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| Chinese
Visa's |
New Family Visit
Visa (August 2010) |
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The Chinese Ministry of Public
Security has finally made changes to its policy concerning
foreigners with family in China, and now offers a new
'Family Visit Visa' for those who meet specific criteria
- which is intrinsically related to having family in
China. This new visa can be either Tourist (L) or Residency
(D) = But you begin with 'L'.
At first we were informed this was a new type of residency
visa, but this is not quite the case. This is a special
type of tourist visa or residency visa that can only
be issued to people with immediate family living in
China.
Latest Information (4th September 2010)
Yesterday I collected my new Family Visit
visa, which is an 'L' or Tourist visa. It lasts
for 6-months, has multiple entries, and most importantly,
has no restrictions on length of stay - other
than the full 6-months.
Collection only took a couple of minutes. I handed
over my official receipt, the girl found it and
I was asked to sign for it. Simple.
The first application for a Family Visit visa
is for a 6-month one as an 'L' or Tourist visa
as shown. I have been informed by the PSB that
next time I can apply for a 1-year Family Visit
Visa, which will be a 'D' or Residency visa. This
can be very important for long term visitors!
Contrast this with my previous visa, of which
foreigners will pay Y2, 000 for either: a 3-month
Tourist double entry visa with 30-day maximum
stay; or a 3-month Tourist single entry visa with
90 maximum stay.
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China Expat's Director Jonno has now become the proud
possesor of a 1-year Chinese Residency or 'D' visa -
so know the system work!
Important Points:
1. Your address in China is that as given in your Chinese
family's 'Family Registration Book' (Unless you have
your own?)
A Hukou (simplified Chinese: 户口; traditional
Chinese: 戶口; pinyin: hùkǒu) or huji (simplified Chinese:
户籍; traditional Chinese: 戶籍; pinyin: hùjí) refers to
the system of residency permits which dates back to
ancient China, where household registration is required
by law in People's Republic of China and Republic of
China (Taiwan).
2. First application is always for a 'new visa', and
this is an 'L' or Tourist visa; 6-months, continual
stay, multi-entry. Cost: less than Y1K or 1, 000 RMB.
a. Second visa is classed as an
'extension', and can be for 6 or 12 months.
i. Any visa over
6-months duration requires a Medical Exam
(Certificate
of Health Examination for International Traveller).
b. If you are over 60 years old,
then subsequent visa's can be for 2-years (Conditions
apply).
i. We are assured there is a similar dispensation for
'minors' holding foreign nationality, but with one or
both parents being Chinese Nationals.
c. Please get your mind right.
These new rules are primarily to assist ABC's, BBC's,
TBC's; etc. You may also note that Taiwan has been in
the travellers' news recently. Therefore, please respect
this offer if it applies to you and your own family
- as it opens previously closed doors for a few Western
Expat's.
3. 1 year visa's and over are classed as 'Residency'
visa's = "D visa"!
4. In Jiangmen City, your first 'Family Visa' will take
3-weeks to process, require every supporting form or
Certificate that you possess, and everything requires
photocopying. Your sponsor (Wife etc) needs to be physically
there with you! If you have a child that is Chinese
by Nationality - then they need to be there also + their
Birth Certificate; et al.
a. Having a blood-child with Chinese
Nationality greatly enhances your bona fides
b. For Chinese with
other nationality: having your parent present (Direct
blood relative and Chinese National Citizen) is also
'a must!'
c. In Jiangmen subsequent applications
are classed as 'extensions', and will be processed in
1-week.
Sure, this stuff is a bit complex, but very easy once
you accept this is a special dispensation by Beijing.
Most Expat's who have chosen to live in China + raise
a family, will tell you the chance of a 'D' visa is
like finding Ambrosia on a dusty, arid plain!
Details as follows:
| How
to Apply! |
Updated 14th August 2010
| Where issued |
The main city PSB for your
greater area. Local PSB, the ones who issue
your Certificate of Temporary Residency
(CTR), will tell you where to get information. |
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| What you need |
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1. Your passport (With current visa and
Certificate of Temporary Residency)
2. Marriage Certificate or Birth Certificate
if child of Chinese sponsor.
3. If your child is born in China, [or not
born in China]: take their Birth Certificate
with you - it is very, very, very important!
4. Family Book
5. Registration form (From same PSB as CTR)
and also available at place of application.
6. Very recent photographs with receipt.
Must be to specified standard and less than
1-month old!
7. The fee (Expect change from 1, 000 RMB).
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This is for a 6-month multi-entry
Tourist visa.
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| 1-year visa |
1. As above plus:
2. Health
check done at specified centre at your
own expense. |
This is for a 1 year multi-entry Residence
visa. |
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| 2-year visa |
1. For 60 year old and over.
2. May also apply to children of Chinese
nationals who have a child with foreign
passport?
3. As top plus:
4. Health check done at specified centre
at your own expense. |
This is for a 2 year multi-entry
Residence visa. |
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| How long
does it take? |
How long is a piece of string?
