According to the notice of Chinese Consulate General in Vancouver, effective from December 12, 2011, an invitation letter issued by a Chinese unit or an individual is required to provide when applying for a Chinese tourist visa.If the invitation letter can not be provided, the applicant may provide the travel schedule,airticket and hotel reservation etc.instead. A completed Visa Application Form, original passport with a validity of six months or more and a recent_taken passport standard photo are still required as usual. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.