Anyone travel to China with a small child?

[fluffyballs]

My wife and I are planning on taking a trip to China later this year so the in-laws can meet our 11-month old daughter for the first time. Our daughter will be around 13 months old when we travel. I have a 10-year L (tourist visa). In the future we plan to stay anywhere from 2-4 weeks. Would an L visa be appropriate for a small child? Any other China-specific related tips for traveling with a (approximately) 1-year old kid?

 

 

[Randy W]

When applying for her visa, be sure to take her birth certificate and your wife's green card in order to prove that she had it at the time of birth.

 

The consulate will require this information in order to recognize her American citizenship.

[fluffyballs]

When applying for her visa, be sure to take her birth certificate and your wife's green card in order to prove that she had it at the time of birth.

 

The consulate will require this information in order to recognize her American citizenship.

 

Are you referring to the Chinese consulate in the US? Our daughter was born in the US and has a US passport - that should be sufficient to show citizenship when I mail in the application, right? I was hoping to be able to use a visa service for her like I did with my own L-visa to avoid taking a trip to Chicago ....

 

Edit: I see now that minors require a copy of their birth certificate, copy of parents' passport pages, and proof of status in the US of my wife (copy of the green card, I suppose). My wife was not issued her green card until after the birth, but I don't see them asking for proof of status when the baby was born.

Edited July 23, 2019 by fluffyballs (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

When applying for her visa, be sure to take her birth certificate and your wife's green card in order to prove that she had it at the time of birth.

 

The consulate will require this information in order to recognize her American citizenship.

 

Are you referring to the Chinese consulate in the US? Our daughter was born in the US and has a US passport - that should be sufficient to show citizenship when I mail in the application, right? I was hoping to be able to use a visa service for her like I did with my own L-visa to avoid taking a trip to Chicago ....

 

Edit: I see now that minors require a copy of their birth certificate, copy of parents' passport pages, and proof of status in the US of my wife (copy of the green card, I suppose). My wife was not issued her green card until after the birth, but I don't see them asking for proof of status when the baby was born.

 

 

 

Uh, no! They will not recognize her American citizenship by the Chinese Nationality Law - she would be required to travel on travel permits.

 

Chinese nationality law states that a person born abroad is a Chinese national through jus sanguinis if:

• The person is born outside China with at least one parent who has Chinese nationality, and the parent (or parents) with Chinese nationality has not yet settled in a foreign country (Article 5),

 

​

 

"Settled" is interpreted as meaning "has a green card, effective at the time of birth".

 

They can give you a hard time - just be prepared. Yes, going through a visa service would be fine as long as you provide the needed information.

 

See Greg.D.'s post here - http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/49770-travel-document/?p=640830

 

The green card will have the "Resident since" (or Date of Admission) information - you won't have any trouble.

[fluffyballs]

 

 

When applying for her visa, be sure to take her birth certificate and your wife's green card in order to prove that she had it at the time of birth.

 

The consulate will require this information in order to recognize her American citizenship.

 

Are you referring to the Chinese consulate in the US? Our daughter was born in the US and has a US passport - that should be sufficient to show citizenship when I mail in the application, right? I was hoping to be able to use a visa service for her like I did with my own L-visa to avoid taking a trip to Chicago ....

 

Edit: I see now that minors require a copy of their birth certificate, copy of parents' passport pages, and proof of status in the US of my wife (copy of the green card, I suppose). My wife was not issued her green card until after the birth, but I don't see them asking for proof of status when the baby was born.

 

 

 

Uh, no! They will not recognize her American citizenship by the Chinese Nationality Law - she would be required to travel on travel permits.

 

Chinese nationality law states that a person born abroad is a Chinese national through jus sanguinis if:

• The person is born outside China with at least one parent who has Chinese nationality, and the parent (or parents) with Chinese nationality has not yet settled in a foreign country (Article 5),

 

​

 

"Settled" is interpreted as meaning "has a green card, effective at the time of birth".

 

They can give you a hard time - just be prepared. Yes, going through a visa service would be fine as long as you provide the needed information.

 

See Greg.D.'s post here - http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/49770-travel-document/?p=640830

 

The green card will have the "Resident since" (or Date of Admission) information - you won't have any trouble.

 

 

Thanks Randy. The only wrinkle I see in our scenario is that my wife's green card "Resident since" date is well after our daughter's birthday. She was here on authorized stay and gave birth while we were waiting for our green card interview.

 

My wife wants our daughter to have absolutely nothing to do with Chinese citizenship hence the preference for the L visa. She's paranoid there will be issues entering (or even worse, exiting) China. I appreciate the thread that you sent me, but man did it make my head spin. Glad I'm a few beers in on a day off from work.

