China Q1 Visa Documents in the Philippines: Full Checklist, Invitation Letter, Proof of Relationship and How to Apply in Manila

China Q1 visa documents checklist: the nine items on the Manila visa center's list

A Q1 file has two layers: the basic documents every applicant submits, and extra documents that depend on why you are going, how old you are and whether you have been to China before. The Manila visa center groups them into nine items. The table below follows the order of the Q1 document list published by the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Manila (dated 24 August 2026):

Three things trip people up most often. First, you must bring the printed application form, signed by the applicant in person; for a minor, a parent or guardian may sign and state the relationship. Second, the photo uploaded online must be of the applicant. If it shows someone else, the center will reject the application and ask you to fill in a new form; if the upload keeps failing, bring a compliant photo and the center will upload it. Third, the list ends with a warning that all application documents are kept by the Chinese Embassy and only the passport is returned, so copy or scan anything you hand over.

The English and Chinese versions of the list are not identical. The English page leaves out the first-time visitor section, while its minors section adds copies of the parents' Chinese visas, if any. Read both, and when they differ, follow what the counter asks for on the day. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also notes, in its guidance on preparing visa documents (in Chinese), that consular officers may ask for more documents or an interview and decide the visa's validity, duration of stay and number of entries. Treat the list as the minimum.

This guide covers only the Q1 documents and process. If you are visiting family for 180 days or less, the Q2 short-term family visit visa is the one to look at; for which to choose, and for where to apply if you live in the Cebu consular district or elsewhere, see our overview of China Q1 and Q2 family visas. For how Chinese visa costs are made up, see Chinese visa types and cost components in the Philippines. This article does not quote any amounts; check the embassy and visa center for current figures.

Proof of relationship for a Q1: which documents link you to your relative in China

The authorities accept four kinds of proof of relationship: a marriage certificate, a birth certificate, a kinship certificate issued by a Chinese police station, or a notarized certificate of kinship. You submit the original and a photocopy. If the relationship spans a generation or runs through a marriage, you usually need two or more documents to link the chain.

The MFA's explanation of Q1 and Q2 visas (in Chinese, published 6 May 2026) and the Manila list define "family members" the same way: spouses, parents, children, children's spouses, siblings, grandparents on either side, grandchildren on either side, and parents-in-law. The inviter must be a Chinese citizen living in China or a foreigner with Chinese permanent residence. Relatives outside this list, such as uncles, aunts or cousins, cannot apply for a Q1 on family reunion grounds.

The official pages name the types of proof but do not say which combination fits each relationship. The table below is a practical way to prepare using those four types; the embassy decides what it accepts.

Where the documents come from. Philippine birth and marriage records are normally submitted in the version issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). For how to request them and correct errors, see our guide to Philippine birth certificates and our guide to Philippine marriage certificates. Documents from the China side are arranged by the inviter; whether a local police station will issue a kinship certificate, and how a notary office issues a kinship notarization, varies by place, so ask locally. For how a Philippine marriage certificate is used in China, see getting a Philippine marriage certificate recognized in China.

Three practical points. First, the list asks for originals and copies, but the visa center keeps everything except the passport. Order a spare PSA copy, and ask at the counter whether originals are inspected and handed back or kept. Second, names and dates of birth on birth and marriage certificates must match the passport, the application form and the invitation letter exactly; if your new passport shows a different name from the old one, the Chinese Embassy's visa information page (in Chinese) asks for an official name-change document. Third, more paper is not better. Submit the documents that directly prove the relationship, and state the relationship clearly in the invitation letter so the officer can match them at a glance.

Writing the Q1 invitation letter: required details, passport number and matching field 6.2

A Q1 invitation letter comes from a Chinese citizen or Chinese permanent resident living in China. It must cover three sets of details, carry the inviter's signature, and match what you entered on the application form. The Manila Q1 list adds one item that the MFA's general explanation does not mention: the applicant's passport number.

• Applicant's details: full name, gender, date of birth, passport number, etc.;
• Visit details: purpose of visit, intended arrival date, intended place of stay, intended duration of stay, relationship to the inviter, and who will cover expenses, etc.;
• Inviter's details: name, phone number, address, signature, etc.

Attach the inviter's ID. A Chinese citizen provides a copy of the Chinese ID card, front and back, as the Manila list specifies. A foreigner with Chinese permanent residence provides copies of their passport and permanent residence card.

Match the application form. The visa center's notes on technical issues and document uploads (in Chinese) say that applicants for Q1, Q2 and several other visas must complete field 6.2 of the form, the inviting organization or person, fully and accurately. The name spelling, passport number, arrival date and place of stay in the letter should match the form. The center's online application user guide (in Chinese) also notes that the system only accepts applications for travel within the next 90 days, so the arrival date in your letter has to fall inside that window.

