Job Discussion Forums

[ghost]

Hello,

I am based in Saudi Arabia, but have accepted a contract for a Uni job in Guandong.

How long does the passport have to be given for the purpose of receiving a Foreign Expert Certificate? I will be dealing with the Chinese Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The reason I ask, is that I have a holiday booked for July 16 - August 3, and was wondering if there would be passport issues if my passport was not available during that time? I am due to start the job on September 1, 2014.

Thank you.

Ghost in Saudi

[roadwalker]

I have never received a FEC before I arrived in China. I'm not sure why the Chinese consulate would want to see your passport until it's time to decide whether to issue a visa or not. Perhaps there's been some confusion between Foreign Expert Cert. and Work Permit? The school in question must apply for a work permit for you, showing that you are qualified under one heading or another, and then they apply for a Visa Notification Letter (i.e.: invitation letter) from another governmental agency. Some teachers report having to have a physical exam before those are issued, but not in my case, where I had to have it only before the visa was issued.

Once the z-visa is issued, you have 30 days upon entry to get your FEC issued (school will do this and borrow your passport for a short time). You will probably also have (another) 'body check' to make sure you won't drop dead or infect students with anything. With these, the Exit Entry Bureau of the Public Security Bureau (PSB; "Gong An) will cancel your z-visa and issue a "Residence Permit" in your passport. (The FEC is a separate passport-sized booklet.) Then you're good.

Have the rules changed and I'm just not aware of it? Maybe. Maybe they want to verify details at the consulate before going through the time and money to get the work permit and visa notification letter. Ask your school.

[ghost]

I think you are right. I was making assumptions about having to give my passport to the Embassy (Chinese) in Riyadh (I have been residing and teaching in Saudi since 2008).

Then, this is good news, as I will be able to visit my family during the two week Ramadan break (July 17 - August 3).

The Uni in Guandong has not told me what the procedure will be, however I have sent in all my stuff (degrees etc.) and have signed a contract, so I assume I will be in the clear to travel to China, based on what you say?

My original thought was that I might have to submit my passport to the Embassy in Riyadh, which would have complicated matters for my travel outside of Saudi during the two week Ramadan break that we have in my university in Saudi, but based on what you say, it looks like I might not have to submit my passport to the Chinese Embassy in Riyadh, after all. From what you say, am I correct in thinking that I will receive an 'invitation letter' (or similar document) allowing me to travel to China?

Thank you.

Ghost in Saudi

[Shroob]

You will have to submit your passport as they put a 'Z visa' stamp in it. How long they have your passport depends on how much you pay (at least where I am). There's a one day option or a longer one, I forget how long though.

The usual procedure is that you accept a job, the employer goes to the local government with your documents and obtains an invitation letter. They send the invitation letter to you which you then take, with your visa application, to the embassy/consulate. The staff there process your visa and then give it to you. That allows you to enter China. Upon entering China you are allowed 30 days to convert your Z visa to a residency permit. Henceforth the residency permit acts as a visa and allows unlimited entry/exit until it expires.

[doogsville]

Contact the Chinese embassy in Riyadh ASAP and they should be able to tell you how long the turnaround is for the Z visa. They may offer an express service at extra cost. There might also be an agency that will do it for you who also might offer an express service.

My last Z visa gave me 60 days from the date of issue of the Z visa to enter China. Then you have the thirty days, as roadwalker mentioned, to get the resident permit. The school should take care of that for you. You give them your passport and then they give you it back with the RP in it. They'll probably require you to take another medical when you get to China before you apply for the RP too.

If you don't need your passport until the 16th of July you have plenty of time to get the Z visa, but only if you get the invitation letter soon. You need the invitation letter to apply for the Z visa.

