Renting an apartment with an L visa

[dequila73]

Does anyone have experience renting a long-term apartment on an L visa?

I have a 1-year multiple entry L visa that doesn't expire until the end of 2008. (I have to leave the country once every 90 days.) I am hoping to rent an apartment in Beijing and sign a one-year contract. However, I don't know if it's possible to get a residence permit on an L visa.

The agent I found the apartment with says there shouldn't be a problem registering. I am studying and working part-time, and the HR woman at work says that she is only able to convert my L visa to a six-month F visa, and it would take weeks. So, in her opinion, I would be better off sticking with my 1-year L visa.

I haven't found any good credible info online about whether Beijing allows foreigners to sign into a long-term lease on an L visa. Should I go down to the local police station and ask, or sign the contract and see what happens when I go to register?

[gougou]

As you can confirm through a search on these forums, registering at the PSB (police station) is not the same as getting a residence permit.

I have registered with a 3 months tourist visa already, so I don't think you should have any problems with that.

You might still want to think about changing your visa, though, as it is illegal to work on an L-visa.

[cdn_in_bj]

I haven't found any good credible info online about whether Beijing allows foreigners to sign into a long-term lease on an L visa.

When you sign an apartment lease, no one will look at your visa (or shouldn't have reason to). So your question is really about whether you'll run into problems registering because your lease is for a longer time than your current visa allows you to stay. But here I can't see why the PSB would have a problem with that, or what they could do about it. It's not like they can cancel your lease, and it won't do them any good to not let you register. At worst, I can see them making a note to check up on you in the future to make sure you're not overstaying your visa. And knowing that you might be under more scrutiny from them, you'd be best to take gougou's advice about getting the proper visa.

If it happens that you're unable to renew your visa, and have to leave (for good) before your lease is up, you'll be breaking the lease and lose your deposit. So even in this scenario you won't be "getting away" for free. I really don't see why the PSB would care.

Anyways, this is just my opinion.

[roddy]

No problem, and as Gougou points out, the residence permit and registering at the police station are two different things. Type of visa makes no difference at all to renting an apartment.

[self-taught-mba]

and you can work on a F visa?

[cdn_in_bj]

and you can work on a F visa?

You can, if it's an "internship" not exceeding 6 months.

[dequila73]

Thanks for all the advice. I ended up renting the apartment, and the landlord came down to the PSB with me. The only thing is, the permit I got only lasts until January, when I have to make my next visa run. I'm not sure if the landlord has to go with me to the PSB again when I get back, but for now things are fine.

How long does it usually take to switch an L to an F visa?