Raoul's China Saloon (V5.0) Beta
The Bar Room => The Love, Marriage and Family Board (ON-TOPIC) => Topic started by: Tuco on December 05, 2011, 09:20:05 PM
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About 10 years now I've been around in China. And thanks to places such as The Saloon and a few other reliable sources. I always find answers I may have. Thanks guys.
Am considering bailing out of Beijing for good and moving to the south to be with my girl. We spoken about marriage a lot and some questions come up for us during this process.
I would like to stop working for some time and do some exploration of China. And we all know how much trouble visas can give us... spare us the horror stories.
My girl suggests that since we will be married, I could in fact leave my current position, give up my Resident's permit(Z visa), and the job I hate and get a family L visa which i can stay wherever i like. Just as long as I don't work.
My question to you guys out there is
1. Has anyone ever done this before?
2. What kind of problems did you have after 1-3 years down the road?
3. If you were to look for work again in the future, how was the process of getting a new residents permit
I am considering doing this because I just, frankly speaking, dislike Beijing now very much. That has always been a complaint, if you've been around, and now it seems also that my health isn't as good as it once was.
Beijing is a monster of a city and commuting sucks because of distance and the population. The hustle and bustle of Beijing doesn't suit me well any longer. I am considering moving to a 3rd tier city, less polluted and less populated with slower lifestyle.
I am only concerned that when I am ready to start working again. How much trouble would I have getting my Z back ...IF I wanted to do that.
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I'm married but have never gone across to the marriage L visa, so no help there.
But I do remember that you mentioned a while ago that you don't have a degree, so it might be a little tough getting a new Z visa without a Degree as the regulations as getting stricter every year and more steadily enforced.
Depends I suppose on the new place you settle down, a second or third tier city that has a lack of foreigners could be a breeze to get a new Z visa. But a place that has a decent supply of teachers might be a stretch.
So I guess it could range from simple or a nightmare, depending on the place.
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You've been around more than long enough. Be the Saloon's test case for applying for a permanent residence card and see what happens.
agagagagag
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I have a marriage visa -- these days what they give you is not an L, it is a residence permit. Under purpose it says "family" or somesuch. It is NOT permanent residence, but a residence permit like what you'd get for the job, although the purpose is different.
Of course if anyone asks, I'm a housewife. My husband the musician supports our family, yes indeed. ;)
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Has anyone who's been here for 5+ years tried for the elusive D visa?
(just celebrated my 5 year anniversary, but haven't been here continuously ananananan)
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EL- continuously? What if you take short trips out of the country for under a month once or twice a year? If ok then I'd certainly be eligible!
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Short trips out are permitted. I had 18 months out after my first stay.
Being (mostly) continuously in for 5 years is something of a base requirement. Beyond that, you need one of these:
Investment with more money that most of us have lost in the sofa (a lot more).
High rank in some corporate or gov't enterprise.
Marriage to a local.
Being considered highly desirable in some other way is good (and may even waive the 5 year requirement), but the details on that are a little sketchy.
I've started a new thread for Permanent Residency over in the Legalities board. Click Here. (http://raoulschinasaloon.com/index.php?topic=7033.msg130831)
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There is no D visa. Information about D visas is out of date.
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There is no D visa. Information about D visas is out of date.
From what I can tell, a D is only available if you are outside the country while applying for a greencard. It's possible that they changed the rules and only allow applications to be submitted from inside the country. In any event, the reason I brought it up was in regards to getting Green Card/Permanent residence.
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There is no D visa. Information about D visas is out of date.
From what I can tell, a D is only available if you are outside the country while applying for a greencard. It's possible that they changed the rules and only allow applications to be submitted from inside the country. In any event, the reason I brought it up was in regards to getting Green Card/Permanent residence.
The "D" visa is pretty much like the "Z" visa in that it allows you one single, limited entry into the country for the express purpose of picking up your green card.
If you are out of the country when your application for permanent residence is approved in Beijing, they issue you a "D" visa to enter China and obtain your green card. After that, your "D" visa is cancelled and your green card becomes your visa / work permit.
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Changing from a work RP to a family RP is quite easy and painless. YMMV. Essentially they look identical, only the purpose for the stay is different. Family vs work. Switching back may be more difficult as others have mentioned. You know the deal, it's pretty much a crap shoot. If the school has pull and the stars line up right...maybe it will be hassle free or only require a hop to HK.
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Howdo Again.
Bit confused.
Currently on RP for work.
But if I get hitched I change this to RP for marriage...But I can't work on that (Correct?)
So what do I need to be able to work if I have the Marriage RP?
Any Ideas?
Ta!
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If you have a marriage RP you can't legally work, period. There's nothing you can get on top of the marriage RP that will change that.
You can work on your RP for work, you can work on a greencard, and in some very limited circumstances you can work on an F. Anything else and you're not legal.
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Many thanks..
Waahh! Crazy!
So if I have a marriage RP, I'd have to "eat soft rice" and not work.
If I wanted to work I'd have to cancel the marriage RP and get a work RP.
Because I'd bet I couldn't have both!
Surely that can't be the experience of other people who come to China to work and then decide to get married...not much of a choice really.
This mystic Green Card thing seems to be the way to go. I'll need to go digging around!
