Comments on: China Visa Update

By: One-Eyed Panda

One-Eyed Panda — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:51:21 +0000

I’m afraid there are no definite answers for this. Here is what I can tell you.

1) You aren’t changing your visa, you’re getting a new one. You can try to apply for the z visa in either HK or Denmark. You may need to go back to Australia though it really depends on the consulate (same applies for going through third countries).

2) I don’t know about this. Since you’re an Australian citizen it may not help you.

What is your work experience in? One of the conditions is that they want people who are actually qualified to do what they say they are doing. Therefore it helps if you have teaching experience or graduated with a degree in linguistics. The two years work experience also doesn’t mean internships it has to be full-time paid work.

I hope this helps.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:20:36 +0000

Let me be a little more specific about my situation. If anyone can give me a solid and specific answer, i’ll jump out of my skin.

I am an Australian citizen. I was born in 1982. I have two years work experience. At this moment, I am in Shijiazhuang on a 6 month F visa. I am studying Chinese at a local uni.

I have been offered teaching work in Xiamen to begin in September.

In June, I will leave China and go to Denmark to visit my girlfriend’s family. We have tickets back to China for August.

My questions are -
1. Can I change my F visa to a Z visa either in Xiamen or if I need to, Hong Kong?
2. Or can I have Denmark written on my invitation letter and pick up a Z visa in Denmark?
3. A return ticket to Australia is time consuming and expensive, so instead, can I go to any other countries to get a Z visa?

‘[ News ] From 31st Oct 2008, Shanghai Foreign Economic Relation & Trade Commission release the Z visa invitation letter policy. During the Olympic games you can only choose your home country as the Z visa issued place. But now, you can choose any country without offering that country residential card.’

Any thoughts on this? This is from http://www.visainchina.com/visa1.htm

If anyone can help me at all. I will be very thankful.

Best regards,

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:30:45 +0000

Hi Oneeyedpanda,

Do you have any news of people changing F visas to Z visas in Hong Kong these days?

I keep reading mixed comments about this issue.

Thanks a million!

Josh

By: oneeyedpanda

oneeyedpanda — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 08:19:00 +0000

@monkeybrains it’s best to go through Hong Kong if you can justify your need for a double-entry (IE with travel itinerary from China and Mongolia with hotel stays included) it should be no problem to get another visa in Hong Kong.

By: Chinese Z-Visa Renewing Experience | {BibiLiew.Com}

Chinese Z-Visa Renewing Experience | {BibiLiew.Com} — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:47:23 +0000

[...] get an extension, but because of the new and tighter visa rules that you have probably read here, here, here and here, you now have to appear yourself for a computerized photo [...]

By: Monkeybrains

Monkeybrains — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:01:40 +0000

Dear Mr Panda,
I have a single entry tourist visa (for 30 days), and would like to spend some time in china, visit Mongolia and then return to China to catch my plane back. I am happy to book my train ticket in advance – but as I’m now out of the UK (where I’m from, and where I got my visa) I was wondering if I could change my visa to double entry in Beijing PSB? The Chinese embassy in Tel Aviv told me I might be able to get a double entry visa in Hong Kong – but that seems a long way round, and I would definately not be able to get a second visa in Ulan Bataar. Any advice would be most welcome….

By: oneeyedpanda

oneeyedpanda — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:35:33 +0000

@Icarus You need to go on a business visa. Traveling for business in China on tourist visa is against the country’s visa regulations and something that the visa officers look out for. If you try to enter on a tourist visa and get caught you could face a lot of problems when you try to apply for another visa to re-enter the country.

Follow the steps in the post above and get your documents in order for a business visa. Get your Chinese contacts to get you the letters of invitations from the foreign affairs bureaus in the cities you will be visiting. Also make sure you have documents showing your hotel bookings and your return air tickets. If you do this you should be able to get your visa.

As August is the Olympic season I don’t think you will be able to get a business visa for this month. You’ll probably need to reschedule your trips for September or even October after the paralympics. Your local Chinese consulate or embassy will be able to clarify this for you as they are the authority that will issue your visa. They also offer English-language visa services.

I hope this helps.

By: icarus

icarus — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:45:51 +0000

Hi
I am a citizen of India. Can a person combine business work on a tourist visa for travel in August 2008 ? What is your advice if someone goes on a tourist visa but travels within China to several places for business meetings or discussions ? Are there any likely issues that may arise with local authorities or hotels, etc ? Especially because China is not an English speaking country, one may not be able to give necessary clarifications in a manner which can be understood by the other ?

By: oneeyedpanda

oneeyedpanda — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:18:14 +0000

@djhoy: I’m afraid not, if that’s the law, I’m afraid you have to abide by it.

By: djhoy

djhoy — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:34:29 +0000

i know about that, because during my f visa i am only an agent of 1 furniture company which i travelled a lot from china to philippines (vice versa) now that my company decided to get me a visa the problem is the chinese government make a new law that all from philippines can not get a visa anymore instead we need to go back in philippines to get only 2 months.its very difficult right now for me.is there anything that you can help me?