How to get a visa to teach in China (reprinted here at Living and Teaching in China)
A discussion on teflchina-life at topica.com in October 2000
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I am completing my visa application, and I am not sure about some of the
information.

I sent my physical to China as they requested. Am I supposed to get it
back and submit it with my visa application? Does it have to be
certified and authenticated?

Do I request single, double or multiple entries?

What do I put for duration?

Or is this a mute question and I will get instructions from my
university foreign exchange office??

Thanks,
Vanessa

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ar Vanessa:

I suppose that you are applying Chinese visa from abroad. I have not
helped any of our teachers doing the visa from abroad but I do not think
that you are able to get multiple entries Z visa from abroad. I am
curious to know the application process for Z Visa from abroad if anyone
has done this.

It is convenient to have multiple entries visa so that you can visit
Hong Kong or Macau or any other places outside China without bothering
your school and local PSB to get advance return visa for you each time
you want to leave China. Without advance visa, your single entry z visa
will become invalid once you leave China.

As for the physical test, all the z visas applied inside China require
physical tests from designated testing centers locally, tests done from
hospitals abroad are no use for z visa applications in China. Again, I
do not know the process of Z visa application from abroad and I am
curious to know the difference.

My advice to teachers coming to China is always to get L(tourist) visa
first and change the visa later in China. It is much cheaper and
hasseleless to get L visa(you can get 3 months L visa in Zhuhai at the
border for 100 to 150 HK) than Z visa from Chinese Embassies. L visa
also gives you freedom for change if you find the school you intend to
go quite different from your expectation.

I hope it is helpful,

Ping
in Zhuhai
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Re: visa question
Roger Chrisman
Oct 26, 2000 15:02 PDT



I have done this: fly to Hong Kong, which no visa
is required for USA and many other citizens to visit for up to three
months (and I believe for British Commonwealth Nationals -- UK,
Canadian, Australian, etc. -- for up to six month periods).

Then take a one hour boat ride to Zhuhai or 45 minute bus ride to
Shenzhen (PR China cities bordering Hong Kong) and buy your China
visa there. Ping, in Zhuhai, is familiar with visa sails at the port
there. Matthew, in Shenzhen, may be familiar with visa sails at the
Luohu border in Shenzhen. Matt, ideas?..

Getting a single entry tourist visa (L visa) at the boarder (or at a
tourist agency in Tsimshatui, Kowloon, Hong Kong) would do just fine
for the interim before you are settled into a place to teach in PR
China. During this interim you settle into your chosen PR China city,
work out residence details with your chosen school, get the required
visa physical at the required local hospital, and get the Work visa
(Z visa) with the help of your school at the local Public Security
Bureau (PSB -- they handle visas locally in China). Your school can
do this better locally because China runs on guanxi (connections) and
your school has guanxi with their local PSB but not likely with the
Chinese Embassy in your country. However, if your school is a famous
Chinese university they *may* be happy to swing their global clout
and have you get your Z visa at the Chinese Embassy in your country.
Either way your chosen school's help. So communicate with them and do
it their way. You will save money however if you do the medical in
China. So you might suggest that.

For those who will be working at small relatively new schools that
may not yet have the necessary relationship with their local PSB to
get you a Work visa (Z visa) the Business visa (F visa) is an option
but isn't technically the visa you are supposed to have as a worker
so may put you at some risk.

I'm no a visa expert, just wanted to share what I know. That's what
our lists are for :-). Please fill in the gaps by posting what you
know, and I will post what you come up with on the Teahouse Web site.

It is due for an update sooner than later... but I'm just a volunteer
so later sometimes wins the day ;) ouch.. inspire me.

Roger :-)
--
Roger Chrisman TEFL China Teahouse
rogerch-@earthlink.net http://teflchina.com
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Re: visa question
Leslie Sirag & Seth Watkins
Oct 27, 2000 11:04 PDT

Again, I think a lot depends on where you're going. Coastal cities appear
to be morelax about this stuff.
We were given the papers and told to get our z visas in the US (though they
were only for 3 mos anyway), and then rushed to convert to residence permits
within 30 days of our arrival, immediately after which our school got us the
work permits.

Even though I know and trust Ping, I'd be very uncomfortable coming in with
a tourist visa--but then I'd also be uncomfortable getting on a plane for
China without being certain of a job at the other end! Leslie



Leslie Sirag, R..L."Seth" Watkins, & Anne-Sarah Watkins
South Ocean International School Luoyang
Luoyang, Henan, POSTCODE:471031, People's Republic of CHINA
email: SIRAGW-@yahoo.com
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Roger is right that almost any westerners except UK citizens can get
three months visa at Zhuhai Border. It costs 100 HK dollars if you come
to Zhuhai by boat and 150 HK dollars if you come to Zhuhai through
Macau. The visa is good for traveling anywhere in China and exit China
from any ports. It is also possible to get 6 months double entry visa at
Zhuhai border for 240 HK dollars if you can show an address in China in
Chinese characters and claim that you are coming to China to visit a
relative(Tan Qing). A few western friends have done this and there has
not been any problem.

There are only a few cities that foreigners can come into China without
a visa. However, I have teachers coming to China through Shenzhen and
they only get 5 days SEZ(Special Economic Zone visa) and they have to
leave China through Shenzhen. When they asked for three months visa,
they were directed to a Travel Agency and asked to pay 450 HK dollars
for three months visa. I do not know the situation now. It happened
about one year ago. As far as I know, Zhuhai is still the best place for
getting visa.

If anyone wants to get visa at Zhuhai border and needs some help, please
drop me a note. I can help you out as a group of passport inspectors are
taking English classes in our school right now.

Best,

Ping
in Zhuhai

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