Canton Fair visa and travel plan: preparing for the 140th edition
A Canton Fair visa and travel plan is the practical schedule a Central Asian buyer follows for the 140th Canton Fair (furniture phase, 23–27 October): registration, the route to an invitation letter, a general list of visa documents, splitting the days of a trip from Almaty or Tashkent, and a factory visit in the changeover window. Visa decisions rest with the Chinese embassy or consulate; check their latest official notices.
- As an overseas buyer, registration happens in advance online in the organiser's official system; keep your registration number on paper and on your phone.
- An invitation letter confirms your purpose of visit and is issued by the inviting party; write to us through the project team and we send it one to one. It is not a visa guarantee.
- The latest visa documents and procedures are set by the Chinese embassy or consulate; we do not promise visa outcomes or provide legal advice.
- Furniture sits in Phase 2, 23–27 October; buyers usually book at least five to seven nights for travel, fair days and the factory.
- 20–22 and 28–30 October are changeover days with no trading; use them for a factory visit from Guangzhou to Heshan, Jiangmen.
How do I register for the Canton Fair as an overseas buyer?
As an overseas buyer, registration for the Canton Fair happens in advance online in the organiser's official system: submit your details, receive a registration number, and collect your badge with it on arrival. Furniture is shown in Phase 2, 23–27 October 2026 (Canton Fair official site, 2026), so plan registration around that phase.
Registration usually asks for passport details, a photo, your company and sector, contact details and your position; the system then issues a registration number that opens your entry badge, so keep it before and during the fair.
Registration and an invitation letter differ. Registration is the formality for entering the fair; the letter may be needed for travel documents, including a visa application, and is issued by the inviting party, in our case requestable through the project team as an exhibiting company.
Finish registration two to four weeks before the fair, as queues grow closer to opening. The previous 139th edition drew 314,000 overseas buyers from 220 countries and regions (Canton Fair official site, 2026). Keep the confirmation on paper and on your phone, filed with your hotel booking.
What is an invitation letter and how do I get one?
An invitation letter is an official document confirming your purpose of travel: it shows you are coming on business, who invited you and on which dates. It is issued by the inviting party, the exhibiting company or a partner, and you cannot issue it yourself.
In our case the letter is issued by Hongye Furniture Group as an exhibiting company. To obtain it, contact the project team with your full name, company name, country and sector, and we prepare and send the document one to one, usually in English.
The letter typically states the inviting company's name and address, your name and passport details, the purpose and dates of the visit, and a contact person. Those details should match your application form, because a mismatch weakens the document.
To be clear: the letter is not a guarantee that a visa will be granted. Visa decisions rest with the Chinese embassy or consulate, and the definitive requirements are in their official notices. We do not promise visa outcomes or provide legal advice; we prepare the document and help you plan the visit.
Visa documents and the application process
A visa application is usually filed through the Chinese embassy, consulate or an authorised visa centre in your country. Take the full list and procedure from those authorities' latest official requirements: rules differ by country and application type, and change over time.
In common practice the documents requested include a passport with sufficient validity, an invitation letter, proof of itinerary and accommodation, a certificate from your employer, and sometimes proof of funds. Check the exact passport-validity rule with the authority itself, as general guidance is not a rule.
Visa processing may take several working days to a few weeks, and sometimes biometrics and extra checks are required. Start one to two months before the fair opens, since queues lengthen in the season too.
The information across your paperwork should agree: the invitation letter dates, the hotel booking and the registration confirmation should describe one plan. Check the material yourself and keep copies in a separate pocket. A visa is never automatic: the consular authority decides each case, and we do not promise outcomes or give legal advice.
How many days do you need for the Canton Fair?
A buyer heading for the furniture phase needs at least five to seven nights: one for travel and adjustment, two or three for fair days, the rest for a factory visit in the changeover window and closing talks. That is the rhythm most buyers settle into.
Flying from Almaty or Tashkent, allow for the time-zone difference and possible connections; arriving a day early works best. We do not quote flight numbers or prices, but the principle holds: the longer the journey, the earlier the adjustment day.
Furniture is shown in Phase 2, 23–27 October (Canton Fair official site, 2026), with negotiations between 9:30 and 18:00. Phase 1 (15–19 October) covers hardware, lighting, electrical and building materials; Phase 3 (31 October – 4 November) covers medical and care furniture.
Add a rest night between the phases: 20–22 and 28–30 October are changeover days with no trading (Canton Fair official site, 2026). That window suits a trip from Guangzhou to our factory in Heshan, Jiangmen. No one covers every hall in a day, so choose one direction each day.
Pre-departure checklist and the arrival-day route
Split the pre-departure list into three groups: documents, contacts and daily kit. Documents: passport and copies, the registration confirmation, a copy of the invitation letter, the hotel booking and insurance papers, on paper and on your phone.
Contacts: business cards, a small notebook, a charger or power bank. Daily kit: a light bag, a water bottle, comfortable shoes and a tape measure, because checking a size on the spot takes seconds.
The arrival-day route has three steps: collect your badge with your registration confirmation; time the route from hotel to complex and set tomorrow's departure; walk the outside to see the entrance gates and signage.
Do not leave carrying samples and catalogues to a fair day: gather heavy items at the hotel and settle shipping and customs later. Before you fly, keep copies in a separate pocket and leave one set with someone close.
