Job Discussion Forums

ezhoucitygirl · Joined: 25 Oct 2004 Posts: 28 Location: ezhou , hubei

Hi,

This is a query on behalf of a friend of mine.

He wants to leave his present Uni job at the end of this semester and wants to stay in China until his new job starts in Oct. The new job will provide the Z visa.

Does he need to get another visa for the summer months ?

I reckon he needs to get a tourist visa for those months ..but I am not sure what or how he would go about that.

Also, he has heard that he needs a 'release letter' from his present Uni to be able to move on to the new job. Is this right ? If so, does anyone know the format for the release letter...ie. is it just like a work reference .

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Very Happy

China.Pete · Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 547

Best bet on the residence permit question would be to ask the FAO at the new university. They will likely know what visa status their local government offices require for a renewal (or can call to find out). A "release letter" is simply that. It says, usually in English and Chinese, that you have completed your contract with the previous school. It may be most useful when you are seeking employment from another school in the same province. His former school should also know what they are required to say.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

A release letter - stamped by the PSB in the place of his first employer - used to be a sine qua non for anyone wishing to change employers; such a release letter would sort of guarantee that the jobseeker is not a person in flight from his former place of employment. I think your friend does need it; as for the visa he can certainly continue staying in China until his residence permit expires but if he has no release letter then I would assume his new would-be employer could be barred from hiring him. Ideally, he has his current residence permit cancelled by the PSB, get a temporary visa (tourist visa for up to 3 months) and a release letter so he can apply for a work visa which can be converted within 30 days into a residence permit. Maybe he won't even have to get a work visa first but will get a residence permit right away. His new FAO ought to find out with the help of the local PSB!

Malsol · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1976 Location: Lanzhou

I have a friend -

(please do not think me stupid, this is really not my question, really, it is truly for a ...)

Sure thing friend!

China.Pete · Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 547

I would NOT cancel my existing visa. If it runs up to the period when the new school would be in a position to renew it, so much the better. My assumption is that there would be a gap, and this is what you need by all means to avoid, as it could necessitate your friend having to leave the country for a visa run. Consult with the new school to see what can be done. By the way, neither of the two release letters I have been asked to obtain had to be stamped by the PSB; only by the school where I had worked. Different places, different procedures. So you must verify everything with the respective schools and perhaps the immigration offices as well.