This is interesting I guess they want to encourage overseas Chinese to contribute to the development of China. It is a wise move because OC are some of the sharpest mind when it come to bussiness
I know the overseas Chinese representative in national congress has demanded this long term visa. I guess it strike a balance between Jus Sanguinis and the desire of allowing long term residency. Interestingly there is no limit to the generation
Few people know that in 60's about 150000 OC from SEA return to China At that time China was poor but she did send ships and facilitate them to resettle in their home province.But then the Cultural revolution run its course and many OC become victim of the purge and prosecuted due to their connection with outside world
At the end of CR they were allowed to leave China and many end up in Hongkong because at that time that is only place that allowed refugee from China to resettle. Now there are at least half million of their descendant in Hongkong
China offers five-year visas to attract foreigners of Chinese descent to return to the Middle Kingdom
By Liu Meng Source:Global Times Published: 2018/2/8 16:58:39
The new visa policy for foreigners of Chinese descent makes it easier for Chinese living overseas to "return home." Photo: VCG
Ashley, a 35-year-old Chinese-Filipina, could not have been more excited when she saw an online news story announcing a new visa policy for foreigners of Chinese descent on February 2. Her first reaction was to send the news link to the human resource department in her company, a Beijing-based consulting firm where she works as a director.
"It would be very handy to have one. I am not sure what the implications are if I already have a work visa versus getting this visa for overseas Chinese. I just think it will be great not to have to renew my visa every year," she told Metropolitan.
Starting from February 1, foreigners of Chinese descent are able to apply for a visa that allows them to stay in China for up to five years or enter the country multiple times over the same period once they meet the prerequisites, according to a new visa policy from the
(MPS) on January 22.
Foreigners of Chinese heritage who want to come to China to visit their family and relatives, do business, have cultural exchanges or run personal errands can apply for a five-year multiple-entry visa, and those who already work, study, visit families and relatives or run personal errands in China and need to stay longer, can apply for a five-year residency permit, said the policy.
Before this policy, foreigners of Chinese descent could only get a one-year multiple-entry visa, and a residency permit spanning no more than three years in the country.
Qu Yunhai, the director of the Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration of the MPS, said in a January 22 press release that the policy aims to encourage and attract more foreigners of Chinese descent to participate in China's economic and social development.
"Over recent years, the Ministry of Public Security and other departments have promoted a series of measures to facilitate foreigners of Chinese descent to come to China. These policies have played a positive role in serving China's economic and social development and attracting talents with innovative and entrepreneurial spirit," said Qu in the release.
He added that the implementation of the new visa policy will make it more convenient for them to "return home."
The new visa policy will have a significant impact on the lives of Chinese descendants who make frequent visits to China. Photo: VCG
Visa headache
Ashley's hometown in China is in Fujian Province. Decades ago, her grandparents emigrated from Fujian to settle in Manila. She now holds a one-year multiple-entry work visa which takes around two to three weeks to process.
She embraced the new visa policy because of the ease of getting in and out of China without having to renew her visa every year.
"It puts constraints on my personal schedule and company-related activities," she said.
Lu-Hai Liang, a 28-year-old British national, left Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to join his parents in the UK when he was five. Since he still has family in Guilin, he applied for a Q2 visa in September last year. But he has to leave China every 120 days.
The second visa type under the Q category, the Q2 visa is for foreigners who come to China to visit Chinese citizens or foreigners with permanent residency. It allows a short-term stay of up to 180 days.
Fan Li'na, an official at the Entry and Exit Administration of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, told Metropolitan that the new policy toward foreigners of Chinese descent ensures them a longer residency in Beijing, reduces their visa processing frequency and cuts the cost associated with frequently entering and exiting the country. But they still have to make the cut to get access.
"The maximum period of the visas is five years. But whether one can get the visas with the longest period still depends on whether they meet set criteria," she said.
Based on the documents she gave to Metropolitan, an applicant needs to provide materials including proof of his or her previous Chinese nationality, such as a Chinese passport he or she owned in the past, an ID card, a birth certificate or household registration and so on to qualify.
According to a staffer surnamed Xiong who works in the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government, documents proving Chinese descent include copies of the applicant's, their parents' or grandparents' Chinese passports or ID cards.
Marina Yang, a 24-year-old student in Sydney, usually gets a standard travel visa for 60 or 90 days to visit her hometown in Shanghai.
As the first child in her family to be born outside of China, she tries to visit her family in China every three to four years. She said the main difficulty is getting an invitation letter from busy family members and making sure she has all the right details for the trip.
"I usually don't need to go through the same process when I visit other countries, but I understand why it is part of the Chinese visa application," she said. "It's just to inform the Chinese authorities of your traveling intentions and the identity of the locals they can get in contact with if any issues arise."
Yang said she appreciates the added convenience of the new visa because it gives people the opportunity to make long-term plans for a career in China.
"It indicates to people that their talents and skills are welcomed and that they can make a home in China," she said.
Mary Peng, a Chinese-American in her 40s, told Metropolitan that the new policy could be attractive to many haigui (Chinese who studied abroad).
"A lot of haigui become citizens of their host countries. Many of them want to come back (to China) to work but may have been discouraged by the fact that having become a foreign citizen, they need to apply for a one-year employment visa to return to their homeland where they were born and raised," said Peng, who is the CEO and founder of International Center for Veterinary Services in Beijing.
Peng, whose hometown is in Henan Province, said if she had a 10-year tourist visa she would be able to visit her family in Henan any time she wants, but she would have to leave the country every 60 days.
According to Fan, Chinese-Americans who meet the criteria for the five-year visa for home visits can stay in the country for the entire five years, as they are not required to leave the country after a certain amount of days.
