renewing a Chinese passport

[warpedbored]

Here are a few pointers for those of you who's Chinese spouse's passports are expiring. New Chinese laws that went into effect in January have eliminated simply extending the passport. You must go to the consulate in person to renew your passport unless you are over 65, a minor or have a disability that prohibits you from making the trip. The fee is 60 dollars unless you need the name changed to a married name then it is 70 dollars. Your spouse will need the following

A photo copy of the front and back of the green card.

a photo copy of the information page showing the visa he or she came in on.

A photo copy of the USC spouse's passport.

A filled out form from the consulate webpage an H-2 or H-1. I'm not exactly sure.

Get to the consulate a little before 9 AM to avoid long lines. It is best if you both go because she will need to go through one line to get her passport photo taken while you wait in the other line to submit the forms. That way she won't have to go to the back of the line. They can sell you a prepaid priority mail envelope or you can take your own to have the passport sent to your home in.

[C4Racer]

Here are a few pointers for those of you who's Chinese spouse's passports are expiring. New Chinese laws that went into effect in January have eliminated simply extending the passport. You must go to the consulate in person to renew your passport unless you are over 65, a minor or have a disability that prohibits you from making the trip. The fee is 60 dollars unless you need the name changed to a married name then it is 70 dollars. Your spouse will need the following

 

A photo copy of the front and back of the green card.

 

a photo copy of the information page showing the visa he or she came in on.

 

A photo copy of the USC spouse's passport.

 

A filled out form from the consulate webpage an H-2 or H-1. I'm not exactly sure.

 

Get to the consulate a little before 9 AM to avoid long lines. It is best if you both go because she will need to go through one line to get her passport photo taken while you wait in the other line to submit the forms. That way she won't have to go to the back of the line. They can sell you a prepaid priority mail envelope or you can take your own to have the passport sent to your home in.

 

How long would the processing time be if you decide to pick up the passport at the consulate? The name change addition in her pasport took 1 day. I was thinking when it's time I would make it a week long trip. We have been to San Francisco, but there are other places in California for her to see. I was thinking about taking a vacation around the renewal of passport. Could we drop it off on a Monday and pick it up on Friday? Also, isn't it a standard passport photo?

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. You'll have to tell us about it later.

[warpedbored]

Here are a few pointers for those of you who's Chinese spouse's passports are expiring. New Chinese laws that went into effect in January have eliminated simply extending the passport. You must go to the consulate in person to renew your passport unless you are over 65, a minor or have a disability that prohibits you from making the trip. The fee is 60 dollars unless you need the name changed to a married name then it is 70 dollars. Your spouse will need the following

 

A photo copy of the front and back of the green card.

 

a photo copy of the information page showing the visa he or she came in on.

 

A photo copy of the USC spouse's passport.

 

A filled out form from the consulate webpage an H-2 or H-1. I'm not exactly sure.

 

Get to the consulate a little before 9 AM to avoid long lines. It is best if you both go because she will need to go through one line to get her passport photo taken while you wait in the other line to submit the forms. That way she won't have to go to the back of the line. They can sell you a prepaid priority mail envelope or you can take your own to have the passport sent to your home in.

 

How long would the processing time be if you decide to pick up the passport at the consulate? The name change addition in her pasport took 1 day. I was thinking when it's time I would make it a week long trip. We have been to San Francisco, but there are other places in California for her to see. I was thinking about taking a vacation around the renewal of passport. Could we drop it off on a Monday and pick it up on Friday? Also, isn't it a standard passport photo?

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. You'll have to tell us about it later.

Mike I think a standard passport photo would be fine as long as it met their criteria. The photo service there is convenient since it is right in the lobby. I don't think you can get a next day pickup for a new passport. They told Bing hers would arrive in about two weeks. I'm sure Bing will tell Lisa all about it.

[tywy_99]

I've abandoned the idea of getting Chinese passports and now am opting towards US passports with citizenship like Tine and Ella did!

 

I'm still fuming from the subject. Whenever the missus and I argue, I tell her she can carry her ass to DC and get your passport and swing by Dulles on your way out!

[pkfops]

Here are a few pointers for those of you who's Chinese spouse's passports are expiring. New Chinese laws that went into effect in January have eliminated simply extending the passport. You must go to the consulate in person to renew your passport unless you are over 65, a minor or have a disability that prohibits you from making the trip. The fee is 60 dollars unless you need the name changed to a married name then it is 70 dollars. Your spouse will need the following

 

A photo copy of the front and back of the green card.

 

a photo copy of the information page showing the visa he or she came in on.

 

A photo copy of the USC spouse's passport.

 

A filled out form from the consulate webpage an H-2 or H-1. I'm not exactly sure.

 

Get to the consulate a little before 9 AM to avoid long lines. It is best if you both go because she will need to go through one line to get her passport photo taken while you wait in the other line to submit the forms. That way she won't have to go to the back of the line. They can sell you a prepaid priority mail envelope or you can take your own to have the passport sent to your home in.

 

Is this a new passport or an extended one?

 

If it is a new one, do they punch a hole in the old one and return it?

[warpedbored]

You can't extend them anymore. They changed the law effective Jan 1st. I'll let you know if they return the old one or not when we get it.

Edited May 31, 2007 by warpedbored (see edit history)

[pkfops]

You can't extend them anymore. They changed the law effective Jan 1st. I'll let you know if they return the old one or not when we get it.

 

The reason I ask is because my wife registered online for the

Fall semester with SF City college and was sent a letter saying

that there were not able to validate her as a Ca. resident.

 

She had to go to the office with her passport and show them

her visa.

