Job Discussion Forums

narratoralex · Joined: 17 Sep 2012 Posts: 12

Hello. I currently living in South Korea, and I recently accepted a position in Hainan. The school has told me that they would like me to come over on an L visa, and then they would switch it to a Z visa (fly me over to Hong Kong) once I got there. The problem is that it looks like an L visa is not available to me, because I no longer have an alien registration card. The school then suggested that I fly to Hong Kong to get an L visa. This seems like a very expensive detour.

Are there any other teachers out there that have come over straight from Korea? Is it possible to get a Z visa in Korea? I would appreciate any suggestions. I would really like to avoid going home first.

kungfuman · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:19 pm Post subject:

If you can't get a tourist visa in Korea then you can go to HK and get a tourist visa easily. Directly or through a travel agent. Chances are that you can't fly directly from SK to Hainan anyway and would have to change planes in HK or Shenzhen.

HOWEVER there are some drawbacks for going to work in China illegally.

There are plenty of threads and posts here about people going to work on a tourist visa and running into many problems. Quite often the issues revolve around the school changing their mind (or outright lying to you) about picking up all the costs of your visa and HK run. Between flights, hotel, visa cost, and time lost from work these costs can be high for a school. And of course for you.

The best bet is to get a Z visa before you come to China.

If the Korean visa office won't give you a tourist visa then try a Korean travel agency and see what they say.

if not, most travel agencies in Hongkong can get you a tourist visa - often the same day (unless they have stopped this). But note that hotels in Hongkong are expensive. There are cheaper options in some of the mansions that cost $30-40 usd a night. I stayed at the Star Guest House a few nights once. It was ok for a short term.

I would suggest post on the South Korea forum for more info regarding what you can do or not do at the Chinese Embassy in SK.

The best and safest way to go is get a z visa before you arrive. I understand it is not always possible. I came to China on a tourist visa my last job and yes, they sent me to HK and paid for everything but not everything always works out smoothing.

Try to push your prospective employer to get you a z visa before you come. If they can't try and get them to get all the paperwork ready and tell them you will fly from SK to Hk to get the visa processed before you come to China. of course infer they need to pay all the costs for everything - don't forget food as well.

narratoralex · Joined: 17 Sep 2012 Posts: 12

thanks, kungfuman. i appreciate the advice. i do believe that my school is on the level. i have talked to a few expats there, and they have assured me everything is cool. my biggest concern is cost. i don't want to drop 800 dollars on a trip to hong kong when there is even the smallest chance that my visa application will get rejected.

lemak · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368

lemak · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368

Also if your school in Hainan has requested you send a health check from Korea before they start the visa paperwork be aware also that an embassy in say HGK or BKK likely won't accept a foreign issued medical check if you apply for a z visa there and you'll likely have to do *another* one....or maybe not....depends on what day you visit. Tiresome, I know.

teachingld2004 · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 389

I had lived in S. Korea for years, and I wanted to go back there to visit before I went to China. The embassy in NY told me I could not get the z visa in S. Korea. So I had to wait in NY until I had all my paper work done, and I had no time to go to Korea.
I needed the medical from NY, and then lo and behold, had to do another one in China anyway.
If you have to go to Hong Kong, then do it.

kungfuman · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 9:07 am Post subject:

I ONCE went to an HK travel agency and for a tourist visa. Dropped the passport off in the am and returned at 4pm. It worked fine BUT YES - things change.

Have you tried a SK travel agency yet> If you can get a 30-60 day tourist visa then you will be ok.

Also try to get an F VISA. Good for 90 days a stay and for a year. 90 days makes life much easier for you and the school. ( You gotta make up a story that you are going to do business etc - it's easy usually.)

narratoralex · Joined: 17 Sep 2012 Posts: 12

I can't get a visa in Korea, because I don't have 6 months left on my contract. So getting it here is out. I am hearing mixed reports about being able to get it in Hong Kong. Does anyone know anything for sure? Or does it just change like every day?

chinatimes · Joined: 27 May 2012 Posts: 478

narratoralex · Joined: 17 Sep 2012 Posts: 12

lemak · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368

kungfuman · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:19 pm Post subject:

WOW! What is the reason for this? Anyone know? Last I looked relations between China and South Korea were not "strained" like with other countries.