Job Discussion Forums

zazm · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

As mentioned in a previous thread, I was offered a job in Shanghai. I was told by the FAO that it is possible to change an L-visa (tourist visa) to a Z-visa once I arrive in China, especially since getting the medical exam for the Z-visa in the US would be time consuming and costly.

How common is it for someone to go to China on an L-visa and have it changed to a Z-visa once they get there?

warwickc · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Location: sydney

Is it possible to travel to Hong Kong and make the change from the L Visa to the Z visa so as to be able to work in China?

bendan · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 739 Location: North China

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Isn't there a sticky about this?!

How do you know when an FAO lies? her lips move

the latest I know from Consulates in America, you just need your invitation letter, they couldn't give a rat's ass about the medical. Call them.
Legally, once you are in country, the school can not apply for your invitation letter. But I don't feel like saying this all over. Check out one of the stickies. Look at the Chinese website for visas. Legally, what you are proposing is the wrong way. Maybe you won't have a problem.
Personally, seven years, never had a school that would give me an invitation letter. Anything else, you are opening yourself up for problems

zazm · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

The sticky was only about working on a tourist visa exclusively, not trying to convert one to a work permit.
As far as I was concerned, there was also a sticky about the medical exam that was needed to get a Z-visa. A medical exam where I am in the US is about $250, at the very least, at a local community clinic.

So I am going to have to get my invitation letter from the school and take it to HK for processing for my work permit? Ok, fine by me.

I just hope that someone can tell me about their experience with this process, if it were possible.

arcueil_1 · Joined: 10 Jun 2006 Posts: 72 Location: China

A lot of people have had major problems trying to do this (and the conventional wisdom is "don't do it"), but I did it two or three times in the past with no problems. I guess that you can take the risk. If it works out, great; if not, then you got a bubu and you can try the formal way some other time. Nevertheless, the formal way is always safer, so if you are really worried, then find a different school...

North China Laowei · Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 419

jwbhomer · Joined: 14 Dec 2003 Posts: 876 Location: CANADA

It's amazing how much North China Laowei professes to know about different Chinese schools, visa regulations and what have you. He sounds like an "Old China Hand". How someone could have acquired so much knowledge in so short a time is beyond me...unless he boned up before immigrating from La Habana.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Leon Purvis · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:44 am Post subject:

Maybe I missed it, but has the OP stated where he/she is presently living?

If the OP is American, the Op should call his congressman's office and ask for the fax number of the Chinese consulate in his jurisdiction. The Congressman's office will give it up after you begin asking questions which no one can answer. (This is what I did in 1986. My congressman's office gave me a GOOD fax number). In 1984, before my first tour, I took it for granted that the info on the consulate's website was up-to-date. I submitted a lot of info and documentation which was NOT required of me upon my return in 1986.

Send a fax to your local consulate with your name, fax number and phone number, your reason for inquiry. Ask questions which require yes/no answers. Don't ask more than eight or ten questions.

Then apply for your Z visa accordingly. If you apply from the U.S. it is a good bet that you'll need a letter of invitation from your school as well as another piece of paper, the name of which I don't remember.

The reason why I say to get the consulate's fax is because unless you live in the same city as the consulate, you will NOT get a response to a letter, and if you have a phone number for the consulate, it's a good bet that no one will answer it.

Worse, the info on the consulate's website is often conflicting or out-of-date.

I faxed the consulate in 1986 before my return, and I was told IN WRITING that the consulate in Washington was unsure of the procedure for issuing the Z visa because the rules had changed, but the consulate had not been told what had been changed. The consulate told me not to waste money on a U.S. health check (I got one anyway). They told me that I didn't need to go through a lot of the BS that i went through in 1984 with certain documentation. The procedure was bare-bones and quick.

The funny thing is that I found out that darned near everyone in this forum was CORRECT about everything, even though there was a lot of conflicting information dispensed. This is the nature of China.

Recap:
1. Find a school that will hire you for the salary that you need/want

2. Fax the consulate with your questions re: documentation, letters of reference, letter of invitation, health check up, copy/original of degree

3. If you need a letter of invitation, ask your prospective employer to request one from the provincial gov't

4. Once the consulate tells you which documentation it needs in order to issue you a visa, call a courier service to walk your documents over to the consulate for you. Put it all together in a FedEx envelope with the required fees and send it to the travel document service.

But BEFORE you send it all to the travel doc service and to the consulate, LOOK at any paperwork which the school/provincial government sends you. Be sure that your ENTIRE NAME appears on it, and be sure that all dates are correct. I didn't check the paperwork in '86 and i found all sorts of mistakes such as: the wrong name on the letter of invitation. When I got all that straightened out, I received my visa, and find that the $#@!!!%$# consulate put the wrong name on my visa.

If you are still in your home country, deal with the Chinese consulate directly, and get your ducks lined up well ahead of your departure date (a month-to-three weeks is an ideal window).

All that I can say is that it worked for me. Questions? PM me.

Kram · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 152 Location: In a chair

North China Laowei · Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 419

hairuo · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 473 Location: Somewhere in China

I am in Hubei Province. In earlier years the L or F visa was converted by the local PSB. This time converting my F to a Z, I had to go to Hong Kong. I had to take a copy of my local physical, my invitation letter and it cost me extra because I from the USA. Now the PSB. says I have to interviewed and photographed before they will process the residence permit. They have now had my passport for over a week and told the FAO that it would take another 3 weeks before I would see it again. Hubei is not exactly what one would call close to Hong Kong. I was in Hong Kong on March 25th, 2008. I was also, told that one cannot get a Z visa in Macau any longer. Dont know for sure.

Wonderful Yunqi!! · Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 111 Location: With the Lord.

I think that the process of going to Hong Kong in order to obtain a Z visa is an easy, but costly, venture. Depending on where you're coming from, there are different ways to get to HK - train, ship or air. I assume you could just walk over at the Shenzhen border, but don't know for sure.

Perhaps someone out there has a bit more detailed information about the different schedules. In the past, I took the double-decker bus from the Nanshan district in SZ to the border and eventually found my way to Kowloon on the KCR.

In Kowloon, you can easily find a cheap place to stay and your favorite vice around the corner. In "mansions", such as Mirador and ChungKing on Nathan Road, you'll find visa services. If you get there in the afternoon or at least before 5pm, you should receive the visa the next day.

If you're traveling from Guangzhou, the trip to Kowloon will take 2 hours instead of 1, if you take the non-stop train from GZ to the KCR terminal in Kowloon, not too far from the waterfront.

It's a quick 5 minute boat ride to downtown HK/Central Hong Kong. If your concierge can arrange the tickets, you can be on Lamma Island within an hour.

Lamma Island = "The Pearl of the Orient".

The reason I love Hong Kong the best is because, in the morning I can be admist the city bustle, then in the afternoon be kicking back seaside in a small fishing village such as Stanley. The bus ride there is the best part of the trip.

As for the visa and expenses getting it - be prepared.

Yunqi

hairuo · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 473 Location: Somewhere in China

I dont think you can get a visa in one day now... could be wrong, but when I was there another American was told that at the end of that week, there would be no more one day service until October. He was told the processing time would be four days. I was just happy to get the visa and head back to see my friends in Guangzhou. The bus from Panyu Hotel to downtown Hong Kong, cant remember the station, was 130 yuan. The bus takes 3 hours from Panyu. I like the city itself, it is quite a different place.