Job Discussion Forums

[Mr. English]

I am self-employed in Guangzhou, writing, editing, corporate training, and private teaching. Have been working on F visas, valid for 6 months but maximum duration of each stay 30 days, which means 4-5 hours shot every month running to Hong Kong and back. The 6-month part is fine, but does anyone know where and how to get an F visa that does not have the 30-day maximum stay? 60 days would be better, 90 days heavenly, 180 nirvana. Thanks for any information.

[frenchfrydoggy]

By having a proper Chinese visa host.

[Teatime of Soul]

In my country, some one in the country without proper documentation is considered an "illegal alien" rather than "self employed". I don't know if China is any different. You might want to check to ensure you are not in the Country illegally.


Cheers.

[DixieCat]

[Mr. English]

In my country "illegal aliens" do not have valid visas, obtained from an embassy of the host country. I don't know about your country.

[seamallowance]

Leave it to an English teacher to write a passive-aggressive sentence instead of just wagging his finger and going "Tsk Tsk!"

[xiong20]

I extended my F visa for 6 months in October at Qingdao Trans Ocean visa agency in Qingdao.Not sure about now with this Korean peninsula tension problem. Telephone them for confirmation first.I believe if your a "resident" of Beijing,extensions are possible there.
Qingdao is an open city and as such the agency acts as host company.Same day service. Been doing it for over 3 years unless forced to go to HK if government decides 30 day stays only.
Phone numbers available on their website.... www.qdto.com
If you decide to go,let me know and I'll provide details of where to stay,eat,and the procedure involved.

[Mr. English]

Thanks xiong 20. I am going to keep looking for the moment, as Qingdao is a ways from here; I am hopeful now of finding something similar down here.

[Mr. English]

For anyone who is interested I post the follow-up to this. I was able to obtain a multiple-entry 2-year F visa with 60-day maximum for each stay. Cost was 5500 RMB. Advantages to going through the Chinese agent I went through were that I had zero paperwork hassle, just gave her the passport, then 19 days later picked up the passport and gave her the money, nothing else, and, biggest advantage to me, I was able to stay in China the entire time, did not have to leave at all. The passport went to the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles. You can probably get similar visas in the states for about half the price, something more than half if you have to buy an invitation letter, but you have to be in the states to get such a deal, you can't be here in China during the process.

[LanGuTou]

The question should be, is your self employed status legal?

If you have a fully registered and capitalized business in China, which you need to be freelance or self employed, you are entitled to apply for a 'z' visa. All you have to do is present your health certification, business licence and various other documentation to the local Labor Supervision Bureau or Foreign Experts' Bureau.

If you have no registered business interest, you are not only working illegally on the wrong type of visa but also operating an illegal business enterprise. That also means that you are not registered for or paying taxes.

[flyingscotsman]

[Mr. English]

Whether you, LanGuTou, are qualified to state what the question "should" be I am uncertain, but certainly the question you pose is not a question being asked at the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles. I am amazed at the self-professed knowledge of the nay-sayers on this site, and how much more they know than the Chinese officials at various consulates, embassies, and PSB stations. I made no misrepresentations, indeed no representations at all, to obtain the visa, so why did the Chinese officials issue it if is illegal?

[LanGuTou]

[tr_waters]

[flyingscotsman]