Questions-P4 instructions & Money

[naogong]

I'm wondering if anyone can confirm the stated requirement on the P4 packet instructions that my wife recently received that she provide a "Notarial Unmarried Statment". What the heck would this be? She posted on the chinese BBS she uses and was told it wasn't required. I suggested that she go to the marriage registration office we were married at and ask them to provide a statement saying that the only marriage they have registered of her is ours. She thought she would just write a simple statement saying she has only been married once, to me, and have it notarized. If she doesn't need it I hate to have her waste her time and the 200 yuan for notarizing it, but if it's needed I obviously want it. I'd greatly appreciate any guidance from your experience and our case is a CR1 in case that makes any difference.

The other question we had was if there is any limit or regulation on the amount of money my wife can bring out of China at the time she immigrates. I only thought of this today, it's not a huge amount of money, she has approx. $5000 US total, in both yuan and dollar accounts. Our interview is October 30th and we want to close her bank account and bring all of the money she has unless there are rules and limits that would prohibit this. Thanks in advance for any information or guidance you can give us.

[LeeFisher3]

I'm wondering if anyone can confirm the stated requirement on the P4 packet instructions that my wife recently received that she provide a "Notarial Unmarried Statment". What the heck would this be? She posted on the chinese BBS she uses and was told it wasn't required. I suggested that she go to the marriage registration office we were married at and ask them to provide a statement saying that the only marriage they have registered of her is ours. She thought she would just write a simple statement saying she has only been married once, to me, and have it notarized. If she doesn't need it I hate to have her waste her time and the 200 yuan for notarizing it, but if it's needed I obviously want it. I'd greatly appreciate any guidance from your experience and our case is a CR1 in case that makes any difference.

The other question we had was if there is any limit or regulation on the amount of money my wife can bring out of China at the time she immigrates. I only thought of this today, it's not a huge amount of money, she has approx. $5000 US total, in both yuan and dollar accounts. Our interview is October 30th and we want to close her bank account and bring all of the money she has unless there are rules and limits that would prohibit this. Thanks in advance for any information or guidance you can give us.

 

That would be required if she was a K-1 visa applicant, they are using the same instructions. Obviously she missed the part that mentioned bringing what applied to her case.

 

If she doesn't already have one it would be a good idea to get a translation of the marriage certificate. You might find it good to have a couple of copies in the US.

 

As for bringing money out, they do have a limit, I can't remember the amount. She might want to try to withdraw her US funds and not mention immigration. Then when she goes for the RMB account she will want to make arrangements to convert that to US Dollars, this would probably be when they would need to do some paperwork and want to see her visa.

 

Remember she will need funds for the interview and a few million other things like most women, so don't have her short herself on RMB until she is ready to travel.

 

I'd probably have her wait on the money stuff until she has her visa in hand. One way to handle the money is for her to pay for her airline tickets and such and not need to convert the money.

[frank1538]

I think technically, the amount of money either RMB or USD that can be taken out of China is limited but, like Lee, I'm not sure of the amount. This website - http://www.guardianfx.com/information/asia/china.html - suggests that up to 6,000 yuan can be taken out while foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on entry presumably by the individual who brought the money into China. On the US side, the only thing I'm aware of is that amounts in excess of $10,000 have to be declared.

 

Most people seek alternatives to the Chinese currency restrictions.

[SirLancelot]

I think technically, the amount of money either RMB or USD that can be taken out of China is limited but, like Lee, I'm not sure of the amount. This website - http://www.guardianfx.com/information/asia/china.html - suggests that up to 6,000 yuan can be taken out while foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on entry presumably by the individual who brought the money into China. On the US side, the only thing I'm aware of is that amounts in excess of $10,000 have to be declared.

 

Most people seek alternatives to the Chinese currency restrictions.

 

Yes, absolutely there's a limit on the amount of money you can bring out. And unlike the US, where you only have to declare the amount past $10,000USD, there is indeed a hard limit. And it's not much by US standards. You need to check into this.

 

Once in 2004, when I was leaving PVG, I saw a couple--Chinese woman and French or Russian Man--get pulled to the side by Exit Customs. They had this bag full of Chinese RMB.

 

I'm not sure if they allow a bigger allotment for immigration, but for travelling aboard for tourist reasons, you aren't allow to bring that much, especially by US standards.

