Job Discussion Forums

[Nyrthak]

Hi guys. Wondered if anyone has any experience in this. I am leaving China permanently at the end of January. I finished work in August but moved to the local university to learn some Chinese language. I remained on my work visa which is valid until Dec 31 because my work were wanting me to work weekends until then. But that work never eventuated. So come end of Dec I need to change to a student visa for a month so I can finish my course.

My question is this: I have been told that when I finally leave China I will need to present my tax certificates at the airport to be allowed to leave. Is this true? Has anyone else had to do this. I havnt had any work since August. I could chase up tax certificates for some months before August, but at great pains as my work is not co-operative in this.

Has anyone ever had to present tax certificates on leaving China?

[jammish]

Never even heard of this before.

[China.Pete]

Assuming you have not committed any serious crimes while in China which would have generated a warrant for your arrest, I don't believe the Chinese authorities can prevent you from leaving the country.

[Francois]

You are an nice person

[Mister Al]

OP

As you have right to work, theoretically, I suppose authorities could ask you to show evidence of tax paid. I've never heard of it actually happening to anyone. Don't imagine you could be stopped from leaving...but you never know.

Francois, are you Prof's girlfriend?

[Millerlong]

It is a dumb ar$e question. I think the answer should be obvious. What have the customs officials at the airport got to do with collecting taxes?

[WordUp]

No.. But you may be asked to produce valid photographic evidence that you are a real person with affiliations to a nation with documentation allowing you to travel given a certain time and place to a pre-determined destination.

[Steppenwolf]

[Mister Al]

I agree Steppenwolf

Millerlong and 'Prof's bird' Francois, what's all this aggression about? It is a legitimate question, at least for the OP. Chill......

[clark.w.griswald]

Sometimes you have to wonder why some people even bother taking the time to post here. If you don't have anything constructive to add except for insults why post?

The fact is that it is not such a silly question at all it would not surprise me at all if some countries would in fact ban foreign work residents from leaving if taxes have not been paid.

It is illegal not to pay taxes as it is to work illegally. So if you have been working in a country and not paid taxes then you have acted illegally. Check the visa regulations for almost any country and you will see that your visa can be revoked and you can be prevented from leaving the country until your case has been heard.

Fortunately, while this may have applied to China in the past, it does not apply at present to the best of my knowledge.

[InTime]

Nyrthak...npw that you've experienced the Forum S/M Gauntlet...

Don't take it personally...

RE: your question...

That has already happened to me...in Tauwan...20 uears ago
The memory is rather fuzzy...but I distinctly recall:
*unpleasant surprise at the Taipei airport
*"Tax receipts?"

I couldn't leave on my flight.
Instead, I had to go back and get my tax receipts.

Some say Taiwan is 20 years ahead of the Mainland

So...perhaps prescient are those CCTV news shows
of the Taiwan folks en masse
...demanding Chen Sui Bian's ouster/resignation
Perhaps he'll also be requested/required/inquested...
...to show his tax receipts.

[englishgibson]

[jeffinflorida]

[jeffinflorida]

And to answer the OPs question: I have never in my 9 or 10 times leaving China been asked to provide anything other than a passport.

Even when i had 130 pounds of luggage with me. (And a pretty Chinese Girlfriend with me.)

[englishgibson]

Jeff, prevented from leaving China is quite a jail sentence...how long?

Peace to criminals
and
cheers and beers to inmates