[jimpellow]

You should really also contact the embassy in Riyadh to see if they will even process a z-visa, and if the local authorities in Guangdong will even accept it (the two are sometimes tied together but with no set logic). A lot with visas has changed for not the better in the last year, and more and more often you will be required to do it in your home country. Sort of like Saudi and the iqama. Don't trust what they tell you in the school. It can be quite amazing how often they fail to keep up with the changing requirements, and it will be you who pays the price.

Hmm...Riyadh...thing I miss the most about Riyadh are those fresh honey soaked dates and.....

[thebroformerlyknownaschou]

[roadwalker]

Just to be clear: at some point, the Chinese consulate of your home country or POSSIBLY in KSA, assuming you have some sort of residence status, will have to have your passport for at least a day, and possibly up to 4 days, in order to affix a visa into one of the pages. Definitely follow the advice above and keep in contact with your new university. The one in contact with you will want to get away for summer soon, so follow up now.

If they are sure that the invitation letter and work permit will be sent by early July, it might be better to send to your home country, and not worry whether the Chinese Embassy/consulate in Riyadh (sp?) will accept it from a non-Saudi. But if it arrives in very late July or the Aug 1 or 2, you're kinda screwed that way. If the university doesn't think that they can make your home visit time window, or if it would somehow be more inconvenient for you to have it done in your home country, make sure that the KSA Chinese Embassy will accept a work visa application from you and that your university directs (begs?) the authorities who issue the invitation letter to put Saudi Arabia in the where to apply section. It's usually not very complicated to get a work visa to China, but the waiting can be hard sometimes.

[jimpellow]

I should add I would assume that you are in Saudi on an Iqama rather than a renewing business visa. That would give you your residency.That would increase your chances of being able to obtain the z-visa but you should certainly contact them to be sure.

I love this site and will help you along the path.

http://lawandborder.com/faq-new-china-visa-law/

I THINK you now have to submit a criminal background check from your home country for where you are going. Yet I may be wrong. That needs to be taken into account too if so. Not sure if it can be from your current country of residence. More asking of the FAO. Having been taken to Chop Chop Square will hurt your chances for a Z-visa these days, and the mei nu prefer lao wai with all their limbs.

Better send me a box of those dates for all this info (be it good or bad). And I want them soaked in top of the line Yemini honey.

[ghost]

[Shroob]

[ghost]

I have specified to the University where I will be working (hopefully if I get through these hoops) that I am a Saudi Resident (since 2008), with a valid Iqama (residence permit) and have requested that everything be done here in Saudi, in addition to the fact that I cannot return home (to Canada) as I am working summer school in Saudi from June 8 - August 17. The FAO agreed to this in an email, and hopefully the office in Guandong Province will also agree to the request.

Returning to Canada for the process is simply not an option, not to mention the heavy cost that this would cause, bearing in mind that I have severed my residence ties in Canada (since 2008) and no longer have family or attachments there, beyond my citizenship.

Ghost in Saudi

[ghost]

Has anyone actually done the visa process from Saudi. The reason I ask, is when I went to the China Embassy site, not updated since 2010! - the information given was that the Chinese Embassy no longer deals with visa requests from their Embassy in Riyadh.

The Embassy site mentions that they have farmed out those requests to two companies in Riyadh, which are simply businesses. This seems strange for an Embassy to do this, and was wondering if anyone ever had to use a simple business address to obtain a Chinese Z visa?

Thank you,

Ghost in Saudi

[jimpellow]

Obviously you will first need to go to the embassy itself to check on what their current status is. It sounds near impossible that a business would be able to grant a z-visa. They sound like visa facilitators who would probably forward it back to Canada. Do they have a consulate too in a place like Dammam or Jeddah? If it is a no go on the embassy, on occasion a Chinese consulate will handle it. If not, you will have to return to your home country which you refuse to do (I did the same last year) or ask the FAO about the possibility of Hong Kong.

[Bud Powell]

Then, this is good news, as I will be able to visit my family during the two week Ramadan break (July 17 - August 3).

They're giving you only half of Ramadan off? Will they give you half days when it starts at the end of June?