Job Discussion Forums

[dawnbuckley]

I can't believe this - after waiting patiently for 3 - 4 weeks for my documents to arrive, today I received an invitation letter with the wrong passport number printed on it. It was accompanied by a more important looking green document with a red stamp - this does not have any passport number on it.

I am partly to blame. Thinking back, when I originally made my application for the job about 3 months ago, I had to fill in a form which required me to enter my passport number. I entered my passport number at the time. However, I since renewed my passport and was given a new number. This is the passport I submitted to them when offered the position. Unfortunately, the company obviously looked at the passport number on the original application form and not the one on my passport copy scan. I should have told them I had changed my passport.

Does anyone know if will have to get a whole new invitation letter? Another month wait?

[vikeologist]

Yep. New invitation letter. New fee for the school to pay.

[Miles Smiles]

If You are in the U.S., you should have received your old passport back. (I did). If you still have six pages in the book, you're okay. Use the old passport. If not, call a travel document service company and ask what the consulate will do in light of the problem. They've seen and done everything.

The worst scenario is that you email the school and explain the problem ASAP and offer to pay all costs. That's the right thing to do.

[GeminiTiger]

Echoing the above posters-

I suggest contacting a visa service and asking them if you can solve this problem. (If your in possession of your old passport). Otherwise your going to have to contact your school.

[kungfuman]

[Kysorb]

[wangdaning]

[vikeologist]

I realise that you're not seriously suggesting that the Chinese authorities are laid back about the whole visa process for foreigners.

If your passport has been cancelled or if it runs out during the intended visa duration, they're not going to put the visa in it .

There is a strong chance the school will not take it well, because letters of invitation cost a lot, but hey, these things happen.

If it does go pear shaped though, and they withdraw the invitation, then I'd say so on the forum as I suspect some employers are getting increasingly desparate for teachers for September, (e.g. us)

[dawnbuckley]

I decided to tell the school. I have to send the documents back by registered mail and it should take about 5 working days to rectify. Phew.

[GeminiTiger]

5 days for it to arrive, 5 to get fixed, 5 to get the new documents.

if your lucky.

[Miles Smiles]

[kungfuman]

Now going to the visa office with old and new passport and explaining that you have a new passport and presenting the documents to get the z visa with the old passport numbers is well worth the shot.

[dean_a_jones]

I did a visa run when I arrived back in 2009 and was given the wrong invitation letter (so it had the wrong passport number). I didn't realise this until I was at the window--they asked for my old passport and I was confused (and pointed out my old passport was about 5 years old). They then pointed to the passport number on the form not being the same and it all clicked (i.e. had the wrong letter).

The fact that they asked for my old passport when they first realised the number was incorrect suggests that hopefully bringing in both your old and new passport should mean they will issue the visa.

[kungfuman]

^ Totally depends on the friendliness and mood of the person behind the glass.

[7969]

Which in turn depends on how many knobs they've had to serve up until that point.