Chinese embassies will not issue a visa if your passport has less than six months of validity remaining. Be sure that your passport has at least a few blank pages for visas and entry/exit stamps.

Visas for individual travel in China are easy to get from most Chinese embassies. China will even issue visas to individuals from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Most Chinese embassies and consulates will issue a standard 30-day, single-entry tourist ('L' category) visa in three to five working days. 'L' stands for luxing or 'travel'. Fees vary according to how much your country charges Chinese citizens for a visa.