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Posts: 26

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Q: Expired student visa - what can I do?

I have expired student visa. It all happened by mistake as I am completely new comer to China, so without any knowledge about laws in China. Now I am stuck here in China and cannot do anything and I cannot even leave china. Please help find any solution regarding my visa issue. What can I do to solve this issue or what can I do to leave the country without getting into any trouble or any way to get back to my studies again? Currently I am living in Shenzhen, but I can travel any where in China if there is any possibility of resolving the visa Issue. 
  Hope to have some solutions.
  Best Regards

12 years 3 weeks ago in  Visa & Legalities - China

 
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Comments (16)
Posts: 3025

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The only legal solution is to face the music and suffer the probable consecuences, short of swimming into Hong Kong.

You must gather your papers and go into PSB office in the city where you are.  I strongly suggest you do bring a translator with you.  It will depend on how long ago your student visa expired, the longer in time, the less chances of you receiving a good rfesponse.  For Chinese Officials, overstaying a visa is a real bad offense by the foreigner, it shows to them (and this may not be true in your case) that you have no respect for their laws and regulations.

At PSB you must show how sorry you are, ask many times to be forgiven, express many times your apologies for doing so, but lack of knowledge is not a valid excuse, you will be penalized somehow.  And the penalty could be from a cash fine ( 500 Rmb per day of overstay), a hand slap, a letter to your file, to inmediate incarcelation and deportation later on, and no further visas to enter China.

If you are a good student, and friendly with a teacher, ask him/her to accompany you and put a good word for you.  If you can locate a person who has a friend working at the PSB office, it will be of great help to you.

Good luck to you.

mattaya:

You can get a business visa if you pay the fees through an agency. Basically find a company that will get you a business visa but you tell them you are paying for it not them. It's better than going through the troubles your gonna have to go through if you dont'!

12 years 3 weeks ago
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Ryan123:

Hong kong every one keep telling me the samething, but if I try that then I wont go through the same issue as I am trying to leave this country because going to hong Kong is similar to exiting China? If what you are staying it is possible then I can give it a try because hong kong is only two hours away from Shenzhen.

12 years 2 weeks ago
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HappyExPat:

Darn Ryan, do I have to become an accomplice of you in breaking the Law ?. When I say swim to Hong Kong I mean literaly go to the border and find a way to exit China by not going thru the Customs and Immigration on the Chinese side, but do make sure you do enter Hong Kong legally. There is a small river (20 to 25 meters wide) separating both jurisdictions, find a way across it.

12 years 2 weeks ago
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Ryan123:

Thank you actully your advice at first I didnt understand what you meant, but I did asked some friends and they said it could be possible. But it is a hard work. I am planning to try it soon. Thank you Best Regards

12 years 2 weeks ago
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12 years 3 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1008

Shifu

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To be honest, it really does depend on how long your visa has been expired, if it is up to two weeks, there will be no problem. Pay your fine, yet the 10 day pass and renew your visa in Hong Kong.

If it has been for a couple of months, well then, there is no way it was a mistake but you can still fix the problem by paying the fine, but chances are you won't be able to return for 90 days.

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12 years 3 weeks ago
 
Posts: 26

Governor

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I know these issues and my visa has expired since september 2011 I know it is a long time, but I was trying to find some other ways to solve this issue, and whenever I try to find any solution every one just made me more and more scared ohh this will happen they will put you in the jail, and they will deport you! All these issues made me turn around and try to find something different some agent or some one who can help me renew my visa without facing all these issues like deportation and jail time. paying the fine Yes that I understand and I will pay it, but preffer ably avoiding the negitave issues like deporting back home or jail. Because if I am planning to pay the fine then I have to get ready for air fair, and today it is not cheap at all around 10,000 and God knows how much will they fine me. So please if you have any agent well known agent who can clear this issue it will be great.
  THank you very much for your respons
   Best Regards

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12 years 3 weeks ago
 
Posts: 3025

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Ryan:

The fine is limited to a maximum amount of 5,000 Rmb, but you have a visa expired for 6 months now, and that is just not a few days.  It would be hard to plead ignorance of expiration date, and any other pausable excuses. 

In my opinion, it is better to face the facts and volunteer yourself in that be found.  The worst case scenario will be to be deported, and maybe face an up to 5 years ban to get another visa to enter China.

This is why I suggested to show remorse, ask for forgiveness and clearly explain you do respect all Chinese Laws as a mitigated factor.

