I am an Australian male, an long-term resident in SH. I am married to a local Shanghainese woman, and so have settled in the mainland, and have family in SH.

I am trying to determine how the current visa situation affects me?

I am currently an 'f' visa. How does marriage in this case affect my changed visa status? In other words, what should/can I change it to? And how do I go about it?

Any guidance on this excruciating episode very much appreciated.

Thanks.

Because you are married to a local, you should be able to get a Residence Permit to stay in China negating the need for the visa.

^Are you sure? What is your source for that info?
So far as I know, marriage to a local only entitles one to a one year renewable "L" visa with NO special residence or work privileges.

deeroo wrote:Because you are married to a local, you should be able to get a Residence Permit to stay in China negating the need for the visa.

No, there is no residence permit.

He is only entitled to a one-year multiple entry L visa.

And the year is sometimes only available if you apply for the visa in the spouses hometown province, otherwise they may only issue a six month L visa.

^
^^
^^^
They are right. I admit that I farked up this answer.

GC wrote:And the year is sometimes only available if you apply for the visa in the spouses hometown province, otherwise they may only issue a six month L visa.

Or none at all.

If your spouse is legally employed (i.e. labor bureau endorsed contract) in another city, they will generally also accept your application and give you one year.

My spouse is at this moment renewing my visa in her home town. (Tianjin).
I will get a L visa changed from a F, for one year, multiple entry. Cost less than 300 RMB. 280, I think. We have visited their office there a short time ago, and had the photos taken, and were given the form to fill in.
Also have been told I can get residence permit after 5 years of marriage, but again, must be applied for in the wifes province.

monalisalee wrote:My spouse is at this moment renewing my visa in her home town. (Tianjin).
I will get a L visa changed from a F, for one year, multiple entry. Cost less than 300 RMB. 280, I think. We have visited their office there a short time ago, and had the photos taken, and were given the form to fill in.
Also have been told I can get residence permit after 5 years of marriage, but again, must be applied for in the wifes province.

Right.

The only thing is that you cannot just get a residence permit after 5 years. You can apply for permanent residency. They refuse most.

monalisalee wrote:My spouse is at this moment renewing my visa in her home town. (Tianjin).
I will get a L visa changed from a F, for one year, multiple entry. Cost less than 300 RMB. 280, I think. We have visited their office there a short time ago, and had the photos taken, and were given the form to fill in.
Also have been told I can get residence permit after 5 years of marriage, but again, must be applied for in the wifes province.

Great-this is close to the mark.

i) Why Tianjin? Are you based in SH? Which department did you go to in Tianjin? This department/division issues the L multi or is it the place you just fill in the form and give to them?

ii) As I am in SH, I wonder if you (anyone) can inform me if there is a branch/division here in SH?

underh20 wrote:

monalisalee wrote:My spouse is at this moment renewing my visa in her home town. (Tianjin).
I will get a L visa changed from a F, for one year, multiple entry. Cost less than 300 RMB. 280, I think. We have visited their office there a short time ago, and had the photos taken, and were given the form to fill in.
Also have been told I can get residence permit after 5 years of marriage, but again, must be applied for in the wifes province.

Right.

The only thing is that you cannot just get a residence permit after 5 years. You can apply for permanent residency. They refuse most.

If true, this is very telling. I have no figures to support my contention, but I would surmise that most applying for permanent residency in Australia do get it.

ATP, this is China not Australia. You can't think like that here... I thought that it would be obvious after a bit of time in China.

Monolisalee got his visa in Tianjin because that's where his spouse's home town (and hence hu kou) is being held. Your wife in Shanghainess so the hu kou is here in Shanghai so you will have to apply for your visa here. Look at Yu888's "guide to Getting your Z visa" for the SH address.

Are sure you're Australian

CaptainCook wrote:ATP, this is China not Australia. You can't think like that here... I thought that it would be obvious after a bit of time in China.

Monolisalee got his visa in Tianjin because that's where his spouse's home town (and hence hu kou) is being held. Your wife in Shanghainess so the hu kou is here in Shanghai so you will have to apply for your visa here. Look at Yu888's "guide to Getting your Z visa" for the SH address.

Are sure you're Australian

I am hoping that Monalisalee can provide some relevant details here.


Captain, just to remind you, this is in reference to the appropriate department here in SH which issues a multi L visa. I have examined the reference, for Z visas, and found this - PSB’s Entry Exit Bureau at 1500 Min Sheng Rd, Pudong. I presume that this is the department and address you're referring to??

