Opinions on new visa exchange for china & US

[Dan & Juan 12]

So my wife is waiting for oath letter and I was pretty pleased to see this announcement

Starting November 12, the United States and the Peoples Republic of China will reciprocally increase the validity of short-term business and tourist visas and student and exchange visas issued to each others citizens.

Chinese applicants who qualify for a B-category nonimmigrant visa (NIV) may now be issued multiple-entry visas for up to 10 years for business and tourist travel. Qualified Chinese students and exchange visitors and their dependents who qualify for F, M, or J-category visas are now eligible for multiple-entry visas valid for up to five years or the length of their program. U.S. citizens eligible for Chinese short term business and tourist visas should also receive multiple-entry visas valid for up to 10 years, while qualified U.S. students may receive student residency permits valid up to five years, depending on the length of their educational program.

Benefits of Visa Validity Extension:

- The reciprocal extension of visa validity to 10 years for short-term business and tourist travel between China and the United States will increase travel and exchanges, enhance mutual understanding between our countries, and benefit our economies by increasing the ease of trade and investment. Ten years is the longest visa validity possible under U.S. law.

- This new arrangement will be more convenient and less costly for travelers. Prior to this, Chinese and American business travelers and tourists had to apply annually if visiting the United States or China each year.

- Until now, many Chinese students who left the United States for short visits abroad were required to apply for new visas. Under the new arrangement, Chinese students will find it easier and more convenient to return home because in many cases they will not be required to obtain new visas prior to returning to the United States to study.

- The arrangement underscores the U.S. commitment to promote bilateral tourism and trade and increase opportunities for people-to-people engagement.

Background:

- More NIVs are processed in China than in any other country; applications processed in China represent more than 14 percent of all NIV applications worldwide. More than 1.95 million NIV applications were processed for Chinese nationals in fiscal year 2014.

- Wait times for interview appointments in China have averaged less than one week at each post in Mission China for the last two years. Due to efficient processing, most applicants are able to enter the Embassy or Consulate, complete their interview, and depart in less than an hour. -

- The vast majority of foreign investment activities in the United States can be performed on a standard business/tourist (B1/B2) visa.

- Chinese nationals comprise the largest group of foreign students in the United States.

- Mission China processed more than 316,000 student and exchange visitor visa applications in FY2014, a 12 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.

- Student visas issued to Chinese nationals accounted for 16 percent of all types of U.S. visas issued in China. Student and exchange visitor visas issued to Chinese applicants represent 30 percent of all such visas issued worldwide.

- Changes in visa validity will not affect visa eligibility criteria, and the basic visa processing fee remains unchanged at the current rate of 160 USD.

For further information, please visit http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn

[Boiler 45,525]

On the news last night. Not sure if it makes that much difference. Well for most.

[SBB 74]

Apparently, my father-in-law has already heard about this and is thinking about getting his passport to come and visit at some point, though he's bummed that the Wuhan consulate won't be processing visas until late next year.

[unsmiley 111]

Good news. But I wonder if they will be arbitrary with who they issue the 10 year visa. They are with the single entry vs. multiple entry ones now.

[Dan & Juan 12]

My wife is really worried about when she gets her American passport how often she would have to apply for visas. This is all new to us. PRC would not be aware of the citizenship change so when she applied for chinese visa for her U.S. passport does she still need a lot of documentation for it? Of course her whole family are there and up until the minute she has a U.S. passport she is a PRC citizen and could travel with her green card. If she could get a long term visa it's worth whatever she needed to do. Id like one too :-)

[RandyW 149]

My wife is really worried about when she gets her American passport how often she would have to apply for visas. This is all new to us. PRC would not be aware of the citizenship change so when she applied for chinese visa for her U.S. passport does she still need a lot of documentation for it? Of course her whole family are there and up until the minute she has a U.S. passport she is a PRC citizen and could travel with her green card. If she could get a long term visa it's worth whatever she needed to do. Id like one too :-)

As a former Chinese citizen, she will need to submit her Chinese passport when applying for her first visa in the American passport. It will be voided and returned to her.

Looks like a 60 day length of stay in the picture - I'll be sticking with the ones from the PSB, which hopefully will be in line with the 10 years. Even the Chinese green card only had a 10 year duration. We should know by Feb. - my current visa (and the passport) expires on Feb. 5.

China issues first group of 10-year visas to US citizens

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Twenty-three-year-old Edmund Downie became the first American citizen to get his hands on a 10-year visa with multiple entries at a Chinese Embassy in the US.

. . .

Earlier yesterday, at the US Embassy in Beijing, US Secretary of State John Kerry also handed out the first group of 10-year visas to Chinese citizens.

[Dan & Juan 12]

This is cool! So as a former Chinese citizen she will have to turn in her passport I get that, but will she still need invitation letters or proof of sponsorship/ money? a reason to visit China? When I got my visas it was because I was married to a citizen and didn't have any issues.

As a former Chinese citizen, she will need to submit her Chinese passport when applying for her first visa in the American passport. It will be voided and returned to her.

Looks like a 60 day length of stay in the picture - I'll be sticking with the ones from the PSB, which hopefully will be in line with the 10 years. Even the Chinese green card only had a 10 year duration. We should know by Feb. - my current visa (and the passport) expires on Feb. 5.

Quote

Edited November 14, 2014 by Dan & Juan

[RandyW 149]

This is cool! So as a former Chinese citizen she will have to turn in her passport I get that, but will she still need invitation letters or proof of sponsorship/ money? a reason to visit China? When I got my visas it was because I was married to a citizen and didn't have any issues.

She will be subject to the SAME requirements as every other American citizen - but her advantage is that she is a former Chinese citizen and has immediate relatives who are still Chinese citizens.

[Darnell 8,478]

opinion? My opinion is that Banal Barry cut a deal during his last trip.