In regards to locating a visa agent to help you, you could try that way if you wish, but in general visa agents get you a new visa, or renew an existing valid one.  I would make sure they can really help you before paying them any money and then just end up with the same as if you did it yourself.

Good luck to you.

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12 years 3 weeks ago
 
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sorry i am having a hard time buying this. what is the true purpose of this post? 
if it is true i hope they throw the book at you. why do foreigners come here and act as if they are in their home country. and i dont buy that whole i am new to china and i dont know the laws of china bs. save that manipulative bs for your defense in court. visa laws are pretty much standard country to country. and they all have one thing in common: do not over stay your visa. you did not mistakenly let your visa expire (after 6 months), so that means you're in this country doing something you know you are not supposed to do. what are you dealing drugs or working illegally?  clearly it is not going to school.  
i hate it when people decide to go to abnother country with the intended purpose of breaking the laws. and over staying your visa is breaking the law. when you apply for entry to another country you are not the first and will not be the last. it is a privilage extended to you and others. show some consideration and dont puck it up for the next guy. assholes like you are the reason law abiding expats have to deal with more BS when doing things the right way. 
you think you can come to this website and manipulate the posters into seeing you as a victim and give you a way out of the hole you dug for yourself. (your original question leaves out important info, where are you from how long ago did your visa expire? see you wanted to sell the lie that your visa expired by mistake)
there is one thing i know you can do to help yourself and i will keep it to myself.
my advice to you is to take a flight to tibet.

crimochina:

another way to help you is to follow mattayayayas advice go to the psb and apply for a business visa

12 years 3 weeks ago
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Ryan123:

Hi thank you for your comment. I am really sorry about what I have done, and made it more hard for the people who are trying to stay legal. Now my situation I am not selling drugs or doing any thing illegal, however, I am trying to solve this visa issue so I do not get any bad record for future. So I think that would make me a different from what you have described. about how I got into this situation, the first month I came to china the school was in Chinese, and they said I can apply for another school and transfer there, so from the first day I came to china I was busy with searching for other university, and then I came to shenzhen two months before the semester was going to start I applied and the begin my registration application, so to my previous university I said the new university has began the process. Then right before my visa was going to expire I received an email from the university rejecting my application, in addition, they were processing my application for over 40 days. I was stuck and when I called my previous university they completely stayed back, and then just two days before I went to visit the my previous university and ask them why is that and they said I need to talk to them why did they suddenly did that. When I went to the new university they said because my visa is expired? can you imagine and they treated me very rudly. After my visa expired I got really scared, and started searching online for information what should I do. I was not prepared for a situation like this not even in my dreams. every where just like this blog thy were saying police and fine and deportation? Me my self in my entier life I have never done anything illegal even driving without a permit where as I know they cannot know I was driving. I am that kind of person. Once again Thank you for your comment, but please do not judge unless you know the both sides of story. I am sorry and I am really am sorry what incontinentness I have caused any body. I am sorry. Best regards

12 years 3 weeks ago
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crimochina:

now i know you're full of it according to your story you came here on a visitor's visa and tried to go to school with that (i believe that's against the law in many countries including china but happy or john can verify that), instead of following the guidelines of your visa and leaving and then obtaining a new and appropriate visa for what you intended to do here, you let it expire and now you want to break the and not feel the consequences. your record is ruined, too late to start thinking about that now. and by the way which country are you from? they treat people from different countries differently.

i just read the rest of your drivel your story is complete bs.

12 years 3 weeks ago
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Hulk:

You should be a judge.

 

Anyway, I'll shed some light on this: you get an F visa to study at any Chinese college/educational institute for less than 6 months. Durations over 6 months require an X visa and a medical exam.

11 years 4 weeks ago
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12 years 3 weeks ago
 
Posts: 2253

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Like some said above, it's better to turn yourself in. You won't be able to fly out of the country unnoticed, so prepare for it as best you can. It's already too late to change it, you've been in the country illegaly for half a year.

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12 years 3 weeks ago
 
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Maybe you can swim to North Korea? Go there without a Visa, and you are GUARANTEED a nice long stay!cheeky

GuilinRaf:

Oh wiait! It is winter, so you can just walk across!

12 years 3 weeks ago
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Ryan123:

HAHAHAHAH!!!!!! Thats the only thing you can do. Besides that you have no other qualities. Me I am sitting here on this blog spending my time because I have no other choice, but you on the other hand, can do every thing legally possible, but still wasting your time out here, so sad! I think your job is just sit there and waste time and get drunk nothing else. HAHAH! Keep laughing. never mind now it looks like I am wasting my time, oh wait no not really I am actully enjoying it at this point before I didnt had something to do but no I DO. Thanks to you keep it up GuilinRAT

12 years 2 weeks ago
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GuilinRaf:

I didnt break the law, you did. I sleep well at night. Best of luck and watch your fingers when they close your cell...

