China, We’re Here to Stay

This has been a hectic week getting our visa extended. It was not complicated until we found out that in their system the husband still is registered, after all these years, as a citizen of the capital city. The visa cannot be extended on his Canadian visa because there is an indication that he is a Chinese citizen. The country doesn’t allow dual citizenship.

I was calling all over looking for the possible place where we were registered with. Finally we located the district. The registration was certainly cancelled many many years ago. The system didn't catch it. Neither he could get it back. We had to get a red stamped letter as the proof. Since there is no way that we could change the system’s record, the husband needs to carry this piece of paper probably throughout his life to prove to the authorities that he is no long a Chinese citizen.