Visa problems, Help!

[Jessica1991]

My boyfriend (American citizen) is rejected when he applied for L visa (tourist visa) twice from the consulate. They didn't give any reason, so we do not know why when we had all documents that they required, and an invitation letter from me, itinerary,and flight booking information. I am not sure if he is on the so called "blacklist" and I really need to know if it will affect his further application for L visa or Q visa after some months or when we are married.

[roddy]

I'm going to wager there's something you're not telling us here - previous visits to China, some reason to think he might be planning to stay in China longer, sharing a name with some famous separatist. 

[abcdefg]

@Jessica1991-- He would have an easier time of it to just apply as an ordinary tourist. Make some hotel reservations that he can cancel. This is easier than getting an invitation letter. And list "sightseeing" as the reason for the visa; not "visiting friends" or anything else.

 

Did he include anything about going to Tibet or Xinjiang?

 

What did he list as his occupation? (Journalist is a bad idea. Religious minister is a bad idea.)

 

Was his photo done to the new specifications? They are strict about it. Size, background, no glasses, no smile, etc.

 

At what US consulate did he apply? Some are tougher than others? Did he use a visa agent? (That often helps.) Does he have other prior China visas? Did he overstay any of them?

 

 

[889]

If there's a paperwork problem -- like a bad photo or missing ID card of the Chinese inviter -- they tell you. Indeed, they normally don't even accept your visa application.

 

But when your application has been formally refused, they won't say anything. And since the application calls for disclosing any prior visa refusals, it can have a long-term effect.

 

Apart from the suggestions above, there's also the possibility he crossed someone well-connected in China: like an ex-business partner, an ex-boyfriend of yours, your parents.

 

(If he'd been to China fairly recently, why didn't he have a ten-year multiple-entry visa already?)

[Jessica1991]

Yes, he has been to China for work around 3 years ago, so he had work visa on his passport. The consulate that he applied through the agency were in San Francisco and Houston, and I am not sure if these two consulates are tougher. I thought an invitation letter from me and my ID copy would be easier than his tourist itinerary and hotel bookings. 

All I am concerned is if there is possibility that he will be refused in the future and anything we can do to be well-prepared?

[Jessica1991]

And I forgot to mention, according to the agency that we went through with, his rejection might be due to his work visa in Turkey, since he worked for one year in Turkey in 2015. 

[abcdefg]

40 minutes ago, Jessica1991 said:

The consulate that he applied through the agency were in San Francisco and Houston, and I am not sure if these two consulates are tougher.

 

San Francisco is known to be tough, Houston is known to be easy. But the consulate he must use in the US is not a matter of personal choice. One must use the consulate that serves the region in which one lives. Where does he live in the US?

 

For the Houston consulate, which is the one I use, an agency helps. Here's the one I use. They have good relations with the consulate and you (or he) can call them to talk things over at the time he submits his application. Staff has always been knowledgeable. http://www.mychinavisa.com/

 

40 minutes ago, Jessica1991 said:

I thought an invitation letter from me and my ID copy would be easier than his tourist itinerary and hotel bookings. 

 

No, it doesn't work that way. If they don't like something about you or your family or your past, on the China end of things, it can torpedo his visa request. It's much cleaner and better received by the authorities to book hotels and then change or cancel them after the visa is granted.

 

Americans now automatically get a 10 year visa for tourist purposes (L visa.) Does not cost any extra. It has 60 days per each entry. If he applied for some other time periods, the request might have been flagged for special handling.

 

Did he overstay his China work visa 3 years ago? Did he get into trouble in China while there?

[Jessica1991]

Thanks for you answer and I will look into it. But his agency says it might because of Turkey. What do you think?

And should he try it again?

[abcdefg]

7 minutes ago, Jessica1991 said:

But his agency says it might because of Turkey. What do you think?

 

I don't know about that and cannot guess. Sorry.

[Jessica1991]

9 minutes ago, abcdefg said:

 

44 minutes ago, Jessica1991 said:

The consulate that he applied through the agency were in San Francisco and Houston, and I am not sure if these two consulates are tougher.

 

San Francisco is known to be tough, Houston is known to be easy. But the consulate he must use in the US is not a matter of personal choice. One must use the consulate that serves the region in which one lives. Where does he live in the US?

 

For the Houston consulate, which is the one I use, an agency helps. Here's the one I use. They have good relations with the consulate and you (or he) can call them to talk things over at the time he submits his application. Staff has always been knowledgeable. http://www.mychinavisa.com/

 

44 minutes ago, Jessica1991 said:

I thought an invitation letter from me and my ID copy would be easier than his tourist itinerary and hotel bookings. 

