Thorn Tree travel forum

1

What nationality is your girlfriend?
Yes, possible to extend a tourist visa for the same duration, at least once, and twice seems to be ok.
Cheers!

2

What city do you live in?

"Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable those Europeans to cut each other's throats with greater facility."

3

Why doensn't she do a multiple entries business visa? That won't be difficult... It may be expensive, but not difficult.

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4

ellyse, she's from an ASEAN country that's friendly with China .. does that make it any easier to get visa extensions? :)

FireArm, I'll most likely be headed for Baotou.

DALVIMIOGO .. that's interesting. Do you mean that I can get a company in China to create a "business opportunity" for her and thus get her a business visa? Please do tell more (PM if you need to be discreete. :) )

5

I got a 6 month multi entry visa in Beijing this way:

Copy of passport info page
Copy of visa
Copy of lease agreement for apartment I live in
Copy of lanlord's passport (she's not Chinese)
Copy of certificate showing landlord owns the apartment

Take these documents to the PSB and they will issue you a residence permit.

Take the permit, passport, photos and cash to a visa agency in Beijing. Get new visa. (6 month multi entry.)

I would not have needed the agency if I had a letter of invitation, which your girlfriend can probably get from PanAm.

It will probably be easier in Baotou. They told me specifically that it is very difficult in Beijing now because of the Olympics.

"Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable those Europeans to cut each other's throats with greater facility."

6

Wow, it's easy to get a residence permit in Beijing.

But I'm confused. A residence permit is a visa, isn't it? It looks like one and works like one anyway.

Everything in moderation, even moderation.

7

#6: A Z visa is also a residence permit.
Cheers!

8

Aha, but is a residence permit visa also a Z visa?

I don't have a Z visa anymore, it's been replaced with a residence permit. It looks the same and it lets me go in and out of the country for 12 months, but it was a lot harder to get than FireArm's.

Everything in moderation, even moderation.

9

Johnny is correct. For the past couple of years, Z visas are now single-entry and only used to enter China the first time, when you are coming for employment. The residence permit is NOT the same, it actually REPLACES the lettered visa (after you jump through the initial hoops), although it serves the same purpose as a multiple entry visa. Something is strange about #5's description--the 6 month multi-entry visa he has sounds like an F business visa, not a Residence Permit. I've never heard of a Residence Permit for less than 12 months, unless some special limitation has been requested by the employer who is sponsoring the foreigner. The process described with all those copies of lease info and stuff are supposed to be taken to the local police station (not the PSB), and they issue you a Certificate of Temporary Residence, which is a separate loose slip of paper--this is NOT the same as a Chinese Residence Permit proper, which is pasted into your passport.

OP, depends on which ASEAN country girlfriend is from--for instance, Thai visitors have pretty easy entry into China, Burmese may be more difficult. Your employer can theoretically sponsor her visa/Residence Permit as your dependent, but only if they are willing to do so. You'll have to ask (and probably offer to pay the cost of her papers), but don't be surprised if they say "no." You'd have a stronger chance if she was your wife.

10

#6, Oops, I checked the form again, it says residence "registration". That's what I got from the local PSB to give to the other PSB who issues visas.

"Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable those Europeans to cut each other's throats with greater facility."