 

If this whole visa process goes astray and we can't get things wrapped up in time, my wife's aunt has HK residency and we're thinking it may just be easier for all of us to meet in HK at her place. But we'll give it a shot.

Edited July 23, 2019 by fluffyballs (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Uh - oh! Be sure to follow the link I gave you and read that topic! You AND your wife may need to be present to renounce her Chinese citizenship at your wife's PSB before the consulate will issue a visa to her American passport.

 

Travel permits will be issued in the meantime.

 

UNLESS the consulate happens to be nice enough to issue the visa this time around.

 

But yes, Hong Kong would work, since your daughter can go there on her American passport with no visa needed.

[Greg.D.]

You 3 need to travel to your Chinese consulate for the jurisdiction you are in. In our case (last year), we went to Chicago (with his US passport) and got his travel card (looks like a mini passport). They're only good for 2 years.

 

You might get lucky and your consulate is mobile and visiting a city nearer to you and they can do this. We had to hang a couple nights in Chicago and I think we were able to pick up the travel card the day after we applied for it.

 

Sorry, they think your child is as much a Chinese citizen (or more!) as an American one. Our understanding at this time is we all have to be present in China to revoke his citizenship. Hope we can do it before this first travel card expires because that was an expensive trip to get it.

 

If the Chinese speaker in your house calls the consulate you will get good and accurate information.

[Greg.D.]

Only other travel tips are insist on a bulkhead seat with a bassinet hanger. Load your iPad or tablet with videos. Bring snacks. Get the folding umbrella type stroller (travel bag for that helps, too). Forget the car seat, you won't be using one there. Bring as many diapers as you can: you will find the choices there weird. Bring your baby ibuprofen and/or acetaminophen. If you use a baby monitor it's easy enough to order one once you are there. Travel with a travel size hand sanitizer.

 

Maybe some more will come to me later.

[fluffyballs]

You 3 need to travel to your Chinese consulate for the jurisdiction you are in. In our case (last year), we went to Chicago (with his US passport) and got his travel card (looks like a mini passport). They're only good for 2 years.

 

You might get lucky and your consulate is mobile and visiting a city nearer to you and they can do this. We had to hang a couple nights in Chicago and I think we were able to pick up the travel card the day after we applied for it.

 

Sorry, they think your child is as much a Chinese citizen (or more!) as an American one. Our understanding at this time is we all have to be present in China to revoke his citizenship. Hope we can do it before this first travel card expires because that was an expensive trip to get it.

 

If the Chinese speaker in your house calls the consulate you will get good and accurate information.

 

Fortunately my parents live in Chicago so we can make the 6-hour drive down from MN and hang out at my parents' place for a few nights. Cost isn't an issue but this is really one huge f****g hassle that is irritating us the more we dig into it.

 

According to the visa service I used last year, she actually "should" be okay for an L-visa if we can show that my wife is a legal resident of the US. She did have her combo EAD/AP card before our daughter's birth, and has her green card now, which may be enough. I'm going to call them again tomorrow to verify this. This agrees with the Chinese consulate's LA webpage: http://losangeles.china-consulate.org/eng/visa/chinavisa/t1448668.htm

 

Only other travel tips are insist on a bulkhead seat with a bassinet hanger. Load your iPad or tablet with videos. Bring snacks. Get the folding umbrella type stroller (travel bag for that helps, too). Forget the car seat, you won't be using one there. Bring as many diapers as you can: you will find the choices there weird. Bring your baby ibuprofen and/or acetaminophen. If you use a baby monitor it's easy enough to order one once you are there. Travel with a travel size hand sanitizer.

 

Maybe some more will come to me later.

 

Thanks a lot Greg! We'll bring diapers, medicine, and milk powder from the US. We're planning on 4 weeks, so I think one large suit case for our baby (well, she'll be around 13 months when we travel...) should be enough. I believe the plane has a 3-3-3 seat configuration on the 787 so we'll pay the extra $500-600 to get a guaranteed row to ourselves.

[Greg.D.]

Well, your situation was same as ours: did everything right (work and travel endorsement) while waiting for the 2 year green card which was held up by numerous mistakes on their part. Should have had the GC before the birth but it was granted more than a year after the birth.

 

Your link is correct but, as someone above mentioned: the mother is considered as "unsettled" if she doesn't have the GC at time of birth - which is not contradicted by anything in your link. There is more info in the Chinese text on these consular web sites and a phone call (in Chinese) can clear up everything. Personally, we would NOT have risked traveling on a visa if only because the child has reduced rights compared to the American parent once inside China (e.g. no right to U.S. embassy visitation if in a legal quagmire).

