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First time getting China Visa after Citizenship


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After talking to a visa company they told me I was pretty much on my own getting the first visa for Li Hong to go to China. he wasn't 100% sure of the proses but thought she may have to go to the embassy in Chicago and Renounce her citizenship to China. I am looking at expediting her passport $$$ but am wondering if China would still hold things up so she can't make it to China for the New Year. Lucky it come late this year!

 

Please help with your process and time line.

 

Thanks!

Bill & Li Hong

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It appears you used the wrong visa service.

My wife used Oasis China Visa service last spring.

No need to visit consilate.

Simply send both passports China and American, application, fees, and photos invite letter and copy of ID from family in China.

In my wife's case she also sent evidence of family in China so can get a 2 year multiple use visa. That was before the 10 year visas.

Should be a simple matter of getting a 10 year Q visa.

https://www.oasischinavisa.com/visa-type/tourist-visa/

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After talking to a visa company they told me I was pretty much on my own getting the first visa for Li Hong to go to China. he wasn't 100% sure of the proses but thought she may have to go to the embassy in Chicago and Renounce her citizenship to China. I am looking at expediting her passport $$$ but am wondering if China would still hold things up so she can't make it to China for the New Year. Lucky it come late this year!

 

Please help with your process and time line.

 

Thanks!

Bill & Li Hong

 

 

The consulate will want the old (Chinese) passport in order to void it (whether you go through a visa service or not). They may or may not also cancel her hukou, but that is usually left for the local authorities after she returns to China, if at all.

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Well the ceremony went great but the trip to the post office to get her passport request sent to my passport service was hell, why do people with a little authority have be such jerks!

Well of coarse after jerking us around it was determined I was right and we got the packet next day delivered to my passport service.

We should get the passport back in 5 to 10 days and then we'll be ready to send it off for a Chinese 10 visa.

We ended the day with a big dinner party at a local restaurant for family and friends.

Edited by Bill & Li Hong (see edit history)
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It is really very easy to go to Chicago. Bring both passports, and they will cut the corner off the China passport and give it back to you. Dont lose the receipt they will give her, you need to show that when you go back in 4 days time to pick it back up, unless you pay extra for rush service. They are very particular about using a invite letter that are examples on the internet computer. Have someone hand write it out in pen instead of making a copy or printing off the computer. Make sure to have a copy of the relatives China ID, and ask for the Q visa. Here is a good easy link to read about the new Q visa.

 

http://lawandborder.com/ministry-foreign-affairs-notice-spells-chinas-new-visa-categories/#Q2_Visas_Relatives_of_PRC_Citizens_or_Permanent_Residents_Coming_to_Visit_China

 

If you do decide to go, there are 2 different places, so don't get confused.

100 W Erie is the consulate.
1 E Erie is where you apply for a Visa.

 

P.S. She does not have to renounce anything, not even her China ID card, keep it in her wallet or at home, she does'nt need it. Just gets the corner cut off the China passport.

Edited by MikeandRong (see edit history)
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  • 2 weeks later...

I want to get the visa for my wife when I go to visit family in Chicago. SO there is NO planned visit she wants the 10 years visa in her passport so that it does not have to be a hassle when she does make plans. So does anyone have CONCRETE example of what exactly will suffice for the 10 year visa for someone who got an American passport a month ago? her whole family are PRC citizens and she has a place to stay any time, but I don't want to schlep to Chicago with a half baked idea of what actually are they looking for.

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I applied last week, through a Visa Service, for 10 year Visas from HOUSTON for my wife and I. We sent the recommended stuff.

 

Hold the horses, the Visa service immediately e-mailed me upon their receipt of our applications stating: "Please send a copy of your Marriage Cerrtificate."

 

I called them, I have sent many copies in the past. "Oh, Sorry." they said, "We do not save those, it all goes to the Consulate." "You don't need to send it for a regular Visa. But, because you have requested a 10 year Visa, a Marriage Certificate copy is required."

 

Oh, by the way for Houston, at least, so is a copy of our Driver's Licesnse.

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I applied last week, through a Visa Service, for 10 year Visas from HOUSTON for my wife and I. We sent the recommended stuff.

 

Hold the horses, the Visa service immediately e-mailed me upon their receipt of our applications stating: "Please send a copy of your Marriage Cerrtificate."

 

I called them, I have sent many copies in the past. "Oh, Sorry." they said, "We do not save those, it all goes to the Consulate." "You don't need to send it for a regular Visa. But, because you have requested a 10 year Visa, a Marriage Certificate copy is required."

 

Oh, by the way for Houston, at least, so is a copy of our Driver's Licesnse.

Applying for a Q or L visa?

 

Q-visas are for relatives of Chinese citizens allowing longer stays L visa is a tourist visa which allows up to 30 day stay. The Q-Visa requires proof of relationship to Chinese relative (Your Spouse) the Tourist L-Visa should not, either should be available in a 10 year length.

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Of course it was a little before the 10 yr was announced, but last time I applied for a L visa. Then when asked about my situation, the girl at the Houston consulate changed the application to a Q on the spot. I was happy because it gave me the 2 yr multi entry. I feel they WANT to give you the Q if you are related.

 

No more same day service, even if you have a plane ticket. Expedite is a real hard hardship situation. Plan ahead!!!

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  • 3 weeks later...

What I was told yesterday at the Houston consulate is that the 10 year visas are for stays of 180 days or LESS. A LONGER stay (I had initially filled out the application stating 365 days) will get you a single-entry visa with a 30 or 60 day stay to give you time to register for a residence permit at the PSB (which is what I WILL ultimately do, but the 10 year multiple entries may come in handy, especially since I will need to return to the U.S. in March or April).

 

At the Houston consulate at least, you are REQUIRED to submit a type-written (NOT hand written) visa application. There is a Copy.com copy/Internet bar located about 3 blocks away on Westheimer, where you can download, fill-in, and print out the application (they apparently get a lot of business this way).

 

Also, the lines at the Consulate seem MUCH longer these days than they were 5 years ago - they were busy serving customers until noon after closing the doors at 11:30.

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  • 1 month later...

What if the next visit will be for less than 30 days? Can we apply for the Q visa with invitation letter even though the invitation letter will detail the short visit? ...or will they see the short visit and just give an L visa? Of course we want a Q to provide for the ability to visit in the future for more than 30 days. Should the invitation letter explain the potential future need?

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Go for the long stay Q2 visa, 10 year multiple use with visits up to 180 days, even if next trip is short. What about the next one beyond 2 or even 5 years from now?

 

Invite letter should ask for longest stay you are not required to stay that long plans do change.

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