12 years 2 weeks ago
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12 years 3 weeks ago
 
Posts: 8

Governor

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I feel sorry for you as you are a no win situation. Have you heard the expression when in a hole stop digging. The longer you leave it the worse the situation becomes. Go to the authorities. Say please can you help me I have been stupid I want to obey the law and study. Please please help. Its a slim chance but your only chance. The other way you will run out of money. Then get into a worse situation. Stop digging a deeper hole for yourself. The longer you leave the more severe the penalty, As the authorities have no choice

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12 years 4 days ago
 
Posts: 10

Governor

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We can solve ALL visa overstay issues with a minimum of fuss. We are based in Guangzhou.

 

www.ilaowai.net

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12 years 15 hours ago
 
Posts: 14

Governor

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Marry to local people.

GuilinRaf:

Can't. He still needs to show his passport with his super-mega expired visa.

12 years 2 hours ago
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Chyan:

Woops~~~~

12 years 2 hours ago
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12 years 2 hours ago
 
Posts: 2

Governor

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I really don't think it's a big deal and i wonder why you make a big deal out of it. I WIll like to know your nationality. I have a friend who just left as well after over staying for 3 year. He left without departation. I can help you contact him to find out how he did it.

 

I have also heard couples of people talking about EXIT visa, inwhich you will be ask to pay the fine after which given 3 days to leave china and probably never come back. It all depends on your nationality. 

 

Crimo china, it think you should think well before you talk, he only needs help not criticism. It could be easy for you to make visa in china so also it's difficult for some others. We are all here to make ends meet and back in my country i have got a lot of chinese people working illegally for bigger countries. some weeks ago, i heard some chinese with no passport were deported. The guy still had a passport but the chinese i know in my country has no passort and they eave as free men. The law might state all those things but the truth is there is no country without illegal immigrants. We are all looking for a better life outside our shore. 

 

Thanks and remain blessed

 

:

well said ,

11 years 39 weeks ago
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ElenaDob:

Thumbs up! 

Some people are lucky to be born in developed countries with good social security system, some are not. I'm not that lucky either, I'm legal in China now, but you never know how things are going to turn out. A Chinese saying goes: 饱汉不知饿汉的饥。

(A full guy will never understand the troubles of the hungry).  It's easy to talk about obeying the law, being legally employed, having visa, work permit,etc if you do not live from hand to mouth. 

 No one wants to break the law,  teach illegally, overstay their visas, leave their homeland, families & friends. People do it not because of the good life they had in their countries, they have no way. they have to survive.

 We don't have welfare, insurance & other freebies you have in the US & Europe, so we have to struggle tooth & nail if we don't want to end up on the street.

 "Judge not, & you shall not be judged. Condemn not, & you shall not be condemned. Forgive & you will be forgiven".

 So, my point is: If you know how to deal with the expired visa problem & are willing to help, please do. If not, do not lecture & judge us. 

11 years 4 weeks ago
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11 years 39 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1

Governor

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I also have a visa expired for 3 weeks, it all expired because my parents hoped to get money and send me in time but things failed as they faced a lot of financial difficulties at home, they cant sponsor me even to leave the country as my dad lost his job now, i have no money, but i have two part time jobs that i currently just got, could you advise me to continue overstay my visa as i work to get money to pay the penalty after like a year or i should give in to the psb but what are they going to do for me if i dont have money?. please advise me on a better solution

crimochina:

if your family could barely afford to send you here then why go to school here? why not stay in your home country? just curious

11 years 4 weeks ago
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11 years 4 weeks ago
 
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Answer of the DayMORE >>
A:  "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "S
A: "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "Shenzhen agent can connect you with an employer, who's authorized to hire waigouren ... and can sponsor Z visa." It's not like every 10th person you meet in Shenzhen's hood can sponsor work visa ...  The only way to change from student to labourer visa is just a regular way by: 1. Finding an employer, who'll apply for an Invitation letter; 2. Exit China and apply for Z visa in your home country's Chinese embassy; 3. Enter China in 30-days after Z visa was stamped into your travelling instrument ...As I am aware, you won't be able to switch to Working permit by remaining in China....,so make ready for a return to your home .... -- icnif77