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Q: Two Passports, Two visa's?

Need some answers here please, for a friend who is changing her job. She has two passports (same name), and is married to a Chinese National, so holds a two year multiple entry spouse visa (Q1 I think). She might be offered a job where she needs a journalist visa (Crazy for a 6 months contract with a news agency.

 

Can she use the second passport (no Chinese visa's exist in this passport, nor has it been used in China) to apply for the J visa and keep the other visa (Q) in the other passport valid?

 

Appreciate any pointers to get some advice for her.

 

Thanks

 

 

7 years 23 weeks ago in  Visa & Legalities - China

 
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Why not just play by the rules and not worry about someone taking them to a holding cell for deportation processing

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Why not just play by the rules and not worry about someone taking them to a holding cell for deportation processing

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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If she has a 2 year multi entry "visa" based on marriage (Q1) then she'll have a resident permit. I've never heard of a case of having different visas in different passports. 

 

She might get away with getting the J visa in her other passport (as she'll need to apply in her home country) but they might be able to link her to the other passport. She'd need to go home and try to get the J visa approved. 

O.Lee:

Dont think its a residence permit. As far as I know its 90 days at a time, valid for two years

7 years 23 weeks ago
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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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A person is only permitted to hold one valid visa. ANYTHING else is breaking the law, and would leave her subject to being fined and deported if caught.   So...  If she has to be on a J visa then she has to give up her Q visa. 

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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I'd say that is impossible (two valid visas in the same country) as iWolf said above.

 

Matter (visas) is computerised and it is easy to check if person who's applying for one visa holds already another visa.

 

example of RP extension/one valid visa in one passport:

 

My RP (valid working visa) expire on June 7th, 2017. Since I will complete the Contract (by which I got RP), I am entitled by Chinese law to receive 30-days RP extension at Exit-Entry cops (PSB).

PSB will hold my passport for new RP extension from 3-5 business days ... and will not accept my passport two weeks before current RP expiration. Why?

Because, if they return my passport with new RP extension after 5 business days, I would hold two valid visas (Resident permits) which is against the International law.

They will return my passport with only one valid visa, i.e. after replaced visa expired already.

 

PSB will advice to come for new RP extension not earlier than a week before present RP expiration. They will return my book few days after new RP extension validity.

Two valid passports under the same name aren't considered as 'two', but one/same person is holding two different countries passports and visas are issued by name and not by no. of passports the same person is holding.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Whatever passport / visa she entered the country with, that's her visa and needs to be changed. Pulling out the other passport would look like she entered the country illegally.
Playing dodgy passport games will only get her arrested and probably deported.

 

ironman510:

Stiggs is right, and to top it off they check the entry or exit stamp all the time.  That second passport doesn't have a china exit or entry stamp. Think Think Think !  

7 years 23 weeks ago
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Englteachted:

What moron couldn't figure that out?

7 years 23 weeks ago
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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Thanks for many helpful answers. There is also some misunderstanding I think, so just wanted to clarify that. She does not intent to use both visa's at the same time. She told me she wants to 'pause' her current Q visa if she gets a J, meaning she would only use the passport with the J visa for the duration of the 6 months.

Essentially leave China on the Q visa passport, then enter (and possibly re-enter depending on her work) China on the J visa passport for the 6 month of contract, and then leave on that, and re-enter on the Q with the other passport. 

 

Dont really see whats being dodgy there, and we have not found any info that official info that says, one can only ever hold one visa to China.

 

Guess she needs to visit the PSB with her hubby and work out what can be done.

Stiggs:

By dodgy I meant trying to operate with two passports / visas within China at the same time, which is what I thought you meant.

 

Something to consider.. you say she is looking to change her job. does that mean she is working on her spouse visa?  If she goes to the PSB she might want to leave that part out.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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"and we have not found any info that official info that says, one can only ever hold one visa to China."

 

Funny. I typed 'two visas china" into a yahoo search engine, and the VERY FIRST HIT from Travelguideinchina.com states in the 2-line summary "you cannot have two concurrent visas"...

 

As for your situation - look at Stiggs; post above regarding timing... it would work if she left the country, got the new J visa, entered China on the J visa, and then completely ignored the spousal visa while there. Then, leave the country again, and return using the spousal visa passport...

 

Does this look dodgey? Ans: yes!

 

And, lastly, you are expecting an entire legal/immigration system to have something in place for a very rare circumstance... is NOT going to happen, or be available!

 

So, is it possible to get away with it? Yes. Would she? Hard to say.. depends on how common her name is, and what country she's from (ie, Jane Smith from the UK  wouldn't be noticed). Is it legal - no. And, given that journalists are very closely watched in China (ie, men in black scenario), I don't think it'd be worth the risk.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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I think I know why he is asking here. Canada allows dual citizenship, China does not. I am not sure if you can carry two passports in Canada, but you cannot in China. My guess is he does not want to go to the proper authorities for fear of being thrown in jail for whatever charges the authorities fancy while they find out why he has applied for another visa while he already has a valid visa. Also, as pointed out, you can't carry two concurrent visas. If you apply under the same name I'm sure the PSB will want to know why.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Let's just get it out there. There is obviously something dodgy going on here. And shifty people like this are exactly the reason that legitimate residence for legitimate expats is a bit of a nightmare and continues to become more difficult.

So my advice is to definitely get a visa in a different passport. I for one, will be glad to see the back of any clown who by their nefarious streak makes my life more complicated than it needs to be. Yeah! I said it!!! And fuck you, M and L visa illegal workers too. I said it! I said it!

Englteachted:

I'm with you there.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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Answer of the DayMORE >>
A: Good question!  I'd say, if you study at Uni in China beside
A:Good question!  I'd say, if you study at Uni in China beside working full-time as an E.T. with Residence permit, you don't interfere with your full-time employment.It's your free time and you can do anything you want, with respect to the Chinese laws and customs. Have a look at terms of Z visa/Residence permit and ... ".. you cannot work (and earn monies!) with another employer ..."That's all it is! Your RP sponsor title is written on the RP stamp in your passport, I think. It's in Mandarin, so I've heard about that from someone ...At I.D.-ing by cops, they know where you work and than more details about you are just a phone call away ... and it happened in person ... LOL ... during the day-time stroll through Wulumuqi, Xinjiang, 2012/13 semester. Now under RP, you're free to surf Internet, jog, ... and study, too. I suggest, you look and ask at the Uni, you plan to study in the future. Have a detailed look at requirements for studying and attending chosen Uni.Good luck! -- icnif77