Avs81

Hi Hi All, Havent posted in a while but had a quick question about my son. He was born in china and came back to the US to live. My wife is chinese and I am American, we live in Colorado right now. My question is , we want to have him visit China again in the near future but not sure on the process since he got a travel document originally that allowed him to come back to the states (that expired this past May). Do we really need to visit our Immagration office located in Chicago in person to get this done or can we fill out the forms and use a courier service to help bring it to the Chicago office? Thank you! Bill W All, Havent posted in a while but had a quick question about my son. He was born in china and came back to the US to live. My wife is chinese and I am American, we live in Colorado right now. My question is , we want to have him visit China again in the near future but not sure on the process since he got a travel document originally that allowed him to come back to the states (that expired this past May). Do we really need to visit our Immagration office located in Chicago in person to get this done or can we fill out the forms and use a courier service to help bring it to the Chicago office? Thank you! Bill W My question is , we want to have him visit China again in the near future but not sure on the process since he got a travel document originally that allowed him to come back to the states (that expired this past May). Do we really need to visit our Immagration office located in Chicago in person to get this done or can we fill out the forms and use a courier service to help bring it to the Chicago office? Thank you! Bill W

Hi All, Thanks for the help last time, my son got his passport and will get his exit visa in two weeks with no issues. For my wife , we sent my tax returns and a letter stating why I get paid in rmb not usd here. I cut/pasted what the consulate wanted below...but I already gave them my last five years of US tax returns (1040) and my chinese tax returns as well. For the domicile we are moving back to my parents Home but I have no property/anything back home sknce I lived/worked here for the past 7 years...so I assume my parents need to sponsor us? 你需要提供下列材料：1） 2017年由IRS 出具的税单。虽然你居住海外，你依然有报税的义务，即使你在海外逗留的时间每年超过360天；２）你需要提供有回国定居的计划的材料证明。你之前所提供的材料仍不充分。 Bill

Hi All, Thanks for the help last time, got the CRBA or consular report of birth abroad and my sons USA passport. But now I need to visit the entry/exit bureau to get the entry stamp on his passport. Does anyone know how that works? Also my wife is doing her IR-1 and they are asking in addition to many documents any criminal records for when she lived in the states. She only lived there for two years, but does anyone who has dealt with this before had a similar issue? Thanks in advance for everyone’s help or advice on this. Bill

Yeah exactly the first selection has many dates open true, the second option for a new passport / report birth abroad has no dates at all which is odd since other cities have plenty of choices for the same option. Thanks for your help as usual!! Bill

email address for the Shanghai consulate - U.S. Consulate General Shanghai To make an appointment for the passport - ACS Appointment System https://evisaforms.state.gov/Instructions/ACSSchedulingSystem.asp- Shanghai IS on the list. You will need an exit visa from the PSB Entry & Exit Bureau - they have been known to put people through H*** over this, even requiring a Chinese name and passport. The American consulate can step in and provide a "pro-forma" visitor's visa for the Chinese passport, IF NECESSARY. Hopefully, they are no longer doing this. As part of the process of applying for the Exit Visa, you may need to sign forms renouncing the child's Chinese citizenship. Hi Randy, Thanks for the detailed information but when I try to make an appointment under the second choice which is for a new passport for a child there are no dates to pick at any time. When I pick other cities, I can see dates for them under the same selection. So for his new passport , I have to email all documents firstly then make the appointment? I will send them an email today for follow up... Bill

Hi All, It’s been about three months since our son was born and I wanted to have him get his passport/ssn taken care of. But we are in Hangzhou and the easiest location for us is the Shanghai embassy. On the website we are unable to select any date for that reason at all, but for Beijing or Guangzhou we are able to select a date. My question is , does the Shanghai embassy handle newborn baby passports anymore? It would be a hassle for us to go all the way to Guangzhou for this if we can avoid it. Also he has an English name and we aren’t applying for a chinese passport, probably obvious just wanted to be clear. Bill

