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Posts: 4

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Q: Can I get a Z visa to work while having a Tourist visa in China

I want to come to China with a Tourist visa but I need a Z visa inoder to work

12 years 4 days ago in  Visa & Legalities - China

 
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Shifu

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Hmm, yes I know your way Happy, have done it myself once, worked out fine for me. If you want more info on the legalities of working temp. for 30 days on a L visa and 90 on the F, you can check the Beijing FEC website for working as a ESL teacher in China. A school has the right to ensure your quality before hiring. And Nevemind, was that this year as of like 2011 to 2012,

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12 years 3 days ago
 
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Posts: 3025

Emperor

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You are totally correct, you must have a "Z" visa to begin with, and a FEC,(Foreign Expert Certificate) a work permit and a residence permit (plus pass a health check up) in order to LEGALLY work in China within 30 days from date of landing here.  And this is mostly done at the PSB of the city where you will reside.

And also you can come to China with a tourist "L" visa and seek a job while here.  But you also must be sure that your potential employer is allowed by Chinese authorities to hire foreigners, not all employers can.

The problem may come in changing your tourist "L" visa into a "Z" work visa while IN China, since by Law here, only Chinese Embassies abroad can issue visas.  Now, if your potential employer has enough "guangxi" (pull or friendship) with proper authorities, it could be done for the right price.  Or, you could get an offer of employment, secure the proper required documentation from your future employer, and exit China to request the work visa in Hong Kong or back home.

In order to know what is the "proper documentation" required from your future employer to request the work visa, please visit the website of the Chinese Embassy inj your country and see what they are asking for at the time.  And copy that so you can request that documentation here.

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12 years 4 days ago
 
Posts: 1008

Shifu

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Be warned, only some provinces allow you to do a Hong Kong run, Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing and Shenzhen all require you to go back to your home country to do the working visa. Now, let's get back to that L visa. The law states that a certified school is allowed to let you work for a period of 30 days legally on an L visa or 90 days on an F visa in order to ensure your teaching methodology and experience are par for their institution. That being said, be warned, most schools will use you while on this type of visa, they will help you convert if to F, or extend L for you but it's never stable. You would however be the majority of the ESL teachers in China who does not have a Z visa. I don't care about the working visa but I will say this, stability in China. Once you get a working visa the rest will be a breeze even if something comes up and a school or company tries to screw you, you can successfully use an agency to renew a working visa for you or change schools or companies and so on.

nevermind:

Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing and Shenzhen all require you to go back to your home country to do the working visa.

 

 

 

 

Honestly, where do people get their info. You can do an HK run for Beijing. I've done it two times.

12 years 4 days ago
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HappyExPat:

All I will say is how a city can prohibit you from going to HKG or France or Spain, or your home country, and request a visa ?. And how can a city in China yell an Embassy Officail in a foreign country not to issue visas to sesidents of that city ?. I will not give details, do not wish my discovery "window" closed, but I renewed my visa exactly one year ago, abroad, and never left China. And I was told I could not do it, but I did succesfully. And the Law here says that in order to work legally, you must have a "Z" visa first, then within 30 days of entering China and prior to begin working, go to PSB at the city you reside and finish FEC requirements if any, and get the health certificate, the work permit and the residence permit. Where does it say you can work (even if not paid a salary) for 90 days on an "L" or "F" visa as a probatory period ?. Never heard of that. Would like to read it somewhere and learn a little more if possible.

12 years 3 days ago
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12 years 4 days ago
 
Posts: 1008

Shifu

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Hmm, yes I know your way Happy, have done it myself once, worked out fine for me. If you want more info on the legalities of working temp. for 30 days on a L visa and 90 on the F, you can check the Beijing FEC website for working as a ESL teacher in China. A school has the right to ensure your quality before hiring. And Nevemind, was that this year as of like 2011 to 2012,

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12 years 3 days ago
 
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General

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All of these answers are years old

do you have any current information on this Z Visa ?????? 2016.

I'm not going to travel all the way back to the UK wait 2 months in the freezing cold while I'm in Asia-Bali right now its nuts

I hear so many stories does anybody know the real answer or if not just say no I want to work in Shenzhen some say you have too been a Hong Kong resident to get this dreaded Z  visa some say you don't

some say you must go back to your home country.

IS THERE A REAL ANSWER TO THIS ??

 

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8 years 4 weeks ago
 
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All of these answers are years old

do you have any current information on this Z Visa ?????? 2016.

I'm not going to travel all the way back to the UK wait 2 months in the freezing cold while I'm in Asia-Bali right now its nuts

I hear so many stories does anybody know the real answer or if not just say no I want to work in Shenzhen some say you have too been a Hong Kong resident to get this dreaded Z  visa some say you don't

some say you must go back to your home country.

IS THERE A REAL ANSWER TO THIS ??

 

Spiderboenz:

Rules haven't changed. You MIGHT be able to get it taken care of in HK... Otherwise you have to do it from your home country. Cannot convert from a tourist visa to a work visa within mainland China. 

8 years 4 weeks ago
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8 years 4 weeks ago
 
Posts: 3868

Emperor

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You DON'T have to wait 2 months in the freezing cold! Once the invitation letter is issued, IF you have to go back to the UK, it takes 4 days, if you pay extra to get a Z-visa issued in the UK. But you'd know that if you looked on the website of the Chinese visa website for the UK. 

 

At least do SOME research before you go digging up old topics and rant on here. 

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8 years 4 weeks ago
 
Posts: 3868

Emperor

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And....spend more time searching on this website....there are far more up-to-date answers than this 3 year old one. Bloody idiot. 

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8 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