SteveHennel
Ain't Said Much Yet
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Posts: 2
Does fog really have an odor???
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« on: July 24, 2011, 02:50:36 PM » |
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Hello All
I am a "Newbie" I came across this site when I did a google search about Chinese Visa information. I have to admit, I am not well experienced with sites of this nature....still fumbling my way around a little and hopefully I have put this post in the proper location
First a little about myself. My name is Steve and I am an American living in China. I am originally from Pennsylvania, Born In Philadelphia (city of brotherly Love.....andI have NO idea how it qualified for that name!!!) I grew up in York Pennsylvania since I was about 12-years old. I have been in China for 6-years, 1-year in Shang Hai and now the last 5-years in Shan Xi Province Tai Yuan city. I took fresh air for granted until I moved here. Now when I return to USA for yearly vacation, I almost need to go to the hospital due to my body overdosing on the clean air!! ha ha Prior to living in China, I also lived in Tai Wan for 6-years, So I have now been in Asia for 12-years.
I am married to a Chinese girl/woman/female from Shan Xi province for the past 3-years and last year April 1 2010 (Atually not an April Fools) we gave birth to a Son, who we have named Nicholas..............Happy to meet everyone here
Now........My question.......We will be taking my son to USA for the 1st time next Monday August 1st for 3-weeks. Last December I successfully progressed my sons USA citizenship and USA passport at the Bei Jing embassy. To make a long story short, during the past 3-weeks I also managed to secure the Chinese Exit/Entry book, which is good for a one time pass out of China for my Son. (In Shang Hai this process probably would have taken 1-day, but here in remote china.....3-weeks...I had the procedure started in Shan Xi Yun Cheng and I was the 1st foriegner they ever did this procedure for!!!!) So now while I am in USA for the 3-weeks I must progress a Chinese Visa for his USA passport, so we can get him back into the country on August 22nd and then once back here in Tai Yuan, will cancel this Visa and get him a resident's Visa, Like I use, renewed yearly. My question.......Has anyone had this same situation and do You know what exact type Visa I should get at the Chinese Embassy in USA. Based on the research I have done.....it seems I must progress a "D" visa?? I want to use a courier service while in USA to get the Visa, as I dont want to spend 1 whole day in Washington during my vacation. Comments would be appreciated...............Thanks.................Steve
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Steve Hennel
Shan Xi
Ta Yuan
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Raoul F. Duke
Lovable Rogue
Despot in Absentia
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"Be specific if you order the mushrooms!"
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« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2011, 06:40:37 AM » |
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First of all, Welcome Steve!  A D Visa is given to a non-Chinese citizen coming in to live permanently in China. It's generally very, very difficult to get...and are you sure that's what you want for the child? In most cases a young child can be brought in as sort of an attachment to your own visa or permit, and would renew every time you renew yours. Check and see if that's possible for you!  |
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"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)
"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)
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Pashley
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« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2011, 07:14:54 AM » |
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A special form of L (tourist) visa is also issued for overseas Chinese visiting relatives here. This is sometimes used for the foreign spouse of a Chinese; the catch is that it does not allow work.
Wouldn't that be that natural one to go for? The kid is coming to see mommy.
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Who put a stop payment on my reality check?
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Ruth
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« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2011, 06:39:57 AM » |
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My husband has a spousal visa attached to my Z visa and we both got residence permits attached to my job. If you are here working, your dependent child should be able to get a visa attached to yours. Sorry, I haven't experienced the same situation you are describing and don't know what type of visa you should ask for.
Congrats on the marriage, the baby, the trip "home" and WELCOME to the Saloon.
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If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.
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Cassnadra
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« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2011, 07:17:34 AM » |
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Welcome Steve |
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I'll tell you all my secrets but I'll lie about my past. (Tom Waits)
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Raoul F. Duke
Lovable Rogue
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"Be specific if you order the mushrooms!"
