First of all, let’s understand what is a Q1 visa and what is a Q2 visa
1. Objects of Family Reunion Visa (Q1 and Q2 Visas)
Q1 visa: family members of Chinese citizens (spouse, parents, children, children’s spouses, siblings, grandparents, maternal grandparents, grandchildren, grandchildren, and parents of spouses) who apply for residence in China due to family reunion and have permanent residence in China Family members (spouses, parents, children, children’s spouses, brothers and sisters, grandparents, maternal grandparents, grandchildren, grandchildren, and parents of spouses) of foreigners with residence status, and those who apply for entry and residence due to foster care and other reasons.
Q2 visa: a short-term entry (not more than 180 days) to visit relatives of Chinese citizens residing in China and relatives of foreigners with permanent residence in China.
2. Documents required to apply for Q1 and Q2 visas
1. Passport: The original passport with a valid period of more than 6 months and a blank visa page and a photocopy of the passport photo data page;
2. Visa application form and photos: 1 copy of 《Visa Application Form of the People’s Republic of China》 and 1 recent frontal passport photo without headgear and light background pasted on the application form;
3. Proof of legal stay or residence (applicable to those who are not applying for a visa in the country of nationality): If you are not applying for a visa in the country of your nationality, you need to provide a valid certificate of legal stay, residence, work, and study in the country where you live, or the original and photocopy of a valid visa Pieces
4. Original Chinese passport or original Chinese visa (applicable to those who once had Chinese nationality and later became a foreign national): If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you must provide the original Chinese passport and a copy of the passport photo data page; if you have been granted For a Chinese visa and applying for a visa with a newly-issued foreign passport, the photo data page of the original foreign passport and a copy of the previous Chinese visa must be provided (if the name recorded in the new passport is different from the original passport, the relevant official change must also be provided Proof of name).
3. Q1 and Q2 cannot replace each other
So, here comes the point. Can a Q2 short-term visa be changed to a Q1 visa?
The answer is no. Q2 is a short-term stay visa. No other documents are required after entry. The maximum stay period is 180 days, but you can apply to the local immigration authority for an extension within 7 days before the expiration date, as long as the reasons for the application are reasonable.
However, it can be replaced with a reunite residence permit, but a notarized kinship certificate must be submitted when applying.
The period of time from the date of issuance of the visa to the period after which the holder is allowed to enter the country, beyond this period, the visa is invalid. Generally, countries issue entry visas valid for 3 months, and some countries issue entry visas valid for 1 month.