No, the relationship affidavits do not need to be notarized - you wouldn't want to haul them to the consulate to have them signed in front of the notary (Chinese 'notarial documents' are a different thing altogether). You are married, and have a child together. What other evidence do you HAVE? You DID submit a copy of your marriage certificate? Even if you simply submit the same tax returns and pictures that they declined earlier, you should be okay. This is a VERY small hoop to jump through - don''t over-sweat this. Hi Randy, Thanks for the reply, we don't have a child yet at this time. My wife will deliver around late January 2018, we already submitted our marriage license from before. I will just submit the tax returns from the past 3 years and our pics together. As you said that should be enough including what we already submitted. Thank you again for your help! Bill

Hi All, To update my last post, we went to Guangzhou with no issues and dropped off our forms. They told me I didn't need to give my tax returns or our pics together because that evidence isn't needed until the interview so I didn't submit them. We got a letter today a few weeks later noting I missed some areas where I should've said yes , I said no. that's an easy enough fix but then the paper noted how they also wanted evidence of a bona fide marriage. I was wondering if my last 3 tax returns / pics of us together the past few years is good enough since we have an apartment here but my name isn't on the agreement. I say agreement even though our landlord didn't officially renew our agreement so we mostly just hope she doesn't kick us out but that's China, lol. We don't have anything showing we hold an apartment or even own anything together even back in the states since I sold everything there years ago. If the tax returns and pics aren't enough what else usually works? I could get affidavits from some friends of ours but don't we need a notary for that? Or can they just sign the form and the USCIS will just contact them at some point? Also thanks again for the advice on this forum, its very helpful. Bill

Hi Everyone, So to update my situation from a few months ago, we will travel to Guangzhou next Thursday to file the I-407 to abandon her green card for our Friday appt. at 830am (we fly in the night before). I was wondering on a few points if someone could help clarify... - Filing fee for I-407 is free, but the I-130 fee is $535 USD per the USCIS website. Can I pay that when we visit the consulate with my credit card or pay in RMB cash? - I made the appointment for the I-407 but the last post I did, it was recommended I also do the I-130 as well. Do I need to make a separate appointment for that? Or do I just tell the officer helping us with the I-407 that we also want to file the I-130? - Her delivery date is late January next year, so we will arrange her interview for the IR-1 after they are ok to travel. I have the needed information for our child to get his passport so that's not an issue for now. Thanks again in advance for everyones advice on these issues. I don't come here as often as I should but when I do there is always plenty of helpful people and information for me as well. Bill and Wen

Hi All, Before I start, I wanted to thank everyone again for your help over the years. This will be my 6th year in China and I will be leaving soon （next August 2018), your site/members have been very helpful when I needed it. I just had a few questions regarding how my wife and I should proceed before heading back. - my wife has her green card but we applied for the reentry permit for several years until recently when we allowed it to expire. This means if we go back anytime to the states, they will cut up her card and send her back. - at this moment since we are only 13 weeks into the pregnancy and my wife is able to travel, what process would benefit her more? I was considering the B-2 visa to get into the states then apply for her green card again...but she was considering the CR1 visa which I am not very clear how that works, etc... - our child should be born around Feb/March next year after that I believe from reading the forums here that he/she would be an automatic Chinese citizen since my wife is Chinese and we are in China. After my wife's visa is worked out, I thought we need to visit the Shanghai consulate and register our child...is there a general process for this? Sorry I know this covers many topics, so thank you all in advance for helping on this. Bill

Hi All, Long time since I last posted , things still going well 5 years now in Hangzhou. To my question, my wife wants to abandon her 10 year green card but when we visited the consulate in Shanghai they wouldn't answer our questions how to abandon the card. They also won't even talk to my wife about her visa or green card at all, so I am wondering how can we get this done? I know there is a form for this that's no issue but what's the process to get this done at the consulate? Also my wife currently has a re entry permit that's about to expire, we won't be renewing that of course. Thanks everyone for your help in advance... Regards, Bill

