Job Discussion Forums

[bukowski1234]

I can't find a thread that specifically addresses this, so I'm throwing it out to you.

Here's the poop:

I'm in the states. I got a nice offer after posting it on a Chinese BB.

They need someone for mid february. Hurry!

The school (public university) wants me to arrive on a tourist visa. It says that it can convert it to a Z visa, etc.. I've read elsewhere on the board that this province is one that probably WON'T require the applicant to leave the country then reenter. Great.

BUT...

Is there a way around having to buy a round trip ticket in order to enter the PRC on a TOURIST visa? I just dont have $1,500 clams to shell out on a blind date like this!

Educate me.

Thanks.

[tw]

[Roger]

If you canNOT afford U.S. yuan 1500 "on a blind date" I suggest you refrain from popping over.

It is my unshakable belief that you must have financial reserves to survive!

What if a new SARS epidemic breaks out?

[2 over lee]

What would this nice offer be then? I agree with TW sounds like a recruiter, I'd find out more details.

And on the question of money would a return ticket be significantly more expensive? You may be very happy you have one in a few months.

[dajiang]

I reckon Roger's right on this point.
if you don't have minimal resources then don't come to China.

Chances are you will need em sooner or later.

Anyway,

[vikdk]

for the average person it takes a bit of time -I'd say, at least 6 months to start coming to terms with living and working in China - and only by going through this step will you come to understand the concept of "feeling vunerable as an FT in China".
So make sure sure you have a safety net - whether that be money, ticket, or somebody/somewhere to run to - or as soon as you get here start building one - then that vunerability wont feel half so bad, and half the battle of establishing yourself here is conquered.

It also helps coming this this place with an open mind - expecting to be screwed, but hoping for the best

[bukowski1234]

I am sorry that i am putting you folks through this again. My search of the site didn't turn up what i was looking for.

I wrote back to the university. They will be putting the paperwork through ASAP so I don't have to arrive as a tourist. It sounds like they can get the letter of invitation and the foreign expert certificate shortly. They're saying that they'll overnight it to me when they get it.

I'm not new to travel, and I'm not exactly new to the business of getting a visa from China. Two years ago, I went through the application process with another school, got all of my degrees and letters of referral, and the health certificate authenticated by every level of American government, then submitted it to the PRC consulate. I got the visa, bought the ticket, then two weeks before i was to leave, two bad things happened, and I had to cancel. A tornado damaged my house, then my brother-in-law had a heart attack.

It turned out that I cared for his kids for several months.

What I'm wondering now is if the unused visa create problems for me in the PRC consulate, and if my letters of reference which are addressed to the old school will create problems. Getting NEW letters of recommendation from the U.S. universities was difficult the first time. I suspect that it'll be impossible now. Teachers at my university have pretty much scattered in the wake of some nasty little departmental wars and the usual blood letting that takes place at every university department every few years.

The old Chinese school wanted me to return because we had exchanged so much correspondence. Now, however, that university is using a recruiter, and the advertised pay has been cut by about 20%. My emails to my contact there are going unanswered. Otherwise, I'd reapply to that school, even though it is in a much poorer province an has less to offer in certain ways besides money.

I suppose that if the new Chinese university is in need as indicated, it won't matter who the letter of reference was intended for.

I have backup. If I need more money than i carry, I can wire for it.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks again.

[Roger]

Basically, you are worried that your name is now on a black list, right?

Impossible to predict; it might, and then again, it might not be on a black list.
Are you applying to the same consulate for a visa?

Personally I would be rather surprised if you could not get a new visa.

[bukowski1234]

Yes, I have to apply to the Washington, DC Consulate of the PRC. I'm not so worried about a problem with the consulate, really. people come and go. People ask to go but don't go.

I am more concerned about the dates of my letters of recommendation and the fact that they're written to the first school.

We'll find out. I just emailed scans of the degrees and the letters of rec to the new school.

The rep that I'm dealing with is from the university and not a recruiter. the turnaround on info is fast. My contact at the school was still sending me emails at about 10:00 China time.

[tw]

[bukowski1234]

Thanks to all who responded.

Those who expressed doubt that the university can come through with its promises probably have good cause to express doubt.

So far, the responses I've been getting from the public university are very clear, very direct and quite encouraging.

Similarly, the answers I'm getting from the PRC consulate are also clear.

Tip: ask simple questions which require yes/no answers.

Use a fax to contact your PRC.

Call your congressman's office for a nonpublished fax number. I did. I am getting same-day answers or next-day answers.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again.

[bendan]

[bukowski1234]

My experience with bureaucracies is that complicated questions will probably just elicit complicated answers or (worse) confuse people, or cause them to ignore your question, especially if they have 1000 other things to do.

I can speak only anecdotally. I have no empirical evidence to cite that supports my claim. One assumption that I make is that the person who responds actually understands English. The person who answered me faxed my questions back with yes and no answers, and then qualified the answer when it was necessary to do so.

I sent these questions to the local PRC consulate after having read each of their American websites and seen discrepancies and incomplete instructions. I found no conclusive answers to my questions. So I faxed these questions.

Example:

Must I submit a completed medical examination certificate to the PRC consulate when I apply for my visa in the U.S.?

If so, must it be authenticated by my U.S. State Department?

If so, must it be authenticated by any other US government agency before I send it to you?

If so, which ones? (This is not a question which can be answered yes or no, but it is the final question in the string of questions which will tell me everything I need to know about health examinations and Z visas. An answer to this tells me that the answerer actually understands English).

If you think that it helps to ask more complicated questions of your local PRC consulate, go right ahead. I like to keep things as simple as possible. This type of questioning worked for me last time I applied, so I assume that it will work again.

Thanks for the response.

[bendan]

[bukowski1234]

Bendan,

Thanks for the reply.

I am learning that my school has a lot more on the ball than I expected. My contact writes excellent English. (Yeah, there are a few markers that tell me that she is Asian). Answers are succinct and very clear, and they come quickly.