How to legally stay in China for about 3 months

[fabiothebest]

I'm willing to visit my gf who lives in China so I'd need a visa.

Last time I got a tourism visa (L) for a couple of weeks and I stayed regularly at the hotel I booked and showed when applying for the visa.

This time I would like to stay longer and I read that L visa may be granted for up to 3 months. Now I know I would need a hotel reservation or an invitation letter. The easiest thing is through a hotel reservation I guess, anyway my gf would host me at her apartment this time and so I would avoid paying for the hotel. I called the Chinese consulate and I asked whether I could get a tourism visa for up to 3 months..they didn't tell me "yes" in a reassuring way. They told me they usually would issue a visa for 1 month, but I could request it for 3 months (and it isn't impossible that it could be accepted). The point is they want me to book the flight tickets first so it'd be "nice" to know whether I can stay up to 3 months or not but I guess this is a common problem when applying for visas.

 

1) I asked to the consulate about the invitation letter, they told me it should contain the name of the person who hosts me and photocopy of the ID card, the address of the apartment, my identity, passport number...and the contract of ownership of the apartment. Now that is the troublesome part, should she go to the municipality to get it? The apartment is of her parents, so their parents should write the invitation letter for me instead of her as a daughter?

 

2) Otherwise I could book the hotel for the whole period and then cancel the booking after the visa is issued and stay at her apartment. I know that if you stay at a hotel, the hotel should register you at the PSB, else if you stay somewhere else you should go and register on your own. If i stay at a hotel or I get a visa thanks to the invitation letter, fine, but what if i show the booking of the hotel and instead stay at her apartment? If I go to the PSB to register (I heard not everyone does it, but it should be done), they will want to know where I stay and if I tell them I stay at her apartment, that info doesn't match what I declared when applying for visa. Can it be a problem? They may discover it if not at that time, later when I apply for a visa again, eventually. I would like to respect all the rules, really. It just is a bit troublesome.

 

3) Third option is maybe I could get a student visa (X2 for less than 6 months) since I already would like to study Chinese there eventually. Could i get a student visa through a mandarin language school instead of a university? Is it still accepted? And would I still need the hotel booking or an invitation letter from her right? Besides the visa would be valid for 30 days and before the end, I should apply for a temporary residency permit while I'm in China right? Is the fee for student visa higher than tourism visa?

 

4) If the consulate issues a visa for less than 3 months, let's say 1 month, can I extend the validity of the stay for 2 months more, up to 3 months at the PSB without problems or it may be not possible?

 

If possible, please answer to my 4 questions and give your recommendation on what would be better to do according to you.

[Steingletscher]

Err, what country are you from? If you are from the US, you can get a 1-year multiple entry tourist visa from the Chinese consulate in LA. The only thing is that every 60 days you have to leave the country (doesn't matter how long, you can just walk out into Hong Kong and then immediately get in line to return to the mainland). Western European countries as far as I know have 3 month tourist visas at the max. I don't know much about any others if they any different. But as for asking for how long of a tourist visa, I'm not exactly sure how exactly to do it.

As for the hotel, just book it and after you get the visa cancel it. Best try to find places that doesn't require money when booking (like most hostels). No one will check if you are staying or not in the hotel you booked.They are used to people doing it. They don't even care if you say you will fly into the country but end up entering by land.

 

The price for a student visa varies and depends on the school. 3 months is not a long time, so I won't use that as an option. Plus, getting a student visa and not attending the school would be a lot more toublesome then what you seem to be willing to do for the above. Though to answer your question, if you do do this option, you would not need a hotel booking, nor a letter of invitation from her as the school's admission form acts as one already.

 

If you are really unsure, you can hire a visa service who can get you the max time possible. Not sure how much they cost though. I know of some people who had to use them because they were in Kyrgyzstan and was impossible for them to return to their home country to get the visa, and they all got the max time possible.

 

To be honest, a lot of the Visa stuff depends on who looks over your documents and how their day is going. Sometimes, they can not care at all, while other times, they can be extremely demanding of the small details.

[fabiothebest]

Thanks for your answer. I'm from Italy I know about multiple entries visas anyway for now I'd like to stay for not too short nor too long, about 3 months is fine. (I'd like to get 3 months without having to exit and reenter the country if possible). If instead of 3 months they give me 1 month, can I extend my stay for 2 months more through the PSB? In the future I'd like to stay longer and possibly move there. You practically replied to almost everything and confirmed what I though already. One small detail, if I book the hotel and cancel it, then can I go to the PSB and register where I live without problems? Because I'd stay at my gf's apartment instead.

