X1 or X2 — the dividing line is 180 days
China issues two student visas and the choice is not yours to make. It follows from the length of the study period on your admission documents.
| Visa | For | What happens after you arrive |
|---|---|---|
| X1 | Study of more than 180 days | You must convert it to a residence permit after entry. The X1 itself is only an entry document. |
| X2 | Study of 180 days or less | You stay on the visa. No conversion. |
The X1 catches people out because it looks like a short visa. There are in fact two separate 30-day periods, and confusing them is the mistake to avoid. Fudan University's international student office states that the X1 visa is valid for 30 days, and that students must then apply for a residence permit through their school within 30 days of arrival.
- The first 30 days run from the visa's issue and are the window in which you must enter China.
- The second 30 days run from the date you enter and are the window in which you must obtain the residence permit that actually covers your studies.
So the X1 is not a 30-day permission to stay, and it is not a single 30-day clock either. Plan your flight around the first period and your first weeks around the second.
The JW202 form is now electronic — paper copies are not accepted
The form titled Visa Application for Study in China, which you will see referred to as the JW201 or JW202, is issued through the Ministry of Education and applied for by your university on your behalf. You do not obtain it yourself.
In November 2023 the Ministry of Education moved the system to an electronic form nationally. According to a notice published by the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, paper versions issued after 20 November 2023 are invalid, and Chinese visa authorities abroad will not accept them. Students download and print the form from the official study-in-China platform instead. The same notice records that the form was renamed the Confirmation Form for Study in China, while keeping the familiar JW201 and JW202 designations.
The same change set the form's validity at six months from the date of issue. That is a live expiry date: if your plans slip and the form goes stale, you will need a new one before the visa appointment. Check the issue date on yours.
The paper-versus-electronic point is the most common outdated instruction on other websites. If a guide tells you to wait for a paper JW202 to arrive by courier from China, it was written before the change.
On the difference between JW201 and JW202, be careful what you believe. A great many agency websites state that JW201 is for government-scholarship students and JW202 for self-funded students. We could not find that distinction stated by any official source, so this page does not assert it. Your university issues whichever form applies to you.
There is a documented distinction on a different axis. Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University describes the JW202 as applying to programmes longer than 180 days for degree students, and a separate DQ form as applying to stays of roughly 30 to 180 days for non-degree, language or single-semester study. That split is by duration, matching the X1 and X2 split.
Official sources
- University of Shanghai for Science and Technology — Ministry of Education notice on the electronic form; paper versions after 20 Nov 2023 invalid
- Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University — JW202 and DQ forms explained by programme length
- China Visa Application Service Center — official FAQ on the Visa Application for Study in China form
What the consulate asks for
The core set is consistent: a passport valid well beyond your intended stay, the completed visa application form with a photograph, your admission letter from the university, and the study form described above. Beyond that, the list genuinely varies by consulate.
Beijing's published guidelines and the official visa service centre both list the original and a photocopy of the admission letter. In practice some universities now issue only an electronic admission notice, which Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool tells applicants to print in colour. So an original may mean a document you printed yourself — ask your university which form yours takes.
Two further documents move around depending on where you apply, and this is worth checking rather than assuming.
- A physical examination form. Beijing's X1 guidelines do not list it among the visa documents, but the Chinese Consulate-General in Lagos does list it for X1 applicants. Fudan requires an examination record at the residence-permit stage after arrival instead.
- A non-criminal record certificate. It does not appear on Beijing's guidelines or the visa service centre's list, but the Lagos consulate requires it and requires it legalised, and Sichuan University requires one issued within the previous six months as part of the university application itself.
Consulate pages are not always kept current — the Lagos list cited here dates from 2022 and still mentions a COVID-19 vaccination certificate. Use such pages as evidence that requirements vary, not as a current checklist, and confirm by contacting the consulate.
Read the page of the specific Chinese embassy or consulate that handles applications in your country, and your specific university's admissions page. Consular officers can ask for supporting materials beyond a published list, and a document you did not bring cannot be produced at the counter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an X1 and an X2 visa?
The X1 is for study of more than 180 days and the X2 for study of 180 days or less. An X1 holder must convert the visa into a residence permit after arriving in China; an X2 holder stays on the visa for the whole period.
Is the JW202 form still issued on paper?
No. The Ministry of Education moved the system to an electronic form nationally, and paper versions issued after 20 November 2023 are invalid and will not be accepted by Chinese visa authorities abroad. Students print the form from the official platform. Guidance telling you to wait for a paper form to be posted from China is out of date. Note also that the form is valid for six months from its date of issue.
Is JW201 for scholarship students and JW202 for self-funded students?
That is widely repeated but we could not confirm it from any official source, so we do not state it as fact. Your university applies for whichever form applies to you. The distinction that is documented is between the JW202 for degree programmes over 180 days and the DQ form for shorter non-degree study.
Do I need a medical examination before I apply for the visa?
It depends on where you apply. Some consulates list a physical examination form among the visa documents, while some universities instead require an examination record after you arrive, at the residence-permit stage. Check the page of the consulate handling your application and your university's own instructions.
Do I need my original admission letter at the visa appointment?
The official lists ask for the original and a photocopy, but many universities now issue an electronic admission notice that you print yourself, often in colour. Ask your university which form yours takes and check your consulate's page, since practice varies.