Legal Basis
1. Notice of Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Improving Visa Notification and Streamlining Visa Application Process [1999]
2. Notice on Adjusting and Implementing the Measures for the Administration of Examination and Approval of VISA Application of Aliens from Duly Designated Countries [2003]

Service Guide
Application materials submitted should be complete, accurate, and valid.
1. Following materials are required for inviting foreign merchants to attend business activities in Hunan:
(1) An original version of the Application Form for Inviting Foreign Clients and Merchants to Hunan
(2) Visa Notification Form/ Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit in duplicate
(3) One copy of invited foreign clients’ and merchants’ passports
(4) One copy of valid Business License of the applicant is required for those applied for the first time.

2. Invited foreign clients and merchants to apply for business and work VISA should submit the following materials:
(1) Report submitted by applying unit
(2) Two Application Forms for Inviting Foreign Clients and Merchants to Hunan
(3) Visa Notification Form/ Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit in duplicate
(4) One copy of Business License
(5) One copy of Tax Registration Certificate
(6) One copy of Organization Code Certificate
(7) One copy of Alien Employment License
(8) One copy of invited foreign clients’ and merchants’ passports
(9) Approval Certificate for Foreign-invested Enterprises

Ⅰ. Acceptance
(1) Qualifications: applicant should submit application materials.
(2) Standards: the application materials submitted by applicant shall be complete, accurate, and valid.
(3) Person in charge: staff working in the government affairs hall.
Tel: 0731-82287123
(4) Responsibilities and authorities:
(i) If the item applied does not belong to terms of reference of the administrative organ, off the docket decision shall be made immediately and the applicant shall be informed of application to relevant administrative organ.
(ii) Applicant shall be allowed to make a correction if the application materials need and could be corrected on site.
(iii) If the application materials are incomplete or not in the statutory formats, the applicant shall be notified on the spot or within five days of all necessary supplements and corrections. If the application is not notified, it shall be accepted as of the date of the application materials receipt. Overdue shall be acceptable validity.
(iv) In case an application item is within the limits of authority of Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, and the application materials are complete and comply with the legal format, or materials have been duly supplemented or corrected in accordance with requirement of the Department, the administrative organ shall accept the administrative license application.
(v) Whether application is accepted, written confirmation with date and special chapter of Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce for handling matters shall be issued.
(5) Service deadline: immediately

Ⅱ. Examination
1. Standards: according to application documents submitted by enterprises, visa for inviting foreigners to engage in business activities in Hunan and visa for foreigners to work in Hunan shall be reported to head of foreign affairs office and deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce for review.
2. Person in charge: staff of foreign affairs office
Tel: +86 731 82287075
3. Responsibilities and authorities: make examination on the preliminary examined application documents according to standards. For the qualified applications, report to head of foreign affairs office for review; for the unqualified applications, return the materials to the government affairs publicity center and explain the reasons.
Service deadline: within one working day
 
Ⅲ. Approval
1. Standards: see Standards for Examination
2. Person in charge: staff of foreign affairs office
Tel: +86 731 82287076
3. Responsibilities and authorities: examine the authenticity of the submitted application documents according to standards and review the examination opinions. For the qualified applications, give consent comments and submit to deputy director for approval in accordance with due authorities; for the unqualified applications, return the documents to the persons in charge for the previous procedure and explain the reasons.
4. Service deadline: within one working day

Ⅳ. Approval, Issuance, and File-away

1. Standards:
(1) Applicants shall be notified of the decision without delay;
(2) A notice of Visa Notification Form/ Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit shall be issued;
(3) The approval documents and related materials shall be complete and normative for file-away.
2.Person in charge: staff of foreign affairs office

3. Responsibilities and authorities: If an approval is granted, the approval document shall be delivered to the applicant. It the application is denied, the applicant shall be notified in writing of the decision, the reason for objection, and the rights to application for reconsideration and legal actions, and the application documents shall be returned to the applicant timely. All related documents shall be filed away after examination.

4.Service deadline: within 1 working day

Online application: please call at +86-0731-82287123
Consultation organ: Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce

Office hours: Monday to Friday (working days): 8:00 am – 12:00 am, 14:30 pm – 17:30 pm (8:30 am – 12:30 am, 15:00 pm – 18:00 pm in summer)

Office address: No. 98, Wuyi Avenue, Changsha, Hunan

Bus route: Take Lishan line, or 1st Lvyou Bus, or No. 12, or 1, or 12, or 104, or 111, or 113, or 117, or 118, or 202, or 312, or 317, or 401, or 405, or 803, and get off at Changdao Lukou