dual citizenship

[warpedbored]

My wife is going to China for a month in December. She recently became a naturalized US citizen but she still has a valid Chinese passport. I know China doesn't recognize dual citizenship but I wonder if she can travel to China and back on her Chinese passport thus eliminating the need for a visa.

[Randy W]

This sounds familiar - the catch would come when exiting China - she may be required to show how she would enter the US, or could she still use her old green card here?

[H.Woodside]

How would she get back into the U.S.? Would she not need to present her U.S. passport at the P.O.E (which I assume she has being a citizen). It seems in essence that she would travel on two passports, I am not sure that would work.

Edited August 5, 2008 by H.Woodside (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

This sounds familiar - the catch would come when exiting China - she may be required to show how she would enter the US, or could she still use her old green card here?

Yep, I would think the same, it is exiting China that may pose a problem. They will want to see a visa or green-card if a "Chinese citizen" or US passport if US citizen, and the catch is NO-Chinese visa in the US passport.

 

I would assume USCIS took the green-card or otherwise invalidated it when taking the oath and naturalizing.

 

I would be applying for a Chinese Visa for wife to travel to China.

[credzba]

My wife is going to China for a month in December. She recently became a naturalized US citizen but she still has a valid Chinese passport. I know China doesn't recognize dual citizenship but I wonder if she can travel to China and back on her Chinese passport thus eliminating the need for a visa.

 

While the USA doesn't enforce it's no dual citizenship laws, China does (I hear).

So, if your wife shows up with a China passport, and a USA passport, China will take her China passport, and not return it.

 

I would NEVER use both passports to travel, the cost of a visa in the USA passport is way cheap compared to loosing your Chinese citizenship.

[Guest Rob & Jin]

well Carl my guess is she handed in her GC at the Citizen ceremony, so how would she get back into the states ?

 

 

 

Time to get a USA passport and China visa

Edited August 5, 2008 by Rob & Jin (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

While the USA doesn't enforce it's no dual citizenship laws, China does (I hear).

So, if your wife shows up with a China passport, and a USA passport, China will take her China passport, and not return it.

 

I would NEVER use both passports to travel, the cost of a visa in the USA passport is way cheap compared to loosing your Chinese citizenship.

 

I assume you mean get a Chinese visa in the new American passport. I would think that the Chinese consulate would recognize that you were a Chinese passport holder and demand you turn in the Chinese passport.

 

Does anyone have any direct experience???

Edited August 5, 2008 by jim_julian (see edit history)

[credzba]

I assume you mean get a Chinese visa in the new American passport. I would think that the Chinese consulate would recognize that you were a Chinese passport holder and demand you turn in the Chinese passport.

 

Does anyone have any direct experience???

 

Yes I meant a China visa in your USA passport.

How would they know you were a Chinese passport holder Jim?

There is no correlation between your USA passport, and you China passport/citizenship.

 

I think it would be fine, but I have not tried.

I think if someone HAD done this, they might only reply in a pm, I know I wouldn't post it online.

[jim_julian]

I assume you mean get a Chinese visa in the new American passport. I would think that the Chinese consulate would recognize that you were a Chinese passport holder and demand you turn in the Chinese passport.

 

Does anyone have any direct experience???

 

Yes I meant a China visa in your USA passport.

How would they know you were a Chinese passport holder Jim?

There is no correlation between your USA passport, and you China passport/citizenship.

 

I think it would be fine, but I have not tried.

I think if someone HAD done this, they might only reply in a pm, I know I wouldn't post it online.

 

I'm sure the consulate has access to a database of Chinese passport holders. But, of course, so many Chinese names are common.

 

Then there might be "red flags"

- Did the Chinese wife have an "also known as" notation in here Chinese passport? (Likely from the same consulate; they must keep records.)

- What is the rationale for visiting China ... might be clues there

 

On the other hand perhaps the Chinese consulates are not aggressive at all in ferreting out these things.

