If your trip is for commercial or trade activities, such as meeting suppliers or attending an economic or trade fair, you apply for an M (business) visa. If you intend to work in China, you apply for a Z (work) visa. The category follows your purpose, and it determines the documents you file and what you must do after you arrive.
Which visa matches your trip
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consular Affairs, in its “Visa Application Instructions of the People’s Republic of China” (published August 6, 2026), defines the M visa for commercial and trade activities and the Z visa for people intending to work in China. The guidance treats commercial travel and work as different categories. Attending a trade fair, inspecting a supplier or reviewing a business partner’s operations generally sits under M. A salaried role, a contract to perform work in China or any employment falls under Z.
If your activities mix both, describe what you will actually do and confirm the category with the consulate handling your application before you file.
| Question | M (business) visa | Z (work) visa |
|---|---|---|
| Stated purpose | Commercial or trade activities | Intending to work in China |
| Core supporting evidence | Documents related to commercial activities, such as business-activity papers from a China trade partner or an invitation to an economic or trade fair | Notification Letter of Foreigner’s Work Permit, with listed alternatives for certain categories |
| Who sets the exact checklist | The embassy or consulate handling the application | The embassy or consulate handling the application, applying the category rules in Shanghai’s guidance |
| Residence-permit step after entry | Not addressed in Shanghai’s M-visa guidance (updated August 10, 2026) | Most holders must apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entry, subject to a short-stay exception |
| Relationship to employment | Not work authorization; the guidance distinguishes commercial travel from work | Tied to work authorization and any work and residence permits the job requires |
Documents for an M (business) visa
Shanghai’s municipal guidance on the M visa, updated August 10, 2026, says applicants should follow the requirements of the embassy or consulate where they apply, complete the online visa form and submit the required materials. The baseline set is:
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- A valid passport
- A completed application form and a passport photo
- Proof of legal stay or residence, if you apply outside your country of citizenship
- Documents related to your commercial activities, such as business-activity papers from a China trade partner or an invitation to an economic or trade fair
Local authorities may request additional materials. Shanghai’s guidance says requirements vary by jurisdiction and points applicants to the China Online Visa Application guidance or to the website of the embassy or consulate that will process the file.
Documents for a Z (work) visa
Shanghai’s guidance on the Z visa, updated August 3, 2026, lists the Notification Letter of Foreigner’s Work Permit as the main supporting document. Certain categories use a different document instead:
- Resident representative office of a foreign enterprise: registration documents for the representative office.
- Commercial performances: approval documents for the performance. For performances lasting 90 days or less, short-term employment documentation is also required.
- Offshore petroleum operations: an invitation issued by China National Offshore Oil Corporation.
The exact requirements are set by the embassy or consulate handling your application. If your role does not match one of these categories, the Notification Letter is the document to plan around, and your employer should confirm it.
Work duration: why 90 days changes the process
Shanghai’s general page on work visas, dated January 21, 2026, says foreign nationals planning to work in the city generally need a Z visa to enter, along with any work and residence permits their employment requires. The page separates work of 90 days or less from longer work, and the procedure differs between the two. Because the page is a general outline, confirm which track applies to your assignment with your employer and the local authority before you book travel.
An older National Immigration Administration residence guidance, published April 1, 2021, says work-type residence applications by Z-visa entrants require a work permit and employer certification. It predates the Shanghai pages, so check that the current local procedure still matches it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.After arrival on a Z visa: the 30-day residence permit
Shanghai’s Z-visa guidance says most Z-visa holders must apply for a residence permit at the exit-entry administration of the local public security authority at or above county level in the place where they intend to live. The deadline is 30 days after entry.
The guidance includes a short-stay exception for visas that allow a 30-day stay, where the work period cannot exceed the period stated in the work certificate. Treat the 30-day deadline as the default rule, and check with your employer and the local authority whether the exception applies to your visa and assignment.
A practical sequence for a Z-visa assignment
- Confirm with your employer which Z-visa document applies to your role and whether your work period is 90 days or less.
- Gather the documents on the checklist of the consulate that will process your application.
- Apply for the Z visa and enter China, noting your entry date.
- Apply for the residence permit at the exit-entry administration where you will live within 30 days of entry, unless the short-stay exception clearly fits your visa.
Checking the local checklist
The checklist depends on where you apply. Shanghai’s M-visa guidance says so explicitly. Your nationality, the post where you file, your actual activities, your employer and your planned work length together determine which list applies to you.
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Shanghai’s pages do not give a universal processing time, fee or approval rate. Take those figures from the website of your handling embassy or consulate.
Common mistakes that cause problems
- Filing an M visa for an assignment that involves employment, which the official guidance treats as a separate category.
- Assuming a Z-visa checklist applies unchanged when your role falls under one of the category alternatives.
- Missing the 30-day residence-permit window after a Z-visa entry without checking whether the short-stay exception applies.
- Treating Shanghai’s checklist as the checklist for every city or post.
The Bottom Line
Choose the visa by what you will do in China, not by how the trip is described. Commercial and trade activity points to an M visa, and any work points to a Z visa with the work-permit and residence-permit steps that follow. Confirm the exact checklist with the embassy or consulate handling your application before you file.
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