I am in a gay relationship and have been with my partner for several years. He has been asked by his company to take over their Asia operations, and we are moving to Shanghai. He is European, and I am American. I am currently exploring job options in Shanghai, but I may not have a job lined up before traveling there.

What type of visa should I apply for? Normally, I believe family members would be covered under the Z visa of the employed party, but I don't believe this would apply for a gay couple.

Would it be wise to apply for a tourist visa for 6-12 months and then apply for residence permit once in country?

Thanks for your help.