1. Foreigners applying for a arrival visa at the entry port shall hold a regular passport and a invitation letter from an authorized Chinese unit. This will allow him or her to stay in Xiamen for a duration of 5 days. If 5 days is not enough, he or she may apply for a visa extension in the public security department after his/her arrival in China.

2. Taiwan residents applying for an arrival visa, shall present his or her valid Taiwan identity certificate and both the entry and exit documents. Those who hold the laissez-passers for Taiwan Residents can directly apply for a visa.

3. Compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao applying for the laissez-passers of the People's Republic of China shall present their Hong Kong or Macao identity certificates.

4. Overseas Chinese applying for the laissez-passers of the People's Republic of China shall present their valid re-entry documents issued by their respective residence countries.

5. A tourist group of over 9 persons applying for visas shall hand over their name list to the Exit and Entry Service Center of Xiamen Tourist Group Co. (Contact number: 0592- 6028265). The tourist group may enter China after they receive the approval from the Visa Office.
While applying for entry visas, everyone shall be prepared to answer any inquiries about their details, fill the application forms and also hand in a 2.5-inch recent photo.

Regulations for persons entering China from overseas:

1. Those entering Xiamen from overseas who plan to stay in the city shall report to the local police substation for temporary residence within 24 hours of their arrival. Those who will stay in the countryside shall do the same within the first 72 hours. While those who will stay in hotels shall register at the hotel's reception counter.

2. Foreigners staying in Xiamen shall not do anything irrelevant to the type of visa they hold.

3. Overseas Chinese, and the residents of Hong Kong and Macao who intend to stay in Xiamen for over 6 months shall apply for their Residence Cards while foreigners shall apply for Residence Permits. Taiwan Residents may apply for multiple entry permits valid from 1 to 5 years, depending on the scale of their enterprises and the size of their investment.

4. Foreigners holding an SEZ (Special Economic Zone) Tourist Visa are not authorized to exit Xiamen. If they intend to go to any other territory in China, they shall apply for the visa alteration at the Exit and Entry Visa Office of Xiamen Public Security Bureau.