nitropuppy Posted October 18, 2006 at 10:26 AM Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 at 10:26 AM I thought I had the chinese visa situation all figured out. Now, I've read some things that negate my preconceptions. Can anyone answer these few (seemingly) easy questions? I have heard of the "L" tourist visa. I thought this was good for only thirty days inside China. Now, I'm reading about multi-entry "L" visa's with extensions on stay in China. Extensions up to 90 days. But, I'm reading vague reasons as to why and where you can get these Even the chinese consulate web-site is vague on the issue. It mentioned something about requesting a 60 day extension.I'll be using the New York consulate in the near future. How difficult is getting a tourist visa which allows a person to stay in China for 90 days? Does the 90 day "L" visa let you stay in China during those 90 days? Or does a person need to exit the country every thirty days and come back in on the issued multi-entry visa? (I can see that getting costly) Also, what's the deal on the "D" visa? If I'm married to a chinese citizen, do I apply for this visa so I can live in China for a few years? I'm just trying to figure out a way to spend two years in China with my wife. I want to live there with her while we work on her U.S. visa. Which will most likely will take two years to get. How do I accomplish this without racking up huge bills and frequent flier miles by going in and out of Hong Kong every thirty days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted October 18, 2006 at 11:03 AM Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 at 11:03 AM You have to have been married for five years before you are entitled to a D visa. Also, they remain scarce and few cities can issue them. You can renew an L in China without leaving. If you are just a tourist they let you renew once only (usually for another 30 days), but if you are visiting a relative (including wife!) you can renew twice, giving you 90 days. I have done this in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucha Posted October 18, 2006 at 02:16 PM Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 at 02:16 PM I came in China with a multi entry 6 months tourist visa， but each stay cannot exceed 3 months. I have to exit the country after 3 months. When I applied for the visa，I saw they also have 1-year tourist visa. Also，I have a friend who is married to a Chinese guy and she is on a 1-year tourist visa too，the reason she gave is “staying with her Chinese husband“. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitropuppy Posted October 18, 2006 at 09:58 PM Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 at 09:58 PM So, can I assume that I can get a new "L" visa in Hong Kong, after my first "L" visa 90 days is expired? Is there a limit to how many "L" visa's a person can do in a year? It looks like I will need to fly from Chengdu to Hong Kong four times a year? This is going to get costly. Is there no other way other than using my TESL certificate to teach english, to stay in China??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalldog Posted October 18, 2006 at 11:24 PM Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 at 11:24 PM If your wife is Chinese you can apply for a 1 year L visa. You can apply for this at a Chinese embassy/consulate or you can arrive on a normal L visa and get a 1 year extension in your wife's place of residence. Normal L visas can usually only be extended a couple of times, but there is no limit for the spouse of a Chinese. Note that you are technically not allowed to work on an L visa -- to be legal you need to get a Z visa through your employer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quanxie Posted October 18, 2006 at 11:47 PM Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 at 11:47 PM Visa ofr US cititzens jave been a BIG hassle since the forming of the Homeland security gustopho... In the US you can easily het a 60 day L tourist visa, then one extension in China for 30 days.. Also last time I checked, any visa issued in the US, no matter how long the visa is good form you MUST exit the country and re-enter every 60 days.... I have never heard of the 1 year L visa so maybe it will work... (make sure the duration of stay is 1 year also... If that plan fails, then you can fly to HK and then purchase a 6 Month F business visa...Until last month you could get a 1 year but, I heard that a 6 month F is all any countries citizen can be issued now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted October 19, 2006 at 01:02 AM Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 at 01:02 AM It looks like I will need to fly from Chengdu to Hong Kong four times a year? Why? As I said, you can renew the visa in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitropuppy Posted October 19, 2006 at 07:09 AM Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 at 07:09 AM Well, I hope "smalldog" is correct. That sounds like an answer. I just hope the 1year "L" visa is a valid thing. (not that I doubt you smalldog) It's just that I have not read of that anywhere. The issue is this. We're not married yet. I plan to marry her in China. Also, I want to learn the language (so I'll know when she's swearing at me) , and get to understand her culture. Putting all the documents together and getting through the burearacracy to get officially married, will take at least 60 days. Then I am assuming I can fly to Hong Kong and get the 1 year "L" visa as a spouse. Sound about right?....... And yes, I know I can't work on a "L" visa. I'm qualified to teach english but I need to put time every week into my business. Which is in the "States". Perhaps, I might teach part time just to contribute to my host society. But, I'm not ready to commit a large block of my time on a contract. Not yet anyhow. Thanks for all your help. This forum has been very helpful on many issues. When I'm a more informed veteran of China, perhaps I can return the favor to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted October 19, 2006 at 07:59 AM Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 at 07:59 AM so I'll know when she's swearing at me You have a lot to learn! Chinese wives always have a few back-up dialects which you don't know! They use these to swear at you and talk about you with their friends in front of you! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pengyou Posted October 21, 2006 at 03:13 AM Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 at 03:13 AM I just called the Forever Bright Travel Agency in Hong Kong. They said that it is not possible to issue a visa to a U.S. citizen to allow him/her to stay in China for 6 months at a time. Is this true? Are there some loopholes? The first visas on my passport were student visas. I now have a business license in the U.S. I got an invitation letter from a Chinese company to come here in July - a 2 month F visa. I had it extended for 2 months - another F visa without leaving the country - via another organization in China. My visa expires on 11/7 Any suggestions? Does anyone know of a reputable person standing on the corner wearing a trench coat that can take care of this? It is so frustrating because there is so much conflicting information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
