For entry into China, non-Chinese citizens need to apply for a visa at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the region they live. The simplest way is to apply for a tourist ("L") visa, which should give you enough time to attend the conference and participate in pre- and post-conference activities. Please contact the Embassy or Consulate in your region for specific instructions. An invitation letter is not required for obtaining a tourist visa. The regular processing time is 4 working days. Please plan ahead to allow enough time for visa processing.
More information on obtaining a tourist (L) visa in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia can be found online at http://www.visaforchina.org/. To fill the application form Q1, you should check the Tourism box. Please note that the contact person in China is Prof. Shuiguang DENG.
If you have problem obtaining a tourist visa, please contact Prof. Shuiguang DENG for an official invitation letter to apply for a business ("F") visa. In order to obtain an invitation letter, please send the following information to Prof. Shuiguang DENG (dengsg@zju.edu.cn).
As soon as we receive the above information, we will send to you an electronic invitation letter on behalf of the local organization of ICSOC 2018 Conference. If you have any questions about the visa application, please do not hesitate to contact Prof. Shuiguang DENG.
Expect to seeing you soon in Hangzhou.