Residence Status, visa extensions, visa agents and other related work, travel, business visa questions..
9/5/2009 5:02:16 AM
tanyujie
Posts: 12
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I have read the Chinese Embassy's USA website and it states that I need a "visa notification" from my prospective employer. What exactly does that mean? The contract?
Also I have a question regarding L and Z visas. I know that it is illegal to work on a tourist visa. Yet I've been told by an Australian recruiter that some provinces have special privileges. For example Jiangsu Province allows prospective foreign teachers to arrive in Jiangsu on a tourist visa provided that their school would change that tourist visa into a working visa within 30 days of arrival. In the rest of China, however, it is illegal to work on a tourist visa. This is all very confusing. Why do some provinces have special privileges while others do not?
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9/5/2009 10:29:04 AM
PandaVisa.com
Posts: 46
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The shark is telling the seal what? Australian recruiter? Not AITA is it? lordy.. Are you Australian or American? Which nationality are you?
Each province enforces things differently based on need and english proficiency in the classrooms.
Visa notification is the same as invitation. Z Work Visa is PERMISSION from the government to come to China for the purpose of teaching. If you go on tourist visa you are LYING to the govnt and they dont like that. 99% of schools cannot convert a tourist visa unless someone is sleeping with someone in the govt. who can accomplish this.
Is 1% chance worth the risk?
You are confused, the school must obtain the RESIDENCE PERMIT from you within 30 days. Not convert the visa. They cannot obtain residence status for you without the work visa.
good luck
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Hong Kong Visa Office
Chinese Consulates in the USA
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9/5/2009 1:48:53 PM
tanyujie
Posts: 12
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I'm an American but I had an Australian colleague, a newbie at the time, who came to Jiangsu on a tourist visa. She was told by her Australian colleague -- the recruiter -- that Jiangsu had this "special status" and that it was the school's responsibility to -- yes-- change her visa -- within 30 days of her arrival. After her arrival my colleague started talking to other foreign teachers in the area and they all had their paperwork done within one week of their arrival. She then found out that what she had done was illegal and our boss tried to make her work on a tourist visa just to save money. She refused. Instead, she went on strike and refused to work until the school converted her visa. Our boss did not start her paperwork until the 29th-30th day causing my colleague to stress out because she had plans to travel to Chengdu for the Oct.1st holiday. He was able to get our z visas and our residence permits successfully BUT we did see him pay an "expedition fee". My colleague and I would call it a bribe.
I have also recently heard from another expat friend of mine that she was able to enter the country to teach on a tourist visa and her school was able to change her visa and get her residence permit.
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9/5/2009 2:42:19 PM
brenda
Posts: 46
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*head shake* Why do people still come to China illegally? Don't you guys do any kind of research before you leave your country to live in another world?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it just seems like it would be comon sense. What happens to illegals in the USA caught working?
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9/5/2009 2:45:43 PM
JourneyEast.org
Posts: 79
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What school is this?
Jiangsu is not an easy province to convert a visa legally. Something is going on in the background.
Depending on the type of school whether it is a public government school or a private school, I may be able to offer some advice.
Our policy for the past three years is strictly never to send anyone to China unless the school has provided a z visa, or put up $1000 dollars as a guarantee.
Jiangsu is not a province where a tourist visa can be converted, so they must have some special magic to make that happen.
Good luck though.
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International Travel Insurance
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9/5/2009 6:48:13 PM
tanyujie
Posts: 12
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JourneyEast,
I'm so glad to see that you responded and I'm even more estatic to hear that you have such a policy in place. I'm currently in the USA but I'm trying to look for another teaching job back in China. I have been going with another recruiter based in the USA but has agents in China. One of these agents has found several posts for me. The catch, however, is that since time is short for many schools that this agent wants me to apply for an L visa. They have offered to pay for a trip to Hong Kong should I need to go there. I told the agent and the USA recruiter that it is ILLEGAL and that if the school should send me the documents ASAP.
I have booked a ticket for Beijing Sept. 15th but no visa. I have told the agent in China that if I don't hear from her by Sept. 8th, that I will cancel my booking and change my plans.
I'm interested in what ESL positions you may have. Could you please send me a private e-mail with more information? Thanks.
By the way, the name of my now ex-boss is Huang Rong a.k.a. Davie. He serves both as the school director and Foreign Affairs Officer(FAO). I would hate to mention the school's name because it is one of the best schools I've worked at academically and the students are so easy to love. I would hate to blacklist the school's name because it's the students who will suffer the most. But it's Xinghua Middle School. Great school, great students, but the FAO is a snake!
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9/8/2009 10:30:27 AM
Keith
Posts: 36
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I think the way the policy of the "blacklist" works is that schools are reviewed every three years allowing enough time for turnover.
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9/8/2009 2:31:54 PM
tanyujie
Posts: 12
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Thanks to Panda and Journey for your advice. I have decided NOT to go with China National Foreign Teacher Center's suggestion that I come in on a tourist visa as it would be too risky. I'm now looking at other alternatives. Mahalo all!
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