Job Discussion Forums

[eslteach]

My school is telling me that I need to get a tourist visa to come to china, then we can apply for the work visa when I am there, then I will have to do a visa run to hong kong once everything is processed.

I am in Thailand now, and I went to the Chinese embassy here yesterday. I was told that I could buy a tourist visa for 3 months but that it would only be good for one month and I would have to leave one month after entry.


What is going on here?

If its only good for one month, why dont they call it a one month visa?

[Babala]

It is good for 3 months. What you have to do is to leave the country and come back in once a month.

[pel220]

The 3 months will probably relate to the validity period of the visa. There are two separate aspects to a chinese visa, the validity and the duration of stay.

The validity period dictates the dates the visa can be used and the duration of stay dictates how long you can stay in China after you cross the border.

Generally single entry visas are issued with 3 month validity (here in the UK at least) which allows you to cross the border once any time in those 3 months. Double entry visas are usually issued with 6 month validity.

Duration of stay is generally 30, 60 or 90 days.

[Mister Al]

Apply for a 90 day visa. Tick the box on the application form. Of course it may come back with only 30 days or 60 days validity but that's Chinese Embassies for you.

[choudoufu]

if you are in thailand teaching, and have a work visa for thailand
(really any long-term thai visa will do, even a study visa),
then it should be no problem getting a work visa from the
chinese embassy in bangkok, or the consulate in chiang mai.

just have 'apply in thailand' on the invitation letter.

....could be the school is not authorized to hire foreigners.

....or could be that the school doesn't know the correct procedure.

....or could be the school's province requires work visas be applied
for in the home country.

find out which one.