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Q: Are HK visa runs being stopped for good now?
In short, I have too many visas in my existing passport and have been declined a new visa.
An agent tried to help me but failed.
So, seems that they are really clamping down in Hong Kong.
10 years 22 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
My friend got his visa in HK last week. I guess it's just luck of the draw. May be worth getting a new passport... You can get one in Beijing. How many visas do you have in your passport if you don't mind me asking?
My passport is nearly full. I have had it four years and have only ever been to China and Hong Kong with it.
Going home for Christmas now.
ironman510:
Will renewing your passport combined with getting a new visa within your home country do the trick?
I just got off the phone with Forever Bright Visa agents in HK, they said: Hong Kong can not issue multi entries until you have a Hong Kong ID. They don't know how long this will last, maybe until after the Chinese New Holiday..
Constantly reading about this Chinese immigration stuff and I have gone to HK recently to get a single entry 3 month Z visa - as this what my passport would allow, expired in 8 months at the time. Must be valid for 3 months after visa expiry so 6 months wouldn't do.
Anyway, even though I am limited to single entry on my Z visa..is it not the case that FEC>RP>Z visa..You get FEC and RP after Z visa. Haven't got mine yet but in the process. Yet these can be for multiple entries and for longer than your Z visa?
To be clear, one supersedes the other with FEC the highest..I read, can't reference though..
icnif77:
Z visa is valid 30 days. RP replace Z visa, and is necessary for ID, together wih FEC. You can exit and reentry China with valid RP as many times as you want.
ChengduPat:
So in getting a Z visa, no matter if it's for 3 months, 6 months or a year - you can get a RP and FEC which supersede Z and these can be for 1 year or length of contract? i.e. there's no relation of length of Z to length of RP/FEC.
icnif77:
Z visa validity is 30 days only, as I know. Your employer must replace Z with RP in 30 days, since your entry.
FEC is prove of your legal employment in China. You must show your passport and FEC when ID (Banks, Police). Why do I feel like a parrot?
ChengduPat:
Going to try not to be rude here but I will say it would help not feeling like a parrot if you didn't avoid the main concern twice. If you don't know just say you don't know, there is no shame in it. Albeit feedback or confirmation was good, thanks, some unsolicited the previous Q still remains (in a clearer setting than the previous attempt).
icnif77:
I didn't mean to be rude, butt.. after I wrote 2nd reply, I realized it wasn't much different than the 1st one. I am not sure about passport validity. I believe, RP will be issued till the expiration of your passport.
icnif77:
'Constantly reading about this Chinese immigration stuff and I have gone to HK recently to get a single entry 3 month Z visa - as this what my passport would allow, expired in 8 months at the time. Must be valid for 3 months after visa expiry so 6 months wouldn't do.'
When did you go to HK, and get 3 M Z visa? What your statement stands for? Did you confuse 2 visa letters? Are you talking about F visa?
ironman510:
Icnif77 is correct, a Z visa is only good for 30 days, but there are 3 month RP's.. I've never ever heard of a Z visa that last 3 months..
icnif77:
@iron: I wasn't really sure. I tought, OP is talking about recent 'visa changes'.
ChengduPat:
Aw no worries, got a Z visa the start of the month. For 3 months single entry in HK. Could have asked for 3-6 month double or 1 year single I think. The chap with me got Z visa for 1 year. (due to my passport expiry I was limited in choice). You do indeed have 30 days to change to RP, no doubt.
This is actually what I was getting at - I paid for 3 months, he paid more for 1 year but when it comes to RP and FEC, the Z visa is overtaken by these anyway. (could it be that the fee for the year was a waste of money).
But Ironman you mention an RP can be for 3 months so maybe this is what may occur for me and he gets 1 year RP. Anyway, been constructive and informative yet don't want to blow on too much as not my orig post even though closely related. I will report back when I get RP and/or FEC. Defo Z and yes 3 months.
icnif77:
'3M Z visa' is definitely 'a new one'! I am just not sure, what is the purpose of 3M Z validity?
Does Gov. giving more time to the School and PSB for replacing Z with RP? You get FEC in 30 days, so you can start to work, and then you (your passport) wait till PSB get your RP stamp???? What were your options in HK, after you got 3 M Z visa? Could you stay in HK till (3M) Z expiration?
