Modeling in China: contracts, visas, castings and staying safe

China stands out not only for a culture Westerners find exotic but for its own way of working. The modeling world splits into two big markets, the West and Asia. Much is shared across Asia, yet each country has practices of its own. Many models start their careers very young, with no experience of living alone, and have to settle into new places fast. Knowing how a market works helps beginners and experienced models arriving from the West alike.

This guide covers modeling in China up close: how the contract works, which documents you need, what castings and shoot days are like, what to pack and how not to fall for fake offers. It draws on the experience of the Supermodels agency in Lithuania and of models who have worked in Beijing and Shanghai.

Why China suits a new face

China's fashion market is driven by catalogues, online stores and advertising. There is a lot of that work, so clients readily book new faces. Rūta Lengvenytė, who spent her first trip abroad on a three-month contract in Beijing, put it this way: "It is a very good country for a new model, because people in fashion there do a lot of test shoots, and catalogue pictures are easy to get, which is great for your book."

In China	What to expect
Type of work	Mostly catalogue, e-commerce and advertising; less high fashion
Who it suits	New faces and models who want commercial work in their book
Contract length	Usually 2–3 months
Rhythm	Long shoot days, often 2–4 a week
Main cities	Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong

How a China model contract works

Models usually go to China on a contract of a few months with a local agency, arranged by their mother agency. A typical contract covers:

• Length. Usually 2–3 months, sometimes with an option to extend.
• Travel and housing. The agency advances flights and an apartment; the cost is deducted from your earnings later.
• A guarantee. Contracts with a guaranteed minimum for the whole trip are common in Asian markets. The guarantee usually depends on conditions: keeping your measurements, attending every casting and job, being on time.
• Commission. The local agency keeps part of each fee and the mother agency takes a share; the percentages are in the contract.
• Payment. When and how you are paid, and which taxes are withheld in China.

Before signing, ask your mother agency to explain every clause in writing: what the apartment and flights will cost, what happens if you do not meet the conditions, and how much will be left for you.

Go through a mother agency

China's modeling market is volatile and fast-changing. It is lucrative, so new agencies keep opening and others close under pressure, and without up-to-date information it is easy to get hurt. The size of the market also attracts illegal "agencies" that exploit girls, fail to pay or send them to work as escorts for the wealthy rather than as models.

That is why going to China and other Asian countries under contract with a mother agency is strongly advised. An experienced mother agency knows the latest changes, sends models only to agencies it has worked with for years, and in an emergency makes sure you get help and get home safely. How to vet the mother agency itself: how to choose a modeling agency. Agencies in the Baltics and France are in our catalogue.

Visa and work permit

• Visa-free entry is not a work visa. China lets nationals of many countries, including most EU states and, since February 2026, the UK, visit for up to 30 days without a visa. That covers tourism and business visits, not paid work. Nationals of some countries, including Lithuania, the Czech Republic and the US, need a visa even to visit.
• Work needs a permit and a Z visa. The Chinese agency sponsors the work permit and the Z visa. Ask for them before you buy a ticket.
• The consequences are serious. Chinese authorities have raided modeling agencies: foreign models working without work visas were detained, had their passports taken and faced deportation and entry bans.

Some models used to arrive on tourist visas and have the agency convert them locally. Today that is a real risk. Rules change, so check them on the Chinese embassy website for your passport before you travel.

Castings in China: posing and make-up

Asian castings are different: you are almost always asked to show how you pose, and the fee you are offered often depends on your posing rather than your measurements. If you are unsure of your posing, practise before you go. Because the Chinese market is mostly catalogue work, focus on commercial poses rather than high-fashion ones. Our casting guide covers the basics.

Make-up is the other difference. In the West you arrive at a casting with no make-up or almost none: clients want a blank canvas. In China clients usually expect to see you made up, and not lightly; you may go to daytime castings in full evening make-up.

You may have several or a dozen castings in a day, spread across the city. Carry water, snacks, comfortable shoes and heels in your bag, your digitals on your phone and your composite card.

