Visa Information
Chinese Visa
A valid passport and a visa are required for entry into China. Visas can be obtained from your local Chinese Embassy or the nearest Consulate General. Japanese and Singaporean participants holding a private passport and staying in China for not more than 15 days do not need a visa. Early registration is advised so that adequate time is allowed for obtaining visas.
To obtain a business visa, participants can provide passport information at online registration and a scanned copy of passport so that the organizer can prepare and send an official visa invitation letter, which lists the city where the applicant should apply for the visa, the passport data, the gender of the applicant and the accompanying persons, the date of entry and the length of stay. Alternatively, participants can apply for a tourist visa through a travel agent after booking air tickets and completing hotel reservation.
How can I get my visa to China?
There are two ways to get your visa. The first is to register with the congress and pay an appropriate registration fee. If the information of your passport is supplied, an official invitation will be mailed to you or a scanned copy of the invitation emailed to you for your visa application. The second is to ask your travel agent to arrange a tourist visa for you. Those from Japan and Singapore with an ordinary passport do not need an entry visa if they stay less than 15 days.
Can I apply for visa in the country where I am working but not a citizen?
Yes, if you have a permanent residence permit. But in addition to the documents required for visa application, you should provide a photocopy of the permanent residence permit or social security card to support your application.
When can I receive the official invitation for visa from the organizer?
As soon as we receive your appropriate payment of registration fee, the invitation letter will be issued to you. Depending on the delivery conditions, three to four weeks for the post delivery should be anticipated.
How long is a visa valid?
A Chinese visa is good for 90 days from the date of issuance. Within 90 days, you can enter China, and from the date of your entrance, you can stay in China for at most 30 days (the duration period is written in the visa label) if the visa is still valid. But the visa can be extended for a month at the Foreigners Section of the Beijing Public Security Bureau if necessary.
When should I go to the embassy/consulate to claim my visa?
Since a visa is valid for 90 days, you may start your application 90 days before your planned departure from China. We suggest that you apply for the entry visa one month before your planned arrival.
Can I go to any Chinese Consulate-General or Embassy to apply for my visa?
First, you should make the application in your own country or the country where you have a permanent residence. Then, if there is more than one Chinese diplomatic mission, you are supposed to apply to the Chinese Consular post that holds jurisdiction over your area of residence. Otherwise, complication or delay in processing or even denial of application may result.
General Information
Weather and Climate
Beijing enjoys a typical continental yet affable monsoon climate. It has distinctive four seasons, the brief blooming spring, the long hot summer, the golden fruitful autumn and the brisk harsh winter. The weather in June is a bit hot, with average high temperature of 30 ºC and low temperature of 20 ºC. The average rainfall is 70 mm.
Currency
In China, only Chinese Yuan (CNY, another way of saying it is Renminbi, RMB) is used. Currency exchange can be made at banks or exchange agencies at airports, hotels and large shopping centers. At present, the exchange rate is about CNY6.18 for 1USD. Notes come in 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 Yuan denominations. Coins come in 10c, 50c denominations. Major international credit cards such as Visa, Master, American Express, Diners Club, JCB are accepted in many department stores and hotels.
Insurance
The conference does not accept any liability for personal accidents or loss or damage to the private property of participants during the conference or indirectly arising from attending the conference. It is advisable that participants should have adequate travel and health insurances before leaving their own countries.
Personal Safety
Beijing is safe but you still have to keep an eye on your passports and valuables, especially when in crowded areas. In case of loss of passport, please call the local police at 110 and the embassy of your country as well.
First Aid and Medical Service
The telephone number for the first aid is 120 or 999. Several hospitals in Beijing are staffed with English speaking doctors. The China-Japan Friendship Hospital is 1.5km away from BICC and this is where participants may receive first-aid medical treatment if necessary.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed at the Conference Venue, Beijing International Convention Center.
Tipping
In most parts of China, tipping is generally not expected. However in large metropolises, tipping has become more common and may be expected in large hotels. In addition, most large hotels and restaurants charge a service fee of 15%.
Electricity
The electric current in China is 220V, 50hz. Most hotels have built-in converters in bathrooms for shavers and hair dryers. Please note that a variety of plug types are used in China and adaptors may be necessary. Two types of sockets are used in China: three-pin socket (a grounding pin and two flat prongs forming a V-shape) and two-pin socket (two flat parallel prongs without grounding). See the photo below:
Transport
Beijing is a rapidly growing international metropolis with an extensive transport resource. Beijing is readily accessible worldwide. Currently there are two commercial airports, four railway stations, sixteen subway-rail lines including one connecting the Beijing Capital International Airport with the city center, more than 400 bus and trolley bus routes, as well as about 70,000 taxis.
International Travel
Ranking 2nd in the world in terms of passenger traffic, Beijing Capital International Airport currently maintains direct international/regional airlink with 80 cities all over the world. In addition to China’s own airlines, such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, 56 foreign airline companies operate regular flights to and from Beijing, which include NW Airlines, United Airlines, Air France, Aeroflot Russian, All Nippon Airways, Scandinavia Airways System, Lufthansa, KLM, Continental Airlines, Qantas, Air Canada, Mexicana, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, El Al Israel Airlines, EgyptAir, Emirates, and Ethiopian Airlines, among others. Passengers not able to access Beijing with direct flights will usually require only one transfer to arrive.
Local Transport
Beijing Capital International Airport is 35km from downtown Beijing and 25km to the venue, BICC. There are shuttle buses from the airport to main points in the city every 15 minutes. Taxis are always available at the airport whenever there are flights. Taxis are metered. Please pay the taxi fare shown on the meter when you get off. The machine will also print out receipts automatically for you. The cost of a taxi from the airport to the conference venue or hotels is about CNY120, or US$ 20. The following note in Chinese will help you get to the conference venue:
请带我去亚运村北京国际会议中心，谢谢。
“Please drive me to Beijing International Convention Center. Thanks.”
Beijing Subway
The subway construction in Beijing started in 1965 and the first line opened to traffic in 1969. After 48 years’ construction, there are 16 subway-rail lines in operation now including one connecting Beijing Capital International Airport with the city center. The Olympic Subway Station of Line 8 located near BICC links the Olympic Green with the city center.