Funny thing - he used the money to start his own accounting business...

Aurora Cultural Bridge is a consulting company next to xiao xi men. The consultation is free this month as our opening promotion.

We offer also other services such as translation, business set-up and assistance for Kunming Newcomers such as settlement, visa and help-line.

You can call us anytime, we will be please to assist you. You are also welcome at our office.
Tel: 86-871-5420236
Mob: 86-18064855942

Tiger

This was something we were going to check into after our five year period (in a year) and certainly will now. We will see what we can work out when the time comes and basically hope for the best. Thanks

I am married to my Kunming wife for less than 1 year and I am currently in Kunming with her family. We live in Thailand but plan to travel several times a year to China. Right now, I get a Chinese L visa in Thailand but only for 6 months with 2 90 day entry for about 980Y since I am a US cit. I want to take advantage of being married to a Chinese and get a much longer visa or whatever the doc might be called. I am not interested in working.
What kind of visa/permit can I get, for how long will it be for and how much would it cost?
Thanks for any info.
VG

I think, but stand to be corrected.

You need to be married to a Chinese national and resident in China for 5 years. I think being resident requires you to be in country for 9 month of the year minimum. Otherwise it is pro-rata, and so if you are in the country for only 3 months (one quarter) a year you will need to be in China for 4 x 5 years to qualify (20 years).

China is not really spouse friendly. All you can expect is a family 'L' visa, same class as a tourist. Unless you want to come here and work.

That is my understanding.

The marriage visa costs 400rmb, lasts for one year, and is multiple entry. To apply, you will need your Chinese marriage certificate, your registration slip from your local police station (every foreigner must register with the police when they arrive in China - the slip that they give you is your registration slip - this may require you to be renting or owning a house/apartment as I usually have to show my current rental agreement in order to register), your wife's Kunming hukou, your passport, and 4 photos (visa application size). The form can be found on the internet or at the entry/exit bureau and takes about 7-10 days to process at the bureau on Beijing Lu, just south of Dong Feng Dong Lu. If your wife isn't from Kunming, she can apply for temporary residence in Kunming and you can use this slip instead of a local Hukou.

Hi lummerlaoshi

I have never had the registration slip myself I guess as I am on a z-visa. Seesm the school always takes care of that... or do they? Should I go to the police station that does this and check or register. We have been actually been living on school campuses all this time, but we hope that will change eventually of course.

Thanks

Bill

As you live on a school campus they do your PSB registration for you, you can't get a z visa without one.

@vagabond48,

Getting your 6-month China Visa in Thailand is too expensive & only entitles you to 2 90-day entries is far from being ideal. For roughly the same cost as your 6-month visa, I get a 1-year China "L" Visa with MULTIPLE (unlimited) 120-day entries for US$160 in NYC.

Most Chinatown travel agencies in a large American city that also has a Chinese Consulate generally will offer services to obtain China travel visas for a marginal service fee. My experience has been huge SAVINGS in TIME & MONEY as compared to getting the visa any other way or at any other place.

In NYC, the DIY way is at least a half day trip (factoring in the travel time & waiting at the Consulate) to the Chinese Consulate to hand in the passport/visa application with another half day trip to pick up the passport/visa a few days later. After adding on the subway/bus fares to the visa fees, it costs about the same as via a travel agency, but you will save much time. If you make an annual trip back to the USA and is to a city with a Chinatown, you should consider getting your China Visa that way. See my previous posts on the subject in the thread below:

www.gokunming.com/en/forums/thread/3938/hkcm_visa_run_how_long

I wanted to provide up to date information on taking advantage of my marriage to my Chinese wife. This for the most part confirms lummerlaoshi's comment.
What I got is called a "residence permit for foreigners", good for 1 year with multiple entry. It cost 400rmb.
To apply, I brought my

.Chinese marriage certificate,
.registration receipt from my local police station,
.my wife's parent's Kunming hukou,

.my passport
.only 1 photo
I went to the PSB on Beijing Lu. It took 5 business days.

I didn't need to be living in China very long. I even mentioned to the officer that I have a home in Thailand and will travel between China and Thailand.

I asked if having a certain amount of money in Chinese banks accounts or being married longer would get me 2 years or longer stay and I was told NO.
I can say that getting a long stay permit (ie: visa) here is a lot easier than Thailand and more flexible. Unlike Thailand where I can only extended my 1 year retirement visa within 1 month of expiration, in China, I can get another 1 year permit anytime within the 1 year period of the permit.