I am wondering what will happen when we have her 10 year permenant residence card when we arrive in Boston in May. Do we need to file for an AP to come back to China even after we get the 10 year residence card? I believe with the 10 yrd residence card she can be out of the USA for up to one year. But Im not too sure...even then if we come back to the USA with the card, Im not sure if we have to file any papers or not... And are you saying that she might be turned away from being out of the USA for less than a year? I thought the I-751 extension letter prevented that from happening. Ad if we try and come back to the USA after we get the 10yr card, Im sure we will have to file an AP or re entry permit at that point I think.. Bill

Hi Everyone, This is my 4th month living in Hangzhou with my wife because of my job and we are going back to the USA in May but I was curious about the I-751. My wife got the NOA for the I-751 that exteneded her 2 year VISA for one more year while the I-751 is being processed. So that will expire this August, and the Vermont Service center is just starting July now (we are July 11) so I think we should have the green card done by May, My question is, do I need to file an AP to have my wife leave the USA after we go there in May? Or is there some form I need to file right now before I go? From my understanding once my wife gets the 10 yr greeen card in a few months she can travel outside the USA for up to one year. Is that correct? So that means to "refresh" her status as far as immagration is concered, she will have to come back to the USA within the one year period. Please let me know if I am completly off base or in the ballpark on this...I havent really dealt with any of this immagration stuff since last spring when we filed for the I-751, so my memory is a bit hazy. Thanks for everyones help/advice in advance, Bill and Wen

I believe you're simply in the wrong category, and that this letter should put you back in the right place. For example, it's forbidden to import "used clothing", but excess luggage for your personal use is allowed. In other words, shipping a container-full of used clothing for resale would not be allowed. I would seriously try to hand-deliver this letter, along with your passport, and see what they do (assuming the trip is feasible) I asked if I could hand deliver the passport but UPS told me no. She said its takes time to prepare the documents and apply for CIQ and then to customs. She said I would break the process...its a 45 minute bullet train ride to shanghai and I am tempted to go anyway...

actually i think your right they are the customs broker that UPS uses for these type of cases. It would be nice to send the passport with my company's wight behind it but this is all personal and I can only send it with pretty much good faith. I wish that wasn't my only option but I don't see much else. If I can get an agent to help me maybe that might be better, I would prefer to have someone who knows the process then just sending my PP to a voice over the phone.

I tried to call them and UPS keeps telling me they are putting notes in my file and asking people to call me. I haven't heard anything yet and I don't really trust notes in my file. I am talking to UPS since the email they are using is UPS and the line I called is for the Shanghai UPS branch. But I think they will go through customs with my passport but I am not familiar with the while thing...maybe i should send them my passport...at least I copied the front of it and my visa if it got lost

Please see my answers above, thanks for your comments. Hopefully if we can find an agent we can get it through without problem. I am glad I dont have to send the passport, I think its unsafe but I dont want to lost my items. Bill

Hi Everyone, This is my first full month in Hangzhou, its not bad but without Pats football and dunkin donuts coffee its not the same. I have a question regarding a package my parents sent to me from Boston to Hangzhou via UPS. In the package are: 2 video games, 3 DVDs, 1 bottle of prescription meds (for heartburn), and some clothes. Here is the problem, Customs in Shanghai has my package and wont release it since UPS made the value too high. They corrected the value but Customs said its over 1,000 RMB so it needs special forms. Now they told me I have to ship them my physical passport and scan/email them an explanation letter explaining that these are my personal items that could not fit on the plane. And that my parents are only sending me my personal items. I am being told that I have 2 months to do this or they will consider my package abandoned. Also I was told it would take approx. 20 days for this to get processed and that I can't go myself since they have to fill out the paperwork and speak on my behalf. It sounds fishy to me but I need those items but I don't want to mail out my passport to some joe blow in customs. Has anyone ever dealt with this before? And if I shouldn't send my passport what can I do? I only have 2 months.... Bill

Thanks for the heads up about USPS. I was going to go with them since UPS is 1,300 bucks a least and DHL is no better. My wife wants to send our stuff by boat which I am now considering since my company wont give me the money right now.