 

Even though the visa is expired, it does hold some value and I

consider it a vital record.

Edited May 31, 2007 by pkfops (see edit history)

[SirLancelot]

You can't extend them anymore. They changed the law effective Jan 1st. I'll let you know if they return the old one or not when we get it.

 

The reason I ask is because my wife registered online for the

Fall semester with SF City college and was sent a letter saying

that there were not able to validate her as a Ca. resident.

 

She had to go to the office with her passport and show them

her visa.

 

Even though the visa is expired, it does hold some value and I

consider it a vital record.

 

Hmm.. that is interesting. pkfops, what are the official requirements to establish CA residency?

 

Carl, is Bing able to get the Chinese government to recognize her US name change? i.e., is she able to get her married name imprinted on the bio page of her Chinese passport? Or will they still just do an addendum on another page which lists her married name? I'm really curious about this part.

[warpedbored]

You can't extend them anymore. They changed the law effective Jan 1st. I'll let you know if they return the old one or not when we get it.

 

The reason I ask is because my wife registered online for the

Fall semester with SF City college and was sent a letter saying

that there were not able to validate her as a Ca. resident.

 

She had to go to the office with her passport and show them

her visa.

 

Even though the visa is expired, it does hold some value and I

consider it a vital record.

 

Hmm.. that is interesting. pkfops, what are the official requirements to establish CA residency?

 

Carl, is Bing able to get the Chinese government to recognize her US name change? i.e., is she able to get her married name imprinted on the bio page of her Chinese passport? Or will they still just do an addendum on another page which lists her married name? I'm really curious about this part.

To be honest I am not exactly sure what they do. They do something to show her married name, at least the English part. I will let you know when it comes and I can take a look at it. It was 10 dollars extra to do this. You and your wife could do that part now and have hers amended. C-4 racer and his wife did and it was a next day pick up.

[SirLancelot]

To be honest I am not exactly sure what they do. They do something to show her married name, at least the English part. I will let you know when it comes and I can take a look at it. It was 10 dollars extra to do this. You and your wife could do that part now and have hers amended. C-4 racer and his wife did and it was a next day pick up.

 

Yeah, I know my wife can add her married name to the passport on another page as an addendum now, but in your wife's case, she's getting an entirely new passport, so I am really intrigued to find out if she gets her married name used on the bio page or added on another page. Please do share with us your results. Thanks!

[johnxiaoying]

Thanks for the heads up, Carl. You saved us a last minutes headache. We're going to China in October and the wife's passport expires tomorrow, June 4.

 

We were in DC last November and near the embassy but we figured we'd just mail the sucker in for the renewal. Now we have to go to Houston since the China government has decided to make it difficult on their own people.

[johnxiaoying]

My wife flew to Houston today to get a new passport. Several problems came up.....don't they usually?

 

Her Walgreens passport photos would not pass muster so she went to a Walgreens in Houston and it wouldn't pass their scrutiny either so they referred her to a shop in China town (likely a relative or friend!) which cost another $25.00 to catch a ride with a lady from Guangzhou (maybe a full time non-registered cab). They also wouldn't accept cash but required a money order.

 

They wouldn't return my visa through the U.S. mail even though we had purchased a $16.25 overnight mailer from the post office. She had to pay an additional $30.00 so she could return at 2:30pm to pick it up.

 

When your wives return to China for a visit be sure and have them get a new passport if they have less than 2 or 3 years remaining on it. It'll save a considerable amount of money and hassel unless you live near a Chinese Consulate.

[warpedbored]

Mikey had a hard time at the Houston consulate too. He said they would't enter the married name amendment on the observations page. In San Francisco they have passport photo service available right in the lobby while you wait. They also have priority mail envelopes you can buy for 10 dollars. One stop shopping.

[hakkamike]

My wife flew to Houston today to get a new passport. Several problems came up.....don't they usually?

 

Her Walgreens passport photos would not pass muster so she went to a Walgreens in Houston and it wouldn't pass their scrutiny either so they referred her to a shop in China town (likely a relative or friend!) which cost another $25.00 to catch a ride with a lady from Guangzhou (maybe a full time non-registered cab). They also wouldn't accept cash but required a money order.

 

They wouldn't return my visa through the U.S. mail even though we had purchased a $16.25 overnight mailer from the post office. She had to pay an additional $30.00 so she could return at 2:30pm to pick it up.

 

When your wives return to China for a visit be sure and have them get a new passport if they have less than 2 or 3 years remaining on it. It'll save a considerable amount of money and hassel unless you live near a Chinese Consulate.

Man that does sould like us. GOT THERE AT 9 AM, WE did the Walgreen photos too X 3 lol, they will take them back for a refund, had to go to the PO to get priority mail envelopes. Lusheng had to make a few copies at the Consulates request and it was close to 11:30 and the dollar changer on the copier they had would not work and NOT A PERSON IN THERE HAD CHANGE FOR A DOLLAR. So guess what we had to leave to get some change and had to wait until they opened again at 1:30. Oh one more thing we had to drive like ur wife to China Town to get photos made tooooooooo. Anyway we did make to Galveston by 3:00

Edited August 1, 2007 by hakkamike (see edit history)

[jbray]

My wife tried to renew her passport in Chengdu this past April. They wouldn't do it because she still had 8 months left. They told her to come back whithin 3 months of expiring. THe problem being that we live in Atlanta, not Chengdu...

 

Question, I am guessing that we are in the Huston consular district. Do we have to go to Huston, or can we just go to DC (I have family in the DC area and would prefer to just go there)?