A Spanish national on visa-free status secured a 1-year family reunion permit within 7 days of entry, without leaving China. We fixed a missing date on the apostilled marriage certificate and got on-the-spot approval. No surcharge, no exit required.
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From Visa-Free to 1-Year Family Reunion Visa – Without Leaving China
Client Background
A Spanish national's spouse entered China visa-free. A previous intermediary had wrongly advised that switching from visa-free status to a family reunion permit was impossible in China, and arranged a stay visa instead. That visa became invalid after the client briefly left China.
This time, the client re-entered visa-free.
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What We Found
The client had a marriage certificate with an apostille — valid for 6 months but with no issuance date printed on it.
The Spanish consulate refused to stamp the document, offering only a verification code.
Without a visible date, the residence application would almost certainly be rejected. And with only 30 days on the visa-free entry, there was no room for error or delay.
What We Did
We identified one critical fix: the date.
We advised the client to return to the consulate and request — at minimum — a handwritten date alongside the verification code. The consulate agreed.
With the newly dated certificate in hand, we booked an in-person appointment and accompanied the client to the immigration office the same day.
The Result
Application approved on the spot
1-year family reunion residency permit granted
All within 7 days of entry — while still on visa-free status
Key Takeaway
Even when an intermediary says it's impossible, the right approach can make it possible. We found the fix, acted fast, and secured the permit.
If you're on visa-free status and want to switch to a family reunion or long-term visa, contact us. Even if it looks impossible, we have a solution.
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