X1 & X2 Visa GuideUnofficial X1 vs X2 Visa for China: Which Student Visa Fits Your Study Period
Unofficial summary · Sources checked
In one line: count the days of study on your admission notice. More than 180 days means an X1 visa followed by a residence permit. 180 days or less means an X2 visa and nothing further to apply for after entry.
The rule and where it is written
China's entry-exit regulations list twelve kinds of ordinary visa. Item 11 covers students: the X1 visa "is issued to persons who apply for long-term study in China", and the X2 visa is for persons who apply for short-term study (Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, Article 6).
The same regulations define the two words. Short-term means a stay of no more than 180 days, with day 180 included. Long-term means more than 180 days (Article 36). Chinese embassies repeat that line in their visa tables: the embassy in the United Kingdom describes X1 as for study "exceeding 180 days" and X2 as for study of "no more than 180 days".
The Ministry of Education's rules for schools say the same thing from the school's side: a foreigner admitted to a school in China applies before entry, according to the length of study, for an X1 or X2 visa at a Chinese embassy or consulate (Order No. 42, Article 35).
What each visa needs
| X1 | X2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Study period | More than 180 days | 180 days or less |
| Regulations, Article 7(11) | Admission notice from the school and certification documents from the competent authority | Certification documents such as the admission notice |
| Embassy lists read for this page | Admission letter plus form JW201 or JW202 | Admission notice; the US list adds form DQ if you have it |
The "certification documents from the competent authority" are, in practice, the form the embassies name: the Visa Application for Study in China, numbered JW201 for government scholarship students and JW202 for self-funded students. The regulations also let a visa office ask for extra material in a particular case, so read the page of the mission where you will apply.
What happens after you enter
With an X1 visa. The visa itself is only the way in. The embassy in the UK notes that X1 visas marked with a "000" duration of stay oblige the holder to apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entry. That deadline comes from Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, which also says where to apply: the exit-entry administration of the public security organ in the place you will live.
With an X2 visa. There is no second step. Where the duration of stay on a visa is 180 days or less, the holder may stay within that duration (Law, Article 29). The duration is counted from the day after entry (Regulations, Article 36).
With either visa. If you live anywhere other than a hotel, you or your host must register your address with the local public security organ within 24 hours of arrival (Law, Article 39).
Frequently asked questions
My programme is exactly 180 days. X1 or X2?
X2. The regulations count 180 days as short-term: the definition reads "not exceeding 180 days (including 180 days)". Only study longer than that is long-term.
Can I stay longer on an X2 visa if my course is extended?
An extension is possible in principle, but it is limited. Under Article 14 of the regulations, an extension applies only to the current entry, you must keep to the purpose of the original visa, and the total extension cannot be longer than the duration of stay first written on the visa.
Does an X2 visa lead to a residence permit?
No. The residence permit for study is issued to persons pursuing long-term studies (Regulations, Article 15). Article 30 of the law applies only where the visa says a residence permit is needed after entry, which is the case for X1 visas.
Who decides which visa I get?
The Chinese embassy or consulate that handles your application. This site is not official and cannot tell you what a mission will decide; it can only show you the published rule.
Sources (all read on 11 October 2026)
- National Immigration Administration, Regulations of the PRC on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, Articles 6, 7, 14, 15 and 36: https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147458/c155970/content.html
- National Immigration Administration, Exit and Entry Administration Law of the PRC, Articles 29, 30 and 39: https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147458/c155978/content.html
- Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom, Part One: Visa for China (Mainland only): https://gb.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/visa/qzxz/201303/t20130315_3383967.htm
- Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom, Part Two: How to Apply for a Visa for China: https://gb.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/visa/qzxz/201303/t20130315_3383966.htm
- Embassy of the PRC in the United States, Requirements and Procedures for Chinese Visa Application (Updated September, 2025): https://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/zj/notice/202509/t20250920_11712385.htm
- Ministry of Education, Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42, in Chinese), Article 35: http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A02/s5911/moe_621/201705/t20170516_304735.html
This page is an unofficial summary of published rules, not immigration advice.