Travel & Other Info
Everything (important) you need to know about flying to Chengdu, China, when to purchase flight tickets, costs of this trip, and how to apply for Chinese Visa.
Getting there
Flying to Chengdu, China
There are currently limited direct flights between the US and China, but there will probably be some more flights available in summer and fall 2024. The round-trip tickets between US major cities and Chengdu are around $1,200-$1,600 with Los Angeles being the cheapest flight hub, although we expect that as availability of flights grows, the price might drop in the next few months.
We will monitor the flight price status and keep those who have expressed interest in taking this trip to Chengdu posted!
Gifts?
In Chinese culture, the host takes pride in honoring the guest’s visit by accommodating and providing the best to their ability. In return, the guest gives red packets 红包🧧 to the host as a token of their appreciation. Weddings are considered a lavish form of hosting, and thus it is customary for the guests to contribute with red packets containing “lucky money” both to the wedding and to the couple’s marriage life.
Considering that traveling to China is a large expense, Izzy’s family will cover the costs of our US guests’ food, lodging, travel, and tickets from Oct. 25 - 31 if you participate in our Optional Trips (see “The Full Trip” for more details). Your presence is our strongest desire and the best gift!
That said, Izzy’s family would really appreciate it if our US guests are willing to participate in this Chinese tradition of red packets, as it is a sign of prosperity and good fortune on the family. The amount of lucky money is up to the guests and their financial conditions. While we try to balance the Chinese tradition and the trouble and expenses of international travel, if people are willing to chip in more, Izzy’s family will be able to afford nicer hotels for everyone.
Costs in China
To help make the trip more comfortable and affordable for our guests traveling a long way to our wedding, Izzy’s family will book a room for you on the Wedding Day in the Dong’An Court Hotel 东安阁 where the Wedding takes place (and a room in a hotel close to Izzy’s home the night before so that our guests can be bussed to the wedding hotel together). If you would like to book additional nights, a room at the wedding hotel starts at around $150/night. It is about 40 minutes drive from the city center so we recommend other more centrally located hotels if you plan to spend a few days exploring Chengdu.
A room in high-end hotels in Chengdu costs around $100-$150/night and luxury hotels can get up to $200 (we’ll recommend a few super luxurious options if you’re looking to splurge). However, there are thousands of standard hotels that can be found around $50 with decent conditions.
Food in China is generally much cheaper than in the US. You can easily afford 3 budget meals a day with $10 (e.g., a bowl of tasty noodles/dumplings in a small restaurant costs about $3 and a meal at KFC/McDonalds is around $4), although the costs can quickly go up if you spend more time in upscale restaurants, usually ranging from $15-$30/person each meal. No additional taxes or tips.
We understand that everyone’s situation and schedules are different, so please talk to us if you’re interested! We will help you figure out what would work best for you and help you make the best out of this trip.
Chinese Visa
Travelers from the U.S. are still required to obtain a visa to visit China, but may stay visa-free for as long as six days if they are transiting through the country — find more information here. The duration of the visa-free period and specific rules vary by port of entry. However, we still recommend getting the Tourist visa so that you may travel in the country without restrictions.
China Is Making It Easier for Americans to Visit: Starting from January 1, 2024, the China has simplified application documents required for tourist visa (L-visa). Tourist visa applicants within the United States will no longer be required to submit round-trip air ticket booking record, proof of hotel reservation, itinerary or invitation letter. The application fee for US-citizens has also been reduced to $140 for ten-year multiple-entry visa.
The official requirements and procedures for Chinese Visa Application can be found here, and we have listed below the document requirements for the Tourist visa from this website as of March 2024. The physical application documents can be submitted to the Visa Office by the visa applicant or by an agent in the corresponding Chinese Embassy, without making appointments in advance. If you are unable to submit your application at one of the embassies in Washington DC, New York City, Chicago, San Fransisco, or Los Angelos, please consider using agent services to submit/mail in on your behalf, as Chinese Embassies do not offer mail services for applicants.
Documents at a glance
Note: please double check the latest requirements on the official website in case there are any updates.
Passport (The remaining validity must be more than 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages). If the previous multi-year multi-entry visa is on the old passport, the old passport is required to be submitted.
Photocopy of the bio-page of the passport.
COVA Visa Form. Please log on to https://cova.mfa.gov.cn to fill out the form online (Please follow Annex 1 "Important Tips for online COVA visa form filling"). After completing the COVA forms as required, please make sure to print the full set of COVA forms (8-9 pages) and sign on the Confirmation Page and the 8th page.
Photocopy of the latest Chinese visa or the Chinese residence permit (if you have it).
Proof of Residence (e.g. , driver’s license, utility bill, bank bill).
Where You Stay Form (Please see Annex 4, handwritten signature required).
The following requirements may or may not apply to you:
If the applicant is a foreigner in the US, they need to provide a photocopy of green card, visa, I20, or I94 to prove their legal residence in the US.
If the applicant was of Chinese nationality, this application is the first Chinese visa application after naturalization in a foreign country, please provide 2 photocopies of the bio-page of the Chinese passport and a photocopy of naturalization certificate. In addition, the last physical Chinese passport is needed for the visa application.
If the applicant's name has been changed, and it is the first time to apply for a Chinese visa after the name change, a photocopy of the name change document is required.
For the visa application by a minor of Chinese origin born in the US, please follow the guidance.