I have been here a long time - I know only *too* well that China is not like Australia. My statement about the number of permanent residencies issued in Australia was but an 'academic' point.

And yes, I am very sure that I am an Australian, the last time I looked............at my passport

ATP, the address is the same and if you look at the "sticky" on this section (also, a link compliment of a fellow Aussie http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/MDForum-vi ... 0911.phtml ) you will find a "step be step" instructions.

CaptainCook wrote:Are sure you're Australian

BTW CC, do you guys use an Australian Passport or do you have your own Westralian one? I forget

^^We are trying to have our own...it takes time. The rest of Australia don't want to let go because we have too much resources in our backyards I think we're still paying more tax per capita than the rest of Australia... that's why they don't want us to have our own passport.

The Captain is right. You must go to the place of your spouces Hu Kou, (house registry). I cannot give you the name of the place in Tianjin, until my wife gets back, but it was similar to entry/exit office in Pudong, but I have to say much more laid back, and slicker, and in 15 minutes had the forms to fill in, photos taken, and my wife had all the information required.
But being Tianjin, they are dealing mainly with Chinese travellers, and I could not find anyone there to speak English.
Yes ATP, as your wife is Shanghai native, it will have to be done here.
I believe I WILL get permanent residency after 5 years of marriage. Have been told that in Tianjin, and also the Shanghai entry/exit office.

monalisalee wrote:I believe I WILL get permanent residency after 5 years of marriage. Have been told that in Tianjin, and also the Shanghai entry/exit office.

Anything the local PSB tells you is irrelevant as they have neither voice or vote in the process. All decisions regarding PR are made by the Ministry of Public Security. The local PSBs are so insignificant in the issue that they are not even allowed to call the Ministry to check on the status of an application.

Based on statistics, over 90% of those who the local PSB lets apply are rejected by the Ministry.

monalisalee wrote:The Captain is right. You must go to the place of your spouces Hu Kou, (house registry). I cannot give you the name of the place in Tianjin, until my wife gets back, but it was similar to entry/exit office in Pudong, but I have to say much more laid back, and slicker, and in 15 minutes had the forms to fill in, photos taken, and my wife had all the information required.But being Tianjin, they are dealing mainly with Chinese travellers, and I could not find anyone there to speak English.

Yes ATP, as your wife is Shanghai native, it will have to be done here.
I believe I WILL get permanent residency after 5 years of marriage. Have been told that in Tianjin, and also the Shanghai entry/exit office.

Essentially then, the application for the change from 'F' to 'L' marriage visa, I would have to go to the SH Exit-Entry Office, otherwise known as the Immigration Department. Correct?


Q: Given that I have my 'F' (issued outside SH but in the mainland), would the SH Exit-Entry Office / Immigration Department issue it here or send me to HK for the change over? What is the most current information on this?

Thanks.

You can change in Shanghai.

Underwater will answer, no doubt.
In my case, my visa is being changed from 'F' to 'L', which does not bother me, because I dont need a business visa. My current visa was issued at Shenzhen, so I think as you also have a visa issued outside of the mainland, you should be able to get a 12 months extension. You will need to go to PSB's office at 1500 Min Sheng Rd. Pudong. Why not pay them a visit to get the info', taking your wife with you.?.

ATP wrote:If true, this is very telling. I have no figures to support my contention, but I would surmise that most applying for permanent residency in Australia do get it.

Australia - 7,686,850 sq km - Population 21m
China - 9,596,960 sq km - Popluation 1323m

monalisalee wrote:Underwater will answer, no doubt.
In my case, my visa is being changed from 'F' to 'L', which does not bother me, because I dont need a business visa. My current visa was issued at Shenzhen, so I think as you also have a visa issued outside of the mainland, you should be able to get a 12 months extension. You will need to go to PSB's office at 1500 Min Sheng Rd. Pudong. Why not pay them a visit to get the info', taking your wife with you.?.

Er, nope. My visa was issued *in* the mainland, *outside SH*.

I am hoping that someone (else) directly with 'their finger on the pulse' can set me right here. Can I / will I have the visa issued in SH without me having to go to HK? And for what duration?

So...both Exit/Entry (Immigration Department) *and* the PSB are located at 1500 Min Shen Rd? I have searched in vain for a website (CH or Eng) for either of these organisations. Anyone here know if such exists????

dfoo wrote:You can change in Shanghai.

May I enquire as to your source of information for this?

Yes and Yes.

PSB is the entry exit, blah blah.

