Job Discussion Forums

[NathanRahl]

I am sure this has been asked before, however not by myself, so any help would be quite welcome.

My visa expires on Dec 5. I have everything I need, at least I think I do, to get my visa extended. Medical report, invite letter, passport, all that jazz.

Now my question is first off, is there a certain amount of time there must be left on it to get it extended in the city I live? I have seen som say that they have simply gone down to the local Police station and gotten three month or longer extensions, is this so, and if so, is there a certain amount of time that must be left on the visa to do this. Basically I just want to know if I have to make a quick run to Hong Kong.

That brings me to my next question, if not the local Police station, then where would I go locally?

Finally, if I do not have enough time left, and must go to Hong Kong, how do I go about it. I would be taking the train, anyone who can tell me the name of where to go to get my visa same day, as well as what is involved, that would be great. I have heard it is rather painless.

I would not have waited so long to get my visa extended or renewed, but someone here told me I had to wait until there were 7 days or less left on it before I can get an extension. I am not so sure this is true now, though at the time I trusted this persons experience.

Anyhow, any positive input would be great, and please, do keep on subject, too many posts on the forum seem to spiral off into personal attacks which are completely unrelated to the subject posted, and are often not helpful in any way.

I think this post would be very helpful for all those others out there who also wonder about the small little details in regards to such things. Many of those people are afraid to ask for fear of being attacked for their seeming ignorance though, by some of the more pompous members here, won't mention names. I can't blame those people for their fear by the way.

Thanks in advance for an help that can be offered, like I said, I think this thread could be very useful to not just me, but many others. Take care.

[Lobster]

I don't know anyone who has done their own visa extension in-country. If you have a legitimate employer lined up, and have all the legal working papers, why don't you just get the employer to get you the visa?

RED

[Bayden]

Your employer should do it for you.
This thread is started every second day, why not just do a search.

[englishgibson]

That "search" might be appropriate, but what would some do then

Peace to some with great typing skills
and
cheers and beers to all hard working FTs in China

[englishgibson]

[Steppenwolf]

I guess the flags I could wave in his face to point him to his destination can never be "positive" enough...judging by some of his posts.

Oh yes, and the 5th of December is...pretty soon! The P.S.B. have time off on weekends!

[Malsol]

L - go to your local PSB

F - ask your sponsor

Z - see your FAO

[Lhorde]

From the looks of your post, you are trying to extend a work visa. If you intend to remain employed in China, your employer should be disposed to assist you.

L visas can be extended for 30 days at the local PSB office. Cost and delivery time depends on the city you are in. I think that the date on which your visa expires doesn't matter, but the extension will be for 30 days from the day you apply for it.

If you have to go to HK, CTS (or is it CITS?) on Nathan Street in Kowloon can do same day visas--including work visas, providing you have all the docs. I thought that CTS was a bit pricy, and I got a 3 month travel visa twice from an Indian agency called Gopal, situated on the 3rd floor of Mirador Mansion in Kowloon. There is another agency on the 4th floor of the same building also offering good prices on visas.

[danswayne]

Almost every hostel in Mirador Mansions will give you both a closet to stay in for too much money and also usually get your visa for you same day if you have the cash. Make sure you have your pics ready.

[jeffinflorida]

The last time I had to get an L visa in Hong Kong I went to a travel agent across from my hotel.

Ready for this... There was NO FORMS to fill out. I gave him my passport and 1 photo and told him I needed it SAME day.

I was very scared that he didn't know B***SH**T about what he told me and figured when I came back at 4pm that day he was going to apoligise and say he made a mistake.

But, it was ready! A 90 day L visa for 2 entries. No forms, I was shocked.

i was prepared to go to the Govt of China office and do it myself but i figured I would give it a try. And he took credit cards so that helped.

So if you have some time and want to pay a little extra $$ then use a travel agent. If you go in the AM then you can get it same day.

the one I used was across from the Ramada Hotel on HK Island. Also purchased airline tickets there for inside China flights.

And they spoke English.

[NathanRahl]

I honestly do not understand the constant negativity I see frmo the same members here over and over again. Some of them posted to this thread, but gave no helpful info, just some token advice that was really just a pretext to spew more negativity. Why even bother posting if all your going to do is degrade, insult, and condescend. Surely it's easy enough to find an excuse, like "You were negative once, so I can be negative 100 times to you now" and other such nonsense.

Not much in the way of helpful info was offered, and I honestly think the ones who posted negativety, don't have any real answers.

As to what I am trying to extend, I am trying to get information, nothing more, which few here seem willing to share, lord only knows why.

As for an extension, I have heard of other people who got extensions for longer then 30 days. Is that the typical amount given, can you get a longer extension?

I have all of the proper paper work, but fear I would not have enough time to go to Hong Kong to get it done. Anyhow know how much an extension costs generally?

I asked all of these questions ebfore, but for some reason my questions were not answered.

As for why I did not search, I did, and got about a three thousand entries, all of which had titles which had nothing to do with what I was looking for. I believe the mods here have posted a sticky about how folks here titles their threads, yet the text has nothing to do with the posts title. If your not going to help, then your only trying to hurt, so why bother posting?

Good day all.

[KES]

Just let your employer handle it.

That's the benefit of working legally for a responsible employer versus working for a shady outfit or trying to illegally freelance.

Even if your employer is not licensed to hire foreigners, it is in their interest to help keep your paperwork straight. So, turn to them - they should be familiar with the drill.

Good luck and please keep us posted on the outcome so others may learn.

[NathanRahl]

It turns out that much of what has been said on here about visas is wrong.

First off, you can indeed get a new visa, or extend it, in mainland china, and without the help of any agency.

I have just made a trip to the local security burea, and there gotten a brand new visa. No pricy agents, no anything. Just take your relevant documents, and a week later, boom, new visa. Piece of cake.

It took me a bit of foot work to find this out on my own, and zero help from this forum. Too many here are so full of themselves and how much they think they know, that they have effectively stopped learning, and obviously don't know that much at all on the subject.

Newbies, I suggest you do your own research, instead of asking for help about things so important a visas here. At least don't use this sight as your only resource. I put my trust in the seming knowledge of some of the posters here, and it almost got me into some very hot water.

One thing I have yet to hear on here is "I don't know" now thats sad. Good day.

[Bayden]

What kind of visa was it?
Duration? Entries?
Was it a new visa or an extension, as you initially enquired.
And to be fair, your initial enquiry was rather vague.

[Malsol]