Visa etc

Old hat probably.
I am curious to know who has lived in CHina on an L visa(FAMILY not tourist).

how long did you have it? How many entries did ya have? what was the procedure and how about renewals?
Thanks

Happy Holidays

Tuco

I've been on the spouse L visa for the last few years now. It's fairly straight forward to get, fill out the right form, take the relevant docs, i.e marriage certificate, spouse's i.d and hukou and your residence registration to the big PSB office, not forgetting photos x2. Take loads of copies of everything you have as you can never really be sure what they'll ask for. It normally takes 5 working days here in Shenzhen, not sure if other cities are different.

I've only ever been given 1 year multiple entry visas although they did say last time that next time they would give me 2 years, but i have heard that before.

I was on a Family L my last few weeks in China. I was on the way out anyway so I don't remember much more than that it was a 3-month visa.

However, I do remember the PSB police mans very explicitly warning me that I couldn't work on the Family L...you still need to get a Work Permit!

I've been on this visa since about 2007. Last year it changed and is no longer an L visa, but a residence permit, with the purpose given for residence being "family" rather than work. Being a residence permit, it is multiple entry (but it was also multiple entry when it was an L too). I'll have to renew mine in a few weeks but I don't expect much will have changed in the past year. Last year it was 400rmb and it took about a week to process the thing. My husband's hukou is in Kunming but I've been able to get my visa processed in Beijing for the past few years since he's got himself registered as a temporary resident here.

I have been for the last 4 years in a sense. For the last 3 years, it has been marked as "residence permit" in both English and Chinese, but is otherwise similar.

Last year it was 400rmb and it took about a week to process the thing.

Wow, mine was previously 950rmb, this year it was 1250rmb

Visa issues can be a real pain in the ass

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Last year it was 400rmb and it took about a week to process the thing.

Wow, mine was previously 950rmb, this year it was 1250rmb

Quote

Last year it was 400rmb and it took about a week to process the thing.

Wow, mine was previously 950rmb, this year it was 1250rmb

Last year was definitely the cheapest mine has ever been. Previously it had ranged between 700-1000rmb or so. I was really surprised when my husband told me it had only cost 400. I figured the lower price corresponded with it now being a "residence permit" rather than an L visa, but who knows.

yea I know you are not supposed to work. and I don't plan to. I can always go back to z later if i choose. But i want to take an extended break and do some traveling but do not want the hassle of having to go to and fro HK or some other place just for a tourist visa.

These visa procedures are a nightmare. its far better to just pay someone sometimes because then we don't need to deal with all the red tape etc etc.

Now there is a new policy, being suggested, that they will fingerprint people. I am surprised that they did not do this before.

To those who had the family visa. When you went for a renewal. Was that easy? And is there any limitation?