Job Discussion Forums

[svrart]

Hello all,

I read the other thread concerning getting a Z visa and ended up much more confused.

Here is my situation - I entered China on a Z visa (single entry) on Feb 2004. I have a Foreign Experts Certificate that is valid till 15 Aug 2005. I want to change schools this summer, but was told by a new school that I would have to exit and reenter China to get a Z visa. Why would this be? I already have a Z visa that I entered with and my FEC is still valid.

Very confused.

[lowes13]

Do you have the Foreigner Residence Permit? The FRP is something you should also be in possession of; in your case it would be a small dark green booklet valid for the same period as your FEC or possibly some pages of that booklet attached to your passport.
As I understand it the following is accurate:

1. Before the expiration of your FRP and FRC you should sign a new contract with your next employer.

2. Your new employer should then be able to extend the validity of your FRP and FRC for the duration of your stay with them.

3. If you extend your documentation before the current expiry date then you will not need to apply for any further visas or leave the country unless you care to do so. If you intend to stay on in China then complete the document extension process before you exit the country.

4. The new FRP is, apparently, a sticker somewhat similar to your old visa in appearance which is also placed in your passport.

5. The new FRP has the dual purpose of being your residence permit and also an exit/re-entry authorization allowing you to come and go freely during its period of validity and therefore no need for the Z.

This info is for people already in country who wish to continue working here, individuals who still need to enter for the first time should apply for the Z visa in their own country. All other scenarios are possible but having the Z visa before you arrive here will take away the need for countless doubts and questions later on.

[amandabarrick]

Some provinces allow foreign teachers to apply Z visa in China. Some provinces do not, requiring foreigners to secure the Z visa outside of China, for example Hong Kong, Thailand, etc... You may live in a province that does not. To be sure, contact your nearest PSB to the new school you will be working in this summer and ask them if you can secure the Z visa in that province. They will either tell you yes you can get the Z visa and renew the FEC in that province or they will tell you you must exit the country and secure it to re-enter. You can also refer to the thread on which province Z visa can be issued in country. I don't know the exact details of how long Z visas are valid for, as I have never stayed in China for more than one year at any given time. A visa run to Hong Kong is Thailand is not as bad as it seems, sounds kinda fun actually. But this is my suggestion.
AB

[tw]

Well, the key point here is he has a Z visa so he must have a FRP. He is not getting a new Z visa but rather, as lowes13 pointed out, he is extending his FRP. Maybe the new school just isn't aware of these simple things that's all and they think that he needs a new Z visa.

[tony lee]

My understanding is that the procedure amandabarrick is talking about applies only to those who are coming to China to begin a job -- and as a previous poster suggests, it is much more sensible to get a z visa BEFORE you come to China for the very good reason that no matter what you read on another thread, or what someone tells you, these sort of deals can change from day to day and you could come to China on a tourist visa and find yourself in trouble. The other thing is that schools who do not have permission to employ foreign teachers will scam you into coming in illegally and once you have started work illegally, you are at their mercy.

For those who are here legally there is a standard procedure for getting your paperwork transferred just as lowes13 said but some FAOs don't know the procedure or can't be bothered.

One complication can arise if you want to go travelling during the vacation, especially outside of China, because the transfer has do be done in a particular sequence or you might find yourself having to travel back to the original city to sort out the paprework. If you travel outside China without getting the transfer done first, you may have your permit confiscated at the border and then not be allowed back in. Timing can be difficult, especially if you are in the bad books of your present school because they can hold things up and make it very difficult for you. Losing the transfer papers is fairly common.

[svrart]

Thanks for the replies.

As some posters have identified correctly, I am already in China on a Z visa and do not intend to travel outside China during the summer break. It appears as though the school that said I would have to exit and reenter may be illegal. Not sure - trying to confirm. Other than that things look ok now.

Thanks for the help.

[tw]

Quick lesson for anyone who is already in China or even better, the same city as the new school is located. Ask, no DEMAND to see their license for hiring FT's. That's when you will know 100% whether it is legal to work for them or not.

You can find a sample of what the license looks like (appearance may vary from one province/city to another):

http://www.dltcedu.org/zhengshu/waijiao.asp

Regardless, if they want you to leave China to get a Z visa, then they should be and must be able to get you a Z visa.

[Volodiya]

Where a lot of these discussions go astray is in the mixing up of terminology that occurs. (There has been some of that in replies to the OP's original statements and question.)
Svrart wrote:

[Roger]

To change jobs you need to be approved for this; you have to ask your current employer to write a release letter. Without a release letter the PSB can't approve you for a new job.
This release letter must be chopped by the PSB in your present location; the PSB thus give green light for any other would-be employer to take you on their payroll.
In addition, you will no doubt need a REFERENCE stating that you have experience as a teacher and have done your job well.
THis is not to be confused with the release letter. References have recently been asked for with increasing frequency.
I think these stipulations are straightforward and reasonable!
Leaving China means your new employer will not take into account your previous employment in the country; this is easy to do but you might have a hole in your CV for last year.

[Volodiya]

Roger, I'm not going to spend a lot of time, now, researching this; but, I distinctly remember when, at the end of 2004, the Residency Permit for Foreigners was introduced to replace the old Resident Permit, one advantage the new document was meant to create for FTs was greater ease in changing employers. I have a real question whether the release letter is even required anymore (under the new documentation).

You are also, perhaps, making some assumptions about the status of the OP which may be unwarranted. He didn't tell us, so we don't know whether he is completing his contract soon, and wishes to find a new employer (rather than contracting for another year with the old employer); or, as I inferred you might be thinking, that the OP was planning to leave before completing his contract. We also don't know, because the OP didn't tell us, whether he has a Resident Permit, or a Residency Permit for Foreigners. They are not the same, either procedurally or substantively. We need to wait for more information from the OP before pouring more advice on him.

[qiaohan]

Roger you are right. Before you leave your old city you need to get a chop from the PSB. So you have to leave your old job with no hard feelings all around otherwise you may not get that release that earns you the chop. Then when you get to your new city they can extend your visa/RPF. You need to do this before you leave or your new school may send you back to the old city for that chop. The easier alternative may be to leave China when everything expires and start all over again!

[Volodiya]

Are you guys even talking about the OP anymore? Did he say he was changing cities?

[lowes13]

OP wrote:

[Volodiya]

Yep, yep, I went a little overboard trying to make the point.