Quick answer
Is there a Chinese embassy or consulate in Seattle?
Seattle has no Chinese embassy or consulate. Washington residents apply through the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco. Select San Francisco as the application city in the official China Online Visa Application system.
Applications begin online, but they are not fully electronic. After preliminary review, the original passport and barcode page must be delivered to the San Francisco visa office. The official instructions say an applicant, another person, or an agency may submit and collect without an appointment. The consulate does not provide mail service.
- Where you apply
- Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco. Its district covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Northern California, and Nevada.
- Government fee
- $140 for a U.S. citizen, regular service, through December 31, 2026. Express adds $25 when accepted.
- Consular processing
- 4 business days regular, 2–3 business days express, counted from passport submission.
- Appointment
- Not required. You, another person, or an agency may submit and collect. The consulate does not mail passports.
Official references: U.S. consular jurisdiction map and San Francisco visa requirements and procedure.
Choose your route
Apply yourself or use a Seattle visa service
You can prepare your own application or get help with the documents and passport arrangements. Both routes use the same official online review and San Francisco visa office.
| Stage | Applying yourself | With Seattle Chinese Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare and apply online | You check the official requirements, complete the form, and upload documents. | We provide a checklist, review your documents, prepare the digital photo, and help with the application. |
| Respond to review requests | You monitor the portal and provide any corrections or additional documents. | We explain what needs attention and coordinate the next steps with you. |
| Submit and collect the passport | You or someone you entrust visits the San Francisco visa office after the required status appears. | We confirm the required originals and arrange the agreed submission, collection, and return. Confirm any local handoff before traveling. |
| Budget for the process | Allow for the government fee and your own travel, delivery, and document costs. | Standard adult tourist assistance is $200, with photo preparation and passport shipping included. Government fees are separate; the service fee is paid after return. |
The consulate may request an interview or additional originals for a particular case. Its current procedure permits another person or an agency to submit and collect, but offers no direct mail service.
Before handing over your passport, confirm the current application status, required originals, delivery and return method, and any other international trip for which you need the passport. See what each application status means.
Official contact
San Francisco visa office serving Washington residents
- Visa office address
- 1450 Laguna Street, San Francisco, CA 94115. Visa-office entrance on Geary Boulevard.
- Counter hours
- Monday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Pacific Time; closed on weekends and holidays.
- Visa inquiries
- sf_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn
- Telephone
- (415) 919-6008, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Pacific Time, except holidays.
Contact details checked November 5, 2026 against Section V of the consulate’s visa instructions. Recheck the official page and holiday notices before a visit. This is the San Francisco visa office; arrange Seattle-area service appointments with us separately.
Current workflow
Chinese visa application steps for Washington residents
- Check whether you need a new visa. A still-valid Chinese visa in an old U.S. passport may remain usable with a new passport if the name, sex, birth date, and nationality are unchanged. Confirm this before starting a duplicate application.
- Choose the category that matches the real trip. Tourism, family reunion, commercial activity, study, and work have different categories and evidence. Do not choose a category based only on the validity you hope to receive.
- Start in the official online system. Create an account at the China Online Visa Application website, choose San Francisco, complete the form truthfully, and upload the requested documents.
- Monitor preliminary review. Check the application status. If the system requests corrections or supplementary material, respond there before arranging passport delivery.
- Wait for “Passport to be Submitted.” Then prepare the original passport, printed barcode page, and any original documents the consulate requests. No appointment is currently required.
- Submit and collect in San Francisco. The applicant or an entrusted person or agency can handle submission and collection. Check the online status before collection and verify every detail on the issued visa.
Start only on the official China Online Visa Application website. The relevant consulate may update its instructions without notice.
Prepare before typing
Chinese visa document checklist
Every application is different, but the current San Francisco checklist separates common documents from visa-type and personal-history documents.
| Common starting documents | Documents that depend on the case |
|---|---|
| Passport bio page and requested blank visa-page images. Current guidance calls for more than six months of remaining validity and at least two blank visa pages. | Latest Chinese visa or residence permit, plus an old passport if it contains a visa or permit that is still valid. |
| Proof of residence in the San Francisco district, such as a driver's license, state ID, utility bill, internet bill, or bank statement. | Naturalization, former Chinese passport, or official name-change evidence for applicants with relevant Chinese nationality or name history. |
| A compliant digital visa photo and complete answers about identity, residence, employment, education, family, and travel history. | U.S. lawful-stay evidence for non-U.S. citizens, documents for minors, invitations, relationship evidence, school records, or work-permit documents. |
| The barcode page after the system reaches “Passport to be Submitted,” plus the original passport for the in-person stage. | Any supplement or original that the online system or consular officer requests after reviewing the individual application. |
Choose by purpose
Which guide matches your trip?
