Chinese Passport Expiration Date & Travel Restrictions

[Zhen's Tiger]

Hi All,

 

Hoping to get some understanding of how this works, any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

Zhen's Chinese Passport expires on 6/5/2008 (the K3 Visa within in it is good until 1/22/2009), and her Green Card is valid until 8/2009. I think I remember reading something about the Passport must be valid for 3 months prior to travel, but not sure if that is for the USC or the Chinese Citizen as well? Also not sure if that 3 months period is for leaving or the departure AND return... Here's the story:

 

Yesterday I purchased Tickets for Zhen to leave a week from today (2/24/2008) and return on 3/22/2008. Of course, I didn't think about her Passport until today... As I stated above, it expires on 6/5/2008, the plan is to have her get a new Passport while she is in China, but will that be OK? If someone in Customs on her departure notices that her Passport will expire on 6/5/2008 & she will not reurn to the US until 3/22/2008 (less than 3 months of it's expiration), will that be a problem??

 

Maybe I am just being paranoid & this really isn't even an issue. Anybody have a similar experience? Thanks much in advance for any help you can give!!

 

Steve & Zhen

[rogerinca]

Hi All,

 

Hoping to get some understanding of how this works, any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

Zhen's Chinese Passport expires on 6/5/2008 (the K3 Visa within in it is good until 1/22/2009), and her Green Card is valid until 8/2009. I think I remember reading something about the Passport must be valid for 3 months prior to travel, but not sure if that is for the USC or the Chinese Citizen as well? Also not sure if that 3 months period is for leaving or the departure AND return... Here's the story:

 

Yesterday I purchased Tickets for Zhen to leave a week from today (2/24/2008) and return on 3/22/2008. Of course, I didn't think about her Passport until today... As I stated above, it expires on 6/5/2008, the plan is to have her get a new Passport while she is in China, but will that be OK? If someone in Customs on her departure notices that her Passport will expire on 6/5/2008 & she will not reurn to the US until 3/22/2008 (less than 3 months of it's expiration), will that be a problem??

 

Maybe I am just being paranoid & this really isn't even an issue. Anybody have a similar experience? Thanks much in advance for any help you can give!!

 

Steve & Zhen

 

 

Hey Steve, what you may be thinking about is the Chinese requirement for US Passport holders when applying for a PRC travel visa¡­¡­¡°You must send your actual passport. The visa will be placed on a page in your passport. Your passport must have at least 6 months of validity left beyond your intended stay in China, and must have at least TWO blank visa pages side by side¡°.

 

Also, keep in mind, it may take a little longer to get that PRC passport in China ??

I have heard it taking sometimes more than a month.

 

Another option, on her return, will be to renew her PRC passport at your regional PRC Consulate, which serves your state of NJ. That may in fact be faster than in China.

 

Again as to your original question, I think she will be ok, as she is a PRC passport holder and she is going to and from the PRC and is not seeking a travel visa. If she were a USA passport holder, applying for a Chinese visa, then it would be an issue.

 

If you want to double check all of this, she can phone your local/regional PRC Consulate and talk to them. I am told they speak Chinese very well.

[Zhen's Tiger]

Hi All,

 

Hoping to get some understanding of how this works, any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

Zhen's Chinese Passport expires on 6/5/2008 (the K3 Visa within in it is good until 1/22/2009), and her Green Card is valid until 8/2009. I think I remember reading something about the Passport must be valid for 3 months prior to travel, but not sure if that is for the USC or the Chinese Citizen as well? Also not sure if that 3 months period is for leaving or the departure AND return... Here's the story:

 

Yesterday I purchased Tickets for Zhen to leave a week from today (2/24/2008) and return on 3/22/2008. Of course, I didn't think about her Passport until today... As I stated above, it expires on 6/5/2008, the plan is to have her get a new Passport while she is in China, but will that be OK? If someone in Customs on her departure notices that her Passport will expire on 6/5/2008 & she will not reurn to the US until 3/22/2008 (less than 3 months of it's expiration), will that be a problem??

 

Maybe I am just being paranoid & this really isn't even an issue. Anybody have a similar experience? Thanks much in advance for any help you can give!!

 

Steve & Zhen

 

 

Hey Steve, what you may be thinking about is the Chinese requirement for US Passport holders when applying for a PRC travel visa¡­¡­¡°You must send your actual passport. The visa will be placed on a page in your passport. Your passport must have at least 6 months of validity left beyond your intended stay in China, and must have at least TWO blank visa pages side by side¡°.

 

Also, keep in mind, it may take a little longer to get that PRC passport in China ??

I have heard it taking sometimes more than a month.

 

Another option, on her return, will be to renew her PRC passport at your regional PRC Consulate, which serves your state of NJ. That may in fact be faster than in China.

 

Again as to your original question, I think she will be ok, as she is a PRC passport holder and she is going to and from the PRC and is not seeking a travel visa. If she were a USA passport holder, applying for a Chinese visa, then it would be an issue.