'3M RP'? Only reason for the 'short' RP I see is 'shortly expiration of your passport'. OK, looking forward for more.
ironman510:
It's too bad we can't get Z visa's without job invites, that way we could walk in for 3 months or 6 months on a Z visa and choose the right job that fits us..
Wow if this is a new policy change, it's a good one.
ChengduPat, one question, what did you mean by: You could've paid for a longer Z visa? I was under the impression that a Z visa was already assigned to a company that hired you, why would a Z visa need to be over a month or two? Was there a list of Z visa offers? This is all new to some of us. Fill us in on how that Z visa thing works now. Thx
icnif77:
'The chap with me got Z visa for 1 year.........…' Z visa cannot be for 1 Y! 30 days after your entry, you must get RP!
ChengduPat:
Back with an update.
This is gospel now, I have worked in UK immigration so have an interest in the area so took more notice than the average person on the process.
I got a 3 month Z visa at the start of the month in HK. The chap with me from the same company got one for 1 year. I had to get a 3 month single entry due to passport expiration (to be honest I would have went for more if I could!) As I said the chap with me got a Z visa for 1 year multiple entry. It's section 2.2 of the application form. We should have ticked 'other' maybe and asked for a 1 month z visa. Form here http://www.visarite.com/images/china_visa/V.2013.pdf
I paid 500 HKD he paid around 1300 HKD. Today I got my FEC until April - again probably due to passport expiration in the middle of next year. RP is due to pick up the middle December and it's expected to be for 9 months.
So, as the two of us will basically have the same outcome and having paid a vastly different price, both as it seems unnecessary, I'd like to draw attention to section 2.2 of application form and suggest ticking 'other' and specifying 1 month. It was very much a rush job and our employers filled most of the form for us. Was more worried about getting stuck in HK longer than was necessary at the time.
But...seems like very few if any at all knew you could get Z visas for longer than 1 month, well you can (yet more than less useless for longer than 1 month!) Our expenses were paid anyway. What a waste of money though it seems. In hindsight can't even remember seeing 'other' as an option. Ever so slightly peeved at the oversight but aw well, no harm done.
To the OP, the question remains -- were you trying to obtain a new "L" visa or a new "F" visa or one of their newly-minuted mutants?
Is there anything else that in your profile that might have attracted official attention, such as being in China for 3 - 5 years on extended L visa? I am just asking, honestly.
A colleague of mine just returned from Hong Kong and encountered no problems with the Visa Office.
ironman510:
Lets be practical, I think Carl probably tried every option and every visa and with the final famous movie speech: "isn't there any thing you can do?" "Visa Doctor are you telling us there is no hope?"
So I will assume Carl was smart enough to try all his options.. So no need to ask what visa he was trying to get.
Now a better question would be" what type of visa's would get you rejected the next time you try to renew?"
Ⅴ.Additional Information
1. If the visa application form is not filled out completely, correctly and legibly, this can cause a delay in processing or refusal of the requested visa.
2. ( Z ) visa is valid for one entry, three months. The holder of a (Z) visa shall go through residential formalities in the local public security department within thirty days of entry into China.
3. Visa Officers may require some other relevant documents.
4.Any person suffering from a mental disorder, leprosy, AIDS, venereal diseases, contagious tuberculosis or other such infectious diseases shall not be permitted to enter China.
All regulations are subject to change without notice.
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t84245.htm
ADD-it: 3M Z is not new. My last Z was issued Sep 7, 2012, 'Entry before' Dec 7, 2012. I forgot that!
ironman510:
Oh I got it.. My Z visa back in 2006 was good for a month. Nice to know they give you 3 months from time to time.
icnif77:
OP is talking about multiple entries and different duration of Z. That confused me.
dom87:
well my Z visa was from july this year and also only had 30 days. but anyways it doesnt matter
I dont need a visa to come to china 
new rules for my country but i went to Hk 3 days ago and forever bright they can do something for the visa.. try goup visa.