China tourist visa (L)
For a trip whose primary purpose is tourism. See the current simplified U.S. document rules.
China family visit visa (Q1/Q2)
For qualifying reunion or visits to relatives who are Chinese citizens or permanent residents in China.
China business visa (M)
For qualifying commercial and trade activity supported by a Chinese trade partner.
Study, work, and other categories
These require different supporting documents. Verify the current category before preparing a file.
Keep the clocks separate
Chinese visa fees and processing time
Consular processing: The San Francisco consulate currently lists regular service as four business days and urgent express service as two to three business days. That clock starts when the passport is submitted, not when you begin the form. Preliminary online review, corrections, local handoff, travel or delivery to San Francisco, holidays, and collection all add time. Some cases take longer.
Government fee: The consulate's published regular-service fee is currently $140 for a U.S. citizen. Fees for non-U.S. citizens vary by nationality and number of entries. Express service, when accepted, adds a published $25 per visa. The current schedule says these amounts apply through December 31, 2026.
Private and third-party costs: A document-preparation service fee is separate from the consular fee. Delivery, travel, photographs, translations, notarization, and other case-specific costs may also be separate. Ask for the scope and all expected charges in writing.
Verify current amounts and payment methods on the consulate's official payments and fees page.
Avoid preventable rework
Seven common application mistakes
- Selecting the wrong application city. Washington residents should choose San Francisco under the current jurisdiction map.
- Starting a new application without checking an existing visa. A valid visa in an old passport may still work when personal details match.
- Using the wrong travel purpose. Tourism, family visit, business, study, and work are not interchangeable.
- Creating identity mismatches. Names, nationality, birth details, and passport data should match the source records exactly.
- Leaving dates inconsistent. Arrival, departure, invitation, meeting, accommodation, and employment dates should tell one coherent story.
- Ignoring prior nationality or visa history. Former Chinese nationality, previous passports, old visas, and legal name changes can trigger specific document requirements.
- Sending the passport too early. Wait until the online status says “Passport to be Submitted” and follow the instructions shown for the case.
Seattle applicant FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Chinese embassy or consulate in Seattle?
No. Washington residents apply through the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco. Start online and arrange passport submission after preliminary review. See the visa-office address, hours, and contact details.
How much does a Chinese visa cost from Seattle?
The consulate's published regular-service fee is $140 for a U.S. citizen through December 31, 2026; express service, when accepted, adds $25. Non-U.S. citizen fees vary by nationality and entries. Any private service fee is separate. Ours is $200 per applicant for a standard adult tourist visa, paid after your visa and passport are returned. See fees and the full timeline.
How long does a Chinese visa take?
The consulate lists four business days for regular service and two to three for urgent express service, counted from passport submission. Document preparation, online preliminary review, corrections, and passport delivery and return are additional.
Do U.S. tourist visa applicants need a flight or hotel booking?
No. Current San Francisco guidance says tourist visa applicants within the United States no longer need to submit a round-trip air ticket booking, hotel reservation, itinerary, or invitation letter. See the tourist visa guide.
Can I complete the application entirely online?
No. The form and preliminary review are online, but the original passport must be submitted after the system reaches the required status.
Do I have to travel to San Francisco myself?
Not necessarily. Current official instructions allow the applicant, another person, or an agency to submit and collect without an appointment. The consulate does not offer mail service, so the physical handoff still has to be arranged.
How early should I start?
Allow time for document preparation, preliminary online review, possible corrections, passport delivery, consular processing, and return. Start well before non-refundable plans and recheck current official guidance for the travel window.
Can anyone guarantee approval or a ten-year visa?
No. The consular authority decides approval, category, validity, entries, and duration of stay. A private service can help prepare and organize an application but cannot control that decision.
Primary sources
Official pages to check before applying
- Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco: requirements and procedure
- Chinese Embassy in the United States: consular jurisdictions
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China Online Visa Application
- Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco: payments and fees
Last checked November 5, 2026. If this page and an official source conflict, follow the official source.
Plan the next step
Our standard service fee is paid after you receive your passport back with the issued visa. Start with the guide for your situation:
Want a second set of eyes before submission?
Tell us your Washington residence, citizenship, travel purpose, target dates, and whether you have held a Chinese passport or visa. We will explain the documents, passport arrangements, and written quote for your case.