All foreigners need an entry visa (签证). If you are part of a group, the tour operator will often obtain the visa for you. Group visas will usually be issued for groups with at least 10 members, and the guide accompanying your group will keep the visas. Individual travelers can apply at any Chinese embassy (大使馆). The procedure is usually and takes about a week.
If your visa runs out while in China, it can be extended by the local Public Security Bu reau, the poiice. However, make sure you visit them before it expires (过期), because you will be fined for overstaying your visa.
A valid passport is required to enter China. China does not allow entrance if the holder’s passport expires in less than six months; returning home with an expired passport is illegal, and may result in a fine.
It is a good idea to photocopy the page of your passport that contains your photograph, passport number, and other identifying information, along with other important documents such as visas, travel insurance policies, airplane tickets, and traveler’s check serial numbers, in case you lose anything. Originals are usually preferred to photocopies. However, copies are certainly better than nothing and will often do if necessary.
The authority in China that issues visas for individual travelers is______.