This guide covers UK visa requirements for Chinese citizens in 2026 — fees in Chinese Yuan, success rates, and how to apply. China is a visa-national country, so Chinese passport holders need a visa for every UK trip; there is no ETA option. The 6-month visitor visa costs ¥1,287, and mainland applicants get a 2-year visa at the same price. Chinese applicants succeed at 92% on over half a million visitor applications.
UK Visas from China
UK Visa for Chinese Citizens 2026: Requirements, Fees in Yuan & Success Rate
UK Visa Requirements for Chinese Citizens 2026
Yes. China is on the UK's visa-national list, so all Chinese passport holders must obtain a visa before travelling, for any purpose. The 6-month Standard Visitor visa costs ¥1,287. A US Green Card or other foreign residence does not exempt Chinese nationals from this requirement. Chinese applicants enjoy a strong 92% visitor grant rate, with study close to 100% and work at 96%.
China is the UK's second-largest visa market after India, with over 515,000 visitor applications in the year ending June 2026, and Chinese applicants succeed at high rates across every route. The visa cannot be skipped because of residence elsewhere — a Chinese passport needs entry clearance wherever its holder lives.
For the Standard Visitor visa on a Chinese passport, the requirements follow the same logic as every route — identity, purpose, funds, and ties:
- Valid passport: with a blank page for the vignette.
- Online application: completed on gov.uk, fee paid in Chinese Yuan.
- Financial evidence: bank statements showing steady funds that cover the whole trip.
- Purpose evidence: itinerary, employer leave letter, or an invitation from a UK host.
- Ties to China: employment, property, studies, or family showing you will return.
- TB test certificate: only for stays over six months — work, study, or settlement.
UK Visa Fees for Chinese Citizens in Yuan 2026
UK visa fees for Chinese citizens are charged in Chinese Yuan at the Home Office quarterly exchange rate, paid during the online application, under the 8 April 2026 schedule set out in the official Home Office fee tables. The Immigration Health Surcharge applies separately to visas over six months, always in pounds sterling at £1,035 per year, or £776 for students. One table covers every route:
UK visa cost for Chinese citizens in yuan (2026)
| Visa Type | Fee (CNY) | Grant Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6-month Visitor | ¥1,287 | 92% |
| 2-year Visitor (Chinese Visa Scheme, mainland) | ¥1,287 | 92% |
| 2-year Visitor (standard) | ¥4,823 | 92% |
| 5-year Visitor | ¥8,608 | 92% |
| 10-year Visitor | ¥10,753 | 92% |
| Student | ¥5,319 | >99% |
| Skilled Worker (≤3 years) | ¥7,807 | 96% |
| Health and Care Worker (≤3 years) | ¥3,089 | 96% |
| Global Talent (with approval) | ¥1,954 | — |
| Spouse / Partner | ¥19,675 | 92% |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule; grant rates year ending June 2026.
How Much Is a UK Visa from China?
For most travellers the answer is ¥1,287 — the 6-month visitor visa covering tourism, family visits, business, and short courses. Payment goes through VFS Global centres in 15 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. On longer routes the health surcharge in pounds is usually the bigger budget line: a three-year Skilled Worker visa adds £3,105 of surcharge on top of the ¥7,807 fee.
UK Tourist Visa for Chinese Citizens 2026
The UK visit visa covers tourism, family visits, business, and short courses, with each stay capped at 180 days. Frequent travellers can apply for a long-term visit visa valid for 2, 5, or 10 years, tour groups use the ADS tour-group visa at the same ¥1,287, and those visiting relatives should review what a UK sponsor must provide.
Before paying for a standard 2-year visa, mainland applicants should know about the scheme that makes it largely unnecessary:
Under the Chinese Visa Scheme, Chinese nationals applying in mainland China can get a 2-year multiple-entry visitor visa for ¥1,287 — the same price as a standard 6-month visa. The scheme is unique to Chinese applicants and is offered automatically when applying from mainland China, making it exceptional value for anyone planning more than one UK trip.
UK Visa Success Rate for Chinese Citizens 2026
China's grant rates are among the strongest of any high-volume nationality: 92% for visitors, close to 100% for study (only 102 refused), 96% for work, and 92% for family. The 92% visitor rate is notable given the sheer scale — though the 8% refused still means around 40,000 applicants turned down, so documentation matters. Our guides to refusal reasons and grant rates by nationality help applicants prepare a strong case.
UK visa grant rates for China (year ending June 2026)
| Visa Category | Applications | Grant Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor | 515,951 | 92% |
| Study | 86,968 | >99% |
| Work | 5,655 | 96% |
| Family | 963 | 92% |
Source: Home Office Immigration System Statistics, year ending June 2026.
UK Visa for Chinese Citizens with a US Green Card 2026
This is the most misunderstood point for Chinese nationals living in America: a US Green Card does not exempt a Chinese citizen from needing a UK visitor visa, because the UK assesses entry on passport nationality, not residence. The Green Card changes where and how you apply, not whether.
Applying from the US Instead of China
Apply in your country of residence — a Chinese citizen living in the US applies through VFS Global there, with fees charged in US Dollars, and the case assessed on US circumstances. That usually helps: established residence, employment, and finances all evidence strong ties and a clear reason to return after the visit. Anyone previously refused should review our guide to reapplying after a refusal.
UK Work Visa for Chinese Citizens 2026
The Skilled Worker visa costs ¥7,807 for up to three years, or ¥15,424 for longer, and needs a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed UK employer, a graduate-level job, and a salary of at least £41,700 or the going rate in the Home Office eligible occupations list. Chinese work applications succeed at 96%. Healthcare professionals use the Health and Care Worker route at ¥3,089, exempt from the health surcharge; approved researchers and leaders in their field can use Global Talent at ¥1,954.