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My understanding (and I may well be wrong) is that if you're already here on a regular work RP, you can continue to work even if you get married. AFIK, your regular RP doesn't get cancelled and re-issued a new "marriage" visa or RP just by getting married here. Your marital status changes, but not your work status. Just keep working under your regular RP. When it comes time to renew your work status, unless you "want to eat soft rice", renew your work RP.
The L-Marriage visa is an option-not a requirement AFIK-for those who can't get/won't get/don't want to get a regular work Z Visa leading to an RP.
LD prolly knows a lot more about this than I, though.
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Well you don't have to get a marriage RP just because you're married. If you have a job and a work RP just keep it. If you're unemployed for awhile the marriage RP can be a way to stay in the country with your spouse, but then once you find work again you can cancel the marriage RP and get your job to sponsor you for a work RP (this may or may not involve trips out of the country, coming back in on a Z, the whole rigamaroll). It is a hassle, no doubt, so only get the marriage RP if you're really stuck.
The only nice thing about your marriage RP really is that it is always there as an option. You will never be faced with having to leave the country because you don't have a visa, no matter what your job status is, and if you have a family here that's a huge relief.
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Well you don't have to get a marriage RP just because you're married. If you have a job and a work RP just keep it. If you're unemployed for awhile the marriage RP can be a way to stay in the country with your spouse, but then once you find work again you can cancel the marriage RP and get your job to sponsor you for a work RP (this may or may not involve trips out of the country, coming back in on a Z, the whole rigamaroll). It is a hassle, no doubt, so only get the marriage RP if you're really stuck.
The only nice thing about your marriage RP really is that it is always there as an option. You will never be faced with having to leave the country because you don't have a visa, no matter what your job status is, and if you have a family here that's a huge relief.
Thanks for confirming it. That should answer WY's questions.
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The only nice thing about your marriage RP really is that it is always there as an option. You will never be faced with having to leave the country because you don't have a visa, no matter what your job status is, and if you have a family here that's a huge relief.
I've done this, when a job/change of res permit fell through at the last minute. Waited a few years (may even have indulged in a bit of under the table work, but shhhh) but when real work beckoned, I went back to Canada for the Z and started the whole process over again. Being clean and legal is so much nicer than looking over your shoulder.
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I can also reconfirm most of the above. I kept my work RP when I got married.
Currently, I'm counting the days weeks months years until I'm qualified to apply for a green card. If I had a huge pile of cash, I could shave a couple years off that.
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I can also reconfirm most of the above. I kept my work RP when I got married.
Currently, I'm counting the days weeks months years until I'm qualified to apply for a green card. If I had a huge pile of cash, I could shave a couple years off that.
interesting EL - do you fancy your chances of getting the mysterious green card?
it's 5 years with no more than a certain level of non-residency right?
I would be interested in knowing more about that...
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Allegedly, all I need is 5 years of harmonious marriage and I've got a good chance of acceptance (under current standards in my city - yours will very likely be different, and 3 years and 8 months from now, mine may be different). Renewals are supposed to be mostly automatic.
Supposedly, under a green card, buying property is simpler, and I believe that it's possible to be legally employed.
I keep hoping some other Saloon person will get one before me so that all these rumors and suppositions can be given a real world test. If not, I'll report on my success or failure shortly after April 1st, 2016.
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here's the links that I'm familiar with
http://www.china.org.cn/english/LivinginChina/184128.htm
http://www.planetchina.org/how-to-get-chinese-green-card.html
http://shanghaiist.com/2010/06/30/interview_how_to_get_a_china_green.php
I get the feeling however that the application process is very open to local interpretation
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We applied for the red card. we qualified in all respects, no worries, except for one little thing
Need a document showing ownership of property.
Now, we own one, but so far, still waiting for the document, 7 years later. While getting my forms stamped at the security bureau just recently, a guy walked in saying he hadn't got his property doc in 3 years and his was private, so this is faster than mine. Mine is govt, and they ain't budging. Been saying next year for 5 years now.
What you need seems to be , from memory, wife, chinese, one of. proof thereof. married for some time, think it's 5 years.
docs saying no criminal record home or china
continuously employed, for 5 years
resident, 5 years continuously. This is defined as at least 9 month here in every year, continuously. This was the first thing checked. One guy applied while we were there, had 4 months off in one year, the year before, although having been here for 8 years or some such. Wasn't going to bother.
I forget if there is anything else, except for med checks etc.
For some astronomical cost, you get 10 years before applying for another one, not permanently. After you get one, you can leave the country for 9 months a year and keep it, but there are conditions to staying. Running a business here may not be one of them, but running a business outside the country is not their concern. In fact, I was told running a business outside the district was not their concern, so maybe could base it in another city, but I am not sure about this last bit. ALso unsure of exact nature of employment responsiblity AFTER the card, since I planned to quit and live of my income from Oz ASAP. I understand can still work as a teacher etc. It seemed to me to be a full residency thing including the same as locals, job, business, etc.
This info we got off the officer who signs the things here, and he was this affable guy new to the job, but sticking precisely to the regs. Really liked talking to the foreigners and doing as little work as possible. Possibly seeing lots of hongbao in his future. No one had been doing this job in the city for some time, so it was all spanking new stuff.