Hotwater, if you took the time to read you will notice that I ask what an S visa is because I do not know.

I took the time to look through some other threads and I found a lot of info about other visas. However, I did not find anything about an S visa.

www.gokunming.com/[...]

S1 = Long term Family Reunion.
S2 = Short term Family Reunion.

You will also notice that the thread you gave the OP was started by me.

www.gokunming.com/[...]

At no time do I make mention of an S visa because I do not know what that is - I refer to this as a RP = Residence Permit.

Why don't I believe you? Because it's the S1 visa category that allows you personally to get a resident permit. From the topic I linked (started incidentally by you) it's quite clear your RP is a marriage/family one....which is exactly what the OP is asking about in his first sentence when he asks "Has anyone applied for a marriage/family visa, of the S-category?"

Maybe you didn't take time to fully read the question?

On your first link, about the new regulations in 2013 there are categories missing. Full list here:
www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/t1071018.htm

Thanks for the link - you scored points. All these years I have been going to PSB and I get a RP every time. Never have I seen an S visa in my passport. Perhaps that explains why I took the time to ask, What exactly is an S Visa?

www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/t1071018.htm - Visa categories.

Actual you have a point yourself. Don't know what your original visa was (Z maybe) but the only people who will get an S visa in their passport are those applying to come here through the marriage/family visit route. Once here, same as with a Z visa, they'll convert it into an RP and continue to renew the RP.

www.kmcrj.com/flfagui/flfginf.aspx?id=42

The Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China - Effective July 1, 2013.

I may be mistaken and will have to check with the PSB, but I believe even though you may have a family visa resident permit, you still need a work visa to work here legally - eg Z visa. I'll verify this with PSB in a few months (or next year) and update or start a new thread accordingly, unless someone else has already gone through the family visa and FORMAL work visa thing.

Wow!

Thank you for all your answers and help.
Yes, the S-visa is a family stay or spouse vise.

No, I am not working on a spouse visa.

Most of my income comes from overseas projects.

I am occasionally doing consulting work, but for that my employers usually give me my work-permits and documents.

Besides that, I am making a little bit of liqueur but that I can do together with my wife, as long as she is the brains and producer behind this, moonshining operation.

I went to the PSB on two different days and I got very different answers.

I remember the last time I went, they gave me a checklist of documents.

I asked them for it but they said, they never had one of these.

Very strange.

One officer told me I need a criminal background check and a medical exam for any visa I want to apply for. Which seems even more strange.

Another officer told me, that I just need the marriage certificate, my wife's residence permit, an handwritten invitation letter, my residence permit and that's it.

But I don't want to be told next week, that I don't have all my documents ready and take an expensive and troublesome visa trip to Hongkong.

www.gokunming.com/[...]

I went to PSB 2 weeks ago to renew my RP = S Visa. Here is the complete list of everything you will need. I will pick up my passport tomorrow.

1 - Visa Application + photo on 1st floor (30 Yuan).
2 - Passport + copy, previous RP (visa) + copy, latest entry and exit stamp into China.
3 - Marriage Book + copy.
4 - Local police Registration Form + copy.
5 - Wife's ID card + copy.
6 - Wife's Hukou + copy.
7 - Invitation letter that was used in the past has now been changed - now there is a form your wife must fill out. Get the form from PSB.

I went through this process last year.
As pointed out above (for those who may be thinking of it) it is not legal to work on a family RP.

To add to what HFC wrote above.
1. these are the photos that come with the bar coded receipt.

3. If you were married to a Chinese national outside of China, you need your original copy of your marriage certificate that has been notorized, and certified by the Chinese Embassy in your home country. With the attached certificate.
Kunming also requires that you have an official translation of your marriage certificate done. This can be done in Kunming.

5. If you wife is a Chinese national and does not have a Kunming Hukou, she will need a Kunming temporary ID. Usually available from the same police station that provides you with your registration of address. This process takes 30 days.

7. This form only takes two minutes to fill in. If your wife goes with you it will save an additional journey.

NB. We had no problems whatsoever, with obstructive clerks, getting the RP. Despite what had been written in some forums previously.