Job Discussion Forums

[Non Sequitur]

Take the X-ray films from home with you to China. I have known the Chinese clinic to accept these and avoid another cost (to school or you) and radiation exposure.

[adrian_sojourner]

One school director told me, in a recent interview, that the blood test (HIV) is the most important part of the medical exam proof. I've checked with the Chinese consulate here in San Francisco, which covers many western states in the US. They do not require a medical exam to provide a visa. Does this mean I can skip the medical check here in the states? Or are schools (and Chinese government offices) still expecting a medical check which includes chest xray, blood test, etc.?

[Non Sequitur]

That's news to me although I'm not in the US.
If the consulate will give you a visa without a medical that's one less cost you have to cover.
Expect though to go through a fairly extensive medical to get your permanent visa though once in PRC. The school usually pays for this and you have time off to go downtown to the clinic.
My school takes all the FTs at one time in the school minibus and in any big city at start of semester there will be loads of other FTs from other schools going through the process as well. A chance to make some contacts.

[adrian_sojourner]

Non Sequitur,
It would be nice not to have to do two medical exams. Do they take blood during that exam there in China?

[knight4ever]

adrian :

The school that just hired me said that I MUST have a blood test (mainly for HIV) here in the States and I will also have another blood test when I arrive in Shenzhen. You can PM me if you need more details about the health check.

[Non Sequitur]

Adrian
Mmm it's 18 months since I last had an 'in China' check. But, given the comments on the thread about HIV and the fact that US residents (West Coast at least) are getting visas without a medical, I expect you will be expected to provide blood in China.

[DosEquisX]

[adrian_sojourner]

More information: I checked with the Chinese consulate in San Francisco, they do not require a medical exam to issue a Z visa. They issue visas for citizens of several western states.

This begs the question then, do Chinese government offices require a medical exam from the United States, as well as a second in China, to issue a FRP/FEC?

[Non Sequitur]

I would say 'no'.
Maybe the consulate understands that you will have to get a medical in China to have your residence/FEC issued, so they waive it.
I'm not an expert nor from the US. Others will know more BUT if the consulate will stamp your passport with no local US medical - go for it!

[funkyging]

Hey guys just a quick update on whats happening =)

Well i head out on Friday with everything done, packed,immunized, money changed.

The only concern i have, and its a pretty big one is i was told the day my letter of invitation was supposed to arrive that the school has yet to receive it from the goverment so they would get it on the 10th(i arrive on the 11th)

What is the usual processing time for a school to send the documents to the goverment, and get everything back, i was told 3-4 weeks normally and i can understand with the chinese new year happening i might expect delays on post.

So what ive been told to do, which i have, is to get a 3 month tourist visa and when i arrive the school will pay for my travel to hongkong and back to change it to a work visa. Quote from one of the e-mails i got:

They will send you to HK as soon as you have the time (after training and you have a few days off in your timetable), but I would suggest you query when you get there (sometimes the schools don't appreciate how big a worry visas can be, and if you mention it personally they will take it more seriously than me chasing up for you (which i will still do)).

What is your take on this guys, the other guy who was heaing out at the same time has cancelled his flight, should i think about doing the same?

[cormac]

Re Letter of Invitation: I had to do the Medical Exam which delayed things until I decided to fill in some of the blanks myself rather than waiting three weeks for a blood test. So I scanned and emailed that off to the University. It took them 4 days to draw up the Invitation and the other formal document, and then it took 6 days (including the weekend) for it to be couriered to me [Ireland].

I was in the Consulate today to start the application. They took a quick look, told me how much it cost, and then told me to come back next Tuesday.

Regarding the Visa run, personally I wouldn't go with it, simply because I'm paranoid about giving too much control to the school/university over such an important matter. I'm also paranoid about being hit by the costs involved in such a process regardless of an Administrations promises. Too much chance of being led on, and working illegally. Not my sort of thing.

Any school/university that has any real experience of FTs and is serious about employing Fts should be capable/willing to action the Visa prior to you arriving. There's just too much room for error (and abuse) arriving on a tourist Visa.

[wangdaning]

[AnomanderRake]

[quote="funkyging"]They will send you to HK as soon as you have the time (after training and you have a few days off in your timetable), but I would suggest you query when you get there (sometimes the schools don't appreciate how big a worry visas can be, and if you mention it personally they will take it more seriously than me chasing up for you (which i will still do)).

If this statement is what you are going by when you say they will pay for the HK trip I would ask again. This is just a little ambiguous.