Moving to china with Wife

[Addohm 0]

My wife is taking on a role in Shanghai.  It looks like we'll be out there a few years.  It won't be expat.  She is a Chinese citizen.  We are both curious about the best path for me regarding getting a visa.  I already have a 10yr tourist visa but I'm pretty sure it requires me to leave the country after a short period of time.  Any advice and references would be appreciated.  Hopefully we all can hook up for beers once while we're there

Adam

[Ryan H 3,812]

The visa you will want to apply for is a Q1 visa:  http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/hrsq/#Q1

[RandyW 149]

The Q1 visa is unnecessary. What you NEED is a residence permit, which you will apply for at the local PSB Entry and Exit Bureau. The residence permit is a visa which allows unlimited stays and unlimited entries and exits. It is NOT available when applying in the U.S.

 

The Q1 will simply allow a single entry, and 30 days to apply for the residence permit. You can do this on your tourist visa.

 

 

 

[RandyW 149]

If you were married in the U.S., you will need to have your marriage certificate authenticated by both the Secretary of State for the state you were married in, AND the Chinese consulate with jurisdiction over that state.

[Addohm 0]

That sounds easy

[Addohm 0]

On 5/5/2018 at 1:51 AM, RandyW said:

If you were married in the U.S., you will need to have your marriage certificate authenticated by both the Secretary of State for the state you were married in, AND the Chinese consulate with jurisdiction over that state.

What does the chinese government consider "verified"?  Is there an associated document?  Does it need to be notarized?  

[RandyW 149]

3 hours ago, Addohm said:

What does the chinese government consider "verified"?  Is there an associated document?  Does it need to be notarized?  

 

 

Your U.S. marriage certificate will need to be "authenticated". Your marriage certificate probably already has a notary seal began at the THIRD step here. For more details, see Authentication of Documents

 

China is not a party to the Hague Convention.

 

• Send the document to a local notary public for notarization;
• Send the notarized document to a County Clerk for authentication (often required in the States of New York State and Ohio and may be required in a couple of other states. Please consult the local notary public);
• Send the notarized/authenticated document to the office of the Secretary of State or the Treasurer (of the state with jurisdiction over the place you were married) for authentication;
• Send the authenticated document to the Chinese Consulate for authentication.

[Addohm 0]

40 minutes ago, RandyW said:

 

 

Your U.S. marriage certificate will need to be "authenticated". Your marriage certificate probably already has a notary seal began at the THIRD step here. For more details, see Authentication of Documents

 

China is not a party to the Hague Convention.

 

• Send the document to a local notary public for notarization;
• Send the notarized document to a County Clerk for authentication (often required in the States of New York State and Ohio and may be required in a couple of other states. Please consult the local notary public);
• Send the notarized/authenticated document to the office of the Secretary of State or the Treasurer (of the state with jurisdiction over the place you were married) for authentication;
• Send the authenticated document to the Chinese Consulate for authentication.

I just got off the phone with the NYC China Consulate, after a century of waiting.  They're telling me I have to get the Q1 first, and apply for permanent resident AFTER I physically enter the country.  I suppose I should prepare both at the same time so I don't get screwed into any extra travelling.

[Addohm 0]

Reading back on your earlier posts, I see what your saying.  

 

I guess my question is what is considered authenticated?  Yes, our marriage license is already embossed by a notary.  But what exactly do I need to authenticate it by chinese standards.  Do they stamp it as well?  Do I need to write a letter?  You see my point?

[RandyW 149]

59 minutes ago, Addohm said:

I just got off the phone with the NYC China Consulate, after a century of waiting.  They're telling me I have to get the Q1 first, and apply for permanent resident AFTER I physically enter the country.  I suppose I should prepare both at the same time so I don't get screwed into any extra travelling.

 

Yes - I'm not surprised - the Houston consulate told me the same thing. Go with the flow there, but they'll tell you at the PSB that you DON'T need it. Your tourist visa will allow you to enter the country, same as the Q1 does.

 

Then again, you don't want any surprises, so you would probably want to go with the Q1.

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by RandyW

[RandyW 149]

26 minutes ago, Addohm said:

Reading back on your earlier posts, I see what your saying.  

 

I guess my question is what is considered authenticated?  Yes, our marriage license is already embossed by a notary.  But what exactly do I need to authenticate it by chinese standards.  Do they stamp it as well?  Do I need to write a letter?  You see my point?

No - Read my previous post. Yes they do stamp it, at the consulate AFTER it's been authenticated by your Secretary of State. It's done to international standards, except that China is not a party to the Hague Convention.

[Addohm 0]

Just now, RandyW said:

No - Read my previous post. Yes they do stamp it, at the consulate AFTER it's been authenticated by your Secretary of State. It's done to international standards, except that China is not a party to the Hague Convention.

More questions now I guess.  The consulate rep said I need things like invitation letters from my in-laws, their ID's, etc etc etc (which I believe I did for my 10yr tourist visa).  I think she was telling me that because it was based on her telling me to get a Q1.  The consulate web site is THE WORST lol.