Job Discussion Forums

greenmountain · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Beijing

I recently found a job at a university in Beijing. I am currently in Beijing on a tourist visa, but the university has told me that I must travel to Hong Kong in order to change to a Z visa. Confused

They can provide the invitation letter, etc, that I will need no problem.
From previous posts I have an idea on what agencies/offices to go to in Hong Kong, such as Japan Travel Ltd and Phoenix.

People have mentioned getting a F or L visa in Hong Kong within a day. Is it possible to get a Z visa processed within a day?
I was also wondering if there is some way for me to change to a Z visa while in Beijing?

Thanks for your help!

Ludwig

phillipmccavety · Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 91 Location: China

greenmountain · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Beijing

I vaguely remember from previous posts that foreign teachers are required to have a degree now, and that the Beijing PSB is starting to enforce a requirement that teachers should have an EFL qualification.
I do have a BSc, but no EFL qualification.

Perhaps that is why, although the contact I have at the university mentioned that they have never gone through the process with somebody already in Beijing.
Apparently they have spoken with the Foreign Experts Bureau a few times, and the bureau has insisted that I travel to Hong Kong to change my visa.

If I do need to go to Hong Kong, my main concern is how long it would take to get a Z visa. That way I can budget for it.
Is there any benefit in going to an agency in Hong Kong for a Z visa?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Your putative employer should be in the picture about obtaining a work visa in Hong Kong. Quite possibly, you may have to go there rather than try to get it done in Peking although I find this procedure slightly dodgy.
Ask them to substantiate any claim as to whether you need a medical exam to get your work visa issued in Hong Kong.
Would they sign a contract with you and demand that you go to HK after signing your contract?

greenmountain · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Beijing

I'll ask them about the medical check, thanks for reminding me.

They have offered to pay for half the flight, so that is something.

Klamm · Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 121

It seems silly to have to go all the way to Hong Kong to get your visa. Why can't they do it in Beijing? Hong Kong...far, far away. Beijing...near. What's the problem? It's perfectly doable to have your visa processed in the area where you live? Why, why, oh why must you go to Hong Kong to do this?

Yours truly,
K.

Ger · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 334

Why don't you get a Z visa in Beijing (your university should apply for it for you)?

Why would your employer tell you to go to HK for a z visa?

Why don't you get TEFL qualified? There are schools in China where you can do the training and get qualified.

greenmountain · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Beijing

Getting qualified is a nice idea, but I don't think I can afford it right now.

I have spoken to another teacher working in Beijing currently. Apparently
a trip to Hong Kong for a Z visa is sometimes necessary.
I heard that you can change it in Beijing, but that usually costs the same
amount as doing the Hong Kong trip yourself.... so why bother.

If anybody is interested I also found out that if you put in your application for a Z visa into the official office (18 Harbor rd?), you can pick it up the following day at 9am.

smalldog · Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Posts: 74

Changing L to Z in Beijing requires special permission (which, of course, costs, but maybe less than going to Hong Kong). Call Patrick Jiang on 86879581.

imron · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1

It's not so much that you need to go to Hong Kong, but rather the issue is that you can't normally change your visa type while you are in China. It sucks, but that's just the way it is. After I'd been teaching in China for a year I decided to stay on and study. I tried to get my Z visa changed to an X visa in Beijing (where I was going to be studying), but they weren't having a bar of it. The only way was to leave the country, apply for an X visa and then re-enter. As it turned out, I decided to return home to Australia for a visit anyway, so the problem solved itself. Otherwise I would have had to go to HongKong or somewhere similar to get it changed.

For those people saying that the school is in the wrong blah blah blah, don't listen to them. If the school is providing you with the documentation needed to get the Z visa, then it's perfectly legit, and that's pretty much all the school can do unless they've got good connections with people in the PSB.

A word of warning: I had some friends who decided they'd get their visa changed in Outer Mongolia instead of Hong Kong (after it, it was also a different country, and they figured it would be more of an adventure), however they had all sorts of trouble with the Chinese Consulate/Embassy there, who said they could only apply for visas in their home country. It was eventually sorted out, but the easiest and fastest way to get it done will be in Hong Kong. You can probably get it done in a day if you're prepared to pay an extra fee (as that's pretty much standard practise everywhere).

greenmountain · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Beijing

Thanks for the advice, that's quite helpful. Smile

Smalldog: Is Patrick Jiang somebody running a visa service agency?
I'll try giving him a call tomorrow.

greenmountain · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Beijing

I spoke to the agency about changing my visa.
Everything looked like it would go well. They contacted the university
and the university agreed to use the agency...
Except after that the agency said that if this big university tried and
failed to get my Z visa in Beijing, then they might not be able to either.
So I'm still going to Hong Kong...

I'm heading off there this monday, and returning on tuesday evening.

Volodiya

What the law permits and what you actually get can be at variance at times but Chinese law appears to expressly permit a change in status from "L" to "Z", in country.

http://www.chinatoday.com/law/labor.htm

Not only that , I and many other posters have actually had the benefit of this law; that is, after arrival in China on an "L" visa, our employers applied on our behalf for a change of status to a "Z" visa and obtained the Employment permit and residence permit for us, in country.

I don't think there's anything magical about it, just the happy coincidence of local PSB officials being aware of the full range of possibilities existing under the law and being willing to use it for the applicant's benefit.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Nothing new, really - I got my first work visa in the country after arriving here on a two-month tourist visa. It's normal, contrary to what many say.
However, the issue is whether the FAO is familiar with the routines of authorities such as the PSB. FIrst thing, the school the first poster is interested in must have a permit to hire outsiders. Many new schools dawdle with their application to the education bureau, the labour bureau and the PSB. THis routine is standard for any country, why not China? Of course, it is done the same here too. But if the school doesn't think they should go through the loops of obtaining relevant permits then you can't even get a regular job.
That's why so many end up working illegally - using a business visa.