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Work Permit Clarification Help

 
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darkesaint



Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 4
Location: Daegu, South Korea

PostPosted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:39 pm    Post subject: Work Permit Clarification Help Reply with quote

Hello everyone. I'll try to make this as short as possible.

I recently received my letter of invitation and Foreign Expert Work Certificate and I will be sending it with my other documents to get the Z-Visa in the next week or so. So far so good. Now for the head-scratcher...

My school recruiter told me that I have to bring the work permit with me when I come to China. However, when I asked the visa courier that I'm using, they told me the Consulate keeps the Foreign Expert Work Permit. So now I'm a little confused as to who is incorrect in their advice. I know the FEWP is different from the usual Alien License Permit, but I just want to make sure that I don't go all the way there just to find out I'm outta luck.

Any advice on how it exactly works for those using a FEWP instead of the ALP would be helpful and greatly appreciated. I tried looking online, but all I could find were step-by-steps for those who have ALPs...

Thanks for any help!
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wangdaning



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

All you should need to bring with you to China is the passport with the visa.
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askiptochina



Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
My school recruiter told me that I have to bring the work permit with me when I come to China.


I think what they meant was the Z visa which would be in your passport.
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choudoufu



Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

no, they mean the work permit that they send you by expressomail.

printed on heavyweight (almost cardstock) paper, with a red
serial number at the top-left. it begins "the state administration....
....blah, blah....presents this working permit.....blah."

you can give the embassy/consulate a copy when you apply, you keep
the original.

the embassy will keep the original of the visa application letter. you
want to have made a copy for yourself, of course.

wp may be needed when you apply for your FEC, i don't recall right
at this moment.
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askiptochina



Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
wp may be needed when you apply for your FEC, i don't recall right
at this moment.


It's not as far as in my case last year in Shenyang. Maybe it is a provincial requirement elsewhere. Shenyang seems to be lenient because you can transfer teachers easily. When I came to Beijing, they kept asking for an "official" release letter. After 3 attempts, they finally ok'd what we submitted. The other teachers at the school in the Shenyang had no problems transferring to another school within Shenyang.

Anyway, I remember last year there was a problem with another teacher getting paid and then splitting (he went off to Japan). During this time, the school had my passport because I returned from a visa run. I don't remember the details, but I do remember being handed the passport ONLY and then later being asked to get it back so a copy could be made. Since I wasn't paid yet, I refused to give the passport. I already had the copy of the work permit in a plastic file folder from the travel agent in Korea at home.
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roadwalker



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 1750
Location: Ch

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

choudoufu wrote:
no, they mean the work permit that they send you by expressomail.

printed on heavyweight (almost cardstock) paper, with a red
serial number at the top-left. it begins "the state administration....
....blah, blah....presents this working permit.....blah."

you can give the embassy/consulate a copy when you apply, you keep
the original.


the embassy will keep the original of the visa application letter. you
want to have made a copy for yourself, of course.

wp may be needed when you apply for your FEC, i don't recall right
at this moment.


That (bolded) has been my experience at the San Francisco consulate and at Hong Kong earlier, if I recall correctly. I may have kept the original of both documents, in fact. The consulate will probably make a copy but just to be sure make them a copy and ask for the original if you go in person and they don't return the original to you.
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Kiwi303



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 165
Location: Chong Qing Jiao Tong Da Xue, Xue Fu Da Dao, Nan An Qu, Chong Qing Shi, P. R China

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

roadwalker wrote:
choudoufu wrote:
no, they mean the work permit that they send you by expressomail.

printed on heavyweight (almost cardstock) paper, with a red
serial number at the top-left. it begins "the state administration....
....blah, blah....presents this working permit.....blah."

you can give the embassy/consulate a copy when you apply, you keep
the original.


the embassy will keep the original of the visa application letter. you
want to have made a copy for yourself, of course.

wp may be needed when you apply for your FEC, i don't recall right
at this moment.


That (bolded) has been my experience at the San Francisco consulate and at Hong Kong earlier, if I recall correctly. I may have kept the original of both documents, in fact. The consulate will probably make a copy but just to be sure make them a copy and ask for the original if you go in person and they don't return the original to you.


different countries, different rules...

In NZ, clearly stated on the website of the chinese embassy and in the information section of the forms you print out to fil in it states you must send the ORIGINAL work permit... I got 4 documents from china, the work permit, the invitation letter, the confirmation of invitation and the name list letter. ALL originals had to go to the embassy. I received the original of the work permit and the universities invitation letter back with my passport/Visa, they kept the originals of the confirmation of invitation and of the name list letter.
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Baozi man



Joined: 06 Sep 2011
Posts: 214

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Make copies of all the documents you have. Take the copies and the originals to the office. Let them tell you what they want.

Do not assume that the people sending the documents to you from China actually know what you will need in your own country. If possible, call first to ask them what they need. Do not assume that the people here know what you will need. Your best bet is to call or email the consulate, if possible, for specific information.

If you have to travel a long way to the consulate, consider having a visa service help you. Let them apply and find out exactly what is required.

Things change and can be different from country to country or even consulate to consulate.
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darkesaint



Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 4
Location: Daegu, South Korea

PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I am going through VisaRite in the US, which my recruiter recommended to me. Their website clearly states that the Consulate needs to have the original and when I asked them twice they said it would not be returned. I had made copies of all the documents I received before sending it out and I'm going to try to get in touch with the Consulate in NY...

Anyone who's worked in Beijing I would greatly appreciate your experience on what your process was like.

Thanks again!
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