Temporary Return To China for Both of Us - China visa for me

[KevinNelson]

My wife now has her permanent green card, and we have been married for nearly six years. My step-son's I-130 has just been approved, and we are awaiting the formal letter from USCIS for the next steps.

 

Unfortunately, the coronavirus has had both of us unemployed since February 3 and return to any normalcy here in California doesn't look like it will happen for a few more months (or more). Both of us were planning on going to China anyway to bring our son to the United States once everything has been approved.

 

I do need a visa for China. I should have one anyway since my step-parents are both in their 80's. Question is this: I do not live anyway near any Chinese embassy. In the past, I used a Chinese visa service, but that was many years ago, and I forgot which one it was. Most likely, I'll get a Q2 visa, though if we stay in China for any length of time, I might want to change that later.

 

We do not have a definite date for going to China, which seems to be a problem for some types of Chinese visas.

 

Any recommendations on a visa application service?

Edited March 23, 2020 by KevinNelson (see edit history)

[Randy W]

One that's been used by several members is

 

Oasis Chinese Visa

 

 

Someone else will need to recommend them, or not.

 

As long as you are legally in China you can apply for a residence permit at the PSB.

 

They will most likely cancel your old (Q1 or Q2) visa, and sell you the residence permit to use instead.

 

Expect 14 day quarantines when traveling.

[Greg.D.]

Your only option is the online service. My governing embassy is the Chicago one and they say you must use an online service, no walk up.

 

Since you are unemployed and will want to be doing some work soon, how long do you really need to stay in China, esp since you want to get the son here? Can't mom go alone? I hear, since there are far fewer flights now, that tickets are very expensive now.

 

But, congratulations! Nice to push back on the growing stack of paperwork for each stage of the immigration process.

 

Hang in there

[Martin B]

As others have said you'll probably be subject to quarantine.

 

I would brace yourself for possibly long wait. Not sure if your son's case will through NVC but that's slowed to a crawl, and Guangzhou hasn't done immigrant visa interviews for close to 2 months now, and there was a consular officer who posted on another forum that there's going to be a large interview backlog once things get back up to speed.

 

Your only option is the online service. My governing embassy is the Chicago one and they say you must use an online service, no walk up.

Since you are unemployed and will want to be doing some work soon, how long do you really need to stay in China, esp since you want to get the son here? Can't mom go alone? I hear, since there are far fewer flights now, that tickets are very expensive now.

But, congratulations! Nice to push back on the growing stack of paperwork for each stage of the immigration process.

Hang in there

 

We've been to the Chicago consulate many times over the past few years and there were always people at the "foreigner window" applying for tourist visas. I believe they even have same day pickup if you arrive early enough. Whenever my wife has called the consulate to ask something, 80% of the time the answer she got was different than what was on the consulate's (super outdated) website.

 

FWIW this is totally anecdotal but I've hear of people having more issues getting a Q2 visa than a tourist visa. There was one guy who reported having to haggle at the window to get the 180 day duration of stay on his visa (they wanted to give him 90 days at first)...

Edited March 23, 2020 by Barfus (see edit history)

[danb]

I have used Oasis Visa Service several times. I haven't had any problem with them and I would use them again. But they are out of Washington,D.C. if that makes any difference to you. I just look at flights on Cheapoair from San Francisco to Guangzhou for the dates May 4th to May 29th. On Air China the price of a round trip ticket was $494. That seems like a good price. If you are looking to leave in a week then I have seen the prices to be much much higher. I am wondering what the present policy of US and Chinese citizens traveling between China. Good luck. Danb

[amberjack1234]

You will be quarantined in China for 14 days at your own expense but if you go several months from now it may not be that way. You guys may have already discussed this. I didn't take time to read all of the post.

[Cale1953]

You will be quarantined in China for 14 days at your own expense but if you go several months from now it may not be that way. You guys may have already discussed this. I didn't take time to read all of the post.

I have a feeling it will take a couple of years for international air travel to get back to where it was, if it ever does. In the mean time it would not surprise me if China keeps its quarantine regulations in place for foreigners. There will be some risk of infected persons entering and there will be hotels that could use the business.

[Bert]

Good luck with going to China. I hear that they have banned all foreigners from entering the country any time soon.

 

We used Oasis. They are located in the same building as the China Embassy, which can come in handy. I've never seen it, but my wife claims there is a traveling Chinese visa service that makes the rounds to the smaller cities.

[Randy W]

Good luck with going to China. I hear that they have banned all foreigners from entering the country any time soon. We used Oasis. They are located in the same building as the China Embassy, which can come in handy. I've never seen it, but my wife claims there is a traveling Chinese visa service that makes the rounds to the smaller cities.

 

Yes, the consulates themselves do this. But it is so infrequent and irregular that it is VERY difficult to catch.

 

The vis services operate by mail, with no need to go in person, unless the consulate requires a personal appearance.

[Martin B]

Good luck with going to China. I hear that they have banned all foreigners from entering the country any time soon. We used Oasis. They are located in the same building as the China Embassy, which can come in handy. I've never seen it, but my wife claims there is a traveling Chinese visa service that makes the rounds to the smaller cities.

 

We live in a large metro area within a 6 hour drive to Chicago. So driving to the Chicago consulate isn't a big deal, and I have family in the area so we can crash for free. When we need to go to the consulate we usually do it when we visit family in Chicago, or before/after flying to China from O'Hare airport. We've always driven to Chicago first, left the car at a family members house, and flown out of O'Hare as the prices are disgustingly cheap (helps to have 5-6 carriers flying to direct to China and a million options w/connections...)

 

I've now for years heard about this "travelling consulate" as has every other Chinese person my wife knows here. Yet no one knows when the hell they come or where they set up shop. We've heard rumors they come every quarter. We've heard rumors they only come September. We've hear rumors that it's totally random. There's nothing on the consulate website or anywhere else. Pretty sure at this point it's a total myth.

 

FFS my wife's friend from Thailand was able to renew her passport when the Thai mobile consulate came here a few months ago!!!! She signed up for the Thai consulate's newsletter, and they emailed and PERSONALLY CALLED her a few weeks before they came up!!!

Edited March 28, 2020 by Barfus (see edit history)

[Randy W]

No it's true - just very poorly publicized, and highly irregular.

[Greg.D.]

My wife just checked the Chicago consulate web site and it says they will be here in Denver in April. The exact day to be announced later. Don't know where she finds it but it's April every year.

 

We have to renew the travel card for Junior.

[losheoig]

FWIW this is definitely anecdotal however I've pay attention of human beings having greater problems getting a Q2 visa than a traveller visa. There became one man who mentioned having to haggle at the window to get the a hundred and eighty and other translation services day period of stay on his visa (they desired to give him 90 days at the beginning)...

 

 

EDIT: Another probably bogus post, copied from barfus above

Edited May 15, 2020 by Randy W
SPAM is not allowed - link removed (see edit history)