Q: I am an exchange student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University holding an X1 visa. How can I apply for a tourist visa to travel around the country after my X1 visa expires?

A: It is not possible to have your X1 visa changed to a tourist (L) visa within China. The standard procedure is to depart from China after your X1 visa expires and then apply for a tourist (L) visa at a Chinese embassy or consulate in your home country. Once you have obtained the new L visa, you may re-enter China for tourism.

Source: Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security