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Too late?

 
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traininvain



Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:06 pm    Post subject: Too late? Reply with quote

Hi,

I have been applying for a number of jobs over the past week, and while I'm gradually edging closer to finalising an offer, I'm concerned that it may be too late to acquire a Z visa in the UK. (Mainly dealing with Horizon, Find Work Abroad, and very, very sceptically ChinaESL & the notorious Rebecca Tang which I'm only entertaining incase sh*t hits the fan - sure that will leave me open to some criticism on here, which is welcome I guess).

I leave the UK on April 15, and had hoped to gain the Z visa and employment before leaving.

How long has it taken people in the past to acquire a Z visa? Also, is arriving on an L visa and then converting to a Z visa still a realistic alternative?

I am considering ditching my attempts to work in China and hedge my bets on Thailand (undertaking CELTA May-June there) as it seems more realistic and less complex to gain employment/visas.

Any advice/prior experience would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers guys
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rogerwilco



Joined: 10 Jun 2010
Posts: 1549

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, you want to arrive in China in April with a job and a Z visa, and then you will be in Thailand this May and June ?

What ?
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traininvain



Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CELTA course in Thailand from May-June, and then onto China from July.

Yet in order to acquire Z visa (which I have been told needs to be from home country, in my case in UK) I had hoped to secure a job etc before leaving the UK in April (I travel to Malaysia first).

Is what I'm proposing massively unrealistic?
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rogerwilco



Joined: 10 Jun 2010
Posts: 1549

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The long delay between getting the visa and starting work is probably a problem.
My experience has been that the people in charge of hiring in China do not like to deal with anything out of the ordinary.

What have the recruiters told you ?
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traininvain



Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have spoken to someone from English First, and they said the turnaround would be tight - but she suggested this was due to multiple visas (at least in regards to them sending out the paperwork) being acquired at one time,

So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that if a school is dealing with me on an individual basis - the process may be quicker. Hmm, guess I'll find out very soon ha
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vikeologist



Joined: 07 Sep 2009
Posts: 600

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What you're trying to do is out of the ordinary, so I may be wrong, but here's what i think.

When you get your Z visa, your school then has 30 days to turn that into the residence permit, which is what you really need, so you can't get a Z visa now and then turn it into the permit months down the line.

In any case, it's not true that you can only get the Z visa in your home country. It deends what location they put on the invitation letter. You can get yourZ visa in Thailand.

Again, I must stress that I don't know everything about your situation. It just sounds very much like you're trying to do something unfeasible and unecessary.

Anyway, the key point is that it's untrue that you can only get the Z visa in your home country. Just make it clear to employers when you get your job later in the year that you need to get it elsewhere.
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Javelin of Radiance



Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

vikeologist wrote:
When you get your Z visa, your school then has 30 days to turn that into the residence permit, which is what you really need, so you can't get a Z visa now and then turn it into the permit months down the line.

When you get your visa, the day you pick up your passport, you have 90 days to enter the country. After that you have 30 days to process a residency permit. So from the time of issuing the visa to the time before it's too late for a permit is about 4 months.

For a language mill job getting the visa in UK in April is doable as the residency permit wouldn't have to be processed till sometime in July or August, depending on when in April the visa was obtained. Since language mills work year round it's not a problem. For a uni job this guy's plan falls apart. Getting the visa in April means you'd have to arrive in China before mid-summer and unis usually shut down then so there's likely no-one around to process the residency permit for you, although it's not impossible to get it done. In the end getting the visa and entering the country closer to the date of actually starting work is better.
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clarke501



Joined: 18 Feb 2011
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I too am interested to know how long the z visa application process tends to take.

I have a recruiter telling me I can be in China to start work on March 1st with a Z visa. I have the contract, but am yet to sign it. From what I've read, it seems unrealistic to have the visa processed in such a short time frame.
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Javelin of Radiance



Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

clarke501 wrote:
I too am interested to know how long the z visa application process tends to take.

I have a recruiter telling me I can be in China to start work on March 1st with a Z visa. I have the contract, but am yet to sign it. From what I've read, it seems unrealistic to have the visa processed in such a short time frame.

If you haven't yet received the work permit and invitation letter (which you need to take along with your passport to the local Chinese consulate) from either the school or the recruiter it ain't gonna happen by March 1st. Even if you did have these documents in your hand right now it probably wouldn't happen by March 1st.

If there are no delays along the way, from the time the school applies for these two documents on your behalf, sends them to you, and you apply for and receive the visa is probably a 4 week venture.


Last edited by Javelin of Radiance on Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:03 am; edited 1 time in total
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clarke501



Joined: 18 Feb 2011
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, that's what I told them yesterday. Their response:

Quote:
What I told you is true.
I am agent , familiar with Chinese visa policy. We are professional on it.
We will get your work permit and invitation within 4 days and then post it to you.
You will hold those to apply for work visa in your location, any Chinese Embassy.
Then only take one or two days , you will get work visa, then take airplane to Wuhan, China.

Oh, my god, time is limited. please don't hesitate to send me those documents.


Got a good chuckle out the last line. Laughing
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choudoufu



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

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:29 am    Post subject: Re: Too late? Reply with quote

traininvain wrote:
....I am considering ditching my attempts to work in China and hedge my bets on Thailand (undertaking CELTA May-June there) as it seems more realistic and less complex to gain employment/visas.....



unless things have changed in the past three years............if you are in
thailand on a non-immigrant work or study visa, you can apply for a
chinese work visa in either bangkok or chiang mai.

if you go this route, your visa authorization letter must state "apply
in thailand." with all the correct paperwork, turnaround time once
submitted will be 2-3 days.

good news! the medical exam in thailand will cost around $50.
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kungfuman



Joined: 31 May 2012
Posts: 1749
Location: In My Own Private Idaho

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Wuhan, China


one of the dirtiest places in China
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fat_chris



Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kungfuman wrote:
Quote:
Wuhan, China


one of the dirtiest places in China


One of the three furnaces of China!

Warm regards,
fat_chris
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clarke501



Joined: 18 Feb 2011
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, far from the ideal location from what I can gather. However, it would only be until the end of June and I wouldn't be based in Wuhan itself (although I imagine the climate will be more or less the same).

The agency seem to have conceded that March 1st is unfeasible. However, somebody mentioned in a pm that it's rare to see a work permit given for a contract so short (4 months). The short length is really the appeal for me as it gives me a chance to get a taste for working in a Chinese uni, without committing myself longer-term. If I enjoy it, I can try and apply to a better uni in a better location for September. What do you think? Should I go for it or wait until the September intake and try to find something in Europe to tide me over until then?
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