Welcome to China

Your questions about traveling to China, answered in a convenient travel size summary.

Required Documentation
Both a valid passport and visa are required when visiting China.

• Visa – Required for travel to China. Visas may be obtained through the Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General in your area, or through a travel or visa agency. You may wish to download a copy of the visa application form in advance of contacting a visa agency.

• Business visa – If you are applying for a visa to travel to China on business, an invitation letter from a Chinese company may be required. See your visa agency for details.

• Itinerary – A confirmed travel itinerary, proof of return tickets, or other travel details may need to be supplied to obtain a business visa.

• Passport – Required for travel to China. Please note that your passport should be valid for at least six months prior to entry.

• Copy of U.S. visa/green card – Required for U.S. resident aliens only, in order to obtain a visa to China.

It is recommended that you check the official Chinese embassy website for required documents as the list could change at any time.

Accommodations
We recommend staying at the Loong Palace Hotel & Resort when visiting BioAtla in Beijing:

Loong Palace Hotel & Resort
317 Changping Road, Changping District, Beijing 102208, P.R.China
Tel: +86 10 8079 9988
Fax: +86 10 8079 8866
Website: www.loongpalace.com
E-mail: loongpalace@loongpalace.com
Toll Free Number:800 810 0098

A taxi ride should cost about 120 RNB from the airport to the Loong Palace. When you get into the taxi, make sure the driver uses the meter and it is helpful to have the name of your hotel written in Chinese to show the driver.

United has good flights from San Francisco direct to Beijing and American Airlines has good connections through Japan or Korea.

China Travel Basics
• Mandarin is the official language of China.

• Time difference to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) is 15 hours.

• Tipping is not customary in China. High-end restaurants may include a “service” charge to your bill at their discretion.

• The Renminbi (“the People’s Money”) is the official currency of China. Abbreviated RMB and sometimes referred to as yuan (pronounced “you-on”) or kuai (pronounced “kwhy”). It may also be abbreviated as “CNY” (Chinese Yuan). Airports and most hotels have currency exchange desks, but hotels usually offer slightly better rates. Please note that some venues do not take credit cards for payment, so traveling with paper currency (in addition to a credit card) is recommended.

• Standard electric outlets in China are 220V (which is not compatible with U.S. electrical devices using standard 110V current). Most hotels in China have both 110V and 220V electrical outlets in the bathrooms. You may wish to consider bringing a plug adaptor available at most electronic stores.

Travel Assistance
Please feel free to contact us at our San Diego office if you’d like to visit Beijing or San Diego. And, keep these numbers assessable as you travel to your destination.

• BioAtla in San Diego, CA
+1 858-558-0708 ext. 0

• Embassy of the United States in Beijing, China
In case of emergencies, please contact (011-86-10) 8531-4000 if you are calling from the United States, or 010-8531-4000 if you are calling from China.