 

I don't know where exactly you'd find this info, but you need to find this out before arriving at the airport.

 

As suggested above, I think it's a good idea to use up the RMB in China and bring the USD. Definitely buy her plain tickets using her RMBs.

[Guest pushbrk]

I'm wondering if anyone can confirm the stated requirement on the P4 packet instructions that my wife recently received that she provide a "Notarial Unmarried Statment". What the heck would this be? She posted on the chinese BBS she uses and was told it wasn't required. I suggested that she go to the marriage registration office we were married at and ask them to provide a statement saying that the only marriage they have registered of her is ours. She thought she would just write a simple statement saying she has only been married once, to me, and have it notarized. If she doesn't need it I hate to have her waste her time and the 200 yuan for notarizing it, but if it's needed I obviously want it. I'd greatly appreciate any guidance from your experience and our case is a CR1 in case that makes any difference.

The other question we had was if there is any limit or regulation on the amount of money my wife can bring out of China at the time she immigrates. I only thought of this today, it's not a huge amount of money, she has approx. $5000 US total, in both yuan and dollar accounts. Our interview is October 30th and we want to close her bank account and bring all of the money she has unless there are rules and limits that would prohibit this. Thanks in advance for any information or guidance you can give us.

 

Married people like your wife are not required to prove they are unmarried. This requirement applies only to a fiance.

 

I would also advise that your wife use the money already in China to pay for her GUZ expenses, airfare and any shopping before departure. This won't leave a whole lot left over from USD 5,000. depending on the "shopping" variable.

[naogong]

Thank you all for clearing up the question of the Notarial Unmarried certificate, I also missed the part where it indicated it applied only to K1 cases. I'm leaving October 13th to be with her and we will have almost two weeks in Chengdu to prepare before we fly to Guangzhou for our interview on the 30th. We plan to leave China together, on November 12th. We do have translated and notarized copies of our marriage certificate but we'll make sure we have several copies. We are staying with Mr. Xie, one of the places I've seen recomended on CFL, and as has been noted by many people he has been very helpful and reassuring to my wife in her calls and emails with him. If we are successful in getting the pink slip we plan on going to Hong Kong for the two days before we can pick up her visa. My wife is a shrewd bargainer, but she does love to shop. Between the flights to Guangzhou, the celebratory banquet we plan on hosting for her family and friends in Chengdu, and the things we both want to buy and experience while I'm with her this visit, I'm sure we can deplete her yuan account during that period . I also understand the point about alternatives, I won't be bringing over the amount that to which I am limited so that should take care of any excess dollars. Again, my thanks for all the helpful information!

[LeeFisher3]

Thank you all for clearing up the question of the Notarial Unmarried certificate, I also missed the part where it indicated it applied only to K1 cases. I'm leaving October 13th to be with her and we will have almost two weeks in Chengdu to prepare before we fly to Guangzhou for our interview on the 30th. We plan to leave China together, on November 12th. We do have translated and notarized copies of our marriage certificate but we'll make sure we have several copies. We are staying with Mr. Xie, one of the places I've seen recomended on CFL, and as has been noted by many people he has been very helpful and reassuring to my wife in her calls and emails with him. If we are successful in getting the pink slip we plan on going to Hong Kong for the two days before we can pick up her visa. My wife is a shrewd bargainer, but she does love to shop. Between the flights to Guangzhou, the celebratory banquet we plan on hosting for her family and friends in Chengdu, and the things we both want to buy and experience while I'm with her this visit, I'm sure we can deplete her yuan account during that period . I also understand the point about alternatives, I won't be bringing over the amount that to which I am limited so that should take care of any excess dollars. Again, my thanks for all the helpful information!

 

 

Hmmm, I hope you picked up a multi-entry visa for China if you are planning on a trip to Hong Kong from GZ and desire to return to pickup the visa with her. If not, this can be handled in China, but there usually is some cost and time involved.

