Chinese Citizen's favored in visa process?

[woliveri]

I was talking to a friend from Beijing (I'm not sure of his status in the US but he must at least have a green card, otherwise he could not come back to the US) who told me he paid only 35 dollars for his L visa to China and could stay up to 6 months straight without leaving.

For US citizens the cost is 50 dollars for an L visa and have a limit of 30 days even though the visa is issued for 6 months.

Are Chinese who are naturalized to the US considered "Citizens of other countries" or given a special status when applying for a visa?

TIA,

[Shadowdh]

In the UK citizens of UK or the US pay more than I do... (a New Zealand citizen) but I am not sure about the can only stay for a limited time rule...

[Rincewind]

The price of a visa does vary depending on your nationality. Looking at the prices on the UK Chinese embassy web site, Americans pay about 10% more than British and about double that of other nationalities.

[woliveri]

yes, I understand the differences in prices from different countries but I was wondering if Mainland Chinese who have become US citizens or have a green card get a different price than those who were born here.

[liuzhou]

Visa prices are reciprocal. If the US raises the price for visas for Chinese passport holders to visit the US, then China raises the price for US citizens to visit China.

I cannot understand your last sentence. Mainland Chinese who become US citizens v. those born "here"? Where is "here"?

My wife is Chinese born, but took up British nationality. She pays the same as any other British person for her visa to China. There is no discount for British Chinese who used to be Chinese Chinese.

[woliveri]

I cannot understand your last sentence. Mainland Chinese who become US citizens v. those born "here"? Where is "here"?

Here is the US... That's why I'm not understanding why this guy gets his visa for 2/3s of what I have to pay..

I'll ask him tomorrow about this...

[Shadowdh]

I would also ask what passport he has as this would affect his visa/staying ability... he may have dual nationality that allows him to use one passport over the other and therefore follow different rules and fees... just some thoughts...

[Hero Doug]

Dual nationality for China. I know Hong Kong citizens can do it, maybe he has a hong kong passport.

[banjo67xxx]

Dual Nationality is NOT an option for people from mainland China, furthermore my wife told me that one of her friends who gave up Chinese nationality in favour of British nationality was actually DENIED A VISITORS VISA to see her family!

Not sure of the exact circumstances in her friend's case, but to be on the safe side my wife intends to get an "Indefinite Marriage Visa" from the UK and keep her Chinese passport, next year when we've been married 2 years.

[liuzhou]

Here is the US...

Thank you for clarifying that. The confusion arose from the

Location: Shanghai China

next to your name.

one of her friends who gave up Chinese nationality in favour of British nationality was actually DENIED A VISITORS VISA to see her family!

That is one I've never heard before.

Oddly enough , my wife, who was born right here in this town is now here on an accompanying wife's visa on the back of my residence permit.

She had permanent residence in the UK (through our marriage) and was on a Chinese passport, but did finally change nationality, mainly because it is such a hassle travelling on a Chinese passport to anywhere other than China. And she travels a lot for work.

[Shadowdh]

Just to clarify that you can actually have dual nationality with nations other than China... with around 200 nations in the world and all of sudden I am only meaning China as being one of the nations... but I could have been clearer I guess...

[roddy]

Liuzhou, you often get people saying that Chinese folk can't have dual nationality - see above for instance. In your wife's case, what happened. Did she at some point have to officially say 'Hey, I'm a Brit now.'? How feasible would it be to hold onto your Chinese ID card and passport AND have the other passport?

[cutty]

Here is the website for Chinese Visa:

http://www.nyconsulate.prchina.org/eng/lsqz/VisasforChina/t42204.htm#10

You can find out Visa fees.

I think he must be a citizen of a third country, such as Canada. So he got visa fee for only $30. He must be a third country citizen since if he is Chinese citizen and US greencard holder, then he doesn't need to apply Visa to China at all. I can't tell if he has a greencard in US since Candian citizen should be able to enter USA freely.

Yes, last time I went to apply Visa, they give me 180 days. I think it's reasonable since we have many relatives and friends there, so they think we may need to stay longer than a foreigner visitor. However before last time, they used to give me only 90 days.

[liuzhou]

you often get people saying that Chinese folk can't have dual nationality

The people who say it loudest are the Chinese Government.

For example.

No, my wife never had to officially say anything, but (in my view, rightly) she decided that re-entering China on an old passport which was technically no longer valid was probably not the best idea she had had all week. Illegal immigration is never a great idea anywhere.

When she got her Chinese passport, it was for five years. (They are now 10). To renew her Chinese passport in England (where she was when it expired), she would have to explain how come she was still there years after her visa had run out. The two most likely reasons would be that she was illegal or had taken UK nationality. Busted.

Also, she still has her old ID card. However ID cards have been replaced over the last year or so and she doesn't have a new one. If she goes to renew it now, she will get lots of awkward questions. And again be breaking Chinese law.