[ChTTay]

3) in response to OP's option 3.

Why wait? If you are going to be here three months... What would you be doing anyway? It seems like a perfect time to start studying. I disagree with three months being too short. If it's the start of you studying Chinese, im sure some people doing the same outside kof China would kill to have the opportunity for 3 months study in China. Equally, if you've studied a bit at home, you are bound to make great progress in country. Obviously, if you do decide to study, you should actually attend or study. I don't really agree with just getting the visa for the convenience.

The University or school would issue the documents needed for your visa. Your girlfriend would not have to do anything. You would enter on a study visa then go and apply for a temporary residence permit. As far as im aware this can be at any residence. Most schools will assist you. Larger universities will have visa offices.

[fabiothebest]

About the student visa, if I ask for it, I would attend the course certainly (not just for the visa, don't worry), I'm willing to improve my Chinese. I could study also on a tourism visa for a limited time otherwise. Now my priority is being able to get the visa for staying with my gf. I can already speak Chinese a bit and I'm sure I would improve a lot in China. I wish I could stay there as much as I want

[jbradfor]

I guess I'm confused what the choices are.  If you can get an X2 visa though a school, go for it.  If you can't, get the longest duration multiple entry L visa you can.  Seems pretty simple to me.

 

 

 

The point is they want me to book the flight tickets first so it'd be "nice" to know whether I can stay up to 3 months or not but I guess this is a common problem when applying for visas.

 

If this is a major issue, don't forget that there exists fully refundable air fare tickets as well.

 

 

(I'd like to get 3 months without having to exit and reenter the country if possible).

 

Living in China requires a certain amount of, how to put it, flexibility.  Exit and reenter is part of the territory in a lot of cases.

 

 

Besides the visa would be valid for 30 days and before the end, I should apply for a temporary residency permit while I'm in China right?

No.  X2 visa does not give you right to a residency permit; X1 visa does.

[fabiothebest]

You said "get the longest duration multiple entry L visa you can". I would like it, though I'm living with my parents and I don't have a job at the moment. I would like to move to China but I have to do it step by step, so I thought a period of up to 3 months could be fine for this time. From the visa rules for L (tourism) visa I read that it can be granted for up to 3 months. I would like to apply for a visa of 3 months and provide an invitation letter from a Chinese person. I called the Chinese consulate, I asked them about the 3 months period just for info and they seemed a bit reluctant, they said they usually grant tourism visas of 1 month. I read that it is possible to extend the period of stay max 2 times, for 30 days each and the request to the Public Security Bureau should be made by 7 days before visa expiration. Anyway is it relatively sure that I can renew it twice and get a total of 3 months or not? Did anyone succesfully do it? Do you recommend me to ask for 3 months even if I know that probably they would give me 1 month? If they give me 1 month and I booked flights for 3 months, they won't ask me to change the flight reservation before granting me the visa, right? Then I should hope to get renewals. I know there are fully refundable flights but they usually cost the double of stardard economy flights and I have a budget. Even a flight with no total refund but changeable/flexible date would be fine for me. And, I read that if I want to extend my visa, anyway I should have a deposit of 22000 yuan, is it true? Does it mean I should open a bank account in China and deposit that amount there? Thanks for your answer.

[jbradfor]

I can tell that you're pretty worried about this, but, seriously, you need to chill.   If the absolute worst case situation is you fly to a foreign country for a weekend every 30 days, so be it.  Bring your gf with you and make a romantic trip.  I know it's a pain, and I understand it takes money (but maybe less than you think), but it's probably going to be a minor issue compared to other things; after a couple months in China you'll be laughing at yourself for being so worried.

 

 

 

I know there are fully refundable flights but they usually cost the double of stardard economy flights and I have a budget.

 

Book the flight, get the visa, cancel the flight, book the non-refundable flight you really want based on the visa.  Just like hotels.

 

 

Do you recommend me to ask for 3 months even if I know that probably they would give me 1 month?

 

Yes.  Say you want to tour.  And make sure you ask for a multiple entry as well, say you want to go to tour other places.

