Visas

Visas and other documents

Almost everyone (except Chinese nationals) requires a valid visa to enter China. These are available from Chinese Embassies and Consulates in most countries. Chinese Embassies and Consulates regularly close for both local and Chinese holidays. We therefore advise that you check with the embassy before travelling any distance. For a list of addresses see below or click here.

The problem is that China issues a number of different types of visa. PLEASE NOTE: there is only one visa application form, which does not ask what type of visa you want. The embassy or consulate officials have the final decision as to which type of visa they will issue. This decision is based on the supporting documents you supply.

To work legally in China it is necessary to hold a 'Z' visa. To obtain this, in addition to your passport (valid for six months beyond the intended stay) and application form you must supply the following documents.

An employment permit from the Ministry of Labour or the State Bureau of Foreign Experts of China in addition to an invitation letter/fax from a Chinese governmental department or government-authorised company.

Copies of these two documents can be seen here.

To obtain these documents you should normally secure employment before you arrive in China. The documents will be supplied by your employer. To obtain these, the employer will require that you send them a copy of the details page of your passport, copies of your academic qualifications and teaching certification.

Depending on where you apply, you may also be asked for a health certificate. The New York consulate seems to require this, whereas London does not. Whatever, you will probably be asked to have another medical in China before being issued your residence permit (see below). This includes an HIV test, which is compulsory for all visitors to China who intend staying a year or more.

This can naturally take some time.

Many employers suggest that you arrive on a tourist visa (type L) and they will arrange the correct paperwork on your arrival. This was certainly possible, but no longer. See here. We strongly advise that you exercise extreme caution. In order for a school or college to legally employ a 'foreign' teacher they must satisfy certain conditions. Many employers who ask teachers to come on tourist visas do not have this permission and are employing the teachers illegally. This is commonplace and normally the authorities turn a blind eye. However there are occasional clean up campaigns (several teachers were thrown out of Shanghai last year and the schools closed down). It is illegal to work on a tourist visa. We recommend you read the warning issued by the UK government here. The US have also issued a similar warning.

To obtain a tourist visa you need to first book a flight. The issuing officer will need to see your ticket, and will ask where you are going and the reason. You will have to lie and say you are going to visit. If you say you are going to work you may well be refused. Let's hope you can get a refund on that ticket. In practice, however, few tourism visa applications are refused.

Whichever visa you are issued it is unlikely valid to be for more than 30 - 90 days. If you are on a one or more years contract, do not worry. The visa is only an entry document. Within 30 days of arriving in China you must apply for a RESIDENCE PERMIT. The employer will normally arrange this. Residence permits are valid for one year and are easily renewable provided you are still employed.

Residence Permit

This replaces your visa and becomes your permission to be in China. Officially, you should carry your passport with you at all times. Few people do. It is advisable to carry it when you travel as you will usually need it to book into a hotel. All Chinese must carry an ID card and show it when registering in hotels . Your residence permit takes the place of the ID card.

Your residence permit also acts as a multi-entry visa, meaning you are able to leave and return freely during the validity of the permit.

Despite extensive publicity and propaganda, the Chinese Permanent Residence (Green Card) scheme has not been fully implemented. Shanghai, home to the largest number of ex-pats in China, proudly stated that they had issued only 49 in the first year!

In theory the following people are eligible:

1. A high-level foreign expert holding a post in a business that promotes China's economic, scientific and technological development, or social progress.

2. Have made outstanding contributions, or are of special importance to China.

3. Have made large direct investment of over 500 thousand US dollars in China.

4. Come to China to be with your family, such as husband or wife, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives.

1 - 3 are obviously subjective decisions and require extensive connections (did I mention bribes?)

No. 4 is mainly aimed at overseas Chinese.

In addition, only a handful of cities are able to process applications. And you have to process your application in the city in which your spouse is registered.

(By the way, don't think about getting married just to supply the wife/husband for No. 4. You have to have been married 5 years!)

IMPORTANT UPDATE

The following bulletin was issued by the US Embassy Beijing on August 6th, 2007

"The Entry and Exit Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security has tightened its regulations pertaining to the issuance, renewal and alteration of visas. The changes took effect July 2007. For the foreseeable future, it will no longer be possible to change tourist (L) and exchange (F) -type visas to other types. Many applications that formerly could be handled by a representative now must be completed in person by the applicant. Additionally, express visa service is no longer available. Enforcement has tightened of entry and exit violations, with recent reports of police, school administrators and hotel staff checking to ensure that foreigners have not overstayed their visas.

Please be advised that current regulations state that the penalty for overstaying a visa is 500 RMB per day of overstay, not to exceed 5000 RMB and/or detention. The period of detention can range from 5-30 days depending on the severity of the violation. Detention may be longer than 30 days in the case that the authorities believe that the foreigner was involved in criminal activity. The Embassy is aware of several recent detentions of American citizens relating to visa overstays and violating the terms of their visas (i.e. working while on a visitor’s visa)."