Starting November 29, 2016, all Chinese citizens holding a 10-year-validity U.S. B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa must complete an EVUS (Electronic Visa Update System) enrollment in advance if they plan to enter the United States using a Chinese passport. As of today (October 25), the EVUS system is officially live. Even better, we are currently in the voluntary enrollment period, so EVUS registration is free and remains valid for two years. We recommend that anyone holding a B visa go ahead and enroll now.

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Enrollment

To enroll, visit the EVUS website. You can choose the language in the upper-right corner, and a Chinese interface is available. The form can be completed by the applicant or by someone else on the applicant’s behalf. If your parents have a B visa, their children may want to help them complete the update. If you are applying for someone else, the main information you will need includes:

  • Basic personal information (name, address, employment, etc.) and other identity details;
  • The names of the visa holder’s parents;
  • Passport information (passport number and expiration date), as well as the 8-digit red printed control number in the lower-right corner of the B visa (Foil Number)

The actual form is fairly straightforward, so we will not go into further detail here.

Fee

Once EVUS begins charging officially, the fee will be $8, which is not too expensive. Still, if you can register for free now, why pay later? For two people, the $16 total would already be more than RMB 100 after conversion. In addition, it is said that premium clients of CITIC Bank (those with substantial assets at CITIC) may be able to enjoy complimentary registration, although specific details have not yet been released. Have you completed your free EVUS registration yet? Come share your experience.