Job Discussion Forums

SethinBeijing · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 19

I will be living in Beijing. But I want to travel to Singapore or India or somewhere during the breaks. If I have my American passport with the Z Visa and the residency stamps and all that I need correctly in place......will there be any hassle travelling around Asia on holiday? I assume that there will not be, but I want to make sure. Thanks.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Only your VISA cann enlighten you - none of us can!
Take a close, CLOSE look at your visa's No.; if it is prefixed with an 'Z', then it also has a mention of "M' or 'S' - the former meaning "Multiple", the latter "Single entry".

If you got a single-entry visa you can forget about holidaying abroad unless you don't mind obtaining a new (Tourist?) visa.

If you want to avoid such trouble, you will ask the PSB to issue you with a re-entry permit.
That takes some time, a little cash, and perhaps, a picture or two (not sure about this last one).
YOur other docs are totally irrelevant.

tony lee · Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 79 Location: Australia

If you have one of the new-style combination visa/residence permit (just a paper glued into your passport issued in the last few months), it also functions as a multiple reentry visa as well.

Otherwise you will have to get a reentry visa from the PSB or else you will lose your residence permit (green booklet) when you leave

Volodiya · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 12:29 pm Post subject:

Roger, it seems you're still being influenced by the way things have worked in the past (pre-November 2004, when the new Residence Permit for Foreigners was first introduced).

Once the OP has received a Residence Permit for Foreigners (sticker, placed in his passport, issued in country) he will no longer need the Z visa on which he entered, his RPF giving him the privilege to exit and re-enter China without a visa during its period of validity.
________________

I, myself, have exited and re-entered the country several times, on my RPF, since my Z visa expired. A person who enters the country on a Z visa who is then is given a RPF no longer has any need of a Z visa. It becomes irrelevant whether the Z visa he entered on was a single, or multiple entry visa.
__________________

[I'm not sure we know, because I don't think the OP told us, if he has or expects to have an RPF.]

tony lee · Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 79 Location: Australia

Volodiya · Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 3:45 am Post subject:

I'm not entirely comfortable "guessing" at information the OP does not provide, then basing advice on my guess, instead of "facts", provided by the poster. According to other posts Seth has put up, he's been to Beijing, and visited the campus of his potential employer, about two months ago.

SethinBeijing · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 19

Hi, thanks for the info. I have vacationned there before, and the last time, I did visit the school where I will be teaching next semester. However this will be my first time living/teaching there. I have all the invitation letters and other things I need to go and apply for the Z Visa here in the States. I just wanted to clarify some things, as I hope to travel around Asia on the school breaks. Thats all. Again, thanks for the info.

tony lee · Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 79 Location: Australia

Volodiya · Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:02 am Post subject:

Tony Lee, I think it's better to have the facts, especially since other people read these things, and we just risk confusing them further by offering "both possibilities".

tony lee · Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 79 Location: Australia

Ah, sorry. I assumed most on this forum were experts in English comprehension.

My mistake.