Canada as an approved destination

[Neil]

Ok, I've been getting nothing but questions from all my friends about this.  I can't find anything legitimate.  Can a Chinese woman come to Canada to visit on a tourist visa?  From what I've read, all the "approved destination" means is it allows Canada to advertise in China.  I read somewhere that if a Chinese person gets a tourist visa, they can only visit with a tour group and must stay with the tour.  

I'm not thinking about it as a way to get married faster or anything, I think it would be awesome for her to visit, meet the family and friends and see the sights.  And not this year as we are saving for our wedding next October.

[RegnisTheGreat]

Neil:

The answer is yes. They must be part of a an tour group to get a tourist visa. No other way. (I am 99% sure of this). I will ask my brother who is in Shanghai. He's in a meeting but will be out in a few hours.

[mustfocus]

Hi Neil,

If she does get a tourist visa, it would have to be with a tour group.  Remember, it's China granting us ADS, not the other way around.  That means that the chinese government won't block tour groups from going to China.  But they (the perspective tourists) will still need to get a VISA to come here.  And from what I hear, that's next to impossible for a single young chinese girl who isn't travelling in a tour group.

[RegnisTheGreat]

No no, mustfocus. The Chinese government is allowing tour groups to come Canada. This is epically for the Y2K10 Olympic games in Vancouver.

There was never any restrictions with Canadian tour groups going to China. It was always limits on tour groups coming to Canada from China.

[mustfocus]

Sorry, I mis-typed...coming to Canada (not China).  Thanks.