Question #1: Which visa is the better choice for my infant child? Q2, or L?
Context: My child is a US citizen and will be 5 months old when we plan to travel to China in October 2023. I (the father) am a US citizen. My wife is a Chinese citizen with a US green card who lives in the US. She has relatives who live in China (her parents and brother. We expect that this is my son’s first of many trips to China over the next several years, so we’d like to get the longest visa possible. Are they issuing 10-year visas right now? Is there a greater likelihood of getting one through a Q2 or a L?
Question #2: For the Q2 visa, is my wife eligible to be the “inviter” (i.e. write the invitation letter) even though she doesn’t live in China? If not, is her brother eligible?
Context: The Q2 invitation letter instructions say the inviter should list “current address in China.” My wife doesn’t have a current address in China, so does that mean she cannot be the inviter? Of her relatives who live in China, my wife would prefer that the invitation letter come from her brother rather than her mother or father? Is that allowed?
Question #3: For the L visa invitation letter, is my wife eligible to be the “inviter”?
Context: The English-language instructions aren’t specific about who is eligible to be the inviter, but the Chinese-language instructions provide more detailed guidance. They list different rules for inviters who live in China and “华侨” inviters (“Huaqiao” or “oversees Chinese”). We assume that my wife belongs to this “Huaqiao” category. The instructions say that if the inviter is “Huaqiao”, they must submit A) a photocopy of their Chinese passport, B) a photocopy of their foreign residence permit (i.e. my wife’s US green card), and C) a Chinese residence permit valid for more than 6 months. I’m confused by this requirement C) . My wife doesn’t have a “Chinese residence permit”. Does this requirement C) only apply if the inviter is a “Huaqiao” foreigner residing in China?
Question #4: For the L visa, it looks like there are two options. Option 1 is to provide round-trip air tickets and hotel reservations. Option 2 is to get an invitation letter. Is my understanding correct that for the invitation letter, it is NOT necessary to list round-trip air tickets and hotel reservations?
Context: Instructions say to list “place of visit” but that doesn’t include air tickets or hotel reservations, right?
Question #5: For the L visa, the instructions state that the inviter’s letter of invitation requires an “official seal”. Where/how is this official seal obtained?