 

If anyone wants to PM me with direct experience I can post it here with no attribution to the originator.

[Trigg]

My wife is going to China for a month in December. She recently became a naturalized US citizen but she still has a valid Chinese passport. I know China doesn't recognize dual citizenship but I wonder if she can travel to China and back on her Chinese passport thus eliminating the need for a visa.

She would need a visa to re-enter the US!

 

BUT-if she flew to Hong Kong and then entered the mainland on her Chinese passport and then back to HK and then flew back home from HK using her US passport--wa La-no visa needed -No stems no seeds that you don't need--hong kong gold is badass flyin'!

[warpedbored]

The US is not the problem. As a naturalized citizen it is perfectly legal for her to have both passports. The snag is China. They probably would want to see her green card. The Hong Kong route is interesting but we already have the plane ticket to GZ. One visa coming up.

[Guest Rob & Jin]

The US is not the problem. As a naturalized citizen it is perfectly legal for her to have both passports. The snag is China. They probably would want to see her green card. The Hong Kong route is interesting but we already have the plane ticket to GZ. One visa coming up.

 

 

So if she has a US passport just use that with a visa to china

[C4Racer]

One other thing to consider, which may or may not influence any decision.

 

The US warns if you travel on your old passport and find yourself in trouble, the embassy may get blocked by the Chinese government from helping you. If you tavel on your US passport then they come to the rescue like any other USC and there is nothing China can do about it. This includes any hassle about leaving China. It might be good to be safe, rather than sorry.

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html

 

Dual national Americans, particularly those with dual Chinese and American nationality, should realize that entering China using their non-U.S. passport could mean that the Chinese Government may not afford them the consular protections to which they are entitled. While the U.S. Government will offer consular services to all U.S. citizens regardless of dual nationality, use of other than a U.S. passport to enter China can make it difficult for U.S. Consuls to assist dual national Americans who have been arrested or who have other concerns with the Chinese Government.

 

China does not recognize dual citizenship. U.S. Embassy and Consulate officials are often denied access to arrested or detained Americans who do not enter China using their U.S. passport. Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States who do not carry unexpired or otherwise clear evidence that they may re-enter the United States will encounter delays departing from China. Lawful Permanent Residents should renew and update U.S. residence documentation prior to their departure from the United States.

 

 

Charlene recently went back and had no trouble getting a visa for two months.

Edited August 5, 2008 by C4Racer (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

One other thing to consider, which may or may not influence any decision.

 

The US warns if you travel on your old passport and find yourself in trouble, the embassy may get blocked by the Chinese government from helping you. If you tavel on your US passport then they come to the rescue like any other USC and there is nothing China can do about it. This includes any hassle about leaving China. It might be good to be safe, rather than sorry.

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html

 

Dual national Americans, particularly those with dual Chinese and American nationality, should realize that entering China using their non-U.S. passport could mean that the Chinese Government may not afford them the consular protections to which they are entitled. While the U.S. Government will offer consular services to all U.S. citizens regardless of dual nationality, use of other than a U.S. passport to enter China can make it difficult for U.S. Consuls to assist dual national Americans who have been arrested or who have other concerns with the Chinese Government.

 

China does not recognize dual citizenship. U.S. Embassy and Consulate officials are often denied access to arrested or detained Americans who do not enter China using their U.S. passport. Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States who do not carry unexpired or otherwise clear evidence that they may re-enter the United States will encounter delays departing from China. Lawful Permanent Residents should renew and update U.S. residence documentation prior to their departure from the United States.

 

 

Charlene recently went back and had no trouble getting a visa for two months.

Thanks Mike, good information. I was just being cheap and trying to save some hassle. I agree saving a hundred bucks is not worth the risk.

[Guest Rob & Jin]

I guess as someome with dual nationaly and experience with years of international travel in and out of the USA , I'm just chopped liver on this.

 

Go for it with the chinese passport

 

or you could just get her a US passport and chinese visa