I know you are not looking for employment, but unfortunately they do insist on the medical for it, and as you say one year L or F's are not an option now. It is affecting some married blokes I know in guangdong too and soon I reckon it will be the same everywhere. After July 1st it seems the days of getting 6 month or 1 year L's are gone, things are changing, and it is not my fault, or yours is it? In their eyes, we either accept it, or leave, sadly.

I was told the other day that the only kind of L visa I could get these days would be a 30 dayer. They do insist on......, as you say. The problem I have with my local PSB is that they had been stingy visa-wise in my case in the past. I was getting 180 dayers despite applying for 360 dayers. I knew for sure there was another FT with a Chinese wife getting 360 dayers in central China at that time.
Yep, we either take it or leave it. And all change in a rush re criminal record checks too. I read about a couple who went back home last festive season for a vacation. On returning to China, the school FAO said they needed criminal record checks. But before they had gone home for their vacation, they had worried about the criminal check being applied to their province, and had the foresight to ask their FAO. He said they should forget about doing it back home, and just to enjoy their vacation as it wasn't needed! But post July 1st it is, and I think it will be universally needed throughout China very soon if not already. I can understand arranging it while in China can be a hassle, the extent of which will depend upon where you have come from!