Job Discussion Forums

Hanks · Joined: 22 Jun 2003 Posts: 3

Hey there. I'll be in China this fall. Most things are worked out, but i still have a bunch of Visa questions. Any help would be much appreciated.

1) How easy is it to extend a three month Z Visa. Can I do it while I'm there? The school (Kid city in Xi'An, anyone heard of it?) tells me that they will be able to extend the Visa for me while I'm there, is this true?

2) My dad wants to come over for a few weeks in December. Can he get a tourist Visa without an invitation letter? How does that work.

3) Do I even need the school to help me get a Visa. I'll be volunteering, so I'm probably not under the same sort of Visa restrictions that payed teahers are. Can I get a 6 month tourist Visa on my own?

thanks

-Ian

Bertrand · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 293

I don't know if there is such a thing as a 3 month Z visa and I was always under the impression that you had to leave China to get another visa; they are not extended as they are stamped in your passport.

I can't get a tourist visa without a letter of invitation/address, etc. Again, as far as I am aware, all this is actually stamped on the visa and thus is non-flexible.

You ask:"Do I even need the school to help me get a Visa. I'll be volunteering, so I'm probably not under the same sort of Visa restrictions that payed teahers are. Can I get a 6 month tourist Visa on my own?" I take it this will be your first time in China? Everyone is under the same 'restrictions'. Yes, you need the school.

davis · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 12:07 am Post subject:

If you're from the U.S. you don't need an invitation to come to China on a tourist (L) visa. You can simply buy one when you get to Hong Kong. You can get one right at the airport. You'll need one or two passport photos.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

A three-m0onth visa is really a special deal! Normally, work visas are for 6 months or one year although I did see mention on a poster in the Shenzhen PSB of "one-month work visas".
I suppose, you got yours from the CHinese embassy or consulate in your area; be prepared to run the full gauntlet of bureaucratic tangles in Xi'an again - medical exam, to begin with!
That would be the occasion to ask for a six-month visa, which might look like a three-month extension.
Anyway, an extension should be possible but I have no experience with visas obtained abroad. I always got my visa from the local PSB, and an extension can normally be gotten upon presentation of a new contract and a medical exam paper.

Your father can apply for a tourist visa any time without any further ado!
An advantage - he can get it in Hong Kong quite easily!

sillyboy · Joined: 14 Jun 2003 Posts: 12

a 3-month work visa is possible. last week, my school organised one for me, and all the paperwork was completed on the same day. my boss is best mates with the local psb......