Job Discussion Forums

[Johnso12345]

Hey, is anyone familiar with the Shenzhen Visa process and how long it normally takes after all the documents are submitted?

anybody familiar with why someone would get rejected for the visa? i don't have a criminal history and studied in china for a bit so i do have a history of receiving a student visa with no problems.

[waxwing]

Obviously, the school should deal with it, but one thing I can say about my process last year: in Shenzhen I had to go for an interview with the PSB before the residence permit was issued. It was pretty perfunctory, but I didn�t have to do that in Guangzhou, Nanjing or Harbin, where I�d been before.

Another thing to bear in mind if you�re renewing is that as long as you submit the documents before your old permit runs out, it doesn�t matter if the new one isn�t issued before the old one expires.

[waxwing]

Reading your question again, I can see that I haven't really addressed it at all.
Which visa are you applying for? Z, presumably? Are you applying for it inside or outside the country? What is your citizenship? Are you applying for a teaching job, if so, which kind of school is it?

The lack of such details might be one reason people are not answering the question yet.

How long, we are talking 1 week to 3 weeks as a completely vague statement.

Reasons for rejection: don't know.

[Hansen]

In order to get a residence permit, you need a foreign expert certificate. That is the place where trouble can occur. Once you have your documents, which include:

Foreign expert certificate
Health clearance
Invitation letter
Registration with local police regarding residence,

there should be no problem getting the RP.

The foreign affairs office may reject your petition for numerous reasons:

Your school is ineligible to hire FTs.
Their eligibility has expired.
You are too old.
Your credentials are unsuitable, i.e. lack of degree, inadequate previous experience, for example.

Of course these things vary widely. Some schools may submit false documents on your behalf without your knowledge. The FAO of your province may have criteria for an FEC which differs from other provinces.

[Johnso12345]

my apologies, I am a US citizen who is applying from outside china. Am I correct in stating that:

you need the z-visa to get a residence permit from shenzhen?

if that's the case, if one has everything necessary to get the z-visa, does one also have everything necessary to get the residence permit in shenzhen?

is getting the z-visa difficult for shenzhen?

is getting the residence permit difficult for shenzhen?

what is meant by foreign expert certificate(i.e. CELTA, tefl certificate from reputable university)?

if foreign expert certificate means a CELTA, tefl certificate from reputable university, does that offset the fact that you don't have extensive experience in teaching, although I do have more than 2 years of other work experience?

thanks so much. i'm completely new to the process

[Hansen]

A foreign expert certificate is provided to you by the Chinese administrative apparatus. It is required to get a residence permit from the Public Security Bureau.

Requirements differ from place to place. They are probably unevenly enforced as well.

Safest way is to have a bachelor's degree and a TESOL, TEFL, CELTA of some kind. Some provinces are now requiring teaching experience as well.

[Johnso12345]

Thanks Hanson.

I guess my only question is whether anyone is familiar with the process in Shenzhen in regards to the work experience piece. I have a Bachelor's and CELTA, and work experience above 2 years, but not teaching experience and just maybe 3 or 4 months of volunteer teaching experiences.

The visa process has been started by my school which is a highly reputable school.

I've heard that it's stricter in shenzhen

[samhouston]

[waxwing]

John,
It seems like your question is about whether you qualify for the Z visa; I can't really help as I had teaching experience back home and a Masters so I don't think there was any doubt for me. I know a couple of teachers where I work in Shenzhen that didn't have home teaching experience but got the visa, but in general our school hires very qualified types.

If you weren't talking about Shenzhen I would assure you that there is no problem, as I've met loads of Z-visa-ers in other provinces with minimal quals, but I guess we have to wait for someone to give their SZ experience.

Look at it this way; if your school is good and reputable, and they're hiring you, then they ought to be doing it on the basis that they know you'll qualify for the visa! (yes, more or less what samhouston said)

I would still love to know what the qualification for Z-visa actually is officially. I've been here for 4 years and although I vaguely remember reading something, I still don't know!

[Hansen]

As above, if the school hired you, they have reason to believe that you will get the necessary documents, unless they are a dodgy outfit that expects you to "fly under the radar." Just say NO!

As for the time involved, it depends on where the documents are. If you have given them to your school, they may be sitting on someone's desk for the entire summer holiday. Once they get into the hands of the proper authorities, only a few weeks should pass. A week at the FAO [foreign affairs office of the province], a week at the PSB [Public Security Bureau], for example.

The problem is that the schools, and more specifically, the school FAO [foreign affairs officer], depending on their attitude toward FTs, may drag their feet in submitting the documents to the proper office.

[Sef]

I've just got my visa - going to Shenzhen on Tuesday. (YAAAAAAAAAAHHH )

After I sent all my documents to the school (certificates, medical form, etc) it took 5 weeks for them to send me the letter of invitation and another piece of paper which I'm slightly baffled by as I have no idea what it is. I submitted all that to the Chinese embassy and four days later went back to get my visa. No idea how things will go when I'm there and getting my RP, FEC n stuff. Last time I was in China it was all fairly painless (school did it all for me) but that was in a different province. I'll let you know how it goes.
Oh, and all that was from UK, not US.