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China Tourist Visa

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: China
Timeline

My wife (Chinese National) is here waiting for her green card and travel permit - should be any day now. I usually travel with a business visa, but my company has decided to put renewal on hold until my next scheduled trip. I feel nervous not having a way to travel with her in case of a family emergency, so I want to apply for a year long/multi-entry tourist visa.

Does the fact that my wife is a Chinese National help me in this case? I thought I read some time ago to submit a copy of our marriage license and pages of her passport when applying for a Chinese Visa. Does that help at all? If I can get one for a year or longer, that would be great.

Thanks - Roxer

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: China
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ya - if you show the marriage book / marriage certificate - can get a 2 year multi-entry visa into China.

But - they upped the ante a bit - must show an invitation letter from someone in China - suggest a letter from a relative.

Edited by Darnell

Sometimes my language usage seems confusing - please feel free to 'read it twice', just in case !
Ya know, you can find the answer to your question with the advanced search tool, when using a PC? Ditch the handphone, come back later on a PC, and try again.

-=-=-=-=-=R E A D ! ! !=-=-=-=-=-

Whoa Nelly ! Want NVC Info? see http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process

Congratulations on your approval ! We All Applaud your accomplishment with Most Wonderful Kissies !

 

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: China
Timeline

When I applied for a 2-year tourist visa to China, they wanted a copy of my father-in-law's national ID card and the info page of my wife's passport in addition to the invitation letter.

07/14/2012: Eloped in Texas Hill Country
08/11/2012: Mailed I-130, I-485, and I-765 to Chicago Lockbox
08/13/2012: Package received by Chicago Lockbox
08/14/2012: Priority Date
08/17/2012: Notice of receipt sent
08/21/2012: Biometrics appointment notice sent
08/27/2012: Walk-in biometrics completed
09/19/2012: Interview scheduled for October 26
10/24/2012: EAD production ordered
10/26/2012: Interview in San Antonio. AOS approved!
11/5/2012: USCIS claims green card delivered, nothing in mailbox.
12/5/2012: Service request filed for non-delivered green card.
12/7/2012: Service request replied to (but not delivered).
1/4/2013: Filed I-90, paid another $450
1/24/2013: Biometrics again...
4/1/2013: First Green Card from November finally arrived...

4/22/2013: Replacement Green Card arrived.

8/9/2014: Filed I-751

8/14/2014: Received NOA for I-751

3/12/2015: ROC Approved!

7/18/2016: Sent in N-400 to Texas lockbox

7/21/2016: N-400 delivered

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
Timeline

~Moved from US Tourist Visas to China Regional Forum~

~Inquiry about PRC visas~

(organizer hat off)

The requirements seem to be a bit of a moving target..... copy of marriage license, copy of spouse's PRC passport, invitation letter from PRC relative, and now copy of father-in-law's national ID card. That last requirement would be a tough one for me, my father-in-law has been deceased for over 20 years.... Suggest that you check with the specific PRC consulate serving your area for succinct requirements.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

Completed: K1/K2 (271 days) - AOS/EAD/AP (134 days) - ROC (279 days)

"Si vis amari, ama" - Seneca

 

 

 

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
Timeline

~Moved from US Tourist Visas to China Regional Forum~

~Inquiry about PRC visas~

(organizer hat off)

The requirements seem to be a bit of a moving target..... copy of marriage license, copy of spouse's PRC passport, invitation letter from PRC relative, and now copy of father-in-law's national ID card. That last requirement would be a tough one for me, my father-in-law has been deceased for over 20 years.... Suggest that you check with the specific PRC consulate serving your area for succinct requirements.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

Exactly - some of these "requirements" are imposed by the visa services, and not by the consulate. If you can't (or have difficulty) provide what a visa service asks for, try a different one, or go to the consulate directly.

玉林,桂 resident
Feb 23, 2005 ........ Mailed I-129F to TSC . . . . . . . . .March 8th ............. P1 from CSC
April 11 ................. P2 from CSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April 25 ................ NVC sends packet to GUZ
June 22 ................ P3 received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nov 22 ................. PASSED Interview
Dec 2 ................... Made it! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec 16 .................. Married
May 23, 2006 ..... TDL, EAD, AP received. . . . . . . . . June 16, 2006 ........ AOS interview - wait for FBI bkgrnd check
Apr 19, 2007 .... EAD # 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct 7, 2008 ......... 10-year green card
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - K2 (son) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dec 2 ..................... AOS/EAD filed . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec 17 ................... 21st birthday
Jan 4, 2007 .......... transferred to CSC . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 6, 2007 ............ transferred to MSC
Feb 23 .................... EAD card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Apr 16 .................... AOS denied (over 21)
Jul 26 .................... Master Calendar hearing . . . . . . Nov 15 ...................... Removal hearing
Jan 29, 2008 ........ Voluntary departure

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: China
Timeline

I will just put "all" of it together and hand it in. Better to have more then they need than not enough. Thanks for the replies. Just curious, but I cannot have a business and tourist visa at the same time, or can I? I still have to work there at times.

