Collect your passport at the time on your pick-up form and check the visa details at the counter before you leave.

  7. 7

    Before you fly

    You can fill in China's arrival card online before you arrive, or complete it on arrival.

Costs to plan for

  • The visa fee. Check the embassy's current fee notice
  • The visa application service centre's service charges
  • Police character certificate and apostille charges
  • Flights, hotel and travel insurance

Why applications get refused

  • Fake or unverifiable invitation letters, which the embassy says it can check
  • An ordinary invitation letter missing required details, or without the company's proper official seal
  • A police certificate whose QR code does not show its content, or shows someone else's certificate
  • False proof of funds
  • Mistakes in the form, such as a company name that differs from its business licence, an invalid company phone number or details that do not match your passport
  • A blurry digital photo that cannot be used to confirm your identity

Tips before you apply

  • Check that the stamp on the invitation is the company's official circular seal. The embassy treats seal problems seriously.
  • Put your own mobile number on the form and keep your phone on. The visa centre may call you about collection.
  • China has temporarily waived fingerprints for many short-term visa applicants. Check the embassy's latest notice to see whether this still applies.
  • The embassy does not offer a fast service, so apply well before the trade fair or meeting.

Questions people ask

No. You can apply with a Canton Fair or CIIE invitation, or with an ordinary invitation letter plus bank statements. Some applicants, such as certain government employees with an apostilled NOC and people who have visited China several times before, can be exempt from the TE, but they still need an ordinary invitation letter.

It depends on where you permanently live. Residents of Sindh and Balochistan apply under the Karachi consulate; residents of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab apply under the embassy in Islamabad, through the Islamabad or Lahore centre.

Yes. The embassy lists a valid police character certificate as a common document for applicants aged 10 and above.

No. The M visa is for commercial and trade activities. Employment needs a Z visa.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.