889 Posted October 21, 2006 at 03:53 AM Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 at 03:53 AM Remember that by agreement between the US and China, Americans should be receiving one-year multiple-entry tourist and business visas from China. This is Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary of State, speaking about the agreement in Beijing on March 2, 2005: "Well, it is reciprocal. So that -- in the case of the business and tourist travel, they are giving to American citizens -- they are -- by the reciprocal nature of the agreement, we are to give to Chinese citizens in the tourist and business category one year multiple entry visas and the Government of China has agreed to give the same thing to an American coming, as well." http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/press/release/2005/030305pre.html If you are unable to get a one-year multiple-entry visa in accordance with the agreement, let the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the State Department know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted October 21, 2006 at 05:23 AM Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 at 05:23 AM If you are unable to get a one-year multiple-entry visa in accordance with the agreement, let the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the State Department know. Yes, that'll do the trick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwebb2004 Posted October 21, 2006 at 12:03 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 at 12:03 PM The worse thing about all this visa business is that it is all so pointless. It is as if the modern concept of visas was specially invented for Chinese bureaucracy to have fun with: the various categories of visas, all with minute regulations, and different prices for different nationalities, and some you can extend in-country, and some you have to leave to get (just to **** you in the a*** a little bit more). Hong Kong is a haven of sanity by contrast. Just imagine how lovely it would be if the whole of China were a free port like HK, or if the nonsense was kept to a minimum in the following way: All the visa categories and the various explanations of why you need to be in China could be abolished, and simply replaced by a single visa to enter China for one month, available from all embassies for a flat fee. This could be supplemented by a single type of residence permit, always multiple entry, and always available for a year at a time, renewable an infinite number of times, with no big explanations of what you are doing in China required, available for purchase from any police station in China, with no need to ever leave the country. Sigh. Leave the country in order to stay in China - now that's where the Chinese bureaucrats have really won! The illogical logic finally begins to make sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
889 Posted October 21, 2006 at 02:49 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 at 02:49 PM Did I say it'd solve your problem? But the State Department should know they're confusing and misleading Americans by publicising an agreement which seems to be nothing of the sort. Myself, I'd like to see them stop giving one-year multiple-entry visas to Chinese until there's true reciprocity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitropuppy Posted October 22, 2006 at 07:41 AM Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 at 07:41 AM Well, I had a brief glimmer of hope when I read "smalldogs" comment. A one year "L" visa (for a spouse) sounded like my answer. Felt good. Felt confident. Then the other comments flowed slowly in. Multiple answers, mulitple contradictions, multiple scenario's,.......multiple confusion. Does anybody see what I mean? Have I asked an impossible question? Is this the "Black Hole" of the visa world matrix? Is this as difficult to discover as the "Unified Field Theory" ? Isn't there an expert in quantum visa physics ? STUNNING! The answers here range from ...."no problem, just get a 1 year spouse tourist visa" to "no matter what,you must leave every sixty days" to " just bribe your way in" to calling my governments attention to the injustice". Of course, I'm paraphrasing and reading some between the lines. Let's see ....."OK! Bob, I'll take door number three." Door opens, a sound of Eeeerrrrr. Audience laughs. "Ohhhh, I'm sorry contestant. But, you've won a descented skunk and a box of Stella Dora breadsticks." I slump off to my chair, trying to hide my humilition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Posted October 22, 2006 at 09:42 AM Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 at 09:42 AM Just posting this, don´t know if it works. Apply for a year of study at at University in China, they issue the Visa, and you can get to China with your one year visa. Dont show up, so you don´t have to pay the tution fee, and live in China for one year. There does not seem to be any connection between the local police station (where you have to register when coming to China) and the university, so to me it doesn´t seem like a problem. I have never tried it myself though, and it seems way too easy. They probably put you in jail if they find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitropuppy Posted October 22, 2006 at 11:29 AM Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 at 11:29 AM Sorry Xander, but you're right. A person doing that, would get in trouble. Most likely not jail. But, certainly fined and deported. No,.... I won't break the laws. I don't do that in America, I certainly won't do that in China. I want to contribute to my host country in some way. Live with my wife and be happy. Get to know the beauty of China's culture. If I must, I'll get a job teaching english. I just don't want to get strapped with a full time job there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwebb2004 Posted October 23, 2006 at 05:05 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 at 05:05 AM nitropuppy, don't make things too hard for yourself. It really is devastatingly simple. Get a one-month L visa, go to China. When in China apply through the Emoo agency (emoo.net) for a one-year F business visa that will allow you to live in China for a year without working or studying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalldog Posted October 23, 2006 at 08:25 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 at 08:25 AM Here's another option for you: how about getting married in Hong Kong? My wife and I got married in Hong Kong due to the bureaucratic hassles of the mainland, the advantages of having a marriage certificate in English and Chinese, and the generally more romantic atmosphere there. This was followed by celebrations in my wife's hometown. In terms of visas, your best bet is probably to get a 30 or 60 day tourist visa in the US and then extend it once you are in China (you'll find adverts for such services in the expat magazines in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou). Alternatively you could enter China via Hong Kong and apply for a 90-day tourist visa there (unfortunately as a US citizen you can't use the agencies which sell 6 month visas). Once you are married and in China on an L visa you can apply in your wife's hometown for a one year extension -- no need to leave the country. Ask you wife to call her local 出入境管理所 (exit-entry administration office) for details of how to apply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwebb2004 Posted October 23, 2006 at 12:36 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 at 12:36 PM As a US citizen, you can get a one-year F visa through Emoo, as I said. See http://www.emoo.net/modules/icontent/index.php?page=5. It specifically states that it can get it for US citizens for 4200 yuan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.