Family accompanying me while studying in China
I have been admitted to TongJi University in Shanghai and am preparing to apply for an X1 student visa to enter China in time for the Spring 2026 Semester. I plan to study at Tongji for 2 years. I have a wife and 2 children who live in Georgia with me. They 3 were all born in China and have both Chinese and US passports. However, we are wishing to give up their Chinese passports and re-enter China with a Chinese visa in their US passports. My wife's family is all in China.
I would like for the 4 of us to enter China together. However, I read that if we wanted the 3 of them to apply for S1, I would need to enter China first before being able to invite them and they apply. Is that correct? It seems somewhat odd that If someone with a family goes to China on a work or student visa, they can't take their family with them initially, but would have to go to China first and then they come later after receiving the S1. Am I understanding correctly?
Would our only other options be applying for them to receive Q1 visas through my wife's family or the L tourist visa?