 

We did not have to pay more for bulkhead seats; just note you have are traveling with an infant.

[Randy W]

The Nationality Law is all about the child's circumstances AT BIRTH. Acquiring a green card at a later date does not change those circumstances.

 

But I'm not meaning to discourage you from trying.

[fluffyballs]

Well, your situation was same as ours: did everything right (work and travel endorsement) while waiting for the 2 year green card which was held up by numerous mistakes on their part. Should have had the GC before the birth but it was granted more than a year after the birth.

 

Your link is correct but, as someone above mentioned: the mother is considered as "unsettled" if she doesn't have the GC at time of birth - which is not contradicted by anything in your link. There is more info in the Chinese text on these consular web sites and a phone call (in Chinese) can clear up everything. Personally, we would NOT have risked traveling on a visa if only because the child has reduced rights compared to the American parent once inside China (e.g. no right to U.S. embassy visitation if in a legal quagmire).

 

We did not have to pay more for bulkhead seats; just note you have are traveling with an infant.

 

Thanks Greg - can you just clarify the part I bolded? Does this mean that the child would not have the ability to use the embassy on a tourist L-visa (even though she has a US passport)? But she will on a travel document? This is really important for us.

 

The Nationality Law is all about the child's circumstances AT BIRTH. Acquiring a green card at a later date does not change those circumstances.

 

But I'm not meaning to discourage you from trying.

 

I think we are going to give it a shot, and be ready to take a trip to the Chicago consulate in early September if we get rejected. There's also the option of going to Hong Kong as well although that is somewhat of a hassle for my wife who is traveling on a mainland Chinese passport.

 

Oddly enough, last night my wife found this: http://www.china-embassy.org/chn/lszj/qz/t1234521.htm , which, as she understands it, agrees with my earlier thinking. Glad I asked around before diving in!

[Randy W]

The wording is the same at all their embassies and consulates.

 

Again, though, the meaning of "settled" 定居在外国 dìngjū zài wàiguó or "settled in a foreign country", is up to their interpretation - so far, it HAS meant acquired a green card.

 

The alternate translation (probably the one corresponding to their use) of "定居" is "to take up residence" (from Pleco).

 

I'm pretty sure Greg meant to say "we would NOT have risked traveling on a travel permit if only because the child has reduced rights ", instead of "we would NOT have risked traveling on a visa if only because the child has reduced rights "

Edited July 25, 2019 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Your wife can also stay in Hong Kong for up to 7 days visa free.

Perhaps consider a trip to Hong Kong for 7 days, followed by a solo trip for your wife across the border (I don't think I'd recommend taking your daughter, even "visa-free", without either the visa or travel permit), followed by another 7 days in Hong Kong on the way back.

 

But don't forget that you will need to renounce your child's citizenship at your wife's PSB (the three of you) at some point.

Edited July 25, 2019 by Randy W (see edit history)

[fluffyballs]

The wording is the same at all their embassies and consulates.

 

Again, though, the meaning of "settled" 定居在外国 dìngjū zài wàiguó or "settled in a foreign country", is up to their interpretation - so far, it HAS meant acquired a green card.

 

The alternate translation (probably the one corresponding to their use) of "定居" is "to take up residence" (from Pleco).

 

I'm pretty sure Greg meant to say "we would NOT have risked traveling on a travel permit if only because the child has reduced rights ", instead of "we would NOT have risked traveling on a visa if only because the child has reduced rights "

 

 

Your wife can also stay in Hong Kong for up to 7 days visa free.

 

Perhaps consider a trip to Hong Kong for 7 days, followed by a solo trip for your wife across the border (I don't think I'd recommend taking your daughter, even "visa-free", without either the visa or travel permit), followed by another 7 days in Hong Kong on the way back.

 

But don't forget that you will need to renounce your child's citizenship at your wife's PSB (the three of you) at some point.

 

Thanks Randy. My wife has done the HK-Shenzhen border run several times when we used to meet up in Hong Kong years back. I think our plan is as follows:

1. Give the tourist L-visa a shot. Maybe the officer will make an exception, or just not care and grant it. This would be great. Fortunately, we'll find out quickly and the visa agency will also have their input as they deal with these cases often.

2. Consider whether to go to the consulate in Chicago to get the travel document + renounce Chinese citizenship during the trip + get an L-visa for the next trip.

3. Screw it and just go to HK. Hopefully my MIL can get a US tourist visa going forward which makes traveling to China much less necessary.

 

The inability to use the US consulate on a travel document may be the deal breaker for my wife. Obviously it's unlikely that we'd need to use it, but these days it's better to be safe than sorry.

Edited July 25, 2019 by fluffyballs (see edit history)