Fair enough. Then you may just have to resign yourself to a series of less generously-termed Chinese visas, until such time as the Chinese change the game again. Possibly coming up with a way to use a different Consulate with more relaxed terms, if you can find a way around the geographic restrictions.

Well, if I were paying for the visa, I'd be going for tourism and would receive a 10 year visa, right? So as long as my employer (and the funding agency paying for the research I'm doing) keeps paying the visa charges......

(not sure who in the US is the most lenient consulate - my visa service - located in DC -told me SF and that's where my application went. I'm trying to get in touch today to discuss the 2nd application - for my colleague - but no luck yet....)

There has been multiple discussions on this forum about "doing business" on a tourist visa or visiting on a business visa. It does not matter. I assume that you are not being paid on those visits.
The majority of people applying for a tourist visa needing to show hotel bookings, use "fake bookings" (book, print the reservation then cancel after printing).
In any case, you seen happy to apply every year. Up to you.

Bummer to hear you didn't get the longer term visas, especially when you see inconsistencies.

FWIW, I too won't be comfortable rationalizing the trip is tourism if I am there for business/conferences (not that I'm in your situation, fortunately). It's just harder to pass the litmus test of "I'm there as a tourist, but I have this business thing I have to go to too." whereas the inverse is more acceptable (primary intent is business but I got extra time to sightsee, which is lessor of the intent). And if paid by employer...perfectly acceptable to not want to stretch the truth, especially since I really don't see it as a game at all. But that's just my 2 cents.

Sorry to hear you didn't luck out this time, but maybe next time...you never know. Good luck!

Easy (I assume) question: at the NY consulate, when they "approve" the visa application and give you the slip to come back for the visa, you're approved, correct?

Please help me with my game plan on applying chinese visa

Mrs. 9Benua was a chinese citizen. She is a US Citizen now. Kids & me are US Citizen. My mother in law (Chinese citizen, Green Card holder) will be traveling with us as well. We'll be going to her city for 4 weeks visiting relatives. My mother in law still have a house in her village. We'll need the multiple entries as well. Should we:

1. Get a fake hotel booking and use that to apply tourist visa.

2. Get an invitation from my mother in law.

3. Get an invitation from her relatives living in china.

Which office should I apply to? DC or NYC?

You should probably be applying for a Q (family visit) visa, not an L tourist visa. Specifically, a Q2 visa for 10 years, multiple-entry, with length of each duration of stay up to 180 days. A Q2 means that you won't have to go through the hoops to get a Residence Permit (including medical exam) inside China like a Q1 would require. Q2's normally come with longer durations per stay vs the L 10-year which is 60 days max (occasionally longer).

Besides visiting family, you can do tourist stuff on a Q2, and nobody's going to get upset if you sporadically do a business activity, conference, or a study course here and there. Just can't legally work in China.

Note two things: 1) The kids may or may not be able to get 10 year's worth of visa, they might be issued something shorter. 2) Both your wife and your kids will have to produce some extra supporting documents and this will be regardless of what visa category they are applying for, it's the Chinese ethnicity/origin. Even if you aren't planning to use an agent, consider checking out websites of a reputable agent like mychinavisa.com to get a description of what is asked from them. Don't leave this to the last minute since it may take time to pull together documents if you don't already have them in your family records. They will expect to see evidence that your wife has given up her Chinese hukou.

A relative in China can issue the invitation letter for the Q. Don't use the mother-in-law green card holder, but one of her relatives permanently there. MIL obviously doesn't need to be part of the visa application process at all, and the fact that she will be traveling with you is irrelevant for the application. You should not need flight nor accommodation bookings using this method.

Location to apply: if you live/work in Pennsylvania, use the assigned Consulate (NYC). If either residence or work is in the DC district, you have the option of using the Embassy there. For a Q2, I'd use whichever one is easiest for you.

Just to add to the above, you can also get an invitation letter and apply for the L visa.

Thanks for advice guys.

Update - my co-worker whose application I submitted recently got hers back - she got an F, 1 year,multiple entries. Which our visa expediter said was very unusual (1 yr F). Same invite as me, but we slightly re-worded the business letter. Ah well. Goes to show you never can tell. ;-)

Husband canadian, i am US. Always traveling
 

We are married and travel every week, needing passports. He is just a tourist in US, no visa. Same for me in canada.
Never have more than 5 days between international travel (run a charity).
Want to visit china for tourism a few times a year.
Help!

HK

How much time will HKG app take?
 

I am in HKG only for two days before the PVG trip. Is that enough time?

A number of the visa expediters offer next day service (expensive) and I presume that the official place does as well (a bit more risky).

thanks. how expensive is expensive?
 

my husband is canadian and only a tourist in the US. so, he needs to apply in Canada. I need to apply in US or somewhere we are for longer than a few days. :-(