"Visa issues" or "How to start my new life smoothly visa-wise?"

[Moving_away]

Hello everyone,

I'm in the folowing situation and I hope people could shed some light on the problems I see with my visa application:

I'm a Dutch living in the Netherlands but wanting to live in China together with my girlfriend (who is a Chinese). I really want to move away from the Netherlands, so not a limited time, but 'till we get old together I've just finished my Masters in Biomolecular Sciences and I already lived in china for half a year for an internship at Tsinghua. My girlfriend has a stable job, and I will look for one as soon I arrive in China. But this arriving is the problem. How to get in? And most importantly, on what visa?

L-visa seems too temporary, since I want to stay there permanently, plus that you are not allowed to work.

Z-visa is something I do want to get but the idea was to find a job while in China, so I first have to get in.

F-visa is nice, and I have people in China that want to help me (3 month F-visa), but I also seem to need a letter from "my company" the netherlands I was told by this person. Since I am not working anywhere this is rather difficult.

D-visa I do not even dare to think of from what I read elsewhere, eventhough on the website of the Chinese embassy in the Netherlands it seems just too easy:

7.D-visa( for permanent residence in China)

D-visa is issued to a foreign citizen who has been approved by a China's public security organ to reside in China permanently.

(1)Documents mentioned in part A;

(2) The original approval document for his or her permanent residence in China issued by a local public security organ in the place where the applicant intends to reside (such an approval document should be applied for by the applicant or his or her entrusted relative from the department of Exit and Entry Control of the city or county's public security bureau where applicant intends to reside).

Am I overlooking something? Do you have any advise? Are there for example visa agencies you know of I could try? I also heard that when you are married a longer term L-visa can be issued, how is that going (this would give me enough staying time to look for a job)? Sorry for the long post, but I want to make my situation clear since i really want to be re-united with the one I love to start my new life in the country I love.

Thanks in advance

P.s. Any additional problems related to the approaching National holiday to foresee?

[liuzhou]

Forget about a D visa. Only a handful have ever been issued.

The only qualification you might have for getting one would to marry your girlfriend then wait 5 years before applying. You probably still wouldn't have much chance.

Do you have a few million US dollars to invest in China - that would help.

If you do marry, you can extend your L visa indefinitely - it just needs a trip to the PSB every six months.

[trevelyan]

Go in through Hong Kong and see what visas are available there. Worst case scenario you'll be left with a tourist visa which you can try to convert in-country. Arranging a job locally will be a lot easier than trying to set one up from abroad.

[edit] - if you want to arrange an F visa in Hong Kong, don't forget to bring a name card with you of the company you're technically applying to do business in China for.