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Posts: 4

Governor

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Q: If I work long-term in China for a company with no Chinese office, what visa should I use?

I am planning to work for a company that deals with Chinese factories as their Chinese operations liaison, stationed in China. They don't have any office in China. Considering the new laws, do I use a business visa? A work visa? A residence permit? What about my family members? (I have a non-Chinese wife and child who plan to live with me in China).

10 years 48 weeks ago in  Visa & Legalities - Shenzhen

 
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Posts: 703

Shifu

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The company should know what to provide you, usually they look after that. If you are being paid by the company that is based in China then technically you would need the Z visa, as the business visa states that you are not able to be working in China for pay by the Chinese company.

JungleLife:

Are you being paid by a Chinese company, or by a company outside of China? If you are being paid by a company outside of China, then the business visa(F) or (M)visa is for you.

10 years 48 weeks ago
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Jennan:

I would be paid by a British company. I'm in a situation where they know little of employing in China, I would be their first foreign employee stationed in China. Since I live in China already, I know more about what is required than they do... Hence they are asking me what visa they need to help me apply for.

10 years 48 weeks ago
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Jennan:

If it is a business visa, what then of my spouse and child's visas? ps they AREN'T Chinese.

10 years 48 weeks ago
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JungleLife:

I am pretty sure the visa for you is the business visa(F) in that case, which may also now be the (M) visa. I would call the visa office where you are and ask the details about your situation with your family. I know the visa office here in Canada is great when i have called them with questions.

10 years 48 weeks ago
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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
Posts: 19852

Emperor

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Your Co. (or you) should seek correct info at Chinese Embassy in UK.

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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
Posts: 583

Shifu

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Can you let me know that where you are going to be paid, if your salary is going to be credited in Bank account then where is this bank is situated.. in your job contract, which company has signed employment contract with you and what address of your employer has been mentioned in that contract.. after that i can conclude and and can give you professional reply..

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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
Posts: 9631

Emperor

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F-visa will not provide anything for your wife/kids to stay in China

 

F-visa only allows staying in China for 30 days at a time. If you're near a border, e.g. in Shenzhen you can just pop into Hong Kong to reset the 30 day counter.

 

The proper way to do it would be to have you UK employer set up an office in China. Doing this might make it very unattractive to you have you employed in China as the administration of this (e.g. tax accounting according to Chinese law is a big task to pick up for a non-Chinese company) If there is a long term strategy of having more employees in China, then maybe it would seem more feasible. 

If your UK employer has a long standing relationship with a Chinese company, maybe they'd be able to help with "employing" you, but be aware, any such deal would commit you to favorable treatment of that Chinese company. 

 

Make sure your UK employer gets you a good package that includes accommodation and health insurance. 

JungleLife:

F visa can be up to 6 or 12 months stay with no exit/re-enter

10 years 48 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

typically the first business visa will be 30 days per stay, the duration is based on luck rather than anything you can control, unless you can pull your guangxi-rabbit out of the visa-officers hat. 

10 years 48 weeks ago
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JungleLife:

i've had a 6 month one and a 1 year one, without using Guanxi in the past. seems like every visa office in every province is different.

I did have a Z visa prior to that, so that may have helped my file

10 years 48 weeks ago
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ironman510:

JungleLife is correct, you don't need to leave every 30 days on a business Visa. I'm in Shenzhen working in this with 80% of them on a M or F visa. The last time I saw guys having to leave every 30 days was 2 years ago for the Shenzhen University Games.

10 years 48 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

I stand corrected. Back in the day ( which I think was about january this year) I was told that I could maximum get 30 days stay based on the company inviting me, number of employees was the kicker

10 years 48 weeks ago
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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
Posts: 4424

Emperor

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Yes F or M visa will be needed.  As for your family, you should get them both an L visa outside of the country before they come here. They MIGHT be required to leave every 30 to 60 days on an L visa. This isn't easy man, I feel for you..

JungleLife:

the wife can more than likely get the same business visa, the kid could get a student visa.

10 years 48 weeks ago
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ironman510:

But with the July 1st 2013 laws the kid must have a school sponsor him first..

10 years 48 weeks ago
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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

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Well in the past it was easy to get F visa for 1 year multientry unlimited stay but since september they changed the visa laws and it seems very hard to get more than a 30 days stay business visa.

thats why my information were when i was in hk at my agency

if it is still possible to get 1 year F visa unlimited stay then just buy one for your wife too. When I did this last year it didnt even require any documents from the company but its also the case that you are not allowed to legally work here and business visa are not for long term working stuff

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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
Posts: 4

Governor

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To be clearer, my family and I are already in China and have been living here for over 8 years. Up until recently, I had a residence permit from a previous job for 5 years, and my wife and daughter were living on family member visas. Before that, my wife had also been staying on business visas in China. However, since I left that job, and am now planning to work for this new company with no presence in China, so I need to apply for a new visa for myself and my family.

JungleLife:

Off the top of my head i would think getting a business visa for you and your wife, and a student visa for your kid, but i would contact the visa office to find what is your best option.

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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
Posts: 115

Governor

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Acutually, you need to apply for the Z visa then back to China to apply for the work permit and resident permit. 

 

for your wife and kids, they can apply for the dependent visa. after you finish your resident permit but not every nationality can do it.

 

if you want to know more, you can contact me consultant01@0086rich.com

 

Best Regards

Chester

 

 

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10 years 48 weeks ago
 
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