Several Questions: Summer '13 China Visit, Expired Chinese Passpor

[Magnus1977]

Hey everyone...I have a couple questions for you all again!

 

My wife (green card holder) and 2 kids and I are thinking of heading back to China this year. She'll go first most likely with the kids (she's brave) and I will follow when school is out. I have a couple questions though:

 

1. My wife's Chinese passport has expired. Is that as simple as going to the Chinese embassy in NYC (we're in Western Mass) to apply for another one? Anybody been there done that?

 

2. How long does it take to get US passports and Chinese VISAs for 2 kids? Are we talking forever or a week or what?

 

3. My wife is a US green card holder. She won't have any problems leaving, arriving in China, leaving China and coming back to the USA right? Or is there something we need to know before all of this?

 

4. In all of your wisdom, should we secure the passports and visas first and then get plane tickets??

 

Thanks again for your help!

[Randy W]

1. Yes - and she will need to go in person.

 

2. It should be easy enough to get it done in a week.

 

3. No problem

 

4. You may need a letter of invitation from a Chinese citizen, either your wife (some consulates or visa services accept this, others require that it be from someone in China). The itinerary may help with getting the visa, but I would still try for the visa first.

[dnoblett]

1) Yes, it is as simple as that, Requires visiting the consulate, with expired passport and passport photos.

 

2) Depending on urgency US Passports can be acquired in as short as a couple weeks for an extra fee, normal processing is a month or so.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/processing/processing_1740.html

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html ( What they mean by in person is at an acceptance location Check with your local post office, you will need to schedule an appointment with the post office. ) Also minors need the permission of both parents before a passport is issued.

 

3) All that is needed to leave the USA and then Leave Cina to return to the USA are Chinese passport and US green-card, if name in passport and green-card differ, is recommended to also have a photo copy of a document showing how name changed (Marriage Cert) also book airline tickets in the name shown in passport.

 

4) Passports first, Then apply for L-Visas, however some have been required to show a travel itinerary before the Chinese consulate would issue a visa, this varies by agency or consulate, most will accept just a letter of invitation to visit China to issue a visa.

 

Look at the links at the bottom of this page for more information.