 

No, it doesn't work that way. If they don't like something about you or your family or your past, on the China end of things, it can torpedo his visa request. It's much cleaner and better received by the authorities to book hotels and then change or cancel them after the visa is granted.

 

Americans now automatically get a 10 year visa for tourist purposes (L visa.) Does not cost any extra. It has 60 days per each entry. If he applied for some other time periods, the request might have been flagged for special handling.

 

Did he overstay his China work visa 3 years ago? Did he get into trouble in China while there?

No, he never overstayed and never got into trouble in China. If it's not because of those, then I guess it's because of his previous work in Turkey, and was flagged.

 

[roddy]

What does he do? And why isn't he posting here? 

[Jessica1991]

2 minutes ago, roddy said:

What does he do? And why isn't he posting here? 

He is a teacher and used to teach abroad. He is pretty frustrated with the applications and I am just wondering if there is anything we can do to fix it up. 

[889]

Yes, Turkish visas in your passport can be a problem! This is why they want to see your old passport if you walk in with a new one.

 

Why Turkey has been singled out like this I have no idea.

 

I have read of other applicants getting around this problem by submitting a statement declaring they just made a short trip to Turkey for tourism purposes, and tourism purposes only. Unfortunately that isn't your boyfriend's situation. But you can ask the agency whether submitting such a  declaration explaining his time in Turkey would help.

 

In terms of "what next" it's important to know just how the consulate handled his application. If they flipped through his passport when he submitted his application and immediately handed it back, for example, that would be good: that's not a formal rejection and his name wouldn't have been entered into the system.

[roddy]

I wonder if it's fear of folk who were Arab Spring activists. Can you say any more about those cases, 889? (edit, actually, a few come up on Google)

 

Unfortunately, by having applied again at a different consulate, it looks like he was deliberately trying to get around the rejection. That won't look good. 

[Jessica1991]

12 minutes ago, 889 said:

In terms of "what next" it's important to know just how the consulate handled his application. If they flipped through his passport when he submitted his application and immediately handed it back, for example, that would be good: that's not a formal rejection and his name wouldn't have been entered into the system.

At the first application in San Francisco, the consulate kept his papers and returned his passport. Is it a good sign? No, he had a recommendation letter from the Turkish company when he was working there, it might help hopefully.  

10 minutes ago, roddy said:

 

I wonder if it's fear of folk who were Arab Spring activists. Can you say any more about those cases, 889? (edit, actually, a few come up on Google)

 

Unfortunately, by having applied again at a different consulate, it looks like he was deliberately trying to get around the rejection. That won't look good. 

 

I am not sure if he applies again in a short time after the rejection will be good

[889]

As you can see, Roddy, it's a fairly well-known issue that's been discussed for some time on other forums.

 

It looked like the policy had been put on ice, but in the past few months Turkey seems to be a problem again.

 

Perhaps it will go away again after the October meetings. My best advice to the OP is to wait a while and apply again when the political situation will hopefully have improved, perhaps in the next year. Use an agency dealing in Chinese visas and rely on their advice as to the current situation regarding Turkey. If the situation improves, a good agency will know first. Contact a couple of agencies to be sure.

 

This is all an important reminder that Chinese visa policies can change overnight. Americans and Canadians should get their ten-year visas now, before there are any other adverse developments.

 

(Unfortunately, it's not a good sign that they kept his paperwork.)

[Jessica1991]

5 minutes ago, 889 said:

As you can see, Roddy, it's a fairly well-known issue that's been discussed for some time on other forums.

 

It looked like the policy had been put on ice, but in the past few months Turkey seems to be a problem again.

 

Perhaps it will go away again after the October meetings. My best advice to the OP is to wait a while and apply again when the political situation will hopefully have improved, perhaps in the next year. Use an agency dealing in Chinese visas and rely on their advice as to the current situation regarding Turkey. If the situation improves, a good agency will know first. Contact a couple of agencies to be sure.

 

This is all an important reminder that Chinese visa policies can change overnight. Americans and Canadians should get their ten-year visas now, before there are any other adverse developments.

 

(Unfortunately, it's not a good sign that they kept his paperwork.)

Thank you guys for the replies, I guess we can do nothing but wait until the situation to get better. Long distance relationship is hard lol

 

[november-rain16]

Hi Jessica,

May  I ask how long it took before your partner got word that he was rejected for the visa?