[laowang]

Hi there, in my memories you can only extend 30 days visa inside China no matter what type of visa you hold. It is not difficult to extend. your have the local police registration, about 100 usd (or same amount rmb) per day deposit in your name in a bank so 30 days it will be 3000 usd. these are the two critical terms.

Or it will be easier to register a university for a 3 months course. It will be about 1000 usd to 1500 usd for a three months Chinese course depending on the city.

I would be happy to help you if you can tell me a specific city you are going to so that I can get some information from the city.

[fabiothebest]

I'm afraid that the consulate would give me 1 month tourism visa..they told me they usually do it, even if I can ask for 3 months and see what happens. I'm seriously thinking about applying to a Chinese course at a university. That would provide me a safe visa and I actually am interested in improving my Chinese. I'm going to Chongqing and I'm thinking to study Chinese at Chongqing university.

[fabiothebest]

I checked your website, it's useful for foreigners. You probably know these things, If I get a student visa of 3 months, could I extend it for some time even if I don't continue studying at the university (like 30 days as you wrote before?)? Do you think the consulate would give me some days before and after the course ends (I think so, but Idk how long because I never did it before), in the initial visa period? I still have to apply for the university course and book the flight tickets, so I'm trying to figure out how to calculate the days, so that later I can go to the consulate and apply for my visa. Visa should take into account the period mentioned in the letter of invitation that I would get from the university and my flights dates I guess, so they should be chosen well. Besides I'd get an invitation letter from my gf for staying at her apartment. Is it possible? One invitation letter from university for getting student visa and an invitation letter for stating where I'll stay.

[ChTTay]

You dont need the invitation letter from your girlfriend if you are going to study at University. The school will provide all the documents. They will not likely care where you stay beyond having an address for you in their records. You just go move in with your girlfriend, go to the local PSB and register.

...and relax.

:-)

[fabiothebest]

Thanks

[ChTTay]

1000 -1500 usd for three months seems a bit pricey.

That's less than one semester, right?

Tsinghua University in Beijing was 2000usb at semester roughly.

[fabiothebest]

The university I'm thinking to apply to is about 700 euro at semester

[laowang]

Yes three months courses is a little pricy for 1000-1500 usd including tuition, registration, textbooks and insurance . Here is the fees of Chonging University, 400 rmb for registration, 300 rmb for insurance (if you have your own insurance, this might be unnecessary) 7000 rmb for one semester tuition fee or 2400 rmb for one month tuition fee, text books about 200 rmb. Roughly one semester is 4 months more. In total one semester will cost you about 900 euros. But you can get an 180 days X2 student visa.

Or if you apply for a three months course, the Chinese embassy will issue you 90 days visa or longer than 90 days, if lucky 180 days visa. But the cost of three months course is not a big difference compared to one semester course. You can extend 30 days L visa in Chongqing 7 days ahead of your visa expiration.

Tomorrow I can call to Chongqing university and psb to give you more information.

[fabiothebest]

Thanks for the info, you are very kind. Chongqing university was the first university I checked. I haven't decided yet and it's still an option, but I'm considering also SISU (Sichuan International Studies University). I contacted Chongqing university and they told me classes end on 6th July and start again only in September, nothing in between. Besides the semester started in February and although I can join it at any time, it would have already started. Then I took a look at SISU and it seems they have Summer courses starting from the middle of July and being short term courses they are up to 3 months. So it's just like I wanted because I would like to stay for 3 months and I'd prefer to stay during July, August and September (also for other reasons not only about study). Yes, a full semester would be better if i compare prices, anyway I think for work and family reasons I prefer 3 months. Now I hope I hear from the university soon, so I can book flights and apply for visa.

[Steingletscher]

At the prices you are quoting, wouldn't it just be cheaper to hire a visa agency to get you the maximum 3 months?

[fabiothebest]

Would they be able to do it?

[laowang]

if you want to stay during July August and September, then summer course is the best option. I read SISU website and they will start their summer course in mid July and last 4 weeks or 6 weeks or 8 weeks. If 8 or 6 weeks you can ask the university to send you an admission notice. Then with the admission notice you can ask the Chinese embassy to issue you and 90 days visa, but remember to explain to Chinese embassy that you are going to continue the autumn semester if possible to renew your 90 visa in Chongqing. This will work in most cases.

You have to register at the local police station when you are in Chongqing in 24 hours. The police registration is a must for renewing visa in China. If you have a problem with SISU then I can help you.