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Q: Can I get a work visa without a sponsor?
Just imagining the possibilities.
Background:
I've lived in China for three years now on Z-visas.
I'm interested in freelancing, but I want to actually freelance.
I've an American passport in good standing.
It seems I need a sponsor to "invite" me. That would kind of defeat the purpose of being freelance though...
Heh. I recognize my inexperience in this matter.
Please, if you would, share some of your experience.
Thanks.
7 years 28 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
I would say: Don't be a freelancer. Your inexperience will get you caught fast next year.
You can, but you have to come here first, find ...... actually send a PM to admin they'll tell you how. It's not for everyone though.
It depends on what kind of freelancing you are going to do. I do freelance in Canada and China and I don't use a work visa but I have told the PSB exactly what I do.
I am a UI/UX designer that designs user-interfaces for various software platforms. They just looked at me blankly and said "As long as you don't teach ESL!"
Also, I do not make money from sources within China. All my clients are from various countries around the world and I work with them online. I actually refuse to work with Chinese management because they are quite simply time wasters, and very disorganized.
Here's what you can do:
1) You can get married and work off a Q1 visa (probably unlikely)
You are not allowed to work legally still in China (from Chinese sources). You may need guanxi or just fly under the radar. Most officers still let foreigners work as the law is ridiculous... families need support. Just as long as you don't make waves.
2) You can buy a work visa through a company that does sell them. Somewhat expensive and almost pointless unless you make big bucks. It costs about 15-25k RMB per year but you can work semi-legally within China.
3) You may be able to still get away with business visa trip runs back and forth. You may still need a sponsor, I have never done this but I think this method is slowly getting shut down.
----
That's my advice.
You could setup your own company, known as a WFOE (wholly foreign owned enterprise) and be the sole employee. You'd need to rent a small office as a business address and it costs to set the company up.
Shining_brow:
@Iron - once you set up the WFOE, you as the foreigner are legally entitled to an RP. If you want more staff, then your business needs a larger capital -but it can be done (I believe it's much easier than if a Chinese person wants to hire foreign talent).
The costs for going this route are pretty small - if you find someone who does business registrations for a not-outlandish price.
BUT.... be careful! A) unless you're registered as a school or training company, then you can't 'teach'. If you're not registered as a school, and you're caught teaching, then they'll kick you out. B) you'll need premises to be a school - and that will mean having to deal with arseholes landlords to rent from. c) if you're not a school;, you might get away with a virtual or shared office - depending on which city you're in.
However - the best benefit of going the WFOE is you can get an RP for as long as your business exists - which means as long as the contract you write for yourself. That can be 5 years if you want! And no need to leave the country every X days (you also get to call yourself a 'general manager' or whatever on your business card :p)
Hotwater:
@ Shining. There is a risk with virtual offices. They aren't supposed to be used for WFOE's and there are supposed to be inspection visits occasionally though the one I work for has never been checked yet.
I'm not 100% sure about shared offices but the one key point is that they have to be registered for business use.
The WFOE I manage has an apartment as an office and that is registered for commercial and residential use. Not all apartment blocks are.
You also need to consider the length of the rental contract. For consulting you need to have a minimum 12 month lease from when the WFOE is approved. As the process can take 3-5 months you're looking at a minimum 18 months rental contract.