Notarized or original? The Manila Q1 list does not require a family reunion invitation letter to be notarized; the document that must be notarized and authenticated is the foster care power of attorney. According to the MFA's guidance (in Chinese), an invitation letter may be a fax, photocopy or printout, but the consular officer can ask for the original. The safe approach is to have the inviter sign by hand and courier the original to the Philippines, upload a scan online, and carry the original when you submit.

A sample structure (not an official template; it simply arranges the required details and contains no real data):

1. Heading: Invitation Letter, addressed to the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines;
2. Paragraph 1: the inviter's name, ID or permanent residence card number, home address in China and phone number;
3. Paragraph 2: the applicant's name, gender, date of birth, nationality and passport number, and the relationship, for example "my wife";
4. Paragraph 3: purpose stated as family reunion, intended arrival date, full address where the applicant will live, and intended length of stay;
5. Paragraph 4: who will cover living expenses in China;
6. Closing: the inviter's handwritten signature and date.

A Q1 letter states the intended place and length of residence, while a Q2 letter states arrival and departure dates and places to visit, so the two are not interchangeable. For a side-by-side comparison, see how Q1 and Q2 invitation letters differ. It helps if the address in the letter is where you will apply for your residence permit after arrival, so the story stays consistent when you deal with the local exit-entry administration.

Extra documents for children, foster care, first-time visitors and former Chinese citizens

Applicants under 18, foster care cases, first-time visitors to China and former Chinese citizens each have an extra set of documents on top of the basics. If more than one applies to you, prepare all of the relevant sets. Unless another source is named, the items below come from the Manila Q1 list.

Children under 18:

• A copy of the birth certificate showing the parents' details;
• Copies of both parents' passports, and of their Chinese visas if any;
• A travel consent letter from each parent who is not travelling with the child;
• If either parent holds a non-Philippine passport, the original and copy of that parent's legal status in the Philippines (work visa, study visa or residence permit);
• For a child of a Chinese-Filipino marriage applying for the first time, a copy of the residence or visa document the Chinese parent held in the Philippines when the child was born.

The visa center's upload notes (in Chinese) add four points: upload the birth certificate page showing the parents and both parents' passport data pages; if the child travels with the parents, provide the parents' valid visas; if the family applies together, enter the parents' application numbers under "Other" attachments so the files can be reviewed together; and complete item 9.2 of the form for a minor. If the child may hold Chinese nationality, the child would not be applying as a foreigner at all, so settle the nationality question before choosing a document. See registering a Philippine-born child in China and which passport a Chinese-Filipino child should travel on.

Foster care: a notarized and authenticated foster care power of attorney (the English list also accepts a foster care notarization issued by a Chinese embassy or consulate); the original and copy of the natural parents' or guardians' passports, with proof of their relationship to the child (the English list calls for a notarized and authenticated certificate); a letter from the trustee in China agreeing to provide foster care, with a copy of the trustee's ID; and, if either parent is a Chinese citizen, a copy of the certificate showing that parent was settled abroad when the child was born. The MFA words the first item slightly differently, so prepare to whatever the counter currently requires.

First-time visitors to China: this section appears only on the Chinese-language list, which says it does not apply to former Chinese citizens or minors. It asks for a bank certificate covering the last 6 months together with the bank's receipt for issuing it, marked as mandatory, and then, depending on your situation, a BIR-stamped income tax return with a certificate of employment stating income and years of service, or business registration if self-employed, or a Professional ID or student ID, plus any other proof of finances, work or study.

Former Chinese citizens: on your first application after naturalization, bring your last Chinese passport and a copy of its data page. If you have had a Chinese visa since naturalizing and are now on a renewed foreign passport, provide the old passport's data page and copies of the earlier Chinese visa, and show the old passport if the visa is in it. The center's online user guide (in Chinese) adds that applicants who were Chinese citizens, or whose parent is or was one, must upload documents that fit their circumstances on a first application. For the legal side of changing nationality, see what happens when a former Chinese citizen enters China on a Philippine passport.

How to apply for a Q1 in Manila: online form, pre-review, submission, fingerprints and collection

In the Manila area the sequence is: complete the form and uploads online, wait for the online pre-review to pass, take your certificate to the visa center to submit, pay and give fingerprints where required, then collect with your pick-up slip. No appointment is needed to submit. This is based on the Chinese Embassy's notices of 19 January 2024 and 29 September 2025 (both in Chinese) and the visa center's online application user guide (in Chinese).