Factory visits in the changeover window and shipping samples
The changeover window is 20–22 and 28–30 October, when no trading takes place (Canton Fair official site, 2026). Use it for a trip from Guangzhou to our factory in Heshan, Jiangmen, to see the production lines, material stock and samples. Arrange the visit in advance, as days fill quickly in fair season.
About the factory: Hongye was founded in 1996 in Heshan, Jiangmen, Guangdong, with more than 300,000 square metres of production space, more than 1,000 workers, more than 1,000 projects and experience in more than 50 countries, plus 8 international certifications. Production lead time is usually 30–45 days.
How do you send samples and catalogues? Two general routes exist: air and land into Central Asia. Air is faster for light samples and documents; land is more economical for bulky cargo but slower. Customs procedure, permits and payment rules depend on each country's customs authority, so check the latest official notices; we do not give customs advice.
Previewing samples before you arrive helps: open hotel furniture for hospitality, office furniture for workplaces and villa & residential for residential projects; read about our production on our factory and capability; and use contact the project team for a meeting slot.
Hongye Furniture Group exhibits at the 140th Canton Fair. We do not publish our stand number: write to us via contact the project team with your sector and the country you are travelling from, and we will send you our stand number together with an invitation letter for your visit.
Why is it worth writing in? One message brings our stand number and the direction to enter the complex, a reserved meeting slot for your sector, the invitation letter, and a factory visit schedule before or after the fair.
| Document | Why it is needed | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Passport with sufficient validity | Identity and entry | Check the exact validity rule with the authority |
| Invitation letter | Confirms the purpose of visit | Issued by the inviting party; not a visa guarantee |
| Itinerary and accommodation proof | Shows route and where you stay | Should match the hotel booking |
| Certificate from your employer | Confirms professional status and purpose | Ideally on company letterhead |
| Proof of funds | Shows travel costs are covered | Provided if the authority asks |
| Visa application form and photo | The formal application | Take the latest template from the authority |
| Stage | Suggested nights | Main tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival day | 1 night | Check in, confirm registration, time the route to the complex |
| Fair days (23–27 October) | 2–3 nights | Negotiations 9:30–18:00, collect contacts, compare products |
| Changeover window (20–22, 28–30 October) | 1–2 nights | Factory visit from Guangzhou to Heshan, see samples |
| Closing | 1 night | Discuss terms and shipping, fly home |
| Group | Item | Why it is needed |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | Passport and copies | Identity; a copy helps if the original is lost |
| Documents | Registration confirmation and invitation letter | Collecting a badge and confirming the purpose of visit |
| Documents | Hotel booking and insurance | Address and contact details |
| Contacts | Business cards and a notebook | Meeting notes and contacts |
| Contacts | Charger or power bank | Photos and messages drain the battery |
| Daily kit | Light bag, water, comfortable shoes | Endurance on a long walking day |
| Daily kit | Tape measure | Checking a piece's size on the spot |
| Topic | General practice | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Factory visit | Guangzhou to Heshan, Jiangmen; arrange in advance | Changeover window 20–22 and 28–30 October suits |
| Air shipment | Fast for light samples and documents | Check customs requirements in official notices |
| Land shipment | More economical for bulky cargo | Transit time is longer |
| Customs and permits | Rules are set by the customs authority | We do not give customs advice |
Frequently asked questions
How does an overseas buyer register for the Canton Fair?
Registration happens in advance online in the organiser's official system: fill in your details, receive a registration number and collect your badge with it at the fair. You need passport details, a photo, your company and sector, and contact details. Finish two to four weeks before the fair.
What is an invitation letter for and how do I get one?
An invitation letter is a document confirming the purpose of your visit, issued by the inviting party, in our case Hongye Furniture Group as an exhibiting company. Send your name, company, country and sector through the project team and we send it one to one. It is not a visa guarantee: the decision rests with the Chinese embassy or consulate.
What is the general process for visa documents and timing?
The general process: file the application through the Chinese embassy, consulate or a visa centre in your country; documents typically include a valid passport, an invitation letter, proof of itinerary and accommodation, and a certificate from your employer. Processing takes several working days to a few weeks, so start one to two months ahead. Check the authority's official notices; we do not promise visa outcomes or give legal advice.
How many days and nights should I plan for the Canton Fair?
A buyer heading for the furniture phase sets aside at least five to seven nights: one for travel and adjustment, two or three for fair days (23–27 October, 9:30–18:00), the rest for a factory visit and closing talks. From Almaty or Tashkent, arrive a day early and use the changeover window (20–22, 28–30 October) for the factory. We do not quote flight numbers or prices.
Which phase and dates show furniture?
Furniture is shown in Phase 2, 23–27 October 2026 (Canton Fair official site, 2026). Phase 1 runs 15–19 October (hardware, lighting, electrical, building materials) and Phase 3 runs 31 October – 4 November (medical and care furniture). Daily negotiation hours are 9:30–18:00; 20–22 and 28–30 October are changeover days with no trading.
What can I do in the changeover window, and how do I plan the factory and shipping?
In the changeover window (20–22 and 28–30 October) no trading takes place, so those days suit a trip from Guangzhou to our factory in Heshan, Jiangmen. The factory was founded in 1996 and has more than 300,000 square metres of space, with a usual production lead time of 30–45 days. Samples go by air or by land into Central Asia; customs rules are set by the customs authority, so check their official notices.
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