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« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2011, 09:35:19 AM » |
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What Ruth say. Pash, those family-visit L visas are much like spouse L visas. They are relatively short-term and require frequent renewal...although of course details can vary from place to place. My spouse visa came from northern Zhejiang province- considered a fairly liberal place for visa laws- and it was only 3 months. To stay long-term and not have to constantly fiddle with visas, you need a Residence Permit or the highly coveted but rarely issued D visa. But as has been pointed out, foreign-passport dependents such as spouses or children should be covered under the employed person's Residence Permit. |
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"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)
"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)
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The Local Dialect
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« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2011, 11:40:23 AM » |
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I used to get year long multiple entry L spouse visas every year. The first one I got was issued in Kunming, the next two in Beijing. There was no restriction on the length of each stay. Nowadays though they issue residence permits instead. I think (although I'm not 100%) that they only issue these inside China. You would want to get an L visa for your child back home then go to the PSB in Taiyuan (the big one in charge of issuing visas and residence permits) and get it converted to a residence permit or year long L. This shouldn't be difficult. You'll have to bring your documents, the baby's documents (passport, original birth certificate, and his mother's documents (ID, hukou book, local residence registration if she's from out of town), but it is fairly straightforward and best of all, the residence permit, at least when I got mine back in January, was really cheap, like 400rmb for a yearlong one.
Or you can get your child a visa attached to your own, like the others said. This would require your school's cooperation but unless they're really spectacularly lazy and unhelpful it shouldn't be a problem.
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naturegirl321
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« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2012, 01:27:09 PM » |
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My husband has a spousal visa attached to my Z visa and we both got residence permits attached to my job. If you are here working, your dependent child should be able to get a visa attached to yours. Did you have to get your marriage cert notarised, legalised, apostillised or anything? |
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Hoping to move to Suzhou early 2013.
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Ruth
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« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2012, 09:34:43 AM » |
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Did you have to get your marriage cert notarised, legalised, apostillised or anything?
Yes. We had to have the original one translated and notarized. A lawyer from our home country was not good enough (tried that and failed). A notary from China wasn't good enough, although that step helped. We had to take it to the consulate and get it notarized. Of course, that poor gov't worker couldn't swear it was the original and that we were actually married to each other. She had us swear in front of her that it was and we were and witnessing that act is what she notarized. No matter. We got the prized seal of approval and that made the Chinese PSB happy enough to issue the spouse visa. |
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If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.
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naturegirl321
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« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2012, 12:27:40 AM » |
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Did you go to the embassy where your marriage cert was from? So if I'm American and I got married in Peru, which embassy would I go to?  |
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Hoping to move to Suzhou early 2013.
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Escaped Lunatic
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Finding new ways to conquer the world
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« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2012, 04:42:48 AM » |
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Did you go to the embassy where your marriage cert was from? So if I'm American and I got married in Peru, which embassy would I go to? Ummmm... you're life sounds complex.  I'd guess since the cert came from Peru that the closest Peruvian embassy/consulate would be your best option. |
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I'm pro-cloning and we vote!
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naturegirl321
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« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2012, 04:51:28 AM » |
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Yes, very complicated. |
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Hoping to move to Suzhou early 2013.
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Ruth
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« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2012, 01:01:29 PM » |
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I got married in Canada. I'm in China on a US passport. We went to the US consulate in Guangzhou. I assume (dangerous word - you know what it means) that the US consulate would do the same for you as they did for us and that the Chinese PTB would accept yours as they accepted ours.
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If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.
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naturegirl321
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« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2012, 01:53:54 PM » |
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I got married in Canada. I'm in China on a US passport. We went to the US consulate in Guangzhou. I assume (dangerous word - you know what it means) that the US consulate would do the same for you as they did for us and that the Chinese PTB would accept yours as they accepted ours.
I certainly hope so.  becuase if it's going to be too pain of a pain, I might just throw in the towel. |
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Hoping to move to Suzhou early 2013.
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