1. Register and fill in the form. Make sure Manila is selected on the visa center website, register, log in, open your personal center and choose to fill in a new form, reading the application notes first. The form has nine parts: personal information, visa type, work, education, family, travel, previous travel, other matters and declaration. Complete it in Chinese or English, in order; you can save a draft. Choose Q1 as the visa type. You can state the validity and stay you want, but the consular officer decides whether to issue the visa and sets the entries, validity and duration of stay.
2. Upload documents. Photograph and upload them as prompted. Only images are accepted, not PDFs, and items marked with a red dashed frame are mandatory. If an earlier Chinese visa is in an old passport, upload that passport's data page as well.
3. Submit and confirm. Check everything, click to submit the application, then click submit again on the fee confirmation page; otherwise the status stays at "pending payment." The guide says the Manila center does not yet take online payment, and applications default to no express or urgent service at the online review stage; contact the center if you need it.
4. Wait for the online review. If documents or changes are requested, the status shows "Rejected," and the file is reviewed again after you fix it. When it passes, the status shows "completed"; print the Visa Application Certificate attached to the email. Passing this review does not mean the visa is approved. One passport can have only one application at a time, and after two withdrawals on the same passport you must wait 30 days to apply again.
5. Submit in person and pay. The center is on the 6th Floor of Noble Square, 6762 Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Bring the certificate, your original passport and a copy of the data page, the photo, the signed form, your previous Chinese passport if applicable, previous Chinese visas if any, and the supporting documents listed above. Regular submissions are accepted on working days from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You pay when you submit, and the guide says the center currently accepts cash only.
6. Fingerprints. The center's FAQ (in Chinese) says applicants exempt from fingerprinting may have someone else submit for them, while all others must come in person to have their photo taken and fingerprints collected. The guide adds that if the embassy decides fingerprints are needed, the center will ask the applicant to attend in person, and anyone found giving fingerprints for someone else may cause the applicant to be refused entry to China. A Q1 leads to a residence permit after arrival, so plan to attend in person; who is exempt is whatever the embassy and visa center currently publish.
7. Collect. Regular applications are ready on the 4th working day. Bring the pick-up slip you received at submission, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and check the visa type, entries, validity and duration of stay at the counter before you leave.

Timing. The center's FAQ suggests applying about a month before you travel but not more than three months ahead, because entry validity is usually three months, and a rejected online file has to be reviewed again. Once a visa is issued, the MFA says (in Chinese) that the entries or duration cannot be changed, only reapplied for, so decide before you fill in the form. The center closes on holidays, for example 25 September and 1 to 7 October 2026, so check its notices before you go. The embassy's visa page says first-time applicants cannot use express or urgent service; confirm the current position with the center.

The visa center only receives applications and takes no part in decisions, and the embassy states that it has authorized no other organization or individual to accept visa applications. Yixing is a private consultancy registered in the Philippines. We do not accept or decide visa applications; we help you check the list, organize family documents and complete the online form.

Every rejection at the online stage sends your file back to the queue. Send your Q1 documents to Yixing for a check before you submit →

Apostille and translation: what to sort out before you fly, and the 30-day residence permit

For the Q1 application itself, the Manila list only asks for the original and a copy of your proof of relationship. But when you apply for a family-reunion residence permit in China, foreign documents must be authenticated and translated into Chinese, so it makes sense to get the apostille done in the Philippines before you fly.

Authentication now means an apostille. The MFA's introduction to the Apostille Convention (in Chinese) states that China joined the Convention on 8 March 2023 and that it took effect in China on 7 November 2023; documents bearing an apostille from another member state can be used in China without consular legalization by a Chinese embassy. The Philippines is on the list of member states. The Chinese Embassy's notice of 27 October 2023 (in Chinese) says that Philippine public documents covered by the Convention only need a Philippine apostille to be used in mainland China, that the embassy stopped consular legalization from 7 November, and that the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs is the competent authority. It also warns that having an apostille does not mean a Chinese office will necessarily accept the document, so check format, content, time limits and translation requirements with the receiving office first. For the steps, see our full guide to Philippine apostille and authenticating Philippine documents for use in China.

What the residence permit stage asks for. The National Immigration Administration's service guide for foreigners' residence permits (in Chinese) says a Q1 holder applying for a family-reunion permit submits the identity document of the family member being joined and a letter explaining the family relationship. Proof of family relationship includes marriage, birth and adoption certificates issued by the relevant national authorities and related notarizations, and documents in foreign languages must be translated into Chinese. The guide's wording that foreign documents be legalized by the Chinese embassy predates the Convention taking effect in China; an apostille now does that job, but follow what the exit-entry administration where you will live tells you.

Order of work before you leave. Check names and dates on the PSA birth and marriage certificates; request the copies you will have apostilled; get the apostille under the Department of Foreign Affairs' current rules; ask the exit-entry administration where you will live what form the Chinese translation should take; then pack the originals, apostilled copies, translations and a copy of your visa page in your carry-on. If you want help, see Yixing's PSA document requests and document authentication assistance.

After you arrive. A Q1 holder must apply within 30 days of entry for a residence permit at the public security exit-entry administration, at county level or above, where they plan to live. Both the MFA and the Manila list state this. For how the residence permit application works, including the health certificate, see the 30-day residence permit rule for Q1 holders.

Finding out in China that your marriage certificate was never apostilled means sorting it out from the Philippines all over again. Let Yixing put your visa and post-arrival documents in order in one go →

If you need documents prepared on the Philippine side, contact us through our visa and HR services. Visas are decided by the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and residence permits by the Chinese public security authorities; we do not promise any outcome.