Anyone who needs a visa, contact this email charityzx@hotmail.com I can help you get a one year M visa.
ironman510:
Visa agents who claim to be able to procure visa' are outlawed in China (again, I stated this back in July) for this very reason. They simply do not have the authority to get a visa - no matter what they tell you. They are nothing more than charlatans, sharks, used car salesman, ticket touts or any other scum who prey on the needs of others. Agents like FBT in HK are reputable go-between who do not claim to be able to get you anything. They act as an agent on your behalf to apply for you - that is all. There is no guarantee they will be successful, nor do they claim such - learn the difference. Any who do should be flayed alive and left out on pikes as an example to others. Wise up foreigners they always say 'you're are easily fooled' try proving them wrong eh, and get smart.
pepperzx:
That's where you are wrong, someone who doesn't believe things could be done here, that's because they come from small sensitive nations like Africa and Mid-EAST. With money , anything is possible.
pepperzx:
Maybe you had bad experience before, that doesn't mean everyone has to suffer with you. Here is our rule, you see the visa first, then you pay the money, it''s not like what you said, too exaggerated
ironman510:
No, I'm here legally, my wife works for a Chinese immigration law firm, we know the real deal and the real laws. Thats why i know so much and try to share my info with people who need it..
ironman510:
haha your "see the visa first before paying" haha so funny, what happens if you're rejected? How do you show someone the visa? I bet you put a fake visa from a HP printer. That sadly happen to my Filipino friend last year. Don't trust these giys.
chamaflauge:
what does Africa or the Middle East have to do with it you prick? Dont you make most of your money from Africans ....and then you put them down? Ironman is right...these visa agents are all full of skullduggery...its illegal and its corruption.
Anyone who needs a visa, contact this email charityzx@hotmail.com I can help you get a one year M visa.
ironman510:
Visa agents who claim to be able to procure visa' are outlawed in China (again, I stated this back in July) for this very reason. They simply do not have the authority to get a visa - no matter what they tell you. They are nothing more than charlatans, sharks, used car salesman, ticket touts or any other scum who prey on the needs of others. Agents like FBT in HK are reputable go-between who do not claim to be able to get you anything. They act as an agent on your behalf to apply for you - that is all. There is no guarantee they will be successful, nor do they claim such - learn the difference. Any who do should be flayed alive and left out on pikes as an example to others. Wise up foreigners they always say 'you're are easily fooled' try proving them wrong eh, and get smart.
I will answer ll the questions and provide an update of my status etc.
First of all, I had two work visas in my passport, but since September 2012, I had a total of three F visas.
Between Jan 2010 and May 2012, I was also married, and was when I arrived back in China in September 2012. I actually returned to China on a L visa (spousal's visa). This being said, I came for a number of jobs. I knew in the past that a work visa could be obtained in HK. A public school employed me and went to get all my bits together for a work visa. I then went to HK to get said visa but that was when I found out about the visa-runs being stopped. That was December 2012. As a result of this, I used CTS to get me a three month Bis visa. When this expired, I went to get a new six month F visa through an agent.
What also didn't help me in the past is that my passport got wet from the rain and was also washed about two years ago so the front was worn. hat being siad, I got all previous visas without any problem.
During the time I had these visa, I was employed by schools who said they could get me a visa, but eventually left all when it was apparent that they wouldn't One of these schools did eventually start getting work visas for it's teachers, but only after I had left. That school was the one I posted on here about a few months back who were paying 15k per month as an international school.
In the end, my last visa expired. I had every intention of working and being a legal worker. MOre importantly though was the fact that I was also doing business (hence the business visa), and I was staying for someone (love). When this waned, I wasn't bothered about staying, but I faced the problem of being in CHina too long (Career suicide at home).
Sadly, just as I finally was getting places in CHina (legally), I, for the second time, couldn't stay in China. The first being because I left after being sick of the place. This time because I have been in China too long, got too many visas, and passport is worn. FTR, I used the same agent as the last one.
I have been told I can get another visa, and I know I can, as I am self-employed, and maybe my girlfriend will help me as we do love each other. I just have to now decide if I want to.
With all the shit that I have been through over the last 15 months, I am not sure I want to come back. I will only come back for my gf on the basis she can leave with me for the UK (She will be able to in a year's time).
Hope this answers a lot of synical questions, and innocent ones too, and can be used as an example of what the situation now is in China.
Importantly, I did everything as legal as I could, and when it wasn't working, I moved on and tried again.
Sods law because I have a chance to set up a training centre in Shenzhen, but am not sure I can put up with that country anymore. I could do it and then leave it (but still own it).
Amen.
ironman510:
Thanks man, you're the first person to give us a clearer picture of what's really going on in China with the Visa market. I've been here 8 years with my Chinese wife, It does drive you crazy at times, luckily I'm in Shenzhen and near HK and the best traveling airport in Asia. So HK saves my stressful days.
