Originally Posted by
jamar
Haven't been back here in a while since I moved back to the US, but here goes:
I have a 1-year multi-entry L visa that's set to expire in March, and I was thinking of renewing it by making a side trip to Hong Kong when I go visit my mom in Shanghai in early January (the idea being that this would be less work than a visa agent since in the US I now live in a small town in Montana- the last US-based visa agent I tried insisted that my building didn't exist when it came time to mail my passport back). I've only had experience applying together with my mom around '07 or '08 (her getting a Z visa and myself getting some sort of L visa) so I don't know how it would go nowadays.
Question 1: How likely am I to get another 1-year multi-entry L visa if I bring in my application myself?
Question 2: My extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents though due to personal reasons I'd rather not ask my grandparents if I can with others) are Chinese citizens. Could I go for a Q2 visa instead with one of them as the inviting family member, or does that have to be done in the US?
1. Highly unlikely if you are applying in Hong Kong. The 12-month multi deal for US citizens is explicitly for those applying in the USA.
2. Possibly. I've never heard anything to indicate that you have to apply for the Q visa in your home country. I have heard that getting visas of any type for HK non-residents is tougher, yet it's still happening. Why don't you try first contacting an agency like Forever Bright Trading (call or email, don't depend on their lackluster website info)? Give them the critical info (US citizen, previous 12 month L visas obtained in USA, eligible for Q family visit visa, can provide letter and ID from relative). See what they say. They may not have a lot of data points on this yet.
If you can qualify for a Q visa, you should go for it, since you should be able to get at least as good of terms as you could with an L, for less documentation. The sure bet is to deal with this in the US even through an agent rather than gamble on Hong Kong.