Conference participants may need a visa to enter China. Specifically, those who are not Chinese citizens, except passport holders from Singapore, Brunei, and Japan, need a Chinese visa. Participants can apply for a visa at the Chinese embassy or consulate in the region in which they live. For most attendees, it is easier to apply for a Tourist ("L") visa; an invitation letter is not required for obtaining a Tourist visa.
If some participants need another type of visa that does require an invitation letter, the VLDB 2014 organization committee will be glad to help. Please first complete the request form and send e-mail to vldb2014-visa@vip.163.com, together with your registration. Make sure that in your letter you have provided the following info:
- First Name, Last Name
- Passport Number
- Country that issued the passport
- Main reason for attending this conference
- If you are an author, please also indicate the paper ID number and title
In order for your letter requests to be processed, you have to register for the conference first (Visa letters will only be sent once fully paid) and send the registration confirmation page with your request form. Note that it may take up to 7 days to process your request for a special invitation letter. The signed letter (in PDF) will be sent to you by email.
To avoid uncertainty, participants will be advised to apply for a visa as early as possible. It is recommended that they apply for a Chinese visa at least 1 month in advance.
For more information regarding the requirements and procedure for obtaining a visa to China, please see http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/default.htm.
More detailed visa application procedure: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t84246.htm