[naogong]

I went to the consulate in San Francisco today to apply for my visa for my Oct. 13th flight to Chengdu to be with my wife for our interview in GZ on Oct. 30th. I asked if I needed an additional visa to go to Hong Kong during the two day wait before Keke can pick up her visa, as we had planned if the interview is a success. You don't need any other visa to travel there as you had thought FisherLee. I'm glad you suggested I might, because I wouldn't have wanted to have arranged it in China. But thought I would post this in case anyone else had similar plans. A visa for China is good for Hong Kong as well. I also bought my ticket for the flight from Beijing to Chengdu and back since Air China has an office in downtown San Francisco. I'm seriously thinking of buying tickets for my wife before knowing the interview outcome. Even if we should get a blue slip, and not be able to overcome while I'm there before our planned departure date of Nov. 12th, the most I would lose would be $25 on the Air China one way for her from Chengdu to Beijing. I would also book her on the same United flight from Beijing to San Francisco that I'm on, and I could get a credit to use for my next trip if, god forbid, we don't pass. I do want to be on the same flight to the US with her, to be able to help her with the entry inspection, and for the company on the long flight, and planned to pay the extra fee if that flight should be full to change my ticket to a flight we both could be on. I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion on whether the VO would consider it presumptous if I had her show the VO that I had purchased tickets for her to come to the US before they had waved their magic wand and blessed our marriage as bonafide and approved her entry to the US. I know that the issue of visa fraud includes money being paid by the chinese side, and my thought was that this would show that I am the person spending money for us to be together, and also hoped that a sign of confidence as evidenced by booking her flights beforehand might not hurt. Any opinions, or experience that would suggest that this was either a good, or bad idea? Thanks for any response!

[Randy W]

I went to the consulate in San Francisco today to apply for my visa for my Oct. 13th flight to Chengdu to be with my wife for our interview in GZ on Oct. 30th. I asked if I needed an additional visa to go to Hong Kong during the two day wait before Keke can pick up her visa, as we had planned if the interview is a success. You don't need any other visa to travel there as you had thought FisherLee. I'm glad you suggested I might, because I wouldn't have wanted to have arranged it in China. But thought I would post this in case anyone else had similar plans. A visa for China is good for Hong Kong as well.

 

 

Nope - no visa at all is needed for Hong Kong. But if you cross the border into China more than once, or go to Hong Kong from China and try to return, you will need a multiple entry visa fo China.

 

A Chinese citizen needs to make sure that they can enter Hong Kong, however.

Edited September 13, 2006 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Guest pushbrk]

I went to the consulate in San Francisco today to apply for my visa for my Oct. 13th flight to Chengdu to be with my wife for our interview in GZ on Oct. 30th. I asked if I needed an additional visa to go to Hong Kong during the two day wait before Keke can pick up her visa, as we had planned if the interview is a success. You don't need any other visa to travel there as you had thought FisherLee. I'm glad you suggested I might, because I wouldn't have wanted to have arranged it in China. But thought I would post this in case anyone else had similar plans. A visa for China is good for Hong Kong as well.

 

 

Nope - no visa at all is needed for Hong Kong. But if you cross the border into China more than once, or go to Hong Kong from China and try to return, you will need a multiple entry visa fo China.

 

A Chinese citizen needs to make sure that they can enter Hong Kong, however.

 

Randy is right but to be perfectly clear, a US Citizen will need a multiple entry visa to enter China twice. That's is what you will be doing unless you stay in Hong Kong while she returns to pick up the visa.

[SirLancelot]

naogong,

 

As the other posters replied, the critical point here is not that you need a visa to enter HK--US citizens can enter HK for tourist reasons withOUT a visa--but that when you go back into China gain from HK, you'll need a visa to enter China. So if you're Visa is ONE entry, then you'll have problems entering China again from HK. That's the issue. If you're already applied for a ONE entry tourist visa, then it might be too late in the US to change it. You can get another entry visa in HK for China.

 