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: China
Timeline

Well, the reason they wanted my father-in-law's ID card was because he was the one whose name was on the invitation letter. They want the ID of the person inviting you.

07/14/2012: Eloped in Texas Hill Country
08/11/2012: Mailed I-130, I-485, and I-765 to Chicago Lockbox
08/13/2012: Package received by Chicago Lockbox
08/14/2012: Priority Date
08/17/2012: Notice of receipt sent
08/21/2012: Biometrics appointment notice sent
08/27/2012: Walk-in biometrics completed
09/19/2012: Interview scheduled for October 26
10/24/2012: EAD production ordered
10/26/2012: Interview in San Antonio. AOS approved!
11/5/2012: USCIS claims green card delivered, nothing in mailbox.
12/5/2012: Service request filed for non-delivered green card.
12/7/2012: Service request replied to (but not delivered).
1/4/2013: Filed I-90, paid another $450
1/24/2013: Biometrics again...
4/1/2013: First Green Card from November finally arrived...

4/22/2013: Replacement Green Card arrived.

8/9/2014: Filed I-751

8/14/2014: Received NOA for I-751

3/12/2015: ROC Approved!

7/18/2016: Sent in N-400 to Texas lockbox

7/21/2016: N-400 delivered

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: China
Timeline

Does the fact that my wife is a Chinese National help me in this case? I thought I read some time ago to submit a copy of our marriage license and pages of her passport when applying for a Chinese Visa. Does that help at all? If I can get one for a year or longer, that would be great.

Your Chinese wife definitely helps your case. You can apply for a family visa that gives you 60 days per entry and 2 years validity. They do need a copy of your wife's shen fen zheng, plus the usual paperwork. I'm not sure about the invitation letter, but if it's required, then it should include information about your visit (ie. purpose, inteded arrival, places you'll go, times you'll be at those places, relationships, financial means).

==========================================================================

K-1 Visa Timeline (Denied, 3 years, 29 days total)
==========================================================================

2009-8-21 - K-1 sent

2009-10-27 - NOA1 received
2009-11-22 - Received request for DS-230
2009-11-26 - DS-230 sent
2010-1-22 - NOA2 received, medical check & interview date (2010-2-11)
2010-2-11 - Interview! Received Blue Slip for China Communist Party membership. sad.png
2010-3-26 - RFE sent, written statement explaining disassociation from CCP
2010-7-22 - Sent an inquiry every month starting 7/22, always still in AP
2010-12-1 - Senator Feinstein's official inquiry, still under AP (yep, doesn't help. Immigration > Senator)

(…many monthly inquiries later…)
2012-6-12 - Final interview scheduled (9/18/2012)

2012-9-18 - K-1 was denied. :cry: We could not overcome INA212(A)(3)(d)

==========================================================================
CR-1 Visa Timeline (Approved, converted into IR-1, 2 years, 1 month, 29 days)
==========================================================================

2012-12-10 - Married in Beijing! <3

2013-5-1 - I-130 sent
2013-5-6 - NOA1 received

2013-12-6 - Case transferred to the TSC

2013-1-9 - (Bogus) RFE received

2013-2-24 - RFE sent

2014-5-2 - NOA2 received

2014-5-6 - Case shipped to NVC

2014-5-14 - Case received at NVC

2014-6-16 - NVC Case Number Assigned

2014-11-15 - NVC Case Complete!

2015-1-6 - Guangzhou Consulate received

2015-1-26 - Interview date!

2015-1-26 - 221(g) denial (again)! :cry: Case being transferred to Washington for a SAO.

2015-5-21 - Consulate e-mailed us and asked for her passport! Approved?

2015-5-23 - Submitted passport to CITIC Bank

2015-6-29 - Passport with visa arrived :dancing:... but expires in 16 days, time to hustle!!!

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: China
Timeline

Sheesh, I did not even know I could get a Chinese visa as long as 2 years. I was stupidly getting 6 month, then one year visas during my wait the last three years. So it is called a "family" visa, not a tourist visa?

And the invitation letter - can it be from my wife in China or does it have to be somebody else? It seems silly to request a letter from one's spouse.

Edited by unsmiley
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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: China
Timeline

 

Sheesh, I did not even know I could get a Chinese visa as long as 2 years. I was stupidly getting 6 month, then one year visas during my wait the last three years. So it is called a "family" visa, not a tourist visa?

And the invitation letter - can it be from my wife in China or does it have to be somebody else? It seems silly to request a letter from one's spouse.

 

It's a 1 year that is extended another year. Family Visit Visa, I think is the official name. I believe it's still a category L visa, and in some cases, they call it a residence permit, depending on your duration of stay. I have yet to apply for it myself (was going to, but the company got me a business visa).

