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Passport Issues And Getting Hired
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JRJohn



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 175

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:00 pm    Post subject: Passport Issues And Getting Hired Reply with quote

I am looking for a teaching job preferrably in a university or high school for the spring semester in China. Unfortunately, my passport expires in September 2013. Will I still be able to get a z visa for the Spring semester? Geting a new passport can take 3 weeks in the U.K. and I aim to apply as soon as I arrive home on December 23rd.
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Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Taking the last bit first, I suggest that late Dec is way too late for the Spring Semester hiring season, which is usually completed by end November - at least for the public sector.
As to the first bit, most countries have a requirement that a passport be valid for X months beyond the expiry of the required permit.
My last enquiry about China indicated 2 months, so if you leave immediately after classes finish end June you should be OK. Don't run it too close though as you will be involved in end of year stuff, even though you will have only been there one semester.
I would think getting a contract would be the issue though. Remember the Chinese go on holiday for Spring Festival and the chances of getting anyone to respond to your application during January is remote.
That's why the hiring seasons are the way they are for both semesters.
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vikeologist



Joined: 07 Sep 2009
Posts: 600

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The rule is that you should have 6 months on your passport, but my extremely strong advice os to renew the passport.

That's not to say that you can't apply for jobs now.


It will be very difficult though. If you apply for the passport on Dec 24th, it almost certainly will take the entire 3 weeks. You email your copy of the new passport on 14 January, and then it will probably take a few weeks because all the Police will be about to go on holiday. I'm not sure an employer could be 100% certain of getting your letter of invitation before Chinese New Year.

However, I doubt employers will be keen to have to get a new visa in the middle of your year.

It's a good question. I'm afraid there's no good option. Obviously you should ask the employer what they want to do, but you have to make a decision next Monday, and once you apply for the new passport, you can't get a visa with the old one.

Ask yourself though whether next August you want to have to send off your passport for a postal application, given that Universities will be on holiday during the summer, and there'll be delays getting new visas.

As I say, rock and a hard place, but i think you'd be better getting the passport sorted out first, because it's just going to make employers less likely to hire you.
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Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If it is 6 months as vikeologist states then as he/she says, everything is dependent on you getting it renewed.
I take it UK doesn't have online renewals.
Get applying for jobs, but state clearly that you are in the process of renewing your passport and that a new document with a new number will be the operative document. Don't make any travel plans that don't allow ample time to receive your new passport and get the local Embassy stamps.
In my second year (2005), I made the mistake of applying on a soon-to-expire passport, but arriving on a new one.
It's a bit hazy, but I think what the school did was get some of the paperwork completed ahead of the holidays and didn't notice that the passport they put forward to the authorities didn't match.
I guess money changed hands, but in the end I got my permit.
Rule of thumb for China: If you regard something as an inconsequential detail, the Chinese will find a way of making it an issue or causing a delay.
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roadwalker



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 1750
Location: Ch

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, apply now. The school will soon run into issues of getting any government work started before Spring Festival. Deal with the passport issue as the school suggests. You may have to carry two (old and new) passports with you for a while, if they won't put the visa in the current one.
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Banner41



Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 656
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just got got a renewal and it's as stated above that I had to carry the old passport for a bit because of the old visas that were in there. Not a huge deal really.
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vikeologist



Joined: 07 Sep 2009
Posts: 600

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can apply for your new passport from China, but you send your old passport off. It would then be returned to you.

I'm not sure if Roadalker meant to apply for jobs now, or for the passport.

I'd alert employers to the passport situation, but there almost certainly will be time to get the new passport (as long as you do the application correctly) and still get the visa. Chinese new year will slow things up, but I don't think it would be a big problem.
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roadwalker



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 1750
Location: Ch

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, I meant apply for jobs now.
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choudoufu



Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

question for those who have renewed passports while in china:


with original (cancelled) z-visa plus entry stamp and current RP in old
(cancelled) passport.....you'd need both when applying for the new RP
and for international travel.

for how long (and when) did y'all need to carry both passports once you
got the new RP? still need the old passport each year because there's
no z-visa in the new one?
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Banner41



Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 656
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I carried my old one around (Basically rubber-banded them together) until my RP expired. Then I got a new one in my new passport with a new entry stamp. They don't just need to look at the RP they need the entrance stamp that is in your old passport. I leave the country every year so that wasn't a big deal.....I am not so sure about those who don't exit the country at all how they would get a new stamp. I would think carrying the old one until you got a new stamp in there would save some headaches trying to explain it all of the time.
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GreatApe



Joined: 11 Apr 2012
Posts: 582
Location: South of Heaven and East of Nowhere

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

+ 1 to Banner41 ... I still have my two passports rubber-banded together, and I figure it will be that way for a long time. I just renewed my passport last year. It doesn't expire until 2021. Very Happy

--GA
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lionheartuk



Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Guangdong

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I renewed my passport in Dec. 2008 a year before it expired but kept the old one until I lost it in Hong Kong a year ago. The PSB only asked to look at my old passport once in January 2009 to check the date of entry into China and have not bothered since then.
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Kysorb



Joined: 30 Jul 2010
Posts: 253
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just went through renewing my passport and updating my RP


According to the PSB you have 10 days after getting your new passport to come in and apply for the transfer or you face a fine.. It also costs about $200 for the transfer

If you are on an L visa this is not needed however. just for Resident permits.
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Banner41



Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 656
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kysorb wrote:
I just went through renewing my passport and updating my RP


According to the PSB you have 10 days after getting your new passport to come in and apply for the transfer or you face a fine.. It also costs about $200 for the transfer

If you are on an L visa this is not needed however. just for Resident permits.


I kind of took my chances I guess just carrying around the old one. Though, even if you do transfer the RP the PSB still can't stamp your passport with an entry stamp thus the need to carry around the old one for a bit. If you are travelling during the holidays around China every hotel/hostel will look for that stamp. If they can't find it they get kind of freaked out sometimes.
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choudoufu



Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kysorb wrote:
According to the PSB you have 10 days after getting your new passport to come in and apply for the transfer or you face a fine.. It also costs about $200 for the transfer


where are you located?
the fee was $200 or 200 RMB?


......and.....according to the us consulate (guangzhou):

"My Chinese visa is in my old passport, will you return my old passport to me?

The Consulate understands the importance of your Chinese visa and will
not cancel it. Until your current Chinese visa expires, you will need to
travel with both your new, valid U.S. passport as well as the old U.S
passport containing your valid Chinese visa. Once your current Chinese
visa expires, the new visa can be issued into your new U.S. passport."
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