Job Discussion Forums

[Cubism]

IS THIS TRUE>

i JUST READ THIS ON THE HK IMMIGRATION SITE.

If you don't reside or work in Hong Kong permanently, you are required to apply Chinese visa from the Embassy or Consulate-General of Peoples' Republic of China in your resident country.

[Azile]

This is true. In almost all cases now, to get a proper Z visa you must apply in the home country....the country your passport is from. It has been like this for a year now since the Z visa laws changed in China.

That being said, in rare cases, people have been known to get it done in Hong Kong. But that is a very unlikely.

The process in almost every case involves the paperwork issued out of China by the school hiring you, when they obtain the work permit, it will be addressed or issued to apply in your home country with that country being stated in the documentation.

[LarssonCrew]

My friend just 4 weeks ago got his Z visa in HK from Australia.

If in doubt just use a visa agent, the extra 2-300 HKD is worth it to not have to queue up and also they can use their connections to help things along.

[jimpellow]

I consider the above to be oversimplified advice with the new regulations. Hong Kong will not issue a z-visa for a jurisdiction which does not authorize it. Beijing has very strict regulations so I am doubting it will be able to be done in a third country. The OP will also need a CBC though thankfully Beijing has lightened up on how one can obtain that). I think the reality is for Beijing he will need to return home and/or pay out the ying yang for agents to do it all. Has anybody been granted a z-visa in Hong Kong for Beijing, Wuhan, Tianjin, Qingdao from a third country recently? They are at the top of the toughie list. Just curious rather than trying to prove my point.

[conwaypk]

I got my Chinese Work Visa in HK 5 months ago. My passport is American.
For some encouragement.

[Markness]

Can get a Z visa for Chengdu while in HK.

Source: Living proof

[jimpellow]

[fpshangzhou]

My residence permit expired while I was in HK and I had all the proper documents when I left mainland to get new z visa. It took a few days and went back to mainland and changed it to a residence permit. Some companies will tell you that you must go back to your home country, but this simply is not true of certain countries of origin.

Cheers,

Aaron

[3701 W.119th]

I met an American teacher who was working in South Korea until coming to China last month, and he was able to go to HK for his Z visa. Not sure where his invitation letter/work permit was issued to though. Never asked.

That was for Shanghai.

[astrotrain]

Reading some of these posts makes me think last week when I was offered a position at a Shanghai International school, the offer may have been legit.

They wanted me to come over this week and in September assist in obtaining the Z visa via Hong Kong. This was an international school owned and operated by the Chinese government so I am pretty sure they could pull strings with the local ministries and HK government to get the proper working visa.

Anyway, 1 week time to come over was too short notice so I declined.

[jimpellow]

To go over this, there are two things that need to happen before you can get a Z-visa in Hong Kong or a third country.

The first is that the issuing authority where you will be teaching will authorize it. In the above example, and as last I read, Beijing will not do so but Shanghai will. Shanghai has really been against these stricter policies in many ways.

The second is if Honk Kong or a third country will process it. HK seems to have lightened up since last fall but there are no guarantees and there seem to be more declines for those with a current Z and especially an F. Other countries simply will no longer process them even if the relevant authority in China will.

I will use my example from last summer when I was looking at returning to China as it is still a valid example. I had an offer in Tianjin and one in Nanning. Tianjin absolutely refused to consider having it done outside of one's country of permanent residence. Nanning had no problem with it being done in a Third Country. Living in the Philippines I have temporary rather than permanent residency. This was not an issue for Nanning, but on the door of the consulate here was a sign that the Chinese consulate and embassy in the Philippines would no longer process any sort of visa unless one had permanent residency in the country. Talking to a couple frustrated ESL teachers here looking to go to China this is still true.

Of course nothing in China in reality is so black and white. But if it were my time and dime involved, I think the above provides good guidelines.

[wangdaning]

To be clear, the HK government is not processing anything. That is like saying the US government is processing your Z visa if you get it in the US.

What you mean is The Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong S.A.R is willing to process that. This is the equivalent of the Chinese consulate in HK. It is not part of the HK government, unless you consider mainland and HK to have the same government that is.

[doogsville]

For anyone reading this thread who is thinking of taking up a job offer where the employer says 'come on a tourist visa and get your Z visa in Hong Kong', please bear a few things in mind first.

One. If they ask you to do any teaching, paid training or promotion work before you get the z visa in HK, then you will be working illegally. You could be fined and deported for that before you even set off for HK.

Two. They could be lying, or change their minds, or simply have the rules change under them by the time you arrive. There is absolutely no guarantee that they can or will get you a z visa in HK. It doesn't matter how many people tell you they did it, it might not happen for you. You'll then be left with the option to work illegally or go back home.

Three. With a bit of patience and persistence, it is perfectly possible to find a job that will provide you with the necessary paperwork to obtain your z visa in your home country, or whichever country you're currently in, if that's allowed. You can then come to China and start work legal while the company process your resident and work permits. There are thousands of teachers in China who are working safely and legally.

China isn't some magic kingdom where all your dreams will come true anyway. It's sometimes hard work to live here. I don't understand why there are so many people who are so desperate to come and teach English here they're willing to break the law to do it. Would anyone break the laws of their own country to take such a job? The fewer people who come over work illegally the more pressure there will be on Chinese employers to get legit and employ people properly. At the moment they know there are enough people willing to work illegally, and they know that if they get caught, it's the foreigner, not them, who pays the highest price.

[coldcucumber]

[jimpellow]