I’m currently in Taiwan on a yearly student visa that will expire in at the end of August.
It seems this can substitute the need for a passport during the HHR appointment (not really an issue).
However I’m hoping someone could shed light on the next step, getting a JFRV (would I need this since I’m still in Taiwan on an ARC until August), and getting a marriage based ARC. Also is there any chance I could circumvent the need for a FBI background check as a U.S. citizen?
Finally is there any problem with leaving Taiwan for a month to several months time after marriage due to business? I’d likely be coming to Beijing for work and traveling back to Taiwan when possible. Potentially with my wife traveling with me…
OK, I swapped from a student visa to a marriage one too.
Unfortunately they’re really, really picky about the damn JFRV. With a student visa you can put in the application and get a temporary extension while you gather up the documents, this is not possible with the JFRV.
Oh, and you need to apply like a month or so before your student visa expires. No waiting until the day it runs out; they’ll make you do a visa run.
You need to take your passport and single certificate to HHR to get registered.
One you’re registered, you need to take your household registration, passport, wife’s shenfenzheng, Taiwan police check and FBI check (which needs to be authenticated by the consulate in the US, remember) over to immigration. Together with photograph and $$.
Apparently FBI checks take at least 6 months, so you’re not going to make end-of-August.
You have two options.
- Enrol in Chinese language studies and extend your visa this way.
- Visa run after you register your marriage (do it on the last day of your student ARC). Get a three month or six-month visitor visa, change to JFRV once you have your stuff together. Note that any work done on this visa will be illegal (as was any work performed with your student ARC).
Leaving for Beijing won’t make any difference, but in order to avoid the hassle of new police checks etc. it might be a good idea to make sure you’re in-country to renew your JFRV (you can apply for a JFRV of 1, 2 or 3 years). But you need to apply to renew it a month or so before it runs out.
Also remember there are two distinct processes.
First, the marriage where you need the single certificate proving you are not currently married to anyone back home. This document needs to be authenticated in the US. Once this is done you can get married here with this document and your visa. I came on a sixty day extensible tourist visa.
The second process is applying for the JFRV. Here you need the FBI background check. A local criminal record check and a few other documents such as a health check.
The background check also needs the correct stamps from the US.
With the JFRV, you can spend as much time as you want out of Taiwan. There is no requirement that you need to stay for x number of days.
However, as I tell everyone, do not rely on this forum for answers. Check with the NIA, as the rules seem to fluctuate with the tides.
And also remember that all documents need to be officially translated.
PM if you need further help.