Working conditions and shoot days

The Chinese market is hard-working and efficiency-driven: clients want profit, and the model is there to help sell. Most work is catalogue shoots, and a model may shoot 200 or more outfits in a day, changing very fast. Days of 6–11 hours are common, so rest well beforehand. Not every day is like that; a model in demand works two to four times a week on average.

Rūta remembers that the hardest part was energy, not standing still: "Sometimes you just stand, which is easy. Harder is when you are tired and have to jump and pose for the whole shoot so you look really happy in the pictures."

Housing, staying connected and daily life

• The apartment. Agencies usually house several models together. Rūta shared with three girls from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and the agency was in the same building, so any problem, from no water to no internet, was fixed quickly.
• Internet. In mainland China Google services, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp do not work. Agree with your agency in advance how you will stay in touch; locally almost everyone uses WeChat.
• Payments. Daily life runs on phone payments through WeChat Pay and Alipay, which accept foreign bank cards. Keep some cash too.
• Language. English works at the agency and in city centres; elsewhere a translation app helps.
• Jet lag. Beijing and Shanghai are 6–7 hours ahead of continental Europe in winter. Rūta needed about two weeks to settle in.

Cost of living

China is not an expensive country, even in the big cities, as long as you eat locally. Western food is a different story: a cup of coffee can cost as much as a dinner in a local restaurant, and imported groceries are several times pricier. Rūta's advice: "Don't overpack. China is really cheap and you can buy anything you need there." What the weather is doing and what to pack is on fashion capitals for models.

"Extra work" offers and scams

A European look is exotic in China, so models may be offered money to appear at an exhibition opening, an event, a nightclub or a private party. None of that is modeling work, and no serious agency offers it. Turn such offers down, and if your agency made them, consider changing agencies.

Be wary of offers that arrive by direct message from unknown "agencies": they promise luxury studios, club work and paid flights, and are not modeling jobs. A legitimate agency:

• works only through your mother agency and with a work visa;
• never sends you to "promo" work in clubs or parties;
• never keeps your passport;
• wants you to report any strange offer to your mother agency first.

The main cities

China's agency market is big and keeps changing, so a name that was reliable a few years ago may mean nothing today, another reason to go through a mother agency. The five key cities are Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Shanghai is the fashion and advertising hub, Beijing has more magazine and TV work, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen are known for catalogue and e-commerce studios.

Other Asian markets

• Japan values experience, punctuality and fair, unblemished skin; it suits models who already have some work behind them.
• South Korea takes models on work visas. Supermodels model Gabija Gasperavičiūtė, who has also worked in China and Thailand, describes life in Seoul as busy but welcoming.
• Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan are smaller markets that models often work after their first contracts.

How to prepare

• Learn to pose. It matters most at Asian castings. We teach posing, the walk and digitals in person in model training.
• Bring a composite card and its PDF, which you can make at jurgita.cc.
• Prepare for being far from home. Weeks away, many castings and many "no"s are normal. Some people find small rituals help before castings; our sister shop Mind University has essences the radionics tradition links with confidence (Charisma) and with tension and calm (NoStress). They are not medicines and no substitute for preparation.
• Just starting out? Supermodels holds yearly open calls and takes online applications in between: see the Supermodels open call and how to become a model.

Frequently asked questions

Can you model in China on a tourist visa or visa-free entry?

No. Neither allows paid work. Models need a work permit and a Z visa; working without them can lead to detention, deportation and an entry ban.

How long is a modeling contract in China?

Usually two to three months. The agency advances flights and the apartment and deducts them from your earnings.

Is China good for new models?

Yes, it is one of the best markets for a new face: lots of catalogue work and test shoots, and a book that fills quickly. The key is going through a trustworthy mother agency.

Do you wear make-up to castings in China?

Often, yes. Unlike in the West, Chinese clients usually want to see you made up, sometimes heavily.

Which Chinese cities matter most for models?

Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

How do you stay in touch from China?

Google services, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp do not work in mainland China, so agree on a way to stay in touch before you go; locally everyone uses WeChat.