Obtaining a passport

[Rakkasan]

My fiance has been told that she does not need to apply for her passport until she receives the notice of her interview. This seem to be putting to much faith in the effeciency of the Chinese system. Any suggestions or ideas??

[Zhen's Tiger]

My fiance has been told that she does not need to apply for her passport until she receives the notice of her interview. This seem to be putting to much faith in the effeciency of the Chinese system. Any suggestions or ideas??

 

She may not need to... but I'd certainly recommend getting it sooner than later! Why wait if there's no need? Never know what can go wrong between now and then. Good luck!

 

[dnoblett]

My fiance has it, and has had it for a year now. The passport is good for 5 years, so why not get it as soon as possible?

[SmilingAsia]

The passport is valid for 5 years, so why not get it now?

[david_dawei]

I agree with all of the above.. don't play with a timing issue.. let time work to your advantage by getting it sooner than later.

[pkfops]

Chinese tend to do things at what "we" may percive as the "last minute".

 

And yes; the Chinese government is more efficient then the US.

This is especially true when you throw in a few extra bucks. B)

Edited November 8, 2006 by pkfops (see edit history)

[izus]

she should have a passport anyways...

 

everyone should have one as I.D.

 

im with everyone dont wait, get it now

[dnoblett]

she should have a passport anyways...

 

everyone should have one as I.D.

 

im with everyone dont wait, get it now

All Chinese have a national ID card, it looks like a passport and is used for travel throughout the mainland, a passport is only needed if intend to travel out of the country.

 

Chinese tend to do things at what "we" may percive as the "last minute".

 

And yes; the Chinese government is more efficient then the US.

This is especially true when you throw in a few extra bucks.

In some ways, my fiance lost her national ID last summer and it takes up to 6 months to replace that card. I was amazed, I know that if I lost my drivers license, I would have a replacement one in about a week from NY. Edited November 8, 2006 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[Rakkasan]

You are familiar with Murphy's Law? Get it now. If she doesn't have her passport come interview time, there is nothing to put the visa in. Shit can, and does, happen.

Thank you, This is exactly what I told her. I think I have her convinced to go ahead and get it as soon as her National ID renews in December, currently it is expired.

 

I guess I don't understand the system, if everyone needs this ID, why is there a wait when renewing the National ID? Of course maybe it's a technolgy thing, when we went to cash travelers cheques we needed a photocopy of my passport for the banks records. We had to leave the bank and find a photocopier because the Bank of China branch in Nanning didn't have a copier of their own.

 

Sheesh, my 79 year old mother has a fax machine and photocopier in her home.

[toy_rn65]

You are familiar with Murphy's Law? Get it now. If she doesn't have her passport come interview time, there is nothing to put the visa in. Shit can, and does, happen.

Thank you, This is exactly what I told her. I think I have her convinced to go ahead and get it as soon as her National ID renews in December, currently it is expired.

 

I guess I don't understand the system, if everyone needs this ID, why is there a wait when renewing the National ID? Of course maybe it's a technolgy thing, when we went to cash travelers cheques we needed a photocopy of my passport for the banks records. We had to leave the bank and find a photocopier because the Bank of China branch in Nanning didn't have a copier of their own.

 

Sheesh, my 79 year old mother has a fax machine and photocopier in her home.

 

 

Hi everyone, I'm new here. Just signed up a couple of days ago so be easy on me!

 

I would have to agree with Rakkasan here. There are so many things in China that don't make sense, even to me, a Chinese American. I have been to China many times in the last few years. An observation I have made is that, one can throw logic out the window as soon as you get off the plane when you arrive in China. pkfops was correct, the system is so corrupt that by throwing in some $, you can accomplish the impossible, almost. B) A perfect example is booking China inland flights. If you want to buy discounted tickets, you better wait til the last minutes. Buying ticket early means you pay full pop. Explain that one to me!!!

 

BTW, I will post a topic on how we (USC) can buy China domestic flight wirh e-ticket online and pay for it online using our credit cards. Very simple, esay and fast. Just like jumping on UNITED.COM buying tickets. I have used them and NO NO NO, this is not an ad!!!

 

Another topic I will post is an easier way to bring money with you when you visit anywhere in China and exchange USD to RMB without having to pay a service charge.

 

Has these topic been posted b4?

[SirLancelot]

she should have a passport anyways...

 

everyone should have one as I.D.

 

im with everyone dont wait, get it now

All Chinese have a national ID card, it looks like a passport and is used for travel throughout the mainland, a passport is only needed if intend to travel out of the country.

 

 

 

The Chinese National ID Card (Shen Fen Zheng) is a card which looks more like a Drivers License than a Passport. It's a plastic card, not a little booklet, so it does not resemble a passport at all.

 

But dnoblett is correct in that most places in China do NOT accept Chinese passport from mainlanders as acceptable ID. They will ask for the Shen Fen Zheng as official ID.

 

The VAST, VAST majority of Chinese people have not flown on an airplane--let alone travel abroad where a passport would be needed.

 

Still, I also agree that the SO should apply for a Chinese passport ASAP once the I-129F has been filed and she anticipates leaving the country.

[SmilingAsia]

I guess I don't understand the system, if everyone needs this ID, why is there a wait when renewing the National ID?

If she needs an ID for urgent reason, throw in a few extra bucks for a tempprary ID while waiting for the permanent ID.

 

Labor cheap, machine expensive. Understand?

Of course maybe it's a technolgy thing, when we went to cash travelers cheques we needed a photocopy of my passport for the banks records. We had to leave the bank and find a photocopier because the Bank of China branch in Nanning didn't have a copier of their own.

[scott1956]

You are familiar with Murphy's Law? Get it now. If she doesn't have her passport come interview time, there is nothing to put the visa in. Shit can, and does, happen.

