The information below has been discontinued as of September 26, 2008.
Starting April 15 2008, regulations regarding non-Chinese citizens wishing to obtain a Chinese visa on matters of tourism, visiting relatives, or business have changed. In addition to providing the requisite application, passport, and passport photo the following additional documents and information must be provided. In some cases, applicants will be asked to come in person to the consulate for an interview.
American Citizens:
Tourist Visas: Applicants must provide proof of hotel reservations, and round-trip airfare tickets.
Relative Visitation: Applicants must provide proof of relation to said relative (i.e. birth certificate), proof of address for said relative, and round trip airfare tickets.
Business Visas: Applicants must provide proof of invitation authorized by the appropriate Chinese authorities, proof of hotel reservations, and round trip airfare tickets.
Non-American Citizens:
In addition to the above-mentioned requirements detailed in items 1-3, those wishing to obtain visas for non-American passports must also provide:
Proof that the applicant has visited China before, in the form of a previously obtained and used Chinese visa.
An American Green Card, or a valid H1B, H4, F1, F2, L1, or L2 visa good for over 6 months.
The China Consulate continues to tighten its visa policy in advance of the Beijing Olympic games. New curbs on tourists and business travelers were introduced. Copies of the round-trip air tickets and hotel confirmation are now necessary. In addition, financial statement is required for tourist visitors; For business travelers, a government approved Invitation Document is also on the requirement list. Duration of stay allowed now is most likely to be 30 - 60 days. More restriction has been introduced for non-US passport holder. The policy is expected to be relaxed after the Olympic Games in August.
UPDATED VISA FORUM - FAQ - MOST RECENT CHANGES APPLYING TO ALL VISA APPLICATIONS