Going back to China

[amanda]

I need some info regarding traveling back to China. My thanks ahead for your help!

 

Here is my situattion: My wife already has her conditional greencard (which will expire in November) and still has her China passport. She changed her last name to mine when we filed for greencard, so her greencard and passport name (last name) are not the same. She wants to go back to visit her family in July for a few months (before the greencard expired) and will be taking our one year old daugher (borned here) with her, what does she and my daugher need to have or apply in order to leave and come back without a problem?

 

I can't go back with her due to my vacation schedule, but I will fly there and accompany them home. Again, thank you for your assistance!

[lele]

I need some info regarding traveling back to China.  My thanks ahead for your help!

 

Here is my situattion:  My wife already has her conditional greencard (which will expire in November) and still has her China passport.  She changed her last name to mine when we filed for greencard, so her greencard and passport name (last name) are not the same.  She wants to go back to visit her family in July for a few months (before the greencard expired) and will be taking our one year old daugher (borned here) with her, what does she and my daugher need to have or apply in order to leave and come back without a problem?  

 

I can't go back with her due to my vacation schedule, but I will fly there and accompany them home.  Again, thank you for your assistance!

Some of this is easy and some is tough:

 

1. your child is a US Citizen. As such, you will have to obtain a BIRTH CERTIFICATE and then use that to apply for a US PASSPORT, and then use that to obtain a CHINESE VISA. This will take some time, so best you do this immediately.

 

2. I am not sure of this, but she MAY HAVE TO HAVE A CHINESE PASSPORT REISSUED IN HER NEW NAME. She should contact the nearest Chinese consulate quickly and ask about this. This may not need to be done, just not sure.

 

3. Since you will not accompany your daughter, you will need to file some papers legally authorizing your non-US Citizen wife to take your US Citizen daughter out of the US, without your coming.

 

It will likely be a lot of paperwork, but nothing too tough...I hope!

 

Tell us how it goes.

[amanda]

Thank you lele for your quick answer. I figured that my daughter would need a U.S passport. I know some of us and/or your wife have been back to China. What documents did you wife need to leave and reenter U.S? My wife spoke with a few of her friends here in U.S and they told her she just need a reentry permit, her Chinese passport, and our marriage certificate. Those will be enough to allow her reenter U.S if they ask why she has different last names on her greencard and passport. It just sounded too simple for me. The last thing I want to happen is to have my wife and daughter leave but cannot come back. I sincerely appreciate your assistance with this matter.

[tonado]

My wife spoke with a few of her friends here in U.S and they told her she just need a reentry permit, her Chinese passport, and our marriage certificate.  Those will be enough to allow her reenter U.S if they ask why she has different last names on her greencard and passport.

If your wife has a temp green card, then she has no problem coming back to USA. My wife is now in China with her temp green card.

[amanda]

Thank you, Tony!

I just read from some immigration sites that greencard holders do not need to apply for re-entry permit unless they plan to stay away from more than 1 year but less then 2. Am I correct to assume that all my wife needs is her greencard to travel out and back to U.S? No Chinese visa is needed because she is Chinese citizen?

[tonado]

Thank you, Tony!

I just read from some immigration sites that greencard holders do not need to apply for re-entry permit unless they plan to stay away from more than 1 year but less then 2.  Am I correct to assume that all my wife needs is her greencard to travel out and back to U.S?  No Chinese visa is needed because she is Chinese citizen?

A big yes. She is all set to go. Just make sure you do the removal of conditional green card prior the expiration date.

 

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...php?pg=751guide

[amanda]

Again, Tony, thank you very much for your response! I'll get everything ready for my wife to visit her family. It has been two years since she left. I miss China myself too.

[Guest Long_strider]

As an added measure when my wife renewed her chinese passport at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco (by Mail), They added an offical notation that she was married and stated her married name. This allowed her to keep her Chinese documents in her Chinese name and her USA documents (conditional green card, driver's license, SSN) in her married name. It allowed her to make easy transtions back and forth to China when she goes there for an extended stay to visit family and friends.

 

 

long_strider

[Jim - Portland, USA]

I'm really not sure at all, but I think I do remember hearing something about a non-citizen parent needing some paperwork for permission to take his/her citizen child out of the US. Something about a way to prevent kidknapping and/or doomed custody battles. You may want to look into that so that your wife and daughter don't have any problems on the way out of the US.

[amanda]

Jim, you and lele are the ones I heard mentioned about that. I wonder if anyone here know where I can find out about non-U.S citizen traveling out of country with a U.S citizen child?