Anyone know about China visa for usc

[rogerluli]

A Chinese-American may apply for a Multiple Entry "L" Visa valid for 24 months.

 

What about this provision of the "L" visa? What would the maximum length of stay be for this visa? What about the spouse of a Chinese-American? Do they get a deal too???

[GZBILL]

A Chinese-American may apply for a Multiple Entry "L" Visa valid for 24 months.

 

What about this provision of the "L" visa? What would the maximum length of stay be for this visa? What about the spouse of a Chinese-American? Do they get a deal too???

 

 

Yes, Chinese-Americans may apply for a 24-month "L" visa, but that doesn't mean it will be approved. I've had a number of C-A friends who wanted to come and visit and none of them was able to get a 24-month "L" visa.

 

This is a common thing in China: the laws or regulations say a thing is possible, but then few applications are approved. This happened with the old "D" visa system in which overseas Chinese and others with strong family or cultural ties were able to apply for a "D" permanent residence visa. A great number of people applied, very few were approved.

 

The new permanent residence (green card) system is much better and less vaguely written, yet even now the vast majority of applications are rejected.

 

The law also allows one with close family or cultrual ties to China to apply for naturtalization as a citizen. Interestingly enough, in Hong Kong -- with an approval process independant from Beijing -- approval rates are decent. On the Mainland? Yeah, right.

 

The key isn't so much in the law, regulations or even the implementation regulations, but rather in the unpublished internal policies about the approval process and approval criteria.

[rogerluli]

Okay I give up... It seems my wife will have to remain a Chinese citizen for the time we decide to live in China... Of course that means dealing with keeping her US permanent residence with it's requirements but at least there the regulations actually mean what they say...

[GZBILL]

Okay I give up... It seems my wife will have to remain a Chinese citizen for the time we decide to live in China... Of course that means dealing with keeping her US permanent residence with it's requirements but at least there the regulations actually mean what they say...

 

You're right.

 

As much as we (i.e. everybody) complain about the bureacracy and unfair regulations in the States, compared with the situation in China we should feel lucky. Very lucky.

[chilton747]

Okay I give up... It seems my wife will have to remain a Chinese citizen for the time we decide to live in China... Of course that means dealing with keeping her US permanent residence with it's requirements but at least there the regulations actually mean what they say...

 

So Roger, when you go to retire and live in China, how will you get to stay?

[SirLancelot]

A Chinese-American may apply for a Multiple Entry "L" Visa valid for 24 months.

 

What about this provision of the "L" visa? What would the maximum length of stay be for this visa? What about the spouse of a Chinese-American? Do they get a deal too???

 

I know someone who got one of those 2-year multi-entry L visas. I believe it's also restricted to 90 days per visit.

 

I believe all visas obtained outside of China are restricted to 90 days per visit--with the exception of perhaps Hong Kong. In order to receive visas for stays longer than 90 days, you most likely will have to get one from inside China (or HK).

 

Roger, you have more checking to do. If your wife is of a certain age and she has real estate property, she may be able to stay in China for longer periods of time--even if she becomes a USC. But check into this next time you're in China for a visit.

Edited August 2, 2007 by SirLancelot (see edit history)

[GZBILL]

A Chinese-American may apply for a Multiple Entry "L" Visa valid for 24 months.

 

What about this provision of the "L" visa? What would the maximum length of stay be for this visa? What about the spouse of a Chinese-American? Do they get a deal too???

 

I know someone who got one of those 2-year multi-entry L visas. I believe it's also restricted to 90 days per visit.

 

I believe all visas obtained outside of China are restricted to 90 days per visit--with the exception of perhaps Hong Kong. In order to receive visas for stays longer than 90 days, you most likely will have to get one from inside China (or HK).

 

Roger, you have more checking to do. If your wife is of a certain age and she has real estate property, she may be able to stay in China for longer periods of time--even if she becomes a USC. But check into this next time you're in China for a visit.

 

Actually, holding real estate offers almost nothing in terms of visa issuance especially in light of the somewhat new rules that prohibit foreigners from owning commercial property and limiting residential property ownership to a total of one unit, which must be one's principal place of residence.

 

If one owns property (and has the title in their name), the Chinese consulate would usually issue a 6-month "L" tourist visa instead of the usual 90-day visa. But this visa was still limited to something like 60 days per stay.

 

There is a category under which people over 60 can apply for permanent residency, but the requirements are onerous. First of all, the person must have direct relatives with which they will live in China and not have any living relatives abroad. This has been held to mean that someone under this category cannot have a living spouse abroad that is also not entitled to apply independently for permanent residence under this provision.

 

Other requirements are similar to those who apply based on marriage to a qualifying person:

 

1. Have already lived continuously for 5 years in China;

2. Have a stable residence; and

3. A secure income source.

[chilton747]

In other words, a USA man and his Chinese wife can own a house together, have enough money to live comfortably on, and not worry about the Chinese gvt. telling then to leave?