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China Travel Document Request With HK ID and US Passport

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  1. #1

    China Travel Document Request With HK ID and US Passport

    My wife was born in HK and was named lets say Chan Lei Ho Yummy. When she got her green card, her green card only had Chan Lei Ho and did not recognize Yummy as a legal name and dropped it. Fast forward, she obtained her citizenship where she got to state her name Chan Lei Ho AKA Joanna Chan Lei Ho. We eventually got married and she also adopted my surname to Joanna Chan Lei Ho White. The dilemma is that now her HK ID is identified as Chan Lei Ho Yummy and her US Passport is Joanna Chan Lei Ho.

    We are also in the process of trying to obtain her travel documents. We were recently informed that since she was born in HK, she wil not be able to obtain a Visa in the US and will need to submit an application for the "travel document" instead.

    Will this be a problem with the HK/Chinese government in issuing the travel document if she has two different legal names in HK and US, but we have the proper documentation from the US to support our reason? Please advise. Thank you.


  2. #2

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    If you run into application problems for the China Travel Document because of the changed name, try to apply for a visa based on your US citizenship. Then you shouldn't have to provide your HK ID.


  3. #3

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    You apply China travel document at China Travel Services, and they send your application to the mainland. I don't think China wants to see her US passport.
    Edit: I was wrong.. You do need to show your foreign passport.

    Quote Originally Posted by lsoar001:
    My wife was born in HK and was named lets say Chan Lei Ho Yummy. When she got her green card, her green card only had Chan Lei Ho and did not recognize Yummy as a legal name and dropped it. Fast forward, she obtained her citizenship where she got to state her name Chan Lei Ho AKA Joanna Chan Lei Ho. We eventually got married and she also adopted my surname to Joanna Chan Lei Ho White. The dilemma is that now her HK ID is identified as Chan Lei Ho Yummy and her US Passport is Joanna Chan Lei Ho.

    We are also in the process of trying to obtain her travel documents. We were recently informed that since she was born in HK, she wil not be able to obtain a Visa in the US and will need to submit an application for the "travel document" instead.

    Will this be a problem with the HK/Chinese government in issuing the travel document if she has two different legal names in HK and US, but we have the proper documentation from the US to support our reason? Please advise. Thank you.
    Last edited by pizzalover; 16-05-2018 at 09:45 AM.

  4. #4

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    OP’s wife’s problem is that because she is still a Chinese national, the Chinese consulate will NOT issue a China visa on her USA passport, thus requiring her to apply for the “China Travel Document”, which is in effect a temporary Chinese passport. This is a common international practise, e.g. a dual Chinese (HK) / US national cannot apply for a US visa on his HKSAR passport.

    Your wife should apply for this under the name of her Hong Kong identity documents. Alternatively, she can come to HK and apply for the Home Return Permit instead.

    In the more exteme case, she can renounce her Chinese natinality. After that she would be able to get a China visa on her USA passport.

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  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by mlew:
    If you run into application problems for the China Travel Document because of the changed name, try to apply for a visa based on your US citizenship. Then you shouldn't have to provide your HK ID.
    Thanks. That’s what I was going to do, but that visa app points out my wife was born in HK and the Consulate gave me the travel document request form.

  6. #6

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    Use your wife's official Chinese name and if there is any congruence you may be in luck.


  7. #7

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    Try calling up a US-based visa agent, they'll have more experience and can tell you what will/won't work.


  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by answerer:
    Try calling up a US-based visa agent, they'll have more experience and can tell you what will/won't work.
    Probably not. The HKSAR scenario is unique and Americans are out of it. I would wait to apply at the CTS here in HK. Note that the Chinese name takes precedence over any English one, so your situation is hopeful.

  9. #9

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    I second that. More straighforward to apply for the Home Return Permit at CTS in HK. Just need to show HK documents, and the permit lasts 10 years vs 2 years for the "China Travel Document".


  10. #10

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    i think the applicant needs to show SAR passport when applying for home return permit. applying at CTS in HK is the same as Chinese Embassy


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