No, I didnt call the airline yet, i havent booked my tickets. I am waiting for my z visa to go through next week. Thats a good idea when I book the tickets I will ask them. Bill

Hello all! I am moving to Hangzhou China from Boston, MA with my wife in October and I need to ship 4 of our boxes to our new apartment there. The boxes are large and each of them weigh 50 pounds. If anyone here can point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. UPS is too expensive right now and it looks like the best option is USPS, are there any other ways to ship without have to pay a small mortgage on them? Bill

1. From having just done my taxes, I believe up to the first $91,000 in foreign income is excluded. However, making 200,000 RMB you may be subject to Chinese taxes. My employer helps both us expats and the locals with taxes so I am guessing your employer will as well. 3. What you are going to need is adaptors, you can buy them in China or do an internet search, you can buy a bunch before you leave. I bought a couple converters but I really don't use them that much. As Don said, most modern electronics come with a 110/220V 50/60 Hz transformer (US=110/60, China= 220/50). Most of the power strips in China also will take various plugs but it is good to have adaptors. Depending on how addicted to coffee you are, the one thing I have had a hard time finding is a full size coffee maker. The one I bought is 2-4 cups. A full size coffee maker (like I brought from the States) takes a lot of power (Watts) and you can not find a converter rated for that many Watts. A Mr. Coffee coffee maker uses way more Watts than say a TV or a desktop computer. The other thing - You may have a hard time finding clothes that fit if you are a US XL or bigger. You may need to bring those. Great advice, I'm addicted to coffee since i used to work 3rd shift so I will think about bringing a coffee maker with me. I know what website I'm using for the adapters, they are cheap but the NTSC to PAL converters are at least $ 180 bucks for the good ones. Its that high since I need HDMI and my TV there will be at least 1080p. I am going to follow up with my employer about my taxes in the AM, my boss is on vacation in Sydney so my answers are coming a little slower than I prefer... And your dead on with the clothes, I will be buying pretty much a new wardrobe here before I go, my wife will buy her things there since its mostly her size...

oh, okay well that's sounds like a good idea then. I thought it was really hard to start the whole process over again but I like that idea. I will talk it over with my wife. Bill

Randy, thanks for the input, I think I will file the I-131 for her so she will be okay for 2 years. I don't want to fly back to the US once every year, I would prefer to have her come here once every two years and re apply for the I-131 the next time around. I dont want her to lose her green card since it will be very difficult to go back through that process again

You don't say if you are maintaining your US residence - that (and regular trips home) would most likely be key as to whether you can maintain her green card. Yes, you pay taxes. They are paid for you every month, but must be reported by March of the following year. This may be handled for you as well - check with co-workers and your accounting department. The income must be reported on your US tax return as well, although up to $93,000+ may be excluded (you won't be paying any US taxes on it UNLESS the IRS finds out about it - if you FAIL to report it, they can deny the exclusion and charge you for the back taxes). Here in Yulin, you can live pretty comfortably on 3000RMB per month WITHOUT rent/AC/utility bills, so the 7000 figure might be a good starting point Check the devices you plan to bring for their power requirements - you may not need any adapters. Yes we will still have a USA residence, we are using my parents house for all of my mail and such. Thanks for the heads up with the taxes, I think I need to follow up with my HR dept for more info.... To maintain her green card I filed the I-131 for a 2 year re-entry permit then when we come back after 2 years she will stay behind and do the paperwork all over again. Then after the biometrics is done and we get the approval she will come back..I think we will only repeat this a couple times, I might want to find a better paying job back in the states by then..