I went to the consulate in San Francisco today to apply for my visa for my Oct. 13th flight to Chengdu to be with my wife for our interview in GZ on Oct. 30th. I asked if I needed an additional visa to go to Hong Kong during the two day wait before Keke can pick up her visa, as we had planned if the interview is a success. You don't need any other visa to travel there as you had thought FisherLee. I'm glad you suggested I might, because I wouldn't have wanted to have arranged it in China. But thought I would post this in case anyone else had similar plans. A visa for China is good for Hong Kong as well. I also bought my ticket for the flight from Beijing to Chengdu and back since Air China has an office in downtown San Francisco. I'm seriously thinking of buying tickets for my wife before knowing the interview outcome. Even if we should get a blue slip, and not be able to overcome while I'm there before our planned departure date of Nov. 12th, the most I would lose would be $25 on the Air China one way for her from Chengdu to Beijing. I would also book her on the same United flight from Beijing to San Francisco that I'm on, and I could get a credit to use for my next trip if, god forbid, we don't pass. I do want to be on the same flight to the US with her, to be able to help her with the entry inspection, and for the company on the long flight, and planned to pay the extra fee if that flight should be full to change my ticket to a flight we both could be on. I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion on whether the VO would consider it presumptous if I had her show the VO that I had purchased tickets for her to come to the US before they had waved their magic wand and blessed our marriage as bonafide and approved her entry to the US. I know that the issue of visa fraud includes money being paid by the chinese side, and my thought was that this would show that I am the person spending money for us to be together, and also hoped that a sign of confidence as evidenced by booking her flights beforehand might not hurt. Any opinions, or experience that would suggest that this was either a good, or bad idea? Thanks for any response!

[m-coon]

I went to the consulate in San Francisco today to apply for my visa for my Oct. 13th flight to Chengdu to be with my wife for our interview in GZ on Oct. 30th. I asked if I needed an additional visa to go to Hong Kong during the two day wait before Keke can pick up her visa, as we had planned if the interview is a success. You don't need any other visa to travel there as you had thought FisherLee. I'm glad you suggested I might, because I wouldn't have wanted to have arranged it in China. But thought I would post this in case anyone else had similar plans. A visa for China is good for Hong Kong as well.

 

 

Nope - no visa at all is needed for Hong Kong. But if you cross the border into China more than once, or go to Hong Kong from China and try to return, you will need a multiple entry visa fo China.

 

A Chinese citizen needs to make sure that they can enter Hong Kong, however.

 

 

As mentioned here - be aware that she will have to have documents to enter Hong Kong. They are sometimes difficult to obtain - so you should get her working on researching this matter.

 

Scott

[ericeblack]

You can get a new tourist visa easily in Hong Kong. If you go to the office early in the morning and pay a heft rush fee you can get it that very afternoon. The standard visa issue period is 3 days. If you are only planning to stay for 2 you will have to rush it. Hong Kong is a great place but it can be a real pain with entering and exiting especially if your Chinese fiance is comming along. HK is a part of China, but mainland Chinese citizens must have a special entrance permit.

[naogong]

Thanks for correcting me and advising me on yet another error on my part. I did ask at the consulate, but I didn't make it clear that I was doing what you all have recognized, entering China twice! I knew it was a special Administrative zone, but I thought that since it's been Chinese territory since 97, that I wasn't leaving China. I had spoken with a co-worker who is from Hong Kong and visits frequently, but he doesn't do what I plan to do. My wife, who is more on the ball than I, does have the necessary perrmit, and I thank you Eric for the advice on how to get a rush visa in Hong Kong if we decide to still go. Sorry to muddy the waters, and take your time, I feel like my brain is filled with cottage cheese lately . Do the cheetos I see so many references to have any beneficial affect on the early Alzheimer's I appear to be suffering? Again, thanks to all for setting me straight.

[LeeFisher3]

Thanks for correcting me and advising me on yet another error on my part. I did ask at the consulate, but I didn't make it clear that I was doing what you all have recognized, entering China twice! I knew it was a special Administrative zone, but I thought that since it's been Chinese territory since 97, that I wasn't leaving China. I had spoken with a co-worker who is from Hong Kong and visits frequently, but he doesn't do what I plan to do. My wife, who is more on the ball than I, does have the necessary perrmit, and I thank you Eric for the advice on how to get a rush visa in Hong Kong if we decide to still go. Sorry to muddy the waters, and take your time, I feel like my brain is filled with cottage cheese lately . Do the cheetos I see so many references to have any beneficial affect on the early Alzheimer's I appear to be suffering? Again, thanks to all for setting me straight.

 

As for taking money out of the country you might try this. If the dollars are in YOUR pocket you are allowed to carry out more than she is. So instead of trying to withdraw the money for export, just withdraw the money.

 

She should be able to find a way to exchange RMB for Dollars and get it most of it converted so you can bring it back with you.

 

If the bank won't do it directly there are always people around that will do the exchange for you (at the bank).