==========================================================================

K-1 Visa Timeline (Denied, 3 years, 29 days total)
==========================================================================

2009-8-21 - K-1 sent

2009-10-27 - NOA1 received
2009-11-22 - Received request for DS-230
2009-11-26 - DS-230 sent
2010-1-22 - NOA2 received, medical check & interview date (2010-2-11)
2010-2-11 - Interview! Received Blue Slip for China Communist Party membership. sad.png
2010-3-26 - RFE sent, written statement explaining disassociation from CCP
2010-7-22 - Sent an inquiry every month starting 7/22, always still in AP
2010-12-1 - Senator Feinstein's official inquiry, still under AP (yep, doesn't help. Immigration > Senator)

(…many monthly inquiries later…)
2012-6-12 - Final interview scheduled (9/18/2012)

2012-9-18 - K-1 was denied. :cry: We could not overcome INA212(A)(3)(d)

==========================================================================
CR-1 Visa Timeline (Approved, converted into IR-1, 2 years, 1 month, 29 days)
==========================================================================

2012-12-10 - Married in Beijing! <3

2013-5-1 - I-130 sent
2013-5-6 - NOA1 received

2013-12-6 - Case transferred to the TSC

2013-1-9 - (Bogus) RFE received

2013-2-24 - RFE sent

2014-5-2 - NOA2 received

2014-5-6 - Case shipped to NVC

2014-5-14 - Case received at NVC

2014-6-16 - NVC Case Number Assigned

2014-11-15 - NVC Case Complete!

2015-1-6 - Guangzhou Consulate received

2015-1-26 - Interview date!

2015-1-26 - 221(g) denial (again)! :cry: Case being transferred to Washington for a SAO.

2015-5-21 - Consulate e-mailed us and asked for her passport! Approved?

2015-5-23 - Submitted passport to CITIC Bank

2015-6-29 - Passport with visa arrived :dancing:... but expires in 16 days, time to hustle!!!

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
Timeline

Here is the visa info guide from the Chinese consulate in San Francisco:

http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/eng/lszj/zgqz/

I believe that "L" category visas are tourist visas. That is the type of visa that I was given when visiting my then-fiancee. I am leaning toward the "Q1" category visas for spouses of Chinese citizens. YMMV.

Completed: K1/K2 (271 days) - AOS/EAD/AP (134 days) - ROC (279 days)

"Si vis amari, ama" - Seneca

 

 

 

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: China
Timeline

The last time I applied for a visitor visa last year, all I had to show was a hotel reservation email confirmation. I then promptly cancelled that reservation and booked a hotel my wife wanted to book instead, lol.

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: China
Timeline

If your wife is in China, then she can write the invitation letter. The relevant visa category is Q2 (Q1 would be for if you were planning to move permanently to China). The important thing about the invitation letter is that is has to be from someone who both: A) Is a relative and B) Lives in China. You will also need a photocopy of the ID of the person who wrote the letter to get the 2-year Q2 visa.

07/14/2012: Eloped in Texas Hill Country
08/11/2012: Mailed I-130, I-485, and I-765 to Chicago Lockbox
08/13/2012: Package received by Chicago Lockbox
08/14/2012: Priority Date
08/17/2012: Notice of receipt sent
08/21/2012: Biometrics appointment notice sent
08/27/2012: Walk-in biometrics completed
09/19/2012: Interview scheduled for October 26
10/24/2012: EAD production ordered
10/26/2012: Interview in San Antonio. AOS approved!
11/5/2012: USCIS claims green card delivered, nothing in mailbox.
12/5/2012: Service request filed for non-delivered green card.
12/7/2012: Service request replied to (but not delivered).
1/4/2013: Filed I-90, paid another $450
1/24/2013: Biometrics again...
4/1/2013: First Green Card from November finally arrived...

4/22/2013: Replacement Green Card arrived.

8/9/2014: Filed I-751

8/14/2014: Received NOA for I-751

3/12/2015: ROC Approved!

7/18/2016: Sent in N-400 to Texas lockbox

7/21/2016: N-400 delivered

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
Timeline

There are some ands and ors cause me to ponder about the recently released visa regulations. I suggest that a lot may depend on the mood of the US-based Chinese consular official that ends up processing your visa application. I personally experienced a lot of latitude given to me from the Houston vs. the San Francisco consulate. Damn, it reminds me of my experiences in the PRC.......YMMV.

Completed: K1/K2 (271 days) - AOS/EAD/AP (134 days) - ROC (279 days)

"Si vis amari, ama" - Seneca

 

 

 

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: China
Timeline

I will be getting this from my Father-in-Law. We have filled out the invite letter particulars with his needed information left for him to fill out. I will try for a multi-entry 2 year Q1. Hopefully I get that. I did find out if I have two or more years consecutive business visas I can qualify for a 2 year. I like the Q1 option better though as I don't have to rely on my company.

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