China Visa Companion helps you prepare the COVA form, document checklist, and visa photo before you submit. It is built for normal applicants, not lawyers or travel agencies.
Preparation companion only. You still sign in to the official portal and submit there.
Most applicants are not looking for a browser extension. They are looking for help with the China visa form, the document list, the photo rules, and the fear of getting sent back for changes. This page exists for that.
See what your visa category usually needs before you enter the official form. No more guessing whether Q2 needs relationship proof, or whether Tourist L still needs a hotel upload.
Prepare your answers once, then use the extension as a side-by-side helper while you fill COVA. This reduces typos, missing fields, and "I'll fix it later" mistakes.
If you want, the optional AI tools can scan your passport and generate a visa photo. If you do not want them, the core checklist and form-prep workflow still works without AI.
This tool began with a personal loss. During COVID, I was not able to get a visa in time to see my mother in China before she passed away. I built China Visa Companion to help other families and individuals go through this process with less confusion, stress, and wasted time.
Read why I built China Visa CompanionThese are common prep checkpoints for US-based applicants. Final requirements can vary by consulate. Always verify with your local office before submission.
| Visa type | Typical purpose | What usually matters most |
|---|---|---|
| L | Tourism | Passport, passport photo, COVA form, application statement. For many US applicants, flight and hotel uploads are no longer always required, but the related form fields still need complete answers. |
| Q2 | Short family visit | Invitation letter and inviter ID are often the key items. In many recent cases, relationship proof is not required for Q2, unlike Q1. |
| Q1 | Longer family reunion | Invitation letter, inviter ID, and relationship proof. Notarization is often expected for long-term reunion cases. |
| M | Business / trade | Business invitation letter is the core supporting document. Travel details may still be useful as supporting context. |
| Z | Work | Work permit notice is the main visa-stage document. Some documents used earlier in the work-permit process may not be visa-stage uploads. |
| X1 / X2 | Study | Admission materials and school forms matter most. The extension helps you prepare supporting info before the official COVA upload step. |
Need the official source? The extension links directly to New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and CVASC so you can verify details in one click.
In practice, delays usually come from missing clarity, not just missing files.
Simple goal: prepare everything before you sit down at the government website.
Save personal info, passport info, travel details, work or family details, and declarations in one place.
Passport scan and visa photo tools are optional shortcuts. You can still use the product without them.
See what your visa type usually needs, plus notes on what is optional, what is still important to mention in the form, and where to verify it.
Open the extension while using the portal. Copy your prepared answers into the official form section by section.
Important: this is a preparation companion, not an automation bot. You still sign in to COVA, save drafts in Personal Center → My Draft, upload materials, confirm the final submission, and then deliver your passport in person or by courier if required.
Written for the searches people type into Google, WeChat, TikTok comments, and AI chat tools.
Not always. For many US-based L visa applicants, these uploads are no longer always required. But the form still asks where you will stay and what your travel plan is, so you still need clear answers in the COVA form.
Q1 is usually for longer-term family reunion and often needs relationship proof. Q2 is usually a shorter family visit and in many recent cases only needs the invitation letter and inviter ID. Always verify with your local consulate.
No. The AI features are optional. They are there to save time, not to block anyone. You can use the checklist, profile organizer, and COVA form helper without using AI at all.
No. It helps you prepare your data and documents before you use the official portal. You still log into the government website and submit there yourself.
The core profile workflow is local in your browser. Optional AI features send only the files you choose to process to FamilyDocs.ai for that processing step.
Use the extension as your China visa prep companion: organize answers, review the checklist, optionally generate a compliant photo, and go into COVA with confidence.
