What type of visa should my girl apply for?

[fall4her 0]

My fiancee's a born US citizen and I am a Chinese. She is planning to come and visit me this summer and we'll get married then. So should she apply for a L visa? What else should she pay special attention to? She is also worried that her application could be rejected because she signed some petitions before(like anti violence in Tibet) cuz she is a humanitarian. Could anyone please shed some light on our concerns? We'd appreciate it!

[pushbrk 12,968]

My fiancee's a born US citizen and I am a Chinese. She is planning to come and visit me this summer and we'll get married then. So should she apply for a L visa? What else should she pay special attention to? She is also worried that her application could be rejected because she signed some petitions before(like anti violence in Tibet) cuz she is a humanitarian. Could anyone please shed some light on our concerns? We'd appreciate it!

Yes, an L visa. I have always used this service. http://visa-chinese.com/china-tourist-visa.htm

Yes, there is a possibility she'll be denied but she must apply to find out. Pay attention to telling the truth without volunteering extra information.

[endoftheroad 1]

Yes, an L visa. I have always used this service. http://visa-chinese.com/china-tourist-visa.htm

Yes, there is a possibility she'll be denied but she must apply to find out. Pay attention to telling the truth without volunteering extra information.

I agree. Answer every question truthfully, everything can used against ya later. But it is not the time to make political statements. Don't give anyone a reason to deny ya with unsolicited rants.

BTW, I have signed tons of petitions before in the USA and had nothing happen or problems.

Edited January 9, 2010 by endoftheroad

[fall4her 0]

thanks guys, for the information, good advice and encouragement!

[justashooter 430]

My fiancee's a born US citizen and I am a Chinese. She is planning to come and visit me this summer and we'll get married then. So should she apply for a L visa? What else should she pay special attention to? She is also worried that her application could be rejected because she signed some petitions before(like anti violence in Tibet) cuz she is a humanitarian. Could anyone please shed some light on our concerns? We'd appreciate it!

speak with your local marriage liscense office and see if you can marry a foreigner in your hometown. you may have to go to province capital to register a marriage to a lao wai. find out from the appropriate office what kind of documents she needs to have in her hand to qualify for marriage in china. there is a specific list of docs she must have, and she should know about this at least a month before she enters zhong guo.

[fall4her 0]

speak with your local marriage liscense office and see if you can marry a foreigner in your hometown. you may have to go to province capital to register a marriage to a lao wai. find out from the appropriate office what kind of documents she needs to have in her hand to qualify for marriage in china. there is a specific list of docs she must have, and she should know about this at least a month before she enters zhong guo.

ahhh right. it's a good idea. thank you!!!

[Darnell 8,478]

usually - the marriage office in your district will know what is needed from a foreign spouse.

For us - we needed a certificate of marriageability on ME.

I have been divorced before, and a friend of ours went to the US Embassy in BeiJing to get this document. So, I did the same thing - I went to Beijing , went to the US Embassy, showed my official divorce decree, got an Affadafit of Single Status (it has some other name, geez ) , then I took that to the marriage office in her city.

At the marriage office, they sent us to an 'official translation office' - to translate my Affadavit of Single Status document. I have since learned that EACH MARRIAGE OFFICE , all across China, has different translation offices that they deal with - so it's best to know, ahead of time, which translation office the marriage office accepts translation work (from).

There are other ways to get this 'certificate of marriageability' in the USA - I don't recommend them, as is really a huge waste of effort - and besides - the two of you can get to BeiJing together, is a nice trip to go together.

[pushbrk 12,968]

usually - the marriage office in your district will know what is needed from a foreign spouse.

For us - we needed a certificate of marriageability on ME.

I have been divorced before, and a friend of ours went to the US Embassy in BeiJing to get this document. So, I did the same thing - I went to Beijing , went to the US Embassy, showed my official divorce decree, got an Affadafit of Single Status (it has some other name, geez ) , then I took that to the marriage office in her city.

At the marriage office, they sent us to an 'official translation office' - to translate my Affadavit of Single Status document. I have since learned that EACH MARRIAGE OFFICE , all across China, has different translation offices that they deal with - so it's best to know, ahead of time, which translation office the marriage office accepts translation work (from).

There are other ways to get this 'certificate of marriageability' in the USA - I don't recommend them, as is really a huge waste of effort - and besides - the two of you can get to BeiJing together, is a nice trip to go together.

Depending on location within China and the length of the planned visit, getting to a US Consulate or the Embassy can be far less convenient and far more costly than obtaining the Affidavit of Single Status (as it is called when obtained in the USA instead of from a Consulate). I do not suggest following the instructions on a Chinese Consulate's website though as that is extremely time consuming and complicated. If obtaining the document in the USA, I recommend visarite.com They handle it all for a fee that is quite reasonable if you don't need rush service and they handle the L visa at the same time.

[Darnell 8,478]

As I understand the process in the USA -

1. get a certified divorce decree from the court.

2. in your STATE where you reside, must get some stamp from the STATE department (not the USA Department of State).

3. (this is the grey area - may or may not need) - the US Dept of State needs to stamp the divorce decree also.

4. show up at PRC Embassy/Consulate - get another stamp.

then back at the marriage office in the district in China, ya give this multi-stamped document to the clerk.

IMO, it's a bit of a hassle to do in the USA.

I never view 'travel in China' for documents as a hassle, though - it does take a day or two, with extra monies, but for me, that is not a hassle. It might be, for some.

Comparing the two, I think is time vs money comparison, yes?

[pushbrk 12,968]

As I understand the process in the USA -

1. get a certified divorce decree from the court.

2. in your STATE where you reside, must get some stamp from the STATE department (not the USA Department of State).

3. (this is the grey area - may or may not need) - the US Dept of State needs to stamp the divorce decree also.

4. show up at PRC Embassy/Consulate - get another stamp.

then back at the marriage office in the district in China, ya give this multi-stamped document to the clerk.

IMO, it's a bit of a hassle to do in the USA.

I never view 'travel in China' for documents as a hassle, though - it does take a day or two, with extra monies, but for me, that is not a hassle. It might be, for some.

Comparing the two, I think is time vs money comparison, yes?

Using visarite, you just fill out the affidavit, send in the divorce decrees and they handle everything else. They take the papers to the Sec. State office in NYC and the next day take them to the Consulate. It doesn't matter in which State you live or were divorced.

Unless you are passing through or are staying near a US Consulate in China, it's a hassle. It's a big country.