For the most part, the Changchun Friends website is not very active and has been superseded by the Tencent "Wechat" app by the local expat community. This website is maintained sporadically, people may still join and membership is still open, but if you are a spammer, stay away. The archived information here is still useful, but some may be out of date. There are plans to make it more useful for static information in the future. If anyone needs information about Changchun or China, you may post a message and it probably will get a response but not immediately.

Changchun Friends

a great way to get involved

Traveling to different countries with a Chinese wife!

I recently had problems trying to get a visa for my wife Gaea, because I dumped TOO MUCH money in her account before the visa application and they declined the visa on the grounds that they believed she'd borrowed the money!! She did, from her husband. Anyhow, it was actually the Spanish embassy who opened my eyes to another option.
They suggested that my wife should apply for a certificate that shows she is a EU citizens spouse. We have just completed the process, she now can travel to any country within the EU with minimum fuss. For details, just give me a shout!

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Permalink Reply by Mary Sun on July 27, 2011 at 15:14

Well done. Maybe I should apply for the same certificate, will ask for  your advice when I need.

Permalink Reply by Alex on July 28, 2011 at 16:28

I beliveve that is not the main issue of traveling in Europe with a Dong-Bei wife...the main problem is that she will never be able to get a chinese food suitable for the rough taste of this part of the world...or MA LA TANG!

Permalink Reply by David Emmerson Nicholson on July 29, 2011 at 19:36

Thanks for this!

 

Im English and I recently married my Chinese girlfriend too, and id love to know what to to make it easier for the wife to travel abroad!

Permalink Reply by Chris Knight on July 30, 2011 at 11:55
That's a lot easier than taking your spouse to Canada. I know people whose spouses have been refused visas because they weren't going in a tour group, and the embassy thought they were going to try to extend their stay by applying to immigrate during their visit. I was recently told by the Visa Application Centre that my wife's application for a Temporary Residence Permit would probably be denied, but that I could go ahead and submit it to them anyway.
Permalink Reply by Richard ridealgh on July 30, 2011 at 18:12
So the procedure:

A)get your wedding notarized in the city you registered. Make sure they notarize the wedding book with the foreigners name above the Chinese name!
B)then go to the foreign affairs office in Beijing and ask them for a stamp on the notary.
C)take this to your consulate and ask them for their stamp!

Once this is done, you can approach any embassy in Europe and ask for a visa!

The key to this is that the foreign affairs bureau is only open from 8.30 till 11 in the morning, so you'd have to pick it up the next day, so it takes more than one day!!
Also, the British embassy requires you make an appointment with them by email first. You should request an appointment for recognition of spouse married to an EU citizen.
You should also stress the fact you want express service, so that it can be done that day or else you have to come back the next day!
I had two notarized documents so that I can deposit one in England's office, the other to be kept for visa applications this side!
Permalink Reply by Chris Knight on July 30, 2011 at 19:35
You can make an appointment by email? Man, you Brits have it made! We have to physically go to the Canadian embassy and make an appointment a week in advance.
Permalink Reply by The Choonies on July 31, 2011 at 15:14
I know UK is part of the EU but does this certificate include the UK as I have a feeling that it doesn't, and that it includes many EU countries, such as Spain but you still need more to get the UK visa.
Permalink Reply by Sal on August 10, 2011 at 9:43

My girlfriend knows a lot about this stuff, as this is what she does. Each country has their own set of rules. From China, its easy to go into some places such as Thailand, Mongolia, and other E Asian countries. We had no problem getting into HK and Macao. We are just starting the procedure to get her into Canada.

 

My ex-g/f in Canada is an immigration specialist. Canada is one of the hard-a$$ places to get into. They make you jump hoops like a trained seal. Like Richard, since I travel with a EU passport, getting her into Italy will be easy

Permalink Reply by Chris Knight on August 10, 2011 at 9:52
Just tell them she's got 25 billion dollars and she wants refugee status. You'll get in, no problem.
Permalink Reply by Richard ridealgh on August 10, 2011 at 11:36

Ha, well anyway gents, gaea is now a holder of a visa!

 

Permalink Reply by Jaime Vicente Ruiz on August 15, 2011 at 16:41
This is a very helpful post.. Thanks for sharing Richard! and Congratulations...
Permalink Reply by David Emmerson Nicholson on January 7, 2015 at 14:16

Hi Richard. Realy interested in getting this for my Chinese wife too. 

Could you point me in the right direction! Cheers mate

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