ATP wrote:

monalisalee wrote:The Captain is right. You must go to the place of your spouces Hu Kou, (house registry). I cannot give you the name of the place in Tianjin, until my wife gets back, but it was similar to entry/exit office in Pudong, but I have to say much more laid back, and slicker, and in 15 minutes had the forms to fill in, photos taken, and my wife had all the information required.But being Tianjin, they are dealing mainly with Chinese travellers, and I could not find anyone there to speak English.

Yes ATP, as your wife is Shanghai native, it will have to be done here.
I believe I WILL get permanent residency after 5 years of marriage. Have been told that in Tianjin, and also the Shanghai entry/exit office.

Essentially then, the application for the change from 'F' to 'L' marriage visa, I would have to go to the SH Exit-Entry Office, otherwise known as the Immigration Department. Correct?


Q: Given that I have my 'F' (issued outside SH but in the mainland), would the SH Exit-Entry Office / Immigration Department issue it here or send me to HK for the change over? What is the most current information on this?

Thanks.

It doesn't matter where your initial visa was issued. When you apply for the L visa based on marriage to a PRC national, you go to the PSB (For those who are clueless, this means Entry & Exit) with the necessary documentation. They will not send you out of the country to apply.

underh20 wrote:

ATP wrote:

monalisalee wrote:The Captain is right. You must go to the place of your spouces Hu Kou, (house registry). I cannot give you the name of the place in Tianjin, until my wife gets back, but it was similar to entry/exit office in Pudong, but I have to say much more laid back, and slicker, and in 15 minutes had the forms to fill in, photos taken, and my wife had all the information required.But being Tianjin, they are dealing mainly with Chinese travellers, and I could not find anyone there to speak English.

Yes ATP, as your wife is Shanghai native, it will have to be done here.
I believe I WILL get permanent residency after 5 years of marriage. Have been told that in Tianjin, and also the Shanghai entry/exit office.

Essentially then, the application for the change from 'F' to 'L' marriage visa, I would have to go to the SH Exit-Entry Office, otherwise known as the Immigration Department. Correct?


Q: Given that I have my 'F' (issued outside SH but in the mainland), would the SH Exit-Entry Office / Immigration Department issue it here or send me to HK for the change over? What is the most current information on this?

Thanks.

It doesn't matter where your initial visa was issued. When you apply for the L visa based on marriage to a PRC national, you go to the PSB (For those who are clueless, this means Entry & Exit) with the necessary documentation. They will not send you out of the country to apply.

Thank you.

Hmm... you and I must have had different translators. I always thought PSB are the initials for Public Security Bureau (Gong An Ju in pinyin) while Entry & Exit Office/Department is Chinglish for the poor English translation of Immigration.

Dear me. Translations of the translations of the re-translations of the translations....where will it end? and what is the meaning??

How long does it take to get the spouse visa processed?

The Entry and Exit bureau is a division of the Public Safety Bureau.

ATP wrote:

underh20 wrote:

ATP wrote:

monalisalee wrote:The Captain is right. You must go to the place of your spouces Hu Kou, (house registry). I cannot give you the name of the place in Tianjin, until my wife gets back, but it was similar to entry/exit office in Pudong, but I have to say much more laid back, and slicker, and in 15 minutes had the forms to fill in, photos taken, and my wife had all the information required.But being Tianjin, they are dealing mainly with Chinese travellers, and I could not find anyone there to speak English.

Yes ATP, as your wife is Shanghai native, it will have to be done here.
I believe I WILL get permanent residency after 5 years of marriage. Have been told that in Tianjin, and also the Shanghai entry/exit office.

Essentially then, the application for the change from 'F' to 'L' marriage visa, I would have to go to the SH Exit-Entry Office, otherwise known as the Immigration Department. Correct?


Q: Given that I have my 'F' (issued outside SH but in the mainland), would the SH Exit-Entry Office / Immigration Department issue it here or send me to HK for the change over? What is the most current information on this?

Thanks.

It doesn't matter where your initial visa was issued. When you apply for the L visa based on marriage to a PRC national, you go to the PSB (For those who are clueless, this means Entry & Exit) with the necessary documentation. They will not send you out of the country to apply.

Thank you.

Hmm... you and I must have had different translators. I always thought PSB are the initials for Public Security Bureau (Gong An Ju in pinyin) while Entry & Exit Office/Department is Chinglish for the poor English translation of Immigration.

Dear me. Translations of the translations of the re-translations of the translations....where will it end? and what is the meaning??

He must be a "Banana Bender"....