This varies greatly with location, but expect
this to take between a few days and several
months. Several weeks is normal. |
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This information is now complete, as China Expat's Director,
Jonno, has received his new visa.
There is also a supporting page for the Chinese
Medical Examination
Below are some scans that you may find useful:
| Family Book |
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Official Chinese Photograph Receipt |
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| Receipt for Application |
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Receipt for Payment |
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Note:
When your application is processed, your current visa
is automatically cancelled as of that moment. This also
means your Certificate of Temporary Residence (CTR)
is also cancelled forthwith. They also retain your passport
of course, which means that your only proof of identity
lies with the two receipts as shown directly above!
We strongly advise you to take quality colour photocopies
of your important passport pages including 'current
visa', and CTR. We would suggest that you also copy
the receipts and keep the copies with you at all times.
Local Police will be aware of your situation, but this
does not apply outside your local region of application.
Comparison to a full Residency (D) visa
A Residency or 'D' visa usually lasts for either 5 or
10 years, but has severe restrictions before application
may begin (5 years living in China, concurrent with:
5 years married and living with a Chinese National spouse
+ other criteria).
The Family Visit Visa crosses these boundaries, but
offers shorter term stay, and not full privileges. For
example: Holders of a FV visa are not allowed to work
in China. Full D visa holders are allowed to work.
However, the marriage and stay requirements have been
waived, thus just so long as you are married to a Chinese
National, and she is living in China + have next of
kin family sponsor (eg. Wife) - appears to be all that
is required.
Source
The above came from a news article published in China
Daily, as rendered below:
The new Family Visit Visa applies to Foreigners
and Overseas Chinese, with special exceptions for those
aged over 60. The full text from China Daily is reproduced
below: |
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Multiple entries, exits
set to help foreigners with close kin in China
BEIJING - Starting next month, foreigners who have
close relatives in China will be able to apply for
residence permits that are valid for up to two years,
the Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday.
Residence permits do not have limits on the number of
entries and exits, which will "greatly facilitate
the travel of foreigners", a ministry official
told China Daily. Currently, foreigners who come to
China to visit family members should apply for an "L
visa", which is valid for up to one year. Under
existing rules, the visa has limits on the frequency
of entries and exits. But with more foreigners visiting
their close relatives in China, the ministry has decided
to grant residence permits to them to make their travel
more convenient, said an official surnamed Jia with
the ministry's exit and entry administration bureau.
The new rule stipulates that if foreigners need to
stay in China for more than six months, they can apply
for residence permits that are valid for one or two
years if they fall under the following five categories:
* Foreign spouses, parents, and children under 18
of Chinese citizens or foreigners who have permanent
residence status in China.
* Foreigners older than 60, and their spouses, who
do not have immediate family abroad and come to China
to live with their immediate family. The immediate
family members in China can be Chinese citizens or
foreigners who have permanent residence status in
China.
*Overseas Chinese aged above 60 who have bought houses
in China, and their foreign spouses and children aged
below 18.
*Overseas Chinese older than 18 who come to China
to take care of their Chinese parents, who have reached
60 and do not have any children in China.
*Foreign children under 18 being taken care of in
China and whose parents are overseas Chinese or Chinese
citizens who hold permanent residence permits in other
countries.
Under the new rule, the validity of the residence permit
can also be extended when it expires. The full text
of the rule is posted on the ministry's website at www.mps.gov.cn
Note: This links to
a Chinese language page which we presume to be current.
There is an English language option that only has news
snippets from 2005 and 2006.
Jia said that currently, foreigners under the five categories
all need to apply for an "L visa". Under the
existing rules, residence permits are only granted to
foreigners who come to study and work in China. More
than 400,000 foreigners have gained residence permits
in China, official figures showed.
Yuan Shuping, a Beijinger who married a German 10
years ago, said on Thursday that she has been looking
forward to such measures for a long time.
"My husband's family members come to China to visit
us every year and every time they need to apply for
L visas that allow a single entry, which is troublesome,"
she said. "I am very delighted to see that my husband's
relatives will be able to apply for residence permits
since he already got permanent residence in 2006,"
she said. "I'm sure they will come to see us more
often in future." China Daily
Reproduced with thanks under Collective
Commons 3 licence
Whilst the new rules are now law, it appears the Public
Security Bureau headquarters in Beijing has only issued
guidelines. This in turn means that each First Class
City (Like a County) will adopt its own criteria for
implementation within its own region. Therefore we expect
this to be a simple formality in some areas, and a bit
of a nightmare in others!
We are also very interested to hear from others who
apply for this new visa. |
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| This
information is as supplied by China Expat's and the
Chinese Ministry of Public Security (PSB) as dated 4th
August 2011; and supported by China Daily newspaper,
and/or other reliable sources. Please check this information
yourself as it may alter without notice, and whilst
we try our best to ensure it is correct, please do not
hold us responsible for any errors - this is intended
as a simple guide only |
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