Thank you, This is exactly what I told her. I think I have her convinced to go ahead and get it as soon as her National ID renews in December, currently it is expired.

 

I guess I don't understand the system, if everyone needs this ID, why is there a wait when renewing the National ID? Of course maybe it's a technolgy thing, when we went to cash travelers cheques we needed a photocopy of my passport for the banks records. We had to leave the bank and find a photocopier because the Bank of China branch in Nanning didn't have a copier of their own.

 

Sheesh, my 79 year old mother has a fax machine and photocopier in her home.

 

 

Hi everyone, I'm new here. Just signed up a couple of days ago so be easy on me!

 

I would have to agree with Rakkasan here. There are so many things in China that don't make sense, even to me, a Chinese American. I have been to China many times in the last few years. An observation I have made is that, one can throw logic out the window as soon as you get off the plane when you arrive in China. pkfops was correct, the system is so corrupt that by throwing in some $, you can accomplish the impossible, almost. B) A perfect example is booking China inland flights. If you want to buy discounted tickets, you better wait til the last minutes. Buying ticket early means you pay full pop. Explain that one to me!!!

 

BTW, I will post a topic on how we (USC) can buy China domestic flight wirh e-ticket online and pay for it online using our credit cards. Very simple, esay and fast. Just like jumping on UNITED.COM buying tickets. I have used them and NO NO NO, this is not an ad!!!

 

Another topic I will post is an easier way to bring money with you when you visit anywhere in China and exchange USD to RMB without having to pay a service charge.

 

Has these topic been posted b4?

 

There have been many posts here regarding getting money to China the least expensive way. Personally, I prefer the paypal debit card method which only costs me a $1 fee each time I access money from an ATM machine with no exchange fee. My wife has a card so She can withdraw money any time she needs too. I have just come home from a 3 week visit in China and used many ATM's in different cities (Zhanjiang, Guilin, Xi'an, Beijing, Shanghai & Jinan) and different banks (Bank of China, China Construction Bank & CITIC Industrial Bank). Using the ATM's are a little tricky, sometimes requiring me to re-submit my request trying different accounts (default, checking or savings) and even once using chinese language instead of english, but I always managed to get money!

 

I am unsure if the topic regarding purchasing China domestic flights has been discussed, but more than likely it has - do a search to see - I have always just had my wife make the purchase of any domestic flights - of course she had to pay cash (yuan) .

[toy_rn65]

You are familiar with Murphy's Law? Get it now. If she doesn't have her passport come interview time, there is nothing to put the visa in. Shit can, and does, happen.

Thank you, This is exactly what I told her. I think I have her convinced to go ahead and get it as soon as her National ID renews in December, currently it is expired.

 

I guess I don't understand the system, if everyone needs this ID, why is there a wait when renewing the National ID? Of course maybe it's a technolgy thing, when we went to cash travelers cheques we needed a photocopy of my passport for the banks records. We had to leave the bank and find a photocopier because the Bank of China branch in Nanning didn't have a copier of their own. B)

 

Sheesh, my 79 year old mother has a fax machine and photocopier in her home.

 

 

Hi everyone, I'm new here. Just signed up a couple of days ago so be easy on me!

 

I would have to agree with Rakkasan here. There are so many things in China that don't make sense, even to me, a Chinese American. I have been to China many times in the last few years. An observation I have made is that, one can throw logic out the window as soon as you get off the plane when you arrive in China. pkfops was correct, the system is so corrupt that by throwing in some $, you can accomplish the impossible, almost. A perfect example is booking China inland flights. If you want to buy discounted tickets, you better wait til the last minutes. Buying ticket early means you pay full pop. Explain that one to me!!!

 

BTW, I will post a topic on how we (USC) can buy China domestic flight wirh e-ticket online and pay for it online using our credit cards. Very simple, esay and fast. Just like jumping on UNITED.COM buying tickets. I have used them and NO NO NO, this is not an ad!!!

 

Another topic I will post is an easier way to bring money with you when you visit anywhere in China and exchange USD to RMB without having to pay a service charge.

 

Has these topic been posted b4?

 

There have been many posts here regarding getting money to China the least expensive way. Personally, I prefer the paypal debit card method which only costs me a $1 fee each time I access money from an ATM machine with no exchange fee. My wife has a card so She can withdraw money any time she needs too. I have just come home from a 3 week visit in China and used many ATM's in different cities (Zhanjiang, Guilin, Xi'an, Beijing, Shanghai & Jinan) and different banks (Bank of China, China Construction Bank & CITIC Industrial Bank). Using the ATM's are a little tricky, sometimes requiring me to re-submit my request trying different accounts (default, checking or savings) and even once using chinese language instead of english, but I always managed to get money!

 

I am unsure if the topic regarding purchasing China domestic flights has been discussed, but more than likely it has - do a search to see - I have always just had my wife make the purchase of any domestic flights - of course she had to pay cash (yuan) .

 

Well, it seems like the cost of using Paypal debit card is a bit cheaper than the American Express Traveler's Card. I will have to try that next time. Thanks.

 

As far as booking domestic flights in China, I like to plan the whole trip b4 I leave home so I know there won't be any hang up (seems like there is never enough time in China). I used YOEE.COM last time. They have both Chinese and English version but I only used the Chinese one so I don't know if the English version work the same way. I purchased my flight from Beijing to Jinan on e-ticket and paid for it in one shot using my Chase Visa. I was even able to get a 40% off on the fare. The best part was just presenting my passport at the airline counter for my boarding pass, no more paper work or having to pay cash for it. Buying ticket this way is also great when you pay a suprise visit to her out of the blue. That's what I did last time and it was awesome to see her reaction when she opened the door.