I am an american citizen married to a chinese citizen. Must I have an entry visa to accompany my wife to China

Yes, you may not enter China without a visa, marriage means nothing entering and exiting.

You may do a tourist visa, for 60 to 90 days or less, but you are not allowed to work . Even if you get a visa and residence permit in China for marriage you are not allowed to work. Only a work visa allows you to work.

So the purpose of the trip will decide which visa you will need

*** I am an American married to a Chinese wife, living in China.

Chuck, tell us what would happen if 11 million people snuck into China or for that matter any country? The reason I am asking that question is because America is looked upon as a nasty and bad place by other countries. Also, I can't think of a country that is so wanted to be in as America. Sort of disproves the nasty and bad opinion though, don't you think?

First I will say it is possible to sneak into, or out of China, The borders are not all heavily guarded many places. The area of Laos, Vietnam, if you do not travel on main roads is basically jungle. There are troops on the main road. (troops, army, in addition to immigration at the boarder.) There are some towns with just a marker in the middle of the city, one side is China, the other Vietnam.

First, you can not get a drivers license, you can not open a bank account, you can not stay at a hotel, you can not rent a house, or buy a house, you can not ride a train, you can not ride a airplane, without a proper ID card. Even Chinese citizens, Chinese citizens must always carry a National ID card. Foreigners must always carry a passport.

You are subject to being stopped any time, anywhere, for no reason, both Chinese and foreigners, and you must show them a valid ID.

If you do not have a proper ID on you, you will be detained until someone can bring your ID to the police station.

Every time you use it, they will check your visa dates (or in my case my residence permit, I have my permit.

IF you were illegal, first you , as mentioned, can not legally work, can not legally drive, can not have a bank account, can not use a train or plane. *** You can travel by bus, without an ID but could not stay at a hotel, could not rent a house.

If you are caught, you are arrested, and put in jail, till you can pay the fine (about 100 US dollars a day for each day you were in the country illegally. And/or they work out deportation to your native country.

For a foreigner in China, you must notify the police where you are at, at all times.

Example, my exwife, the police came to her apartment late at night to make sure she was home, and living there, Your house is subject to being searched at any time of the day or night.

If you travel anywhere, you must register where you are staying with the police. Hotels do it automatically, but if you stay at a private residence, you by law must go to the nearest police station and register.

You are subject to arrest if you do not register.

With that said, China has taken in about 30,000 plus refugees from Burma, the last couple of years and has large camps set up for them.

Very interesting Chuck. I would imagine what you have said, could put a damper on tourism and would not be an incentive to try to sneak into China.

What is going on in Burma??
I just read about starving Burmese crossing into Thailand hoping for jobs, and getting kidnapped to work in shrimp processing plants, working in freezing cold water for 16 hours a day, locked in to damp cold sheds, wages taken away for food and a cot to sleep on, cops bring them back if they escape, children too, woman miscarried on floor and ordered to keep working.... zi will never buy shrimp from there again

(Fr Chuck, I think you have passed me in marriages)

Civil war in Burma, 1000's being killed. This is in the rural jungle areas, The Burma government had bombs fall into China some months ago, caused a small tension. And only about 300 miles from where I live.