 

If you want to double check all of this, she can phone your local/regional PRC Consulate and talk to them. I am told they speak Chinese very well.

 

 

Hey Roger,

 

Thanks! That's kind of what I thought, I just wasn't sure. The original plan was to have her get her new Passport in NY, but this emergency popped up & she has to go now (1 week), so we can't get up there in time. If she can't get it done during her stay in China, we will renew it upon her return.

 

Now for me, DUHHH I just looked at my Visa, no good now, haha. Luckily, I won't be leaving until 3/6 & returning with her on the 22nd, so I have time to get a new one. I have a Travel Agent in Philly who goes up to NY once a week to do Visas for people. He is who I used the last 2 times I needed one, so I will go see him tomorrow & have a new one in a week.

 

I was more worried about Zhen, but you have set my fears to rest - thanks Roger!!

 

P.S. I called NWA yesterday to book our flights, got a great deal!! The 2 of us round-trip from Philly to Guangzhou & back is only $1050 TOTAL, not each!!! Of course, I had to trade in a large amount of miles, but hey, that's what they're there for, right?!!

 

Thanks again!!

 

Steve & Zhen

[rogerinca]

Steve, just make sure she checks with them in China, as to how long the turn-around time is on the new Passport.

 

You don't want to get in a situation, wherein she gives up her passport and then gets 'stuck' there, because it takes two weeks longer than she thought, to get a new one back in her hand. They will not let her on the plane for return to the USA w/o a passport, even though she has the GC.

 

Maybe better to just do it here, when she returns, and not be sorry.

 

Also, I would still give the NY Consulate a phone call in the interim, to double check everything discussed here.

[warpedbored]

As far as entry to the US They are more interested in her green card than her passport. The airline however will require a valid passport. I would call NWA and see if they have any rules on how long it must be good for but I doubt you will have any trouble. If your wife has taken your last name the name on the ticket must match the passport.

[Sebastian]

From What I remember -

 

Since her K-3 visa is in her current passport -

 

When she gets her NEW passport -

have her hang on to the current passport -

 

Then if there's any issue at the USA POE, she's got:

1. NEW passport

2. old passport with the K-3 visa stamp and

3. her greencard.

 

With those 3 documents, she'll be ok.

She MIGHT be ok without #2, but hey.

[Zhen's Tiger]

Steve, just make sure she checks with them in China, as to how long the turn-around time is on the new Passport.

 

You don't want to get in a situation, wherein she gives up her passport and then gets 'stuck' there, because it takes two weeks longer than she thought, to get a new one back in her hand. They will not let her on the plane for return to the USA w/o a passport, even though she has the GC.

 

Maybe better to just do it here, when she returns, and not be sorry.

 

Also, I would still give the NY Consulate a phone call in the interim, to double check everything discussed here.

 

Thanks again, Roger.

 

I told Zhen all of this & she swears it will not be an issue , as her brother-in-law works in the office where she would get her new Passport, but I made her promise not to do it unless he was 100% sure it could be done in time. She understands we can do it in NY when she gets back, so I'm hoping she will just wait, but you know how that works.

[Zhen's Tiger]

As far as entry to the US They are more interested in her green card than her passport. The airline however will require a valid passport. I would call NWA and see if they have any rules on how long it must be good for but I doubt you will have any trouble. If your wife has taken your last name the name on the ticket must match the passport.

Thanks, Carl!

 

I think you are right, I should & will call NWA just to check. So far, she has not taken my name, so all of the documents show her Family Name & match the Tickets, so we are OK there.

 

Thanks again,

 

Steve & Zhen

[Zhen's Tiger]

From What I remember -

 

Since her K-3 visa is in her current passport -

 

When she gets her NEW passport -

have her hang on to the current passport -

 

Then if there's any issue at the USA POE, she's got:

1. NEW passport

2. old passport with the K-3 visa stamp and

3. her greencard.

 

With those 3 documents, she'll be ok.

She MIGHT be ok without #2, but hey.

Thanks Darnell,

 

Good point about keeping the old Passport with the K3 Visa within, for some reason I thought they somehow took the Visa out of the old & put it into the new... is that not how they do it? Thanks!

 

Steve & Zhen

[Sebastian]

From What I remember -

 

Since her K-3 visa is in her current passport -

 

When she gets her NEW passport -

have her hang on to the current passport -

 

Then if there's any issue at the USA POE, she's got:

1. NEW passport

2. old passport with the K-3 visa stamp and

3. her greencard.

 

With those 3 documents, she'll be ok.

She MIGHT be ok without #2, but hey.

Thanks Darnell,

 

Good point about keeping the old Passport with the K3 Visa within, for some reason I thought they somehow took the Visa out of the old & put it into the new... is that not how they do it? Thanks!

 

Steve & Zhen

 

Technically, she's OK with just her new passport AND her GC.

But hey - I suggest to play it safe, keep the old passport with the K-3 Visa Stamp in it.

[warpedbored]

The K-3 visa is no longer needed once she has her green card. When my wife had her passport renewed in San Francisco they mailed her back her old one with the new one.