UK Student Visa from China 2026
China is one of the two largest sources of UK university students, with around 87,000 applications and a near-100% grant rate — only 102 refused. The UK Student visa costs ¥5,319 plus the health surcharge at £776 per year, and needs a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), the English language requirement, and maintenance funds of £1,529 per month for London or £1,171 elsewhere.
Graduates can stay two further years of post-study work on the Graduate Route after completing their course.
UK Family Visa from China 2026
The UK Spouse visa costs ¥19,675 and lets Chinese nationals join a British or settled partner under Appendix FM, leading to ILR after five years. The sponsor must earn at least £29,000 a year — the threshold in place since April 2024, with the previously announced rise to £38,700 paused pending review. The initial visa runs 33 months; China's family grant rate is 92%.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from China
Chinese citizens apply online at gov.uk, pay in Chinese Yuan, and give biometrics at a VFS Global centre. The process is the same one used across the wider region, including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
- Complete the online application on gov.uk and select China.
- Pay the visa fee in Chinese Yuan, plus the health surcharge if applicable.
- Book your appointment at a VFS Global centre in one of 15 cities.
- Attend and give biometrics — fingerprints and a photograph.
- Submit supporting documents at the centre or online.
- Access your eVisa through your UKVI account once approved.
Standard decisions take around 3 weeks, with settlement and family cases up to 12 weeks; the priority visa service can shorten non-settlement decisions. Our guide to processing times after biometrics explains the timelines once you have attended, and required paperwork is set out in our supporting documents checklist.
Sources: fees from the Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as charged in Chinese Yuan at visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk; grant rates and application volumes from the Home Office Immigration System Statistics, year ending June 2026. Figures verified 29 August 2026 against the 8 April 2026 fee schedule.
Frequently Asked
Questions about UK Visas for Chinese Citizens
Yes. China is on the UK's visa-national list, so all Chinese passport holders must obtain a visa before travelling, whatever the purpose — there is no ETA option. The 6-month Standard Visitor visa costs ¥1,287. A US Green Card or other foreign residence does not exempt Chinese nationals from this requirement. Chinese applicants enjoy a strong 92% visitor grant rate, with study close to 100% and work at 96%.
For the Standard Visitor visa: a valid Chinese passport, the online application with the ¥1,287 fee, bank statements covering the whole trip, evidence of the visit's purpose such as an itinerary or invitation letter, and ties to China — employment, property, or family — showing you will return. Stays over six months (work, study, settlement) add a TB test certificate and route-specific sponsorship documents such as a CAS or Certificate of Sponsorship.
UK visa fees from China in 2026: 6-month visitor ¥1,287, 2-year visitor ¥4,823, 10-year visitor ¥10,753, student ¥5,319, Skilled Worker ¥7,807 for up to 3 years, and spouse ¥19,675. Fees are paid in Chinese Yuan. Under the Chinese Visa Scheme, mainland applicants get a 2-year visa for ¥1,287. Work, study, and family visas also require the health surcharge in pounds at £1,035 per year, or £776 for students.
In the year ending June 2026, the Chinese visitor visa grant rate was 92% — of 515,951 applications, 474,039 were granted. Other routes were even stronger: study close to 100% on around 87,000 applications (only 102 refused), work 96%, and family 92%. China is the UK's second-largest visa market after India, and its grant rates sit well above the global visitor average of about 79%.
Yes. A US Green Card does not exempt Chinese nationals from needing a UK visa, because the UK assesses entry on passport nationality, not residence. Chinese citizens living in the US still need a visitor visa, but should apply from the US, where fees are charged in US Dollars. US residence, employment, and finances strengthen the application by evidencing strong ties and a clear reason to return.
The Chinese Visa Scheme lets Chinese nationals applying in mainland China get a 2-year multiple-entry visitor visa for ¥1,287 — the same price as a standard 6-month visa. It is unique to Chinese applicants and offered automatically when applying from mainland China. Each visit is still capped at 180 days, but the scheme is excellent value for anyone making more than one UK trip over two years.
On a visitor visa, up to 180 days per visit — the cap is the same whether the visa is valid for 6 months, 2, 5, or 10 years; longer validity means more trips, not longer stays. On work, study, and family visas the stay matches the visa length: a Student visa covers the course, a Skilled Worker visa up to five years toward settlement, and a Spouse visa runs 33 months initially with settlement after five years.
Standard processing from China is around 3 weeks for visitor, student, and work visas, and up to 12 weeks for settlement and family visas. The priority service returns a non-settlement decision in about 5 working days where offered, and super priority the next working day. These timelines run from your biometrics appointment at a VFS Global centre, not from the online submission.
UK visa applications from China are processed through VFS Global centres in 15 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shenyang, Wuhan, and Shenzhen. You apply online at gov.uk, pay in Chinese Yuan, then book a biometrics appointment at your nearest centre. Once a decision is made, successful applicants receive a digital eVisa through their UKVI account rather than a passport sticker.
6个月访问签证费用为¥1,287，学生签证¥5,319，技术工人签证（3年以内）¥7,807，配偶签证¥19,675。所有费用在网上申请时以人民币支付。工作、学习和家庭类签证还需另外以英镑支付移民健康附加费（IHS）。
申请在GOV.UK网站在线完成，费用以人民币支付。随后需前往VFS Global签证申请中心录入指纹和照片（生物信息）。访问签证的审理通常在录入生物信息后约3周内出结果。