@HFCAMPO, my present visa does not expire until the 29th and with the new rules they told me I did not need to come in to renew until then. For 400 rmb we can get another 1 year resident permit. With a health certificate which it sounds like costs 400 rmb and for 800 rmb we can get a 2 year resident permit, but Bucko says after we turn 60 which happens next year for me you can get a 3 year resident permit for 800 rmb and a health check. I am going with the 1 year this year and hope things do not change again next year not allowing me to get a 3 year permit. I will update when i have visa in hand.
I'm moving to KM in January with my girlfriend (Chinese), and it looks like I'll want either a Q1 or Q2... I take it a Q1 requires at least a marriage certificate for "proof", which I don't have, but if I want to leverage my connection to her and her family, will that help my chances of at least getting 180 days for the Q2? Should I provide any kind of additional documentation or story to show this?
Also, how far can connections get you? I think her mom has some friends in the police station. At least I know she did when she was young, since that's what was used to get her a new birth date and into school a year earlier than she should have been...
Even a marriage certificate is not enough anymore. We've been using our marriage certificate for years with no problem until this September. This year they told us I would have to go to the Canadian Consulate in Chongqing to get it "authenticated", so I did that.
Yesterday they complained there was one line on the stamp put on by the consulate they didn't like and I would either have to get a new stamp without the "offensive" wording or get it authenticated by the Chinese consulate in Canada! The Canadian Embassy in Beijing advises the wording on the stamp is mandatory, so now I'm facing an expensive trip back to Canada just to get a documented authenticated.
More things I'm reading. I've been browsing Consulate and Embassy websites and see that places like Hong Kong and Bangkok will now only issue a visa to someone with citizenship or residence status.
The same was true for every other consulate website I could find except for Laos which didn't say anything at all, or Chiang Mai which has not been updated since 2010.
The old "visa runs" may be a thing of the past.
I found this interesting web page today:
gohongkong.about.com/od/traveltochina/a/Ch_visa_updates.htm
Within it is this nice update:
UPDATED OCTOBER 08 – The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has once again started issuing Chinese visas to non-Hong Kong residents. These are single or double entry visas only; for multiple entries you must apply in your home country.
That would seem to cover folks going out for something like a Z visa, but not those looking for Q or S like me.
I have been reading and commenting on the various visa and permit threads and discussions for years. The rules and regulations keep changing, are interpreted and implemented differently by various officials all the time. There is no set answer. Each persons circumstances are different. I have done my visas and permits in Yunnan for over 11 years. There are always challenges each year. I have done this for others and employees. There are several persons who are listed on GOKM whom you can PAY to help you with permits and visas. My suggest is why not use a professional to help you. It can be far cheaper and much less stressful.
Somebody please point me to a link, or can tell me, the address and phone number for the visa medical test centre.
The number is 67161994 or 67180713. Hours 8:30 to 11:30 and 2:00 to 5:00. If not crowded you can do the whole thing in less than an hour. They prefer you to be fasting for the blood test. Meaning no food after midnight. Cost was 422rmb. [email protected]. Its on the way to the old airport. Past the Expo Trade center.
Today my employer was going to renew my Z-visa like every year and surprise, surprise they also need the proof of no criminal records. And much more a surprise for me was that this rule is in effect since 2010, but they did not enforce it.
www.ynhrss.gov.cn/[...]
See No.10 in the list. That link is for the renewal of Z-Visa.
That one is for first application:
www.ynhrss.gov.cn/[...]
I can remember the first time i applied for a Z-Visa in 2008, i also needed the proof of no criminal record from my homecountry.
So i guess it's right, depends on the official you're dealing with.
