Job Discussion Forums

omeletteman · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:40 pm Post subject: gettin a visa

alright i've got a bit of a dillema and I'm hoping someone can help me out. I'm gonna be going to Dongguan in about a week (horray for short notice!). the school says I should wait until I get to Hong Kong to get my work visa, but I'm wondering if thats a good idea, or if I should get it here. I've heard that most people (or "some" people, don't know which) get a tourist visa when they first go over, and then get it changed to a work visa once in China, so that seems to fit with the go to HK first idea. Any input anyone can give would be greatly appreciated, I gotta figure this all out fast...

Dave

randyj · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:33 pm Post subject:

Many people in the forum can give you much better advice than I, but either way should work for you. In Hong Kong you can obtain visas conveniently, perhaps more conveniently than your current location.

Spiderman Too · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 1:35 am Post subject:

When I first entered China for employment purposes in January of this year, I entered on an 'L' (tourist) visa. My employer changed it to an 'F' (business) visa, and then a 'Z' (employment) visa following which they obtained a Foreigner Residence Permit for me.

Apparently this process is wide-spread but actually defies Chinese law. Still, it continues in the provinces. I have read that the Foreign Affairs Office in Beijing will no longer convert 'L' visas to 'F' visas.

On this occasion (this month), I entered China on a 'Z' visa because my new school gave me the relevant (3) documents to submit with my visa application.

The 'benefit' of entering on an 'L' or 'F' visa is that you do not have to undergo the (very thorough) medical examination prior to coming to China. You do the medical exam in China. I understand that most schools (but not all) will pay the cost of the medical examination in China, but not the cost of an overseas medical check.

As for Hong Kong, there are several agents who can arrange 'L' and 'F' visas for foreigners. You simply call at their office and they go to the embassy on your behalf.

The names & addresses of the agents can be found on this forum.

Cheers

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

I f you wait in Canada for a Z visa it will take a lot longer than a week. You can get a tourist visa at a China consul or go to Hong Kong and get an entry visa in 24 hours or so. You don't get work visas in HK I don't know why people say this. You need a medical and a visit to the PSB in the city you will work in...

I arrived twice on 30 day visas and had them changed by legit schools..Don't know if I would try this if I was dealing with some sort of agency though...

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

What I wonder is,
did they send you an invitation and contract so you can present your documents in HK to obtain your work visa?

IF not, you cannot get a work visa there. They probably want you to buy a businessman's visa at your expense, which will absolve them from any responsability.
Plenty of teachers work in China illegally, holding a businessman's visa.
It is a lot easier to get any kind of visa in HK, and that seems to be what interests your future employers!

But if you want to hang on this job, why not? I am not condoning it, but I do know Dongguan is a place where hardly anyone is legal. I happen to know one emplthat grudgingly applies for a work visa for his most trusted white faces while the majority there have toourist or businessmen's visas.
There also is that Taiwanese-run OXFORD and CAMBRIDGE school in Houji; they will make you sign a contract that promises you the issuance of a work visa, which will never come, though.
Dongguan is not a bad place but rather sleazy because of the soand economic interaction of Chinese authorities and Taiwanese investors.

burnsie · Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 489 Location: Beijing

The reason they ask you is that the school is not officially registered as an english school. For instance, there are 270 schools officially registered in Beijing but there are 2,000 schools! These schools that are not registered either get help from other schools to use their official certificate to register you or just don't at all and you work on a tourist visa.

So why don't the schools just register as a foreign school? Because they are either small or don't have the resources to officially register.

Now I am not saying that the school is not good it's just not the large schools that have officially registered. Many many teachers come here on a tourist visa, change to a working visa and all is fine.

If you are not sure about a school post a response on this forum or similar one for people that know about the school. It can help to hear some comments from others.

Itsme · Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 624 Location: Houston, TX

Is there a website to see which schools are legit or not?

T_Lanc · Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 63 Location: China

This website is of some help:-

